Socialized Bad Medicine

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"In setting limits on chemicals in food and water, the Environmental Protection Agency may rely on industry tests that expose people to poisons," reported Associated Press. The EPA's draft plan suggests that Bush administration political appointees will evaluate studies using "a case-by-case process." EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs' senior policy adviser said human studies would be accepted, "unless they are fundamentally unethical or have significant deficiencies." A pesticide industry lawsuit resulted in a 2003 ruling that EPA "cannot refuse to consider industry tests involving people on a case-by-case basis," until it issues new rules. Widespread criticism recently led the EPA to suspend a study on "how children's bodies absorb pesticides."