QUEENSLAND: NOW FOR THE COVERUP:

Queensland's Opposition has accused the State Government of trying to sanitise Bundaberg Base Hospital's problems by preventing meetings with senior staff. Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg travelled to Bundaberg, where more than 20 patients are believed to have died at the hands of the surgeon dubbed "Dr Death", with two Nationals colleagues today to meet with senior staff and discuss their concerns. But state Health Minister Gordon Nuttall denied him access to hospital staff, saying a meeting was inappropriate given a commission of inquiry into the employment of Indian-trained Dr Jayant Patel was already under way. He was told he could meet the state's Chief Health Officer, Dr Gerry Fitzgerald, instead.

"It was just pointless. We feel that Gerry Fitzgerald is compromised because he is probably going to appear before the inquiry," Mr Springborg said, adding Mr Nuttall's media adviser was also present at the meeting. "I told them it was hopeless. I want to talk to people to find out what is going on – I didn't want the version according to them."

A spokesman for Mr Nuttall said the Government wanted to protect management and staff at the hospital from further undue stress. "Any assertion by Mr Springborg that this Government or Queensland Health is attempting to cover up what has happened at Bundaberg Hospital is insulting to the independence of the commission of inquiry into issues arising from the appointment of Dr Jayant Patel," he said. The inquiry, headed by Tony Morris QC, is also investigating the Medical Board's role in handling complaints about and supervision of overseas-trained doctors.

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Once "too slow," FDA approvals called "too fast" -- and it always will be wrong: "Over 15 years, the Food and Drug Administration has swung from taking too long to get medicine to dying AIDS patients to drawing fire for rushing drugs to market that wound up killing people. The agency's troubles were highlighted last week, when it asked Pfizer Inc. to suspend sales of Bextra because the painkiller can cause fatal heart and skin problems. ... The profound change within the agency came from several directions. AIDS activists in the late 1980s besieged the agency to demand it make more drugs available to combat what, at the time, looked like an unstoppable epidemic. Threats by major drug companies to move overseas spurred Congress to pass laws that created a speedier approval process funded by drug makers themselves."


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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation.

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