Byron Dorgan's amendment to allow for drug reimportation failed this evening. The roll call certainly made for some strange bedfellows, though it does seem that some Yeas were illegitimate. The defenders of the PhRMA deal were forced … [Read more...]
PhRMA and the public good
Money for comparative effectiveness research for drugs was salvaged in the federal stimulus, despite the intense lobbying of the drug industry. This is a good thing. PhRMA has criticized the bill, arguing (risibly) that somehow more … [Read more...]
Drug makers love ignorance
via Krugman, we see that PhRMA would like to keep us as their pet mushrooms: Kept in the dark, and fed nothing but @#$%. WASHINGTON -- The drug and medical-device industries are mobilizing to gut a provision in the stimulus bill that … [Read more...]
Money changers in the temples of healing
Hope you checked out the Globe's fine work -- an old story, but never too late to tell -- on the historic "gentleman's agreement" to essentially create a health care provider/insurer cartel, between Partners and Blue Cross Blue … [Read more...]
“Take a backbone pill”
In case you missed it, from Friday's Globe unsigned editorial:Last summer, Governor Patrick signed a health cost control bill that included strict new limits on financial ties between drug companies and doctors. Unfortunately, the … [Read more...]
Lack of disclosure still doesn’t add up.
Last Friday, the Globe got its mitts on the draft regulations for the pharmaceutical company gift ban. Monday morning I wrote a post decrying the lack of a disclosure requirement for pharma companies disclose how much and to whom … [Read more...]
PhRMA and Patrick administration say “Trust us.” No thanks.
This came out in Saturday's Globe: The Patrick administration looks ready to bow to PhRMA, by not requiring companies to disclose how and whom they're paying for clinical trials. Go figure -- someone pays you money, you're … [Read more...]
PhRMA puts the screws to Patrick
PhRMA is freaking out over the possibility of gift restrictions to docs, and urging the Gov to amend or veto S.2863, the big fat Act To Promote Cost Containment, Transparency, and Efficiency in the Delivery of Quality Health … [Read more...]
Prominent Docs Weigh in on Pharma Gift Restrictions and Disclosure
For another perspective on this issue, see the letter included below from four prominent MA medical leaders: Dr. David Coleman, Chief of Medicine at Boston Medical Center; Dr. Marcia Angell, former editor-in-chief, NEJM and Harvard Medical … [Read more...]
No PhRMA Gift Ban in Health Care Bill
In addition, there are exemptions: The marketing code of conduct adopted by the department shall allow: (1) the provision, distribution, dissemination or receipt of peer reviewed academic, scientific or clinical information; (2) the … [Read more...]