[drug recall] reading between the lines

What started as a piece on a drug recall had me wondering about the U.S. in general. “Yesterday, a company I had never heard of before recalled 11 million bottles of acetaminophen because it found pieces of metal the size of a couple grains of salt in the pills.” The article then mentioned E. coli-tainted spinach, reminding the writer a lot about “where many of the medicines and supplements I take come from. While writing the story, I reached into my desk drawer and pulled out my stash of CVS extra-strength non-aspirin pain reliever.” Her stash? The company that recalled the drug, Perrigo Co., not only makes NyQuil, Sudafed, Claritin and Centrum vitamins which many of you will recognize, widely available at CVS, Safeway, and Wal-Mart but is headed by a man named Joe Papa. The writer then states: “Some of the lots involved in the recall are for pills sold as long as three years ago,” and “Granted, you don't feel the same shock when you learn that one little-known company makes your headache medicine, decongestant and daily vitamin …” What are we dealing with here – a nation of junkies or one very drug-friendly lady journalist?