Should Rouche Pharmaceuticals be allowed to buy up 90% of the Star Anise Fruit Crop in order to insure they have the supply chain to fulfill the orders of bird flu vaccines in the future? Some have condemned the multi-national conglomerate of foul play.

Actually it is smart thinking on their part, good for them. I do not see anyone condemning Starbuck's Coffee for buying up coffee plantations world wide to ensure their supply chain, in fact they are keeping their costs lower that way and thus, higher profits and passed on lower costs as the commodity becomes scarce as they buy it.

Although a 23-year old crybaby Washington DC Columbia University Liberal brainwashed FTC regulator who has never had to make a payroll wouldnt know that would they? Surely not, they would do their little casework, assist in filing a lawsuit and thus slow the production of Bird Flu vaccine research at a critical juncture. Then everyone dies, but of course the regulators do not care, as they are attacking Rouche for a couple of reasons they do not even understand;

A.) A K-street law firm lobbyist for a US competing Big Pharma Corp. calls in on a Congressional Staffer and has a meeting with a Congressman, who personally calls the FTC Commissioner to look into this Rouche purchase of Anise Star Fruit. (Coincidentally at a time the FY2007 FTC budgets will be voted on by Congress)

B.) Rouche is put into an international trade negotiation as a chip or Ace Card for EU trade negotiations as each continent tries to force their will for their in-country corporations for the others corresponding markets.

Before we go slamming a multinational conglomerate with the answer to the Bird Flu, which could potentially save up to a Billion People, we ought to consider the ramifications of our actions. Taking a linear approach to the problem, using lawyers, politics and mass media hysteria is libel to get a whole lot more people killed than need be. So consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow