The fight to stop big pharma’s influence
By
Davinski
on January 1, 2009 at 06:58 pm
One of the biggest laughs of the year for me was reading an article entitled, “No Mug? Drug Makers Cut Out Goodies for Doctors.”
According to the article, big pharma wants to put an end to the impression that they unduly influence our medical profession.
How are they doing this, you ask? Well, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have created a code of conduct.
The code states that they will voluntarily end the practice of handing out “goodies” to physicians. The “goodies” include stuff like Viagra pens, Zoloft soap dispensers, and Lipitor mugs.
All of this is well and good; if you have been in a physician’s office lately, everything down to the tongue depressors are paid for by big pharma.
But their chest beating over eliminating any sign of influence is a bit much. Big pharma spends 7 billion a year on direct-to-physician marketing, and last year they gave away $16 billion in drug samples to physicians. I know this personally because my physician gave me several free samples of statin for my high cholesterol, which eventually gave me such serious muscle cramping that I had to finally be taken off it. My Dr. said “not to worry” and that there are “plenty more statins we can put you on.” Thanks, but no thanks, Doc.
Another problem I had was sinus. After a week on a sinus pill, I got so dried out and faint at times, I quit it and my physician, too. My parting shot at him was a question: “aren’t you the least bit curious as to the root cause of my sinus problem?”
The influence of big pharma does not stop stop at the Dr’s office, it goes far deeper than that. Another common practice by big pharma is the manipulation of scientific literature.
Wyeth, the pharmaceutical company, paid ghostwriters to write medical journal articles favorable to its hormone replacement therapy Prempro, a drug that significantly increases the risk of stroke, blood clots, heart attacks and breast cancer. Currently, there are 5300 lawsuits over their drugs including Prempro.
Also, The New York Times recently reported about ties between radio host Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin, host of an independent program called “The Infinite Mind” which airs on over 300 NPR stations, and several Big Pharma companies, some who manufacture and distribute anti-depressant medications. The Times reports that between 2000 and 2007 Dr.Goodwin received at least $1.3 million for marketing lectures he gave for several drug manufacturers. This income has not been previously disclosed on the program.
And last, we can’t overlook the pimping out of our politicians by big pharma. Last year $22 million was given out to them, including $758,724 to our President Elect Barack Obama.
There are some steps being taken to halt their influence. In Arizona, Governor Janet Napolitano credited public financing of her election in 2002 and 2006 for allowing her to offer prescription drug discounts to seniors and the disabled on her first day in office, a program expanded to all Arizonans in 2006.
Other examples of fighting big pharma are laws on which the Senate is working. The Senate Committee on Aging is proposing that the government have health educators provide independent information to doctors about prescription drugs. Often the only knowledge physicians receive on drugs is from the company selling them.
Vermont wants legislation whereby one can find out how much-if any- money their physician recieves from big pharma by going online. Vermont physicians received $3.1 million in gifts and donations from big pharma last year, an increase of about 33 percent over the previous year. Big pharma, however, said they will fight against a law requiring them to give such information.
That indicates to me that big pharma's "goodies give up" is nothing more than a ruse. Meanwhile, until we come down hard on their influence, we will continue to be in danger of physicians who are bought and sold by them.
According to the article, big pharma wants to put an end to the impression that they unduly influence our medical profession.
How are they doing this, you ask? Well, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have created a code of conduct.
The code states that they will voluntarily end the practice of handing out “goodies” to physicians. The “goodies” include stuff like Viagra pens, Zoloft soap dispensers, and Lipitor mugs.
All of this is well and good; if you have been in a physician’s office lately, everything down to the tongue depressors are paid for by big pharma.
But their chest beating over eliminating any sign of influence is a bit much. Big pharma spends 7 billion a year on direct-to-physician marketing, and last year they gave away $16 billion in drug samples to physicians. I know this personally because my physician gave me several free samples of statin for my high cholesterol, which eventually gave me such serious muscle cramping that I had to finally be taken off it. My Dr. said “not to worry” and that there are “plenty more statins we can put you on.” Thanks, but no thanks, Doc.
Another problem I had was sinus. After a week on a sinus pill, I got so dried out and faint at times, I quit it and my physician, too. My parting shot at him was a question: “aren’t you the least bit curious as to the root cause of my sinus problem?”
The influence of big pharma does not stop stop at the Dr’s office, it goes far deeper than that. Another common practice by big pharma is the manipulation of scientific literature.
Wyeth, the pharmaceutical company, paid ghostwriters to write medical journal articles favorable to its hormone replacement therapy Prempro, a drug that significantly increases the risk of stroke, blood clots, heart attacks and breast cancer. Currently, there are 5300 lawsuits over their drugs including Prempro.
Also, The New York Times recently reported about ties between radio host Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin, host of an independent program called “The Infinite Mind” which airs on over 300 NPR stations, and several Big Pharma companies, some who manufacture and distribute anti-depressant medications. The Times reports that between 2000 and 2007 Dr.Goodwin received at least $1.3 million for marketing lectures he gave for several drug manufacturers. This income has not been previously disclosed on the program.
And last, we can’t overlook the pimping out of our politicians by big pharma. Last year $22 million was given out to them, including $758,724 to our President Elect Barack Obama.
There are some steps being taken to halt their influence. In Arizona, Governor Janet Napolitano credited public financing of her election in 2002 and 2006 for allowing her to offer prescription drug discounts to seniors and the disabled on her first day in office, a program expanded to all Arizonans in 2006.
Other examples of fighting big pharma are laws on which the Senate is working. The Senate Committee on Aging is proposing that the government have health educators provide independent information to doctors about prescription drugs. Often the only knowledge physicians receive on drugs is from the company selling them.
Vermont wants legislation whereby one can find out how much-if any- money their physician recieves from big pharma by going online. Vermont physicians received $3.1 million in gifts and donations from big pharma last year, an increase of about 33 percent over the previous year. Big pharma, however, said they will fight against a law requiring them to give such information.
That indicates to me that big pharma's "goodies give up" is nothing more than a ruse. Meanwhile, until we come down hard on their influence, we will continue to be in danger of physicians who are bought and sold by them.
