[HSF] Aprotinin

[Hgrmd at aol.com]

Ben,
  I'm starting to get a little thin skinned about those cracks  regarding me 
using articles in the WSJ and NYT as a frame of reference.   Let me tell you, 
those are the articles that will fire up the public and the  lawyers, not some 
paper stuck keep in the bowels of a peer reviewed  journal.  As for me, I 
keep up with both sides of the fence.  As an  admitted paid consultant for Bayer 
for many years, I'm starting to get the  impression that you "doth protest too 
much."  I've yet to hear you say that  there is anything possibly harmful 
with aprotinin.  Do you honestly think  that this side effect of ATN is just a 
"vast right wing conspiracy" that has no  basis whatsoever?  Really, I think 
your credibility suffers somewhat if you  don't at least acknowledge that there 
might be some possibility that some of  these aprotinin side effects are real.  
Shortly after the infamous Mangano  article came out, I was cornered by a 
couple of Bayer reps in the surgeon's  lounge who whipped out a laptop and 
fervently tried to convince me that all of  these aprotinin allegations were 
statistical poppycock.  Quite frankly,  your postings kind of remind me of them. Hope 
you're not offended, but I  really felt the need to clear the air.
Hal