On one of tonight's national television evening news programs, there was a story about how a case against a man convicted of abusing a young girl in his care was helped by a dog trained to instill trust and confidence in such young witnesses and plaintiffs. The furry buddy, named "Buddy," helped ease the young girl's fear of talking about the abuse in preparation for her courtroom testimony.

Saw this story on bbc.com about Rimonabant -- a controversial weight-loss drug that was approved by the Britain's NHS. The drug has apparently been linked to an increased risk of depression and suicide especially among those already taking anti-depressants.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/747178...

The story got me thinking about whether drugs that have death or suicide as a side effect should be approved? If so, does the patient and doctor assume all risks associated with the drug? Should a drug not be approved to protect a few with high risk factors?