Google Inc. has agreed to pay $500 million for carrying advertisements by online Canadian pharmacies targeting consumers in the United States, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
The ads resulted in the illegal importation of prescription drugs, the Justice Department said.
That's a big oops.
The $500 million represents the money Google made from selling the drug ads, plus the revenue earned by Canadian pharmacies from sales to American customers.
As an FDA Associate Commissioner said back in 2003 (on the front page of the Washington Post), "You can't blame them (Google) for accepting commerce. But they really haven't understood the consequences."
They do now.
Who was that prescient FDA guy?
For the answer to that question and further background on this story, see here.
