The Coloradoan (June 29) ran a full-page ad from the Colorado oil and gas industries that is extremely manipulative and untruthful. It attempts to paint environmental responsibility as being the opposite of economic success by claiming that “certain species are covered. People are not.” They are trying to perpetuate the falsehood that (human) economics is the only standard that should apply. It appeals to the “free market” proponents by implying that only profits should be used to judge the desirability of alternatives.

However, in the Nutrition Reporter (same issue), we discover that two cholesterol drugs not only don’t do what they claim but also “might actually promote” the very condition they claim to treat. Why? The answer: follow the money! Sales netted the companies involved $5 billion in 2007. Moreover, the American Heart Association issued a news release in support of the discredited drugs. Why? Follow the money:

The AHA gets $2 million a year from one of the drug makers!

Far from being a neutral arbiter of decision-making, the profit motive provides incentive to lie, cheat and misinform in order to keep profits rolling in. Time for change!

J.K. Peterson,
Fort Collins