Drug companies pushing for another payday! Posted by mitcka at 04/26/07 09:50 AM

I may have discovered an unknown side effect of those prescription drug TV ads—lowering my IQ. As I digested new diseases, wondering if I have them, and new cures, wondering if I should ask for them, the drug companies apparently walked away with all the money.

While they complain about the enormous costs of producing new drugs, the drug industry has been very profitable. In 2002, the top ten prescription drug companies netted profits of $36 billion. Billion, with a B. And in case the cost of the war in Iraq makes us forget how big a billion is, that was more than half of all profits listed for all the Fortune 500 companies together that year. And the profits keep rolling in. I must not be nearly as smart as they are, since I make a lot less than that.

They make so much money, they can paper the halls of Congress with it. The drug industry became so profitable in part by employing an army of lobbyists in 50 states and in Washington, D.C. – a record 1,291 lobbyists in 2004 at a cost of $158 million.

That is more than two lobbyists for every member of Congress. I imagine lawmakers walking along with their drug company handmaidens trailing beside them, offering swag with their coffee and keeping the crowds of unhappy victims at bay. And they’ve kept the pressure on each year, according to a recent study by the Center for Public Integrity.

If the lobbyists alone weren’t enough, the industry passes out cash too. For the 2004 elections, drug companies and their officials contributed $17 million to federal candidates and another $7.3 million for political party conventions--money better spent researching and curing disease.

And the massive lobbying effort just paid off—cha-ching! Just last week, major legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices failed on the Senate floor (currently the law actually prohibits Medicare from using its clout to get lower prices from the drug companies.)

Next week, they want another pay back. Their lobbyists want Senators to strip a good drug safety bill of its most meaningful safety provisions—better information for doctors and the public about drug side effects and a better process for pulling drugs off the market when people start dying. And the need is clear. With companies pushing controversial drugs on kids, and refusing to add appropriate warnings to labels even after people begin to die, its time for Congress to waive aside the handmaidens and listen to Americans.

Let’s not let them take a second dividend on their big Congressional investment.

comments (13)

1 Posted by Carl Nickey at 04/26/07 02:30 PM

We will never get out of the woods; only deeper, until we can stop this and any subsequent Administration from continued pandering to large pharmaceutical companies and big oil companies --including opening our borders to provide cheaper labor and further increase their obscene profits!

2 Posted by hariseldon at 04/26/07 04:56 PM

There is no practicable way to stop corruption of public officials by big money lobbyists because of two (at least) defective Supreme Court decisions: One old one that decided corporations are persons and entitled to all the rights of a human, and another that equates bribery with free speech (in effect giving corporations and very rich individuals super powers for corrupting elected officials. The fixes are obvious, including eliminating elections and choosing office holders by lot.

3 Posted by joyce kaye at 04/26/07 06:27 PM

I don't like BIG PHARMA! I certainly don't want them controlloing my supplements! It is bad enough that they control my drugs!

4 Posted by Donna Wegscheid at 04/26/07 07:56 PM

Its our goverment,FDA program that is to police the drug company's. You know that the FDA and the goverment has killed more people then heart diease has so far this year. That is only on diease that I am talking about. Some Dr. get kick backs from drug companys as well as the Lawyers. You know that well people don't buy drugs. So they put things like the Urine of cows and chemicals that will kill most thing in large doses. Our so call goverment wants to keep us sick they are the ones getting rich off of dying and suffering. then they try to tell us that herbs an other nature drugs are bad for us.
The truth is they say its for our good and the good of all that is a lie. Its good for their pocket book. People tell me to trust the goverment that has killed more people I know by giving them unsafe drugs made with unsafe compounds. It will get worse before it gets better because they are not just doing their fix it.Its the jobs with the FDA they are trying to do it Kill Us , make us sick, in the foods we eat I always say if I can't say whats in it I am not eating it.Look at Ice Well most of us know ice cream is made withice,cream,salt and a lot of mixing and flavoring Look at what most food companys add to this simple food and I am not talking about the extas nuts, fudge etc... Its in all areas in our life's. Like taking away individual rights of all who they think are (dumb) thats us you know. I could go on but well maybe I will be dead tonight for taking the meds my DR. gave me for my illness. thanks donna

5 Posted by jim s at 04/27/07 07:32 AM

I am not in favor of poor legislation but I am concerned that there are sometimes legit reasons for modifying language. I believe a more substantive discussion of the proposed modifications would be helpful.If these limits would/could substantially delay the intro of many new important products I would like to know We should not forget that there are benefits to some drugs. Lets not throw out the baby with the bath water. Thanks.

6 Posted by Kathy at 04/27/07 09:20 AM

Donna,

While, I agree that I feel that the job of the FDA should be to monitor the safety of drugs for the public as their priority.

However, I have no idea where you get your information:

"the FDA and the goverment has killed more people then heart diease has so far this year. That is only on diease that I am talking about."

That is not any where never the truth. I am not saying that people haven't died from use of some drugs such as vioxx. However, it is very hard to get an accurate numbers of deaths caused by vioxx and such because cause and effect has to be proven and that is very hard to do.

The best estimate would be based on rates of deaths of vioxx users compared to non-vioxx users given that all other factors are the same in both groups such as length of use, dose, cardiovascular health, blood pressure, other medical history, other medications taken, age, sex and such.

The fact is that the leading cause of death in the US remains to be heart disease, followed by cancer, not potentially toxic drugs such vioxx!

The age-adjusted mortality rate for heart disease is 218 per 100,000 deaths followed by cancer at 185 per 100,000 deaths in 2004.

The numbers are 685,089 deaths for heart disease and 556,902 deaths from cancer in 2004.

Reference:

Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2004. National Vital Statistical Reports. CDC. Arialdi M. Miniño, M.P.H.; Melonie P. Heron, Ph.D.; and Betty L. Smith, B.S. Ed., Division of Vital Statistics. June 28, 2006; Volume 54, Number 19.

7 Posted by Cathy at 04/29/07 05:06 AM

In response to Jim S:

Isn't time that our government stand up to Big Pharma and demand safer more effective medications? To give the FDA the funding and the power to do it's job to ensure the safety and efficacy of our prescription medications.

The Big Pharm companies want everyone to believe that the proposed drug safety issues would slow down the process for approving new, life saving medications and that is simply not true. The drug applications have a strict set of goals and timelines for approval. This legislation does not change that process at all. The legislation provides for the review of medications once they are on the market, gives the FDA the right to force a Pharm company to change it's label, to pull an unsafe medication from the market, and to ensure drug trials are published so our doctors and we the consumers can make informed decisions based on all the information, not just the information the Pharm companies want us to know.

Jim S, have you read some of the headlines lately about how Pharm companies have hidden drug trial information, provided false trial information to get a new drug approved, and last but not least read some of the horror stories of families who have been effected by our inadequate drug safety system?

Jim S, you said "I believe a more substantive discussion of the proposed modifications would be helpful", have you taken the time to read the IOM report and the General Office of Accountablity report? The safety proposal in S1082 address some of the serious concerns that were addressed in those reports - how much longer do you feel Congress needs to talk about this issue, the safety concerns are not going to change.

Jim S, we do not want to, as you say throw out the baby with the bath water, we just want to make sure that the bath water the baby is sitting in is safe!

I think it's time for Congress to finally take a stand for the people and not for Big Pharma. We the people don't have time or the money to pay for two lobbist per congress person to ensure that they represent our best interests for which you were elected, we are too busy working to pay their salaries and try the best we can to provide for our families.

In closing I would simply like to add, enough talking has been done about the issue, it's time for action. It's time to honor those who have been effective by our inadequate drug safety system and ensure that you, Jim S, and every citizen can feel more confident that the medications they take are safe and effective.

Respectfully submitted,
Cathy

8 Posted by Suzanne at 04/29/07 07:25 PM

Please be aware now the FDA wants to take away our rights to freely choose and buy nutritional supplements. This is not in our best interest. Check out this website for more information.

9 Posted by Liz at 04/30/07 02:43 PM

A "must pass" Senate bill--S. 1082 being voted on by the Senate this week has drug safety provisions included. It's a "must pass" bill because it would provide funding for the FDA. The drug safety provisions in this bill would create more transparency on the results of drug studies and would give the FDA more funding and authority to oversee drug safety.

Why is this necessary? Let's look at the case of Vioxx. The drug was pulled off the market in 2004 (by its drug maker--Merck) after clinical trial results showed the drug caused an increased risk of heart attack and stroke for those taking the drug. These results were never made public prior to the pulling of the drug off the market.

Then we also find out that the FDA and Merck "negotiated" putting a stronger label on Vioxx for over a year! All this is going on while millions are taking this dangerous medication with no warning of side effects.

Drug companies say: "This bill could slow down access to life saving drugs."

But, this bill would do nothing of the sort. Drug approvals would continue through the same process as they are now, but doctors and patients would have more information on the benefits and risks of medications and the FDA would have more funding and authority to oversee drug safety.

This bill also gives the FDA authority to pre-review drug ads and in some cases, allows the agency to use a temporary, two-year moratorium on ads for new drugs with serious safety questions. This is common-sense, consumers should be properly warned about drug side effects.

Often, serious side effects of a drug do not appear until the drug has been on the market for at least 7 years. So, mass marketing of a drug with serious health risks should be limited until we know much more about the medication (until it has been on the market for a few years).

An amendment may be brought to the floor on this bill that would take away or weaken this authority of the FDA to regulate direct-to-consumer advertising. It's critical that the FDA has this power to protect patient safety. The Senate should reject this amendment.

10 Posted by Barbara Kantola at 05/03/07 11:36 AM

Drug Companies are making huge profits at our expense! I watch the Senate every day on C-Span2
and you have only to listen to the Senators to know which ones are benefiting from the drug companies and which ones are trying to REALLY HELP us, the American People. We truly need more Democrats in the Senate to get REAL help to us. The other side is strictly for big business and care nothing for We, the People.

11 Posted by Charles Buckley at 05/04/07 06:57 AM

It is apparent that our representative form of government has become increasingly dysfunctional. A long horseback ride to the nation's capitol no longer restricts the time of Congress and forces representatives to focus only on those issues of importance to all citizens. Perhaps the time has come for a fourth branch of government, the peoples right to raise and vote on any issue of national concern, such as drug safety, lobbying laws, campaign financing, bonuses for Federal executives whose work ethic is poor, veteran's care, etc. Congress is not likely to change the Constitution. A priority test of fittness on the issue for each state representatives, on the need for Constitutional change, in each state could.

12 Posted by Nancy Free at 05/04/07 09:16 AM

Why do they allow advertising of drugs to the public at all? It used to be that the only periodicals that carried drug ads were medical journals. When and how did this situation change? It would interesting find out. Certainly a new drug should not be widely advertised until it has been on the market for several years - at least two. This would provide time to evaluate side effect.

The money used to advertise drugs to the public could be used to fund research on newer, actually different drugs instead of the "copy cat" products that are often marketed by big Pharma.

13 Posted by jennifer at 07/01/07 08:34 AM

I believe the consumer is partly to blame for the Pharmaceutical companies advertising to them. It's profitable. We accept any new drug as superior without any investigation. So, many new drugs are variations, or combinations, of older drugs, and more expensive! We set ourselves up to be guinea pigs for big Pharma. As long as we expect quick fixes for every ailment we will be at risk, hence MRSA and the overuse and abuse of antibiotics. When you instruct your healthcare provider to prescribe the best treatment, not the newest or most expensive, you will regain control of runaway health costs and your health.