Senators rail at big pharma's secretive lobbying

[cal04]

Sen. Baucus seeks to force doctors and medical associations who lobby the FDA to disclose their pharmaceutical company ties
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/29/eveningnews/main20067228.shtml

Two influential U.S. senators have urged the FDA to require physicians groups and doctors to disclose their financial ties with drug-makers.

CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports that the senators detail how one pharmaceutical giant urged doctors to contact the FDA and raise concerns about a cheaper generic version of one of their drugs.

(snip)
Lovenox earned its maker - the French company Sanofi - more than $2 billion per year. So when the FDA began considering a cheaper, generic version of the costly drug in 2007, Sanofi sprang into action to try and slow the process.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) called Sanofi's actions "an outrage," adding that "frankly we've got to find ways to stop it."


video at link

[Andy823]

1. Another example

Of the kind of things that need to be done to bring down health care costs! Instead of "CUTTING" service for people, we need to go after those who are making a huge profit while average americans are spending more and more for the medications. Republicans want to end medicare and turn it over to the insurance companies instead of doing what is right and going after those who are robbing the system blind! Democrats need to get these kind of things out to the public and once the public can see all he ways republicans are HELPING destroy this country, the majority will be willing to remove them from power next year.

This kind of insanity has to stop, and the only way it will is to get those who help the big corporations get what they want, out of office, no matter what party they are in, even though the vast majority are in the republican party some are also democrats!

[dflprincess]

2. I've got one way to stop it, Baucus -

single payer health care with a provision that allows the payer to negotiate prices with the pharma crooks... Or are you just mad that you didn't get a cut of this deal?

[Autumn]

3. That was my first though when I read his name.

His check just wasn't big enough. :thumbsup: Single payer health care was just what we needed.

[Scruffy1]

4. Now he gets it. n/t