The FY 2005 omnibus appropriations measure funds the federal Food and Drug Administration at $1.78 billion, which is $123 million above 2004.

This increase is for a taxpayer-funded organization whose policies have resulted in blood supply shortages, the Vioxx fiasco and mismanagement accusations by its own safety expert, Dr. David Graham.

Former FDA official Dr. Henry Miller reported that it takes almost eight years and $400 million to bring a new drug to market. This guarantees little financial incentive for a pharmaceutical company to develop new drugs, and it ensures that only the most powerful companies can afford to run the FDA gauntlet.

In contrast, free-market capitalism provides countless examples of efficient, voluntary regulatory companies. Underwriters Laboratories rewards safe electrical products with its encircled UL symbol. Consumer Reports reviews everything from washers to Internet providers. Car and Driver magazine rates vehicles for safety and efficiency. These companies depend on their accurate research for continued business.

Patients and their doctors should have the liberty to use competing private information sources and choose the best available drugs and procedures. Only free-market exchange will end the deadly FDA monopoly that makes decisions based on politics instead of consumer demand.