ImClone Systems, the biotech company that took it on the chin in the Martha Stewart stock scandal, received more bad news late yesterday when a federal judge ruled that three Israeli scientists owned an important patent on its only product, the highly successful colon cancer drug, Erbitux.
Sorry for the light blogging, due to jury duty (in D.C. Superior Court) and trips to laptop hospital. Here is my latest Creators Syndicate column, on the apparent (and mild) recovery of Republican fortunes in the 2006 election cycle. Why are Republicans, apparently, doing better? Because, I think, voters are focusing more on the question: Who can keep us safe? The Democrats, with their opposition to NSA surveillance of telephone calls from al Qaeda suspects abroad to persons in the United States and with their opposition to tough interrogations of captured al Qaeda combatants, do not inspire confidence. Check out this dynamite ad for Republican Rep. Nancy Johnson of Connecticut.
Millions of people at risk for heart attack or stroke take a small daily dose of aspirin–it has been shown to reduce the incidence of these events by about 25 percent. Now the Food and Drug Administration wants them to watch the clock before swallowing an ibuprofen product, such as Advil or Motrin, to relieve pain. An FDA safety alert issued last week advises consumers to wait at least 30 minutes to take ibuprofen after taking aspirin, and not to take aspirin for heart benefits for at least eight hours after taking ibuprofen. If the two drugs are used too closely together, warns the FDA, the ibuprofen may cancel out the aspirin's benefits.
AP - President Bush, poised to outline to world leaders his vision of a 21st century framework for global security, pressed Iran once more Tuesday to immediately begin negotiations on its nuclear program.
AP - Armored units of the Thai military blocked the area around the offices of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday night amid rumors of a military coup, witnesses said.
AP - The U.S. military will likely maintain or possibly even increase the current force levels of more than 140,000 troops in Iraq through next spring, the top US. commander in the Middle East said Tuesday in one of the gloomiest assessments yet of how quickly American forces can be brought home.
President Bush will challenge world leaders to do more to build democracy in the Middle East in his speech at the United Nations today. He will ask members to encourage "forces of moderation in this struggle against extremism," national security adviser Stephen Hadley said.
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