Drug Companies Enjoy An Unethical Relationship With Doctors And Politicians

[Guest guest]

http://www.americandaily.com/article/6021

Drug Companies Enjoy An Unethical Relationship With Doctors And Politicians

By Dave Gibson (12/16/04)

With prescription drug prices rising at more than twice the rate of

inflation, the drug industry is being subjected to more scrutiny than ever

before. The results have been more than troubling. As with all corruption

though, it exists because we the people allow it to exist.

From 1997 to 2001, U.S. drug sales rose 20 percent each year. In fact, one

out of every six dollars spent in the U.S., is spent on prescription drugs.

Two of the most-prescribed drugs are the anti-depressant Paxil (with sales

of $1.4 billion in 2000) and the antibiotic Cipro (with sales of $1 billion

in 2000). Both drugs are incredibly profitable.

The drug industry attempts to justify their obscene profits by claiming to

spend most of the money on research and development. However, that is simply

a lie. The health care advocacy organization Families USA has recently

reported that the drug industry on average, spends at least twice as much on

marketing as they do on R & D.

Families USA discovered that in 2000, Merck & Co. spent 15 percent of their

total profits on marketing, while only devoting six percent to the

development of new drugs. The same study showed that Bristol-Myers Squibb

Co. spent a whopping 30 percent of their annual revenue in 2000 on

marketing, and only spent 11 percent on R & D.

It would seem that the days of breakthrough medical discoveries are gone. It

is now all about profit-making.

The last major medical discovery was the polio vaccine. Dr. Jonas Salk made

the discovery in 1955. For the last 50 years, the U.S. medical community and

the drug industry have chosen to treat symptoms rather than the disease

itself.

It is time for American consumers to ask tough questions. We must question

our elected officials as well as our doctors, both benefit from the

tremendous profits being raked in by the drug industry.

The drug sales reps provide office supplies, free lunches, tickets to

sporting events, and much more to doctors and their staff. Doctors in turn,

almost always prescribe the newer, higher-priced drugs even if an older and

cheaper drug will produce the same results.

Thanks to Congress, the time an exclusive patent (before a drug goes into

generic production) is enjoyed by a drug manufacturer continues to lengthen.

During the mid 1980's, companies retained their patent on new drugs for an

average of eight years. By the late 1990's, that time had increased to more

than 15 years. Drug manufacturers are among the top contributors to U.S.

Congressmen and Senators.

Rep. Bill (R-CA) who is the chairman of the House Ways and Means

Committee, counts drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Allergan as his top two

campaign contributors. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) received $260,000 from the

drug industry during the 1999-2000 campaign season.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the drug industry paid out

more than $26 million in 1999-2000 to U.S. Congressional candidates.

Money-hungry politicians both Republican and Democrat alike, will never be

willing to take on the pharmaceutical industry.

Elderly Americans, unable to afford their prescriptions have turned to

purchasing their drugs from other countries such as Canada. The FDA of

course, has been attempting to discourage U.S. patients from buying their

drugs anywhere other than the U.S. The FDA claims that drugs imported from

Canada are unsafe.

Despite FDA warnings, there has never been a single incident of a

counterfeit drug being sent from Canada to a patient residing in the United

States. The FDA claims that the number of cases in which bogus drugs were

mailed to U.S. citizens from other countries, tripled from 2000 to 2003.

While that is actually true, the FDA fails to advertise the fact that

reports of counterfeit imports only rose from six cases in 2000 to 22 in

2003. That's right, there were only 22 reported cases of counterfeit drugs

received by U.S. consumers from overseas companies last year!

Until U.S. drug prices become affordable once again, we should be able to

purchase drugs from Canada. Almost all goods purchased by American consumers

are manufactured overseas. Why not add prescription drugs to the list?

The drug reps depend on the doctors, who are then rewarded for their

loyalty. The politicians and the drug manufacturers depend upon one another,

the former for cash and the latter for protection.

As usual, the American consumer is at the bottom of the food-chain. Even

when our lives hang in the balance.

After completing two years at Tidewater Community College, Dave Gibson

became a Virginia Beach Deputy Sheriff. He has since left the department and

now owns a small business in the city of Chesapeake, Virginia. An active

volunteer in many animal organizations, he has worked at the Virginia Zoo,

the Norfolk SPCA, and currently works for the K-9 New Life Center based in

Virginia Beach.

[Guest guest]

http://www.americandaily.com/article/6021

Drug Companies Enjoy An Unethical Relationship With Doctors And Politicians

By Dave Gibson (12/16/04)

With prescription drug prices rising at more than twice the rate of

inflation, the drug industry is being subjected to more scrutiny than ever

before. The results have been more than troubling. As with all corruption

though, it exists because we the people allow it to exist.

From 1997 to 2001, U.S. drug sales rose 20 percent each year. In fact, one

out of every six dollars spent in the U.S., is spent on prescription drugs.

Two of the most-prescribed drugs are the anti-depressant Paxil (with sales

of $1.4 billion in 2000) and the antibiotic Cipro (with sales of $1 billion

in 2000). Both drugs are incredibly profitable.

The drug industry attempts to justify their obscene profits by claiming to

spend most of the money on research and development. However, that is simply

a lie. The health care advocacy organization Families USA has recently

reported that the drug industry on average, spends at least twice as much on

marketing as they do on R & D.

Families USA discovered that in 2000, Merck & Co. spent 15 percent of their

total profits on marketing, while only devoting six percent to the

development of new drugs. The same study showed that Bristol-Myers Squibb

Co. spent a whopping 30 percent of their annual revenue in 2000 on

marketing, and only spent 11 percent on R & D.

It would seem that the days of breakthrough medical discoveries are gone. It

is now all about profit-making.

The last major medical discovery was the polio vaccine. Dr. Jonas Salk made

the discovery in 1955. For the last 50 years, the U.S. medical community and

the drug industry have chosen to treat symptoms rather than the disease

itself.

It is time for American consumers to ask tough questions. We must question

our elected officials as well as our doctors, both benefit from the

tremendous profits being raked in by the drug industry.

The drug sales reps provide office supplies, free lunches, tickets to

sporting events, and much more to doctors and their staff. Doctors in turn,

almost always prescribe the newer, higher-priced drugs even if an older and

cheaper drug will produce the same results.

Thanks to Congress, the time an exclusive patent (before a drug goes into

generic production) is enjoyed by a drug manufacturer continues to lengthen.

During the mid 1980's, companies retained their patent on new drugs for an

average of eight years. By the late 1990's, that time had increased to more

than 15 years. Drug manufacturers are among the top contributors to U.S.

Congressmen and Senators.

Rep. Bill (R-CA) who is the chairman of the House Ways and Means

Committee, counts drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Allergan as his top two

campaign contributors. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) received $260,000 from the

drug industry during the 1999-2000 campaign season.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the drug industry paid out

more than $26 million in 1999-2000 to U.S. Congressional candidates.

Money-hungry politicians both Republican and Democrat alike, will never be

willing to take on the pharmaceutical industry.

Elderly Americans, unable to afford their prescriptions have turned to

purchasing their drugs from other countries such as Canada. The FDA of

course, has been attempting to discourage U.S. patients from buying their

drugs anywhere other than the U.S. The FDA claims that drugs imported from

Canada are unsafe.

Despite FDA warnings, there has never been a single incident of a

counterfeit drug being sent from Canada to a patient residing in the United

States. The FDA claims that the number of cases in which bogus drugs were

mailed to U.S. citizens from other countries, tripled from 2000 to 2003.

While that is actually true, the FDA fails to advertise the fact that

reports of counterfeit imports only rose from six cases in 2000 to 22 in

2003. That's right, there were only 22 reported cases of counterfeit drugs

received by U.S. consumers from overseas companies last year!

Until U.S. drug prices become affordable once again, we should be able to

purchase drugs from Canada. Almost all goods purchased by American consumers

are manufactured overseas. Why not add prescription drugs to the list?

The drug reps depend on the doctors, who are then rewarded for their

loyalty. The politicians and the drug manufacturers depend upon one another,

the former for cash and the latter for protection.

As usual, the American consumer is at the bottom of the food-chain. Even

when our lives hang in the balance.

After completing two years at Tidewater Community College, Dave Gibson

became a Virginia Beach Deputy Sheriff. He has since left the department and

now owns a small business in the city of Chesapeake, Virginia. An active

volunteer in many animal organizations, he has worked at the Virginia Zoo,

the Norfolk SPCA, and currently works for the K-9 New Life Center based in

Virginia Beach.

[Guest guest]

http://www.americandaily.com/article/6021

Drug Companies Enjoy An Unethical Relationship With Doctors And Politicians

By Dave Gibson (12/16/04)

With prescription drug prices rising at more than twice the rate of

inflation, the drug industry is being subjected to more scrutiny than ever

before. The results have been more than troubling. As with all corruption

though, it exists because we the people allow it to exist.

From 1997 to 2001, U.S. drug sales rose 20 percent each year. In fact, one

out of every six dollars spent in the U.S., is spent on prescription drugs.

Two of the most-prescribed drugs are the anti-depressant Paxil (with sales

of $1.4 billion in 2000) and the antibiotic Cipro (with sales of $1 billion

in 2000). Both drugs are incredibly profitable.

The drug industry attempts to justify their obscene profits by claiming to

spend most of the money on research and development. However, that is simply

a lie. The health care advocacy organization Families USA has recently

reported that the drug industry on average, spends at least twice as much on

marketing as they do on R & D.

Families USA discovered that in 2000, Merck & Co. spent 15 percent of their

total profits on marketing, while only devoting six percent to the

development of new drugs. The same study showed that Bristol-Myers Squibb

Co. spent a whopping 30 percent of their annual revenue in 2000 on

marketing, and only spent 11 percent on R & D.

It would seem that the days of breakthrough medical discoveries are gone. It

is now all about profit-making.

The last major medical discovery was the polio vaccine. Dr. Jonas Salk made

the discovery in 1955. For the last 50 years, the U.S. medical community and

the drug industry have chosen to treat symptoms rather than the disease

itself.

It is time for American consumers to ask tough questions. We must question

our elected officials as well as our doctors, both benefit from the

tremendous profits being raked in by the drug industry.

The drug sales reps provide office supplies, free lunches, tickets to

sporting events, and much more to doctors and their staff. Doctors in turn,

almost always prescribe the newer, higher-priced drugs even if an older and

cheaper drug will produce the same results.

Thanks to Congress, the time an exclusive patent (before a drug goes into

generic production) is enjoyed by a drug manufacturer continues to lengthen.

During the mid 1980's, companies retained their patent on new drugs for an

average of eight years. By the late 1990's, that time had increased to more

than 15 years. Drug manufacturers are among the top contributors to U.S.

Congressmen and Senators.

Rep. Bill (R-CA) who is the chairman of the House Ways and Means

Committee, counts drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Allergan as his top two

campaign contributors. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) received $260,000 from the

drug industry during the 1999-2000 campaign season.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the drug industry paid out

more than $26 million in 1999-2000 to U.S. Congressional candidates.

Money-hungry politicians both Republican and Democrat alike, will never be

willing to take on the pharmaceutical industry.

Elderly Americans, unable to afford their prescriptions have turned to

purchasing their drugs from other countries such as Canada. The FDA of

course, has been attempting to discourage U.S. patients from buying their

drugs anywhere other than the U.S. The FDA claims that drugs imported from

Canada are unsafe.

Despite FDA warnings, there has never been a single incident of a

counterfeit drug being sent from Canada to a patient residing in the United

States. The FDA claims that the number of cases in which bogus drugs were

mailed to U.S. citizens from other countries, tripled from 2000 to 2003.

While that is actually true, the FDA fails to advertise the fact that

reports of counterfeit imports only rose from six cases in 2000 to 22 in

2003. That's right, there were only 22 reported cases of counterfeit drugs

received by U.S. consumers from overseas companies last year!

Until U.S. drug prices become affordable once again, we should be able to

purchase drugs from Canada. Almost all goods purchased by American consumers

are manufactured overseas. Why not add prescription drugs to the list?

The drug reps depend on the doctors, who are then rewarded for their

loyalty. The politicians and the drug manufacturers depend upon one another,

the former for cash and the latter for protection.

As usual, the American consumer is at the bottom of the food-chain. Even

when our lives hang in the balance.

After completing two years at Tidewater Community College, Dave Gibson

became a Virginia Beach Deputy Sheriff. He has since left the department and

now owns a small business in the city of Chesapeake, Virginia. An active

volunteer in many animal organizations, he has worked at the Virginia Zoo,

the Norfolk SPCA, and currently works for the K-9 New Life Center based in

Virginia Beach.

[Guest guest]

http://www.americandaily.com/article/6021

Drug Companies Enjoy An Unethical Relationship With Doctors And Politicians

By Dave Gibson (12/16/04)

With prescription drug prices rising at more than twice the rate of

inflation, the drug industry is being subjected to more scrutiny than ever

before. The results have been more than troubling. As with all corruption

though, it exists because we the people allow it to exist.

From 1997 to 2001, U.S. drug sales rose 20 percent each year. In fact, one

out of every six dollars spent in the U.S., is spent on prescription drugs.

Two of the most-prescribed drugs are the anti-depressant Paxil (with sales

of $1.4 billion in 2000) and the antibiotic Cipro (with sales of $1 billion

in 2000). Both drugs are incredibly profitable.

The drug industry attempts to justify their obscene profits by claiming to

spend most of the money on research and development. However, that is simply

a lie. The health care advocacy organization Families USA has recently

reported that the drug industry on average, spends at least twice as much on

marketing as they do on R & D.

Families USA discovered that in 2000, Merck & Co. spent 15 percent of their

total profits on marketing, while only devoting six percent to the

development of new drugs. The same study showed that Bristol-Myers Squibb

Co. spent a whopping 30 percent of their annual revenue in 2000 on

marketing, and only spent 11 percent on R & D.

It would seem that the days of breakthrough medical discoveries are gone. It

is now all about profit-making.

The last major medical discovery was the polio vaccine. Dr. Jonas Salk made

the discovery in 1955. For the last 50 years, the U.S. medical community and

the drug industry have chosen to treat symptoms rather than the disease

itself.

It is time for American consumers to ask tough questions. We must question

our elected officials as well as our doctors, both benefit from the

tremendous profits being raked in by the drug industry.

The drug sales reps provide office supplies, free lunches, tickets to

sporting events, and much more to doctors and their staff. Doctors in turn,

almost always prescribe the newer, higher-priced drugs even if an older and

cheaper drug will produce the same results.

Thanks to Congress, the time an exclusive patent (before a drug goes into

generic production) is enjoyed by a drug manufacturer continues to lengthen.

During the mid 1980's, companies retained their patent on new drugs for an

average of eight years. By the late 1990's, that time had increased to more

than 15 years. Drug manufacturers are among the top contributors to U.S.

Congressmen and Senators.

Rep. Bill (R-CA) who is the chairman of the House Ways and Means

Committee, counts drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Allergan as his top two

campaign contributors. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) received $260,000 from the

drug industry during the 1999-2000 campaign season.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the drug industry paid out

more than $26 million in 1999-2000 to U.S. Congressional candidates.

Money-hungry politicians both Republican and Democrat alike, will never be

willing to take on the pharmaceutical industry.

Elderly Americans, unable to afford their prescriptions have turned to

purchasing their drugs from other countries such as Canada. The FDA of

course, has been attempting to discourage U.S. patients from buying their

drugs anywhere other than the U.S. The FDA claims that drugs imported from

Canada are unsafe.

Despite FDA warnings, there has never been a single incident of a

counterfeit drug being sent from Canada to a patient residing in the United

States. The FDA claims that the number of cases in which bogus drugs were

mailed to U.S. citizens from other countries, tripled from 2000 to 2003.

While that is actually true, the FDA fails to advertise the fact that

reports of counterfeit imports only rose from six cases in 2000 to 22 in

2003. That's right, there were only 22 reported cases of counterfeit drugs

received by U.S. consumers from overseas companies last year!

Until U.S. drug prices become affordable once again, we should be able to

purchase drugs from Canada. Almost all goods purchased by American consumers

are manufactured overseas. Why not add prescription drugs to the list?

The drug reps depend on the doctors, who are then rewarded for their

loyalty. The politicians and the drug manufacturers depend upon one another,

the former for cash and the latter for protection.

As usual, the American consumer is at the bottom of the food-chain. Even

when our lives hang in the balance.

After completing two years at Tidewater Community College, Dave Gibson

became a Virginia Beach Deputy Sheriff. He has since left the department and

now owns a small business in the city of Chesapeake, Virginia. An active

volunteer in many animal organizations, he has worked at the Virginia Zoo,

the Norfolk SPCA, and currently works for the K-9 New Life Center based in

Virginia Beach.