Profits over the consumers pocketbook; this is becoming a serious issue

BY STEVEN KASZAB

The public sector often relies upon the private sector to effectively and continually test their products as to their functions, possible imperfections and failures to operate correctly. to them. The public authority simply does not have the staff to continually connect with these manufacturers and industry sector leaders. The public authority relies upon the: manufacturers, producers and industries management to do the job for them. The private sector’s promises of regulatory maintenance are taken for granted. Their promise to never put profit before the safety of the public is assumed, but often never fully scrutinized, never fully investigated by public regulators.

• Passengers complain of carbon monoxide poisoning on and during travel on airlines
• Medicines approved before proper studies of potential side effects (examples like COVID Vaccines-Opioids-Ozempic)
• Airlines maintain on a strict regular schedule all active aircrafts belonging to airlines
• The automotive industry tests all safety measures in their vehicles like airbags properly inflating
• Meat purveyors preparing, cleaning and processing all meat safely, in disease free facilities without the possibility of contaminated material flowing into the public’s consumer sphere

How can the public authority expect a private concern to operate and make items, provide a service to the public without placing profitability before the public’s safe operation, or consumption of an item? Business exists to make profit and is not a lost leader for the public concern.

The opioid epidemic was allowed to be initiated and grow by the ineptitude of public officials who approved flawed procedures and medical trials so that opioid meds can be sold. Why? Public officials believed the corporate propaganda, tests and procedures of corporate America. They were told these drugs were safe, but no satisfying warning of definitive addictions were mentioned until the marketplace had been saturated with this drug. By the way, who usually hires former public regulators and provides excellent employment opportunities for them? The private sector, assuredly Big Pharma.

Meat packers and agricultural producers are often pressured by management to release products for public use even though these items can be contaminated. Sales must go on, business must never step back, but always advance and grow its industry. Jobs are on the line; profits need to be made.

Governments are always under the gun, receiving undue pressure from the corporate sector to lower taxes, reduce regulatory action, and get its noise out of its business. When a new vehicle is designed and made, insurance policies are established by the corporate sector, considering the probable injuries and deaths caused by their products’ failure during use by the public. I once helped develop a handle for AMC that would not break, guaranteeing 2000 pulls. The corporate officials came, took all relevant materials from us, and told us they were in the business to make money, so the handle did not need to be guaranteed past the two hundredth pull. Profits always over the consumers pocketbook, safety or relevance in the big picture.

There are equations and studies used by the corporate world to evaluate, often in real time, the possible injuries and deaths that will be caused by the use of the corporations’ products. Next time you go onto a plane, wonder if it has been maintained properly, or if you purchase a vehicle, was the airbag properly installed or working at all. When a family member gets medicine, investigate what it is and what sort of side effects it may cause.

The corporate world only provides info packs of propaganda, so you are responsible for your family’s safety and well-being. The public is responsible while the public sector tries to catch up to the public’s needs. If something happens, a product fails in mass, or food is contaminated and consumed, the public suffers, while the corporate world has insurance and a strong legal department. Public officials are protected by law from any of their failings to act and get their job done.

The public is a petri-dish of experimentation, where big business introduces new and exciting products to be publicly used with little real regulatory authority applied. Drugs are infused with other stuff often not shown, and a long list of side effects may be listed, putting the corporations’ legal woes to rest, since they made some effort to be transparent. The consumer is the responsible authority, the one given the choice to decide what to: consume, eat or travel on. Be Wise!