Big Government, Big Pharma and Big Media work together as one. Is this three-headed giant for or against sound science, good sense, and you or me?

Last week a lung cancer prevention study using Celebrex with cigarette smokers was announced.

Big Government

The United States (U.S.) Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommended the study and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the U.S. encouraged it as well.

Shortly after the above recommendation by the FDA it then required Celebrex to carry a warning label that users face increased risk of cardiovascular side effects.

Cigarette smokers are a primary risk group for heart problems. Is that sound science to give a drug that increases heart problems to a group at high risk for heart problems?

Big Pharma

Celebrex is a product of Pfizer. When it comes to Big Pharma there is none bigger. Pfizer bills itself as "the world's largest" of the pharmaceuticals.

Their spokesman referred inquiries about the lung cancer prevention study using Celebrex to the NCI of Big Daddy Government as the unholy trinity works together as one.

The NCI noted that there are at least eight cancer prevention studies using Celebrex ongoing!

Big Media

Media reports soft pedal these reports as promising. Near the top of one report a top medical doctor is quoted regarding the Celebrex-lung cancer study, "The first concern is to do no harm."

Is he serious? Is Big Media serious for covering this story in this manner?

This week another Big Media headline proclaimed, "FDA steps up action on misleading drug ads". The article opened by noting that FDA warnings to drug companies had more than tripled. Sounds impressive, eh?

There were 17 FDA warning letters issued in the past 12 months compared to "an average of about four to five letters in recent years"

Yet only seven years ago there were 157 FDA warning letters issued to drug companies. The "increase" of this year is actually almost a 90 per cent reduction from just a few years ago.

Does that sound like the FDA is stepping up action as the Big Media headline proclaimed?

Big Trouble

Celebrex is a 'Johnny-come-lately'. Before Celebrex entered the marketplace another study noted the most dramatic reduction of cancer incidence in the recorded history of science research. That was with the mineral element selenium. Dramatic reductions of prostate, colon and lung cancers were noted. Celebrex is now being tested on each of those cancers and others as well.

That selenium study was criticized by one of Big Pharma's arms at JAMA for not using pharmaceutical grade selenium. The selenium study used a whole food, grown variety of selenium. Big Pharma can't duplicate in their laboratories that which is grown.

A chief at Big Government's NCI said more studies were needed before selenium could be seriously considered. Yet selenium studies against cancer already exceeded 100 in number prior to that.

Since then NCI of Big Government has started eight Big Pharma Celebrex studies against cancer just based on a whisk of hope. Does the NCI have any selenium studies against cancer going? Just one started only last year. Results are more than 10 years away. Allow me to save you from the suspense of waiting more than 10 years for results. They won't get nearly as good results if they even get good results at all.

The old study used a whole food, grown selenium supplement. The new study uses a pharmaceutical grade selenium supplement. The new study also mixes other pharmaceutical grade supplements into the equation that will further diminish any benefits that the lesser selenium may bestow.

Is there a 'Jack the Giant Killer' to take out the three-headed giant of Big Government, Big Pharma and Big Media?