Litigation Plague

If Captain Chirps does break out into the human population and millions of Americans die as a result, here's one place the blame had better be placed:

A shortage of flu shots forces millions to go without them. Hospitals report they're running out of antibiotics for tough bugs. The U.S. is called vulnerable to avian flu and terrorists spreading anthrax.

How is it that the U.S., known for its prowess in producing lifesaving drugs and boasting an industry with a stock-market value in the hundreds of billions of dollars, doesn't have the medicine necessary to protect itself from these public-health threats?...

Publicly traded drug companies are encouraged by their shareholders to make drugs that either are priced in the thousands of dollars per prescription or can be prescribed for years. What turns off drug companies is a product with low profit margins, infrequent use and a high likelihood of liability lawsuits.

Have you coughed and/or sneezed on a trial lawyer today?