President-Elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services is cause for celebration for anyone who cares about the pharmaceutical industry’s influence over regulatory agencies, and the deleterious effect it has had on the health of Americans.
It is nearly impossible to express just how remarkable and potentially world-changing this is. Only a few years ago, it would have been beyond the imagination of any serious political commentator. Those of us who believe in the freedom of medical choice – and especially those who have been personally harmed by the industry – have every reason to be ecstatic.
But even if Kennedy is confirmed, and even if he manages to implement his ideas, will they be enough to bring about real, lasting, change?
One of Kennedy’s primary targets will be the regulatory capture that practically defines the pharmaceutical industry and the agencies tasked with overseeing it. He has spent decades tirelessly battling this particular beast, and has recently articulated a number of specific policy ideas aimed at rooting out the “corruption” that characterizes the regulatory agencies as well as the world of medical research. But is that even possible?
In order to answer this question, we need to examine the nature of the regulatory state itself. […]
— Read More: brownstone.org
