Democrats Ready for Revenge on Drug Companies

[babylonsister]

Democrats Ready for Revenge on Drug Companies
By Samuel Loewenberg
The Politico

Thursday 14 February 2008


Once Democrats seized the committee chairmanships on Capitol Hill, the big drug companies sharply aligned with Republicans knew a period of reckoning was coming.

Now it has begun.

The Democrats' investigations range from the drug-approval process to television advertising to the bilking of Medicare. And their targets include the world's largest drug makers - and the Food and Drug Administration itself.

"You know you're hitting a nerve when the halls are flooded with their lobbyists," Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said as he prepared Tuesday for his fifth hearing on the drug approval process. "The whole safety net designed to protect the American consumer has been shredded."

Since the Democrats took power, the subcommittee has sent out 39 requests for information from drug companies and the agencies that oversee them, and has also issued two rounds of subpoenas.

more...

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021408H.shtml

[PurgedVoter]

1. K&R

Is it too much to hope that someone found a spine?

[sinkingfeeling]

2. How about explaining why the price of insulin (Humulin N) has gone up 120% in less than 4 years?

I started buying it (no insurance since it's my dog that is diabetic) in May 2004 at $18.99 a vial at WalGreens. I purchased a vial this past Tuesday and it is now $42.99.

[BeFree]

3. Answer...to why 120%

Bushco. Next question?

[kimmerspixelated]

4. It's about time, dammit!

Big Pharma really is evil, and should be held accountable!

[blondeatlast]

5. Good news. I'd love to see them have to fire the g*dd*mned "Free Lunch"

drug reps and stop the useless ads and get back to critical research and (oops; not my Santa claus list, is it?)

:rofl:

K&R

[DainBramaged]

7. OMG I "booed" a drug rep today

I saw her (Pfizer) stuff in her trunk as she was transferring it to a rental car at the Enterprise next to the dealership and I shouted at her, booed and gave her a thumbs down. She made this pouty little face and I yelled out "being a whore for a drug company isn't as honorable as just being a whore".


She gave me the finger LOLOL. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Donnachaidh]

6. Ban the advertising of drugs and nmake them use the marketing money for RESEARCH.

Take about Corporate welfare! WE pay for research so they can spend millions on marketing of a re-packaged product for menstrual cramps, or gas, or heartburn. :grr:

[Wizard777]

8. How about this one?

If you have to spend 10 or more seconds of a 30 second commercial telling people not to take the medicine. Then you shouldn't be selling it!

[gratuitous]

9. That "permanent majority" didn't last very long, did it?

I don't reckon this as "revenge," merely bringing the scales back into balance between pharamceutical companies and the public.

[tanyev]

10. "Revenge"????

Sounds like they're finally trying to do what should have been done all along.