Big PhRMA: Crying Wolf Again

[marmar]

from OurFuture.org:



Big PhRMA: Crying Wolf Again
By Monica Sanchez

January 13th, 2009 - 10:38am ET


The drug industry is gearing up to fight health care reform again.
Its lobbying arm, PhRMA (the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America), has launched a multi-million dollar PR campaign to protect their excessive profits by restricting competition. Drugs are the fastest-growing part of the health care bill and pharmaceutical companies want to keep it that way.

What are they afraid of?
The U.S. pays twice as much for 30 commonly prescribed medications as other industrialized countries. Pharmaceutical companies fear that free market competition that gives the government the power to negotiate for lower drug prices will bring U.S. drug prices in line with those in other countries.

What is their tactic?
They want to scare us into believing that their research and development (R&D) budget and their ability to invent the next great life-saving drug depend on their continuing to rake in enormous profits. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009010313/big-phrma-crying-wolf-again