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Does Big Pharma Market Junk?; Are Video Games Dangerous?
Aired December 22, 2004 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM, I'm Miles O'Brien.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what all new this half hour.
In the wake of the Vioxx, Celebrex and Aleve stories, the author of "Overdose" joins us with his take on the dangers of America's obsession with medicine.
O'BRIEN: Increasingly realistic and increasingly violent. Could video games make monsters out of our children? Daniel Sieberg, our tech guru, continues his series today and he's a bit of a gamer himself. First, here's what's happening "Now in the News."
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany treating dozens of U.S. troops wounded in the attack on a military base in Mosul, Iraq. Eight of the service people arriving at a Ramstein Air Base today were in critical condition. Yesterday's blast killed at least 22, wounded 69.
The U.S. military says it's possible someone placed a bomb inside a crowded mess tent at that base in Mosul. Yesterday, military officials reported the base had come under an outside rocket attack. They're still investigating, though. We expect to hear from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld next hour. We'll have more from our military analyst David Grange in just a moment from now.
And French -- two French journalists, held hostage by Iraqi insurgents since late August, safely back in Paris now. The former hostages appeared healthy as they stepped off a plane to a joyful welcome by President Jacques Chirac. The government won their release yesterday.
PHILLIPS: We're back to this hour's top story now. The attack on a U.S. base in Mosul, Iraq. The Pentagon now revising the casualty figures, reporting 13 American military personnel killed, and that's down from 14, as they previously released. Five U.S. civilians, three members of Iraq's national guard and one still unidentified person.
Also, in the last couple of hours, the possibility raised that the deadly explosive was not launched into that Mosul dining facility, but placed there ahead of time. A full investigation is well underway. Nothing is ruled out yet. Let's bring in military analyst, retired Army Brigadier General David Grange.
Good to see you, General. BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET): Same.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk more about the explosive in just a second. But first of all, the vetting process. OK, now it's being whittled down to the possibility that it was placed in that dining facility. When working with Iraqis outside personnel, besides U.S. soldiers, how is the vetting process -- how does it take place?
GRANGE: Well it's -- you have a counterintelligence personnel that assists the command in doing this job. But part of it is you have to rely on some of the local Iraqis to vouch for others because you don't know the people, you don't know the history. You cannot pull up files on some of these people.
So it's a very, very difficult process and with the numbers employed, it's a tall order, but some type of vetting has to be done. And there's different degrees of certainty that you place on people once they go through this process. But I'm sure a few slip through the cracks.
PHILLIPS: Well, and I told you I've been in contact with a number of soldiers there in Mosul, one of them e-mailing me this comment -- I want to get you to respond.
"We would receive various interpreters and contractors after they were cleared by division and passed to brigade for use. Even after someone was cleared to work on post, we maintained a uniformed supervisor with them. For example, when we will hired a contractor to refurbish one of our buildings for a rec center, you say, well, we still had an NCO escort with them to watch them work."
But, obviously, you can't have an escort with every single Iraqi at your camp, right?
GRANGE: That's right, and that's why there should be, and I believe there is, restrictions on people being allowed to move around if there are other nationals in the U.S., to move around freely in a camp -- that they have to move at certain times with escorts and groups, et cetera. But it's, again, it's a very tough process to delegate that many soldiers, as an example, military policemen, to watch all the workers in all these camps throughout Iraq.
PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk about the detonation. This from another contact, a source that I have within the military, saying that --- doesn't believe it was a surface or a suicide detonation, but now we're reporting that this explosive could have been placed there ahead of time.
He says that the size of the tent would have been blown out if it were a planted bomb on the surface of the tent deck. It appears that the explosion took place near the top surface of the tent and directed the shrapnel downward. So, he's suggesting an air burst detonation, say from a rocket. What do you think of that theory?
GRANGE: Well, air burst is a good theory because it's very lethal. It's probably the most lethal technique to disperse projectiles down on targets, in this case, troopers in a mess hall. I just don't know how you would place a handheld item, if you were a suicide bomber or just a plant inside the tent, that high up on that structure. So it makes you believe that maybe it was an air burst from some type of what they call V.T., variable timed fuse mortar round or rocket.
PHILLIPS: General, finally, if indeed this is an inside job, I want to ask you about the bribery aspect. You know, a lot of these Iraqis, they want change, they get involved, they work with U.S. military. But then the insurgents, many times, are able to sway a lot of these Iraqis into their mission with money, with cash, with other types of bribes.
GRANGE: Absolutely. And if you're making $10, $20 a day and then someone says I'll give you 10,000 to do this, plant it and leave or even on the suicide aspects, we'll take care of your family forever with a certain amount of money, it's very tempting. There's also other type of bribery. In other words, threatening someone's spouse, children, themselves. It's not just money. So there's a lot of bribes, a lot of threats going on in Iraq right now.
PHILLIPS: We'll be talking about it a lot more.
General David Grange, thanks for your time today.
GRANGE: My pleasure.
O'BRIEN: This week, we got yet another safety warning about a popular medication. Is it time for some surgery on America's drug approval system? I'll talk with the author of a book called "Overdosed America" next.
Jon Stewart, Mel Gibson, Michael Moore. Which of these men would you honor for most significant entertainment moment of the year? We've got the list.
And do violent video games lead to violence later in life? Watch our report before you finish your Christmas shopping, parents.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Americans are wondering where to turn for pain relief as the safety of one medicine after another comes into question. But could the public be oversold on these drugs? Harvard doctor John Abramson is the author of "Overdosed America." He joins us from New York City.
Dr. Abramson, good to have you with us.
DR. JOHN ABRAMSON, AUTHOR, "OVERDOSED AMERICA": Miles, it's a pleasure to be here with you.
O'BRIEN: All right. This news that we saw recently probably didn't come as a huge surprise to you, did it?
ABRAMSON: No, not at all. What caused me to leave practice after 20 years and take three years to write this book, "Overdosed America," is that I saw that the data that had been published, the reports that had been published in our most trusted journals, The New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, about Vioxx and Celebrex in the fall of 2000 really misrepresented the manufacturer's research, exaggerating the benefits and minimizing the risks of these medicines to practicing doctors.
O'BRIEN: So there's a little bit of hype going on here. And is it all about money here? Is that what it is? Is it simply doing whatever you can to cook the books, if you will, in order to get these drugs on the market as quickly as possible and get back your R&D budget?
ABRAMSON: Miles, that's exactly right. The responsibility -- the primary responsibility of the drug companies is to make financial -- to return the greatest financial rewards to the shareholders. They convince us that their primary function is to improve our health but their responsibility to improve our health is no greater than the fast food industry's responsibility to improve our diet. It's a real problem here.
O'BRIEN: Well, how did this conflict of interest come to be? And was this something that has been legislated or has evolved over time? How did it happen?
ABRAMSON: It has evolved over the past 20 years as most clinical research now, 80 percent of clinical research is now funded by the drug companies themselves. And in the beginning of the 1990s, about 80 percent of that research was still being done in universities where we have checks and balances. But by the end, by 2000, only 35 percent of that research was being done in universities, the rest being done by for-profit research companies.
O'BRIEN: You don't have to be a doctor or a scientist or whatever to know that if the drug companies are funding their own research, you've got a problem there.
ABRAMSON: That's exactly right.
O'BRIEN: Surely the FDA has the budget, the government has the budget, the universities, there are other ways of funding this, right?
ABRAMSON: That's exactly right. We're being pennywise and pound foolish. In 1992, the FDA was severely short of money. The solution was to let the drug companies themselves pay an increasing proportion of the division of the division of the FDA that approves new drugs and oversees safety. So that by 2002 the majority of the budget of that division of the FDA was paid for by the drug companies.
O'BRIEN: All right. So how do you undo it in times, of course, when there's a lot of problems, questions about the budget, deficits are at all-time highs, how do you undo this problem?
ABRAMSON: Well, that problem I think would be easy to undo because since 1992, the drug companies have contributed about $800 million to the budget of the FDA. It seems like a lot of money that we're saving taxpayers but when you think about spending $20 billion for Celebrex and Vioxx, drugs that are no more effective, no safer and maybe more dangerous than over the counter alternatives, you see that we're taking the money from the wrong pot. And what we ought to do is refocus our health care system not on letting the major corporations make the greatest profits but on providing the best health to the American people.
O'BRIEN: Well, I guess somebody should say amen to that one. That seems like it should be the way to go. I don't think anybody could argue with you on that. Final...
ABRAMSON: Well, that's what...
O'BRIEN: I guess there is some argument. A final thought here, I want people to take away just something they can use here. What are they to do with confusion now about all of these drugs, including Aleve, a very popular drug, what should people do if they've got a back ache right now?
ABRAMSON: Well, be cautious. Aspirin, acetaminophen or Tylenol are helpful, low doses of over the counter anti-inflammatories are helpful. But I think the biggest message, which is an empowering message, is that 70 or 80 percent of our health is in our own hands.
The drug companies have convinced us we need their products to be healthy and feel good. But 70 or 80 percent of our health, the risk of heart disease, is in our own hands. So let's get back to doing the basics, exercising, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, drinking in moderation if we drink. Let's do those things, we'll be a much healthier country.
O'BRIEN: All right. We love those silver bullet solutions, don't we? Dr. John Abramson with Harvard University, author of the book "Overdosed America." Interesting reading, thanks for being with us, we appreciate it.
ABRAMSON: Miles, a pleasure to be with you.
O'BRIEN: All right -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Some big names in today's entertainment. Hi, Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra. What do "The Passion of the Christ," the late Marlon Brando and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" all have in common? I'll have all the answers coming up.
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: I'm technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg. Could those new video games you bought be harmful to your children? We'll profile the ongoing and controversial debate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Well, video games, certainly they're not just for kids anymore. The uninitiated need only look at the box covers and previews of today's most popular computer and console games to see war, crime, sex, death. No shortage of blood, all simulated, of course, but more realistic with every release. So where's the fun in this fun and games story? CNN's technology guru, Daniel Sieberg, explores the rising concern for today's more impressionable gamers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: There's this car down the street that's fun. So I go in a shoot this woman in the head. And people are screaming and running all over. And there's blood everywhere.
SIEBERG (voice-over): A public service announcement released by the National Institute On Media and the Family, timed to coincide with the annual video game report card from the group and Senator Joe Lieberman.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: Violent and sexually provocative video games are not just games, they are a deadly serious matter with real consequences not just for the people, the kids who play them, but for the rest of us and our families that live in the same communities with people who play these games.
SIEBERG: Senator Lieberman says parents are under informed and that the video game rating system, which is similar to that of the movies, is vague and under enforced.
But the industry says they've done their job. In fact, they say, 83 percent of the time parents are the ones making the purchase. The Entertainment Software Association also takes issue with the research on video games and youth violence. They cite a study done by the Washington State Department of Health that concluded: "Research evidence is not supportive of a major public concern that violent video games lead to real life violence."
A lead researcher in the field, Craig Anderson from Iowa State University, disagrees.
CRAIG ANDERSON, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY: The true research experts have come to a solid conclusion here that these violent games really are not appropriate, even the cartoonish violent ones are not appropriate for children, that there are negative effects.
SIEBERG: Dr. Anderson's work was published by the American Psychological Association in April of the following year, concluding that laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behavior.
Industry representatives contend there's a big difference between violence and aggression.
DOUG LOWENSTEIN, ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION: Look, people watch football games and are more aggressive after they watch a football game. We've just seen an instance in this country where basketball players and fans got into a full fledged brawl. There weren't any video games involved in that. But we don't necessarily think going to a basketball game is harmful to your health. SIEBERG: Supporters of the game industry say critics are on a witch-hunt, that studies are simply irrelevant when you look at the fact that while the popularity of games has increased, statistics from the Justice Department suggest that youth violence is down. And ultimately, they say, it's a family affair.
LOWENSTEIN: It isn't for me to tell them what's the right choice for their family, it isn't for Senator Lieberman to tell them what's the right choice. It's for parents to take the tools that are available and make choices that they think are appropriate for their family. And most parents, I think, care about that and do a good job at that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG: No matter which side of this debate you're on, it's important for parents to have the tools they need. We have an example of what the games look like with the ratings systems on them. There's a variety of them. You can see the E there for everyone, the T for teen and the M for mature meaning 17 and older. That's Halo 2 right there which is a very popular game right now but it is rated M. So that's important to know. In case you're wondering, all of the games on the market today are actually reviewed on the Electronic Software Ratings Board Web site at ESRB.org. They have all of them there if you want to go and find out more information.
O'BRIEN: It puts a lot of onus on parents as well as it should be, but it requires parents to be a little bit more savvy on technical matters than most are. As a matter of fact, their kids know this cold.
SIEBERG: I'm glad we're discussing this with you, Miles. You have kids. You know how this is. But this is along with movie and television watching, using the Internet. It's important to not only know what your kids are playing and what you're buying for them but also to see what they're playing when they're playing, to look over their shoulder, to put the console or computer in a place where they can't hide away and sort of do it in secret and at least have some idea what they're playing if the rating system isn't enough for you.
O'BRIEN: I think it requires a tremendous amount of homework for parents and you've got to remember, after all, for many parents, this is -- there's no polite way to say it, it's a baby-sitting tool anyway.
SIEBERG: And relatively new to a lot of parents. It's kind of an unknown world for them.
O'BRIEN: You've got to stay plugged in to it. Daniel Sieberg, thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: Entertainment news now. In this New Year's New Year's Rocking Eve will be just a bit less rocking without the Times Square iron man counting down the ball to drop. Well, the latest on Dick Clark's recovery and the other news from the small and big screens now. Sibila Vargas in Los Angeles. Hi, Sibila. SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Looks like the world's oldest teenager will be spending the Christmas holiday in the hospital. Dick Clark has been removed from the intensive care unit after suffering a mild stroke earlier this month but according to his publicist he'll have to stay in the hospital a little longer to do some rehab. He was slated to host his annual New Year's Rocking Eve party in Times Square but this time around, Regis Philbin will be taking over the duties. Hopefully Clark will be well enough to see the show from his home in Malibu.
Have you ever thought what were the most significant moments of the year in the world of entertainment? The American Film Institute has come up with a short list of events that had the biggest impact. Making the cut was one of the most controversial films of the year Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." Joining "Passion" was Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Both are films that inspired national debate. The "Daily Show with Jon Stewart" also made the list because of its impact on young Americans and the death of Marlon Brando was a significant moment. The actor made a huge contribution to the acting world -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Other big moments in film?
VARGAS: Well, certainly the stepping down of journalist Barbara Walters, Bill Moyer and Tom Brokaw, the changing landscape of TV news was certainly significant. And we also said good-bye to some of the best comedies around, "Friends," "Frazier," "Sex in the City," all ended their runs this year.
Switching gears, this movie didn't make the list but by now you probably have heard about the independent film "Hotel Rwanda." It's been nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture and for best actor for Don Cheadle. But what you probably didn't know is just how dangerous it was for the crew while filming in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to the director a payroll truck carrying $40,000 was robbed by four men with AK-47s. One of the crew members had to fight off an attempted carjacking and a production assistant was shot in the arm while waiting for a bus to take him to the set. A great relief nobody was killed. "Hotel Rwanda" centers on the heroic efforts of one man during the 1994 Rwandan genocide and opens in select theaters today. Kyra, I got a chance to see it. It was pretty good. You should see it.
PHILLIPS: It's an ongoing news story. That's for sure. I look forward to seeing it, too. He's an incredible actor. Thanks, Sibila.
O'BRIEN: Definitely on the watch list for sure.
Some good economic news today. That's good to hear.
PHILLIPS: Yes, David Haffenreffer joins us now from the New York Stock Exchange to look at the financial markets. Hi, David.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT) PHILLIPS: A family who lost their son in Iraq is fighting Yahoo! to get access to his last e-mails. His dad talked to CNN. That story is coming up in our next hour.
O'BRIEN: And on the job with soldiers preparing for one of the most dangerous jobs. You know it. It's driving a convoy into Iraq. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired December 22, 2004 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM, I'm Miles O'Brien.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what all new this half hour.
In the wake of the Vioxx, Celebrex and Aleve stories, the author of "Overdose" joins us with his take on the dangers of America's obsession with medicine.
O'BRIEN: Increasingly realistic and increasingly violent. Could video games make monsters out of our children? Daniel Sieberg, our tech guru, continues his series today and he's a bit of a gamer himself. First, here's what's happening "Now in the News."
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany treating dozens of U.S. troops wounded in the attack on a military base in Mosul, Iraq. Eight of the service people arriving at a Ramstein Air Base today were in critical condition. Yesterday's blast killed at least 22, wounded 69.
The U.S. military says it's possible someone placed a bomb inside a crowded mess tent at that base in Mosul. Yesterday, military officials reported the base had come under an outside rocket attack. They're still investigating, though. We expect to hear from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld next hour. We'll have more from our military analyst David Grange in just a moment from now.
And French -- two French journalists, held hostage by Iraqi insurgents since late August, safely back in Paris now. The former hostages appeared healthy as they stepped off a plane to a joyful welcome by President Jacques Chirac. The government won their release yesterday.
PHILLIPS: We're back to this hour's top story now. The attack on a U.S. base in Mosul, Iraq. The Pentagon now revising the casualty figures, reporting 13 American military personnel killed, and that's down from 14, as they previously released. Five U.S. civilians, three members of Iraq's national guard and one still unidentified person.
Also, in the last couple of hours, the possibility raised that the deadly explosive was not launched into that Mosul dining facility, but placed there ahead of time. A full investigation is well underway. Nothing is ruled out yet. Let's bring in military analyst, retired Army Brigadier General David Grange.
Good to see you, General. BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET): Same.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk more about the explosive in just a second. But first of all, the vetting process. OK, now it's being whittled down to the possibility that it was placed in that dining facility. When working with Iraqis outside personnel, besides U.S. soldiers, how is the vetting process -- how does it take place?
GRANGE: Well it's -- you have a counterintelligence personnel that assists the command in doing this job. But part of it is you have to rely on some of the local Iraqis to vouch for others because you don't know the people, you don't know the history. You cannot pull up files on some of these people.
So it's a very, very difficult process and with the numbers employed, it's a tall order, but some type of vetting has to be done. And there's different degrees of certainty that you place on people once they go through this process. But I'm sure a few slip through the cracks.
PHILLIPS: Well, and I told you I've been in contact with a number of soldiers there in Mosul, one of them e-mailing me this comment -- I want to get you to respond.
"We would receive various interpreters and contractors after they were cleared by division and passed to brigade for use. Even after someone was cleared to work on post, we maintained a uniformed supervisor with them. For example, when we will hired a contractor to refurbish one of our buildings for a rec center, you say, well, we still had an NCO escort with them to watch them work."
But, obviously, you can't have an escort with every single Iraqi at your camp, right?
GRANGE: That's right, and that's why there should be, and I believe there is, restrictions on people being allowed to move around if there are other nationals in the U.S., to move around freely in a camp -- that they have to move at certain times with escorts and groups, et cetera. But it's, again, it's a very tough process to delegate that many soldiers, as an example, military policemen, to watch all the workers in all these camps throughout Iraq.
PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk about the detonation. This from another contact, a source that I have within the military, saying that --- doesn't believe it was a surface or a suicide detonation, but now we're reporting that this explosive could have been placed there ahead of time.
He says that the size of the tent would have been blown out if it were a planted bomb on the surface of the tent deck. It appears that the explosion took place near the top surface of the tent and directed the shrapnel downward. So, he's suggesting an air burst detonation, say from a rocket. What do you think of that theory?
GRANGE: Well, air burst is a good theory because it's very lethal. It's probably the most lethal technique to disperse projectiles down on targets, in this case, troopers in a mess hall. I just don't know how you would place a handheld item, if you were a suicide bomber or just a plant inside the tent, that high up on that structure. So it makes you believe that maybe it was an air burst from some type of what they call V.T., variable timed fuse mortar round or rocket.
PHILLIPS: General, finally, if indeed this is an inside job, I want to ask you about the bribery aspect. You know, a lot of these Iraqis, they want change, they get involved, they work with U.S. military. But then the insurgents, many times, are able to sway a lot of these Iraqis into their mission with money, with cash, with other types of bribes.
GRANGE: Absolutely. And if you're making $10, $20 a day and then someone says I'll give you 10,000 to do this, plant it and leave or even on the suicide aspects, we'll take care of your family forever with a certain amount of money, it's very tempting. There's also other type of bribery. In other words, threatening someone's spouse, children, themselves. It's not just money. So there's a lot of bribes, a lot of threats going on in Iraq right now.
PHILLIPS: We'll be talking about it a lot more.
General David Grange, thanks for your time today.
GRANGE: My pleasure.
O'BRIEN: This week, we got yet another safety warning about a popular medication. Is it time for some surgery on America's drug approval system? I'll talk with the author of a book called "Overdosed America" next.
Jon Stewart, Mel Gibson, Michael Moore. Which of these men would you honor for most significant entertainment moment of the year? We've got the list.
And do violent video games lead to violence later in life? Watch our report before you finish your Christmas shopping, parents.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Americans are wondering where to turn for pain relief as the safety of one medicine after another comes into question. But could the public be oversold on these drugs? Harvard doctor John Abramson is the author of "Overdosed America." He joins us from New York City.
Dr. Abramson, good to have you with us.
DR. JOHN ABRAMSON, AUTHOR, "OVERDOSED AMERICA": Miles, it's a pleasure to be here with you.
O'BRIEN: All right. This news that we saw recently probably didn't come as a huge surprise to you, did it?
ABRAMSON: No, not at all. What caused me to leave practice after 20 years and take three years to write this book, "Overdosed America," is that I saw that the data that had been published, the reports that had been published in our most trusted journals, The New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, about Vioxx and Celebrex in the fall of 2000 really misrepresented the manufacturer's research, exaggerating the benefits and minimizing the risks of these medicines to practicing doctors.
O'BRIEN: So there's a little bit of hype going on here. And is it all about money here? Is that what it is? Is it simply doing whatever you can to cook the books, if you will, in order to get these drugs on the market as quickly as possible and get back your R&D budget?
ABRAMSON: Miles, that's exactly right. The responsibility -- the primary responsibility of the drug companies is to make financial -- to return the greatest financial rewards to the shareholders. They convince us that their primary function is to improve our health but their responsibility to improve our health is no greater than the fast food industry's responsibility to improve our diet. It's a real problem here.
O'BRIEN: Well, how did this conflict of interest come to be? And was this something that has been legislated or has evolved over time? How did it happen?
ABRAMSON: It has evolved over the past 20 years as most clinical research now, 80 percent of clinical research is now funded by the drug companies themselves. And in the beginning of the 1990s, about 80 percent of that research was still being done in universities where we have checks and balances. But by the end, by 2000, only 35 percent of that research was being done in universities, the rest being done by for-profit research companies.
O'BRIEN: You don't have to be a doctor or a scientist or whatever to know that if the drug companies are funding their own research, you've got a problem there.
ABRAMSON: That's exactly right.
O'BRIEN: Surely the FDA has the budget, the government has the budget, the universities, there are other ways of funding this, right?
ABRAMSON: That's exactly right. We're being pennywise and pound foolish. In 1992, the FDA was severely short of money. The solution was to let the drug companies themselves pay an increasing proportion of the division of the division of the FDA that approves new drugs and oversees safety. So that by 2002 the majority of the budget of that division of the FDA was paid for by the drug companies.
O'BRIEN: All right. So how do you undo it in times, of course, when there's a lot of problems, questions about the budget, deficits are at all-time highs, how do you undo this problem?
ABRAMSON: Well, that problem I think would be easy to undo because since 1992, the drug companies have contributed about $800 million to the budget of the FDA. It seems like a lot of money that we're saving taxpayers but when you think about spending $20 billion for Celebrex and Vioxx, drugs that are no more effective, no safer and maybe more dangerous than over the counter alternatives, you see that we're taking the money from the wrong pot. And what we ought to do is refocus our health care system not on letting the major corporations make the greatest profits but on providing the best health to the American people.
O'BRIEN: Well, I guess somebody should say amen to that one. That seems like it should be the way to go. I don't think anybody could argue with you on that. Final...
ABRAMSON: Well, that's what...
O'BRIEN: I guess there is some argument. A final thought here, I want people to take away just something they can use here. What are they to do with confusion now about all of these drugs, including Aleve, a very popular drug, what should people do if they've got a back ache right now?
ABRAMSON: Well, be cautious. Aspirin, acetaminophen or Tylenol are helpful, low doses of over the counter anti-inflammatories are helpful. But I think the biggest message, which is an empowering message, is that 70 or 80 percent of our health is in our own hands.
The drug companies have convinced us we need their products to be healthy and feel good. But 70 or 80 percent of our health, the risk of heart disease, is in our own hands. So let's get back to doing the basics, exercising, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, drinking in moderation if we drink. Let's do those things, we'll be a much healthier country.
O'BRIEN: All right. We love those silver bullet solutions, don't we? Dr. John Abramson with Harvard University, author of the book "Overdosed America." Interesting reading, thanks for being with us, we appreciate it.
ABRAMSON: Miles, a pleasure to be with you.
O'BRIEN: All right -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Some big names in today's entertainment. Hi, Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra. What do "The Passion of the Christ," the late Marlon Brando and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" all have in common? I'll have all the answers coming up.
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: I'm technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg. Could those new video games you bought be harmful to your children? We'll profile the ongoing and controversial debate.
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O'BRIEN: Well, video games, certainly they're not just for kids anymore. The uninitiated need only look at the box covers and previews of today's most popular computer and console games to see war, crime, sex, death. No shortage of blood, all simulated, of course, but more realistic with every release. So where's the fun in this fun and games story? CNN's technology guru, Daniel Sieberg, explores the rising concern for today's more impressionable gamers.
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UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: There's this car down the street that's fun. So I go in a shoot this woman in the head. And people are screaming and running all over. And there's blood everywhere.
SIEBERG (voice-over): A public service announcement released by the National Institute On Media and the Family, timed to coincide with the annual video game report card from the group and Senator Joe Lieberman.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: Violent and sexually provocative video games are not just games, they are a deadly serious matter with real consequences not just for the people, the kids who play them, but for the rest of us and our families that live in the same communities with people who play these games.
SIEBERG: Senator Lieberman says parents are under informed and that the video game rating system, which is similar to that of the movies, is vague and under enforced.
But the industry says they've done their job. In fact, they say, 83 percent of the time parents are the ones making the purchase. The Entertainment Software Association also takes issue with the research on video games and youth violence. They cite a study done by the Washington State Department of Health that concluded: "Research evidence is not supportive of a major public concern that violent video games lead to real life violence."
A lead researcher in the field, Craig Anderson from Iowa State University, disagrees.
CRAIG ANDERSON, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY: The true research experts have come to a solid conclusion here that these violent games really are not appropriate, even the cartoonish violent ones are not appropriate for children, that there are negative effects.
SIEBERG: Dr. Anderson's work was published by the American Psychological Association in April of the following year, concluding that laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behavior.
Industry representatives contend there's a big difference between violence and aggression.
DOUG LOWENSTEIN, ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION: Look, people watch football games and are more aggressive after they watch a football game. We've just seen an instance in this country where basketball players and fans got into a full fledged brawl. There weren't any video games involved in that. But we don't necessarily think going to a basketball game is harmful to your health. SIEBERG: Supporters of the game industry say critics are on a witch-hunt, that studies are simply irrelevant when you look at the fact that while the popularity of games has increased, statistics from the Justice Department suggest that youth violence is down. And ultimately, they say, it's a family affair.
LOWENSTEIN: It isn't for me to tell them what's the right choice for their family, it isn't for Senator Lieberman to tell them what's the right choice. It's for parents to take the tools that are available and make choices that they think are appropriate for their family. And most parents, I think, care about that and do a good job at that.
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SIEBERG: No matter which side of this debate you're on, it's important for parents to have the tools they need. We have an example of what the games look like with the ratings systems on them. There's a variety of them. You can see the E there for everyone, the T for teen and the M for mature meaning 17 and older. That's Halo 2 right there which is a very popular game right now but it is rated M. So that's important to know. In case you're wondering, all of the games on the market today are actually reviewed on the Electronic Software Ratings Board Web site at ESRB.org. They have all of them there if you want to go and find out more information.
O'BRIEN: It puts a lot of onus on parents as well as it should be, but it requires parents to be a little bit more savvy on technical matters than most are. As a matter of fact, their kids know this cold.
SIEBERG: I'm glad we're discussing this with you, Miles. You have kids. You know how this is. But this is along with movie and television watching, using the Internet. It's important to not only know what your kids are playing and what you're buying for them but also to see what they're playing when they're playing, to look over their shoulder, to put the console or computer in a place where they can't hide away and sort of do it in secret and at least have some idea what they're playing if the rating system isn't enough for you.
O'BRIEN: I think it requires a tremendous amount of homework for parents and you've got to remember, after all, for many parents, this is -- there's no polite way to say it, it's a baby-sitting tool anyway.
SIEBERG: And relatively new to a lot of parents. It's kind of an unknown world for them.
O'BRIEN: You've got to stay plugged in to it. Daniel Sieberg, thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: Entertainment news now. In this New Year's New Year's Rocking Eve will be just a bit less rocking without the Times Square iron man counting down the ball to drop. Well, the latest on Dick Clark's recovery and the other news from the small and big screens now. Sibila Vargas in Los Angeles. Hi, Sibila. SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Looks like the world's oldest teenager will be spending the Christmas holiday in the hospital. Dick Clark has been removed from the intensive care unit after suffering a mild stroke earlier this month but according to his publicist he'll have to stay in the hospital a little longer to do some rehab. He was slated to host his annual New Year's Rocking Eve party in Times Square but this time around, Regis Philbin will be taking over the duties. Hopefully Clark will be well enough to see the show from his home in Malibu.
Have you ever thought what were the most significant moments of the year in the world of entertainment? The American Film Institute has come up with a short list of events that had the biggest impact. Making the cut was one of the most controversial films of the year Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." Joining "Passion" was Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Both are films that inspired national debate. The "Daily Show with Jon Stewart" also made the list because of its impact on young Americans and the death of Marlon Brando was a significant moment. The actor made a huge contribution to the acting world -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Other big moments in film?
VARGAS: Well, certainly the stepping down of journalist Barbara Walters, Bill Moyer and Tom Brokaw, the changing landscape of TV news was certainly significant. And we also said good-bye to some of the best comedies around, "Friends," "Frazier," "Sex in the City," all ended their runs this year.
Switching gears, this movie didn't make the list but by now you probably have heard about the independent film "Hotel Rwanda." It's been nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture and for best actor for Don Cheadle. But what you probably didn't know is just how dangerous it was for the crew while filming in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to the director a payroll truck carrying $40,000 was robbed by four men with AK-47s. One of the crew members had to fight off an attempted carjacking and a production assistant was shot in the arm while waiting for a bus to take him to the set. A great relief nobody was killed. "Hotel Rwanda" centers on the heroic efforts of one man during the 1994 Rwandan genocide and opens in select theaters today. Kyra, I got a chance to see it. It was pretty good. You should see it.
PHILLIPS: It's an ongoing news story. That's for sure. I look forward to seeing it, too. He's an incredible actor. Thanks, Sibila.
O'BRIEN: Definitely on the watch list for sure.
Some good economic news today. That's good to hear.
PHILLIPS: Yes, David Haffenreffer joins us now from the New York Stock Exchange to look at the financial markets. Hi, David.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT) PHILLIPS: A family who lost their son in Iraq is fighting Yahoo! to get access to his last e-mails. His dad talked to CNN. That story is coming up in our next hour.
O'BRIEN: And on the job with soldiers preparing for one of the most dangerous jobs. You know it. It's driving a convoy into Iraq. Stay with us.
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