"If anything happens to him and we refuse a therapy that might save him because of procedural reasons," the President said slowly, "what will the public say? Will the headline of the New York Times be 'Bureaucracy Kills American Entrepreneur'?"
No one answered, but everyone knew the answer.
"What about the political impact?" the President asked his Chief of Staff.
"The Senate Health Committee has received over fifty thousand letters from voters demanding expedited approval. Twenty-three patient advocacy groups will hold a rally at the Washington Monument tomorrow. Over on Wall Street... BG Group's stock has dropped 18% in the past two weeks, but interestingly, analysts predict it will spike over 40% if the FDA approval is announced."
The President stood up and walked to the window, where the Washington Monument stood tall in the distance under the sunlight.
"Allen," he said without turning back, "from a professional standpoint, do you think this technology is worth the risk?"
