This newest in a week-long series of articles by USA Today about the awesome task of reining in spiraling health care costs, once again, delves into the necessity and preference by some for newer, often unproven and far more expensive drugs over cheaper, older versions of similar drugs.

If you're on the fence at all about this "shell game" the drug companies play with "new" drugs, thanks to a crippled, compromised FDA -- despite the consequences to your health -- consider this life-saving anecdote about Kaiser Permanente's stance on Vioxx and Tysabri.

After a review by staff pharmacists, Kaiser refused to carry either drug, long before both were found to be deadly. Makes you wonder how many patients Kaiser Permanente saved, merely by taking a closer look at the toxicity of these drugs, and how many more might still be with us had federal regulators exercised more caution.

Even this bad news has a sliver lining folks. More patients by the day are discovering how drug companies formulate their games and are choosing not to play them any more. Instead, they're turning to sites like mine so they can take more responsibility for their health and stay away from drugs and procedures that serve the corrupt excuse that passes for conventional medicine in America.

USA Today October 18, 2006