Drug sector paid out $800M to lobbyists

[scotty]

Drug sector paid out $800M to lobbyists
Industry hoped to sway feds, 7-year report says
Thursday, July 07, 2005
BY ROBERT COHEN
STAR-LEDGER WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The pharmaceutical industry has spent almost $800 million on lobbyists and campaign contributions since 1998 to influence federal legislation, trade and tax policy, patent law and drug regulation, according to a report released yesterday.

"The pharmaceutical industry is a goliath in Washington and on Capitol Hill," said Roberta Baskin, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity, which produced the report. "It is astonishing to learn that no other interest has spent more money to sway public policy in this time period."

The report comes amid growing controversy over the safety and cost of prescription medicines, and the federal government's willingness and ability to regulate the industry.

Continued here: http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/in...830.xml&coll=1

[elisa]

That's quite a chunk! Yet it doesn't surprise me at all!

[elisa]

This is a similar info article as Scotty posted, however it writes about the FDA and GSK as well. Click on link for full article.

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=29410

CPI said the industry's influence campaign has also led to a more friendly regulatory policy at the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. agency that approves its products for sale and most directly oversees drug makers. Many developing nations that lack technical evaluation capabilities look to reports by the FDA for approval of drugs in their local markets.

The report says that the U.S. government contributes more money to the development of new drugs -- in the form of tax breaks and subsidies -- than any other in the world.

[Darlingnikki]

That is very scary. These numbers are astonishing and I am deeply saddened. I feel so many emotions right now - actually all of the time.
When I was 22, I went to a phychologist for the second time in my life. (The first time (age 17) was to participate in some bio-feedback therapy because I was a competitive swimmer and would work myself into such a nervous frenzy prior to my races, I would get upset. . .it was not very successful)

At 22, I was a young woman, flooded with all sorts of emotions and it was post-college, not sure of my future, what to do with my degree, my boyfriend was an _______, and he lived far away from me. I had no friends. I did not get along with my parents. Sounds typical - right???? IT IS. Well, I decided to take myself to a doctor. Basically very soon after . . .
Well, I was put on Prozac and thus began my journey - my 20s were filled with days of fog and days of drugs and days of elation, days of being a fun gal in her 20s . . . . I was all over the map. No idea who I was. but never growing . . . .
In retrospect, ALL of those emotions, feelings that were in me before the medication . . well, while I am now tapering and withdrawing . . I am being INUNDATED with all of these emotions again.
It like I never ever learned to effectively deal with them. I never developed the tools to deal . . . to function . . . I wish I was more patient with myself. I wish I was smarter, more aware . . . maybe I did need a little help, but still . . .
now . .
WHO in their RIGHT mind could accept money from a pharmaceutical company . . .lobby away with fancy dinners and promises of riches . . . WHO can go around to companies dressed in a fancy black suits, driving the company cars, giving free samples to doctors, free notepads . . . free pens . . . and make deals to give out MORE of a drug that is literally ripping people's lives apart?????
These people, in my personal opinion are DRUG DEALERS.

I have been told numerous times: Go into pharamceutical sales - your young, attractive, smart . . . they would love you . . . .YOU WILL make SOO much MONEY . . .
I said - NEVER. I will not be a PIMP for these greedy executives who sit behind their chiseled oak desks counting their prophets with out ANY regard for the people they are drugging. THATS you and me and every other person on this website.

So, I was sad and lost - I was young, still am, and should have learned to deal with my so called "emotional issues" . . .

But no, I was uneducated and never ever told that 10 years later, I would be an addict, hooked on Paxil and Wellbutrin, trying to wean myself off, trying every day to put one foot in front of the other . .

well, at least I have a free pen.

[Delynbetter]

Nikki, I was 23 when I had my first full-blown anxiety/panic attacks. Luckily I chose the psychology route where meds were not an option. Working in the pharmacy, it wouldn't have been good for my "career" anyway.

My life would have taken an entirely different turn had I gone through psychiatry. The scariest part (now that I think about it) is that a person doesn't even have to go through psychiatry to get to these medications. GP's, internal med docs, etc...refer to other specialties when there is something out of their league. Why won't they refer to psychiatry or psychology since this obviously is not their area of expertise? Grrrrr....

Quote 'I am being INUNDATED with all of these emotions again.
It like I never ever learned to effectively deal with them. I never developed the tools to deal . . . to function . . . I wish I was more patient with myself. I wish I was smarter, more aware . . . maybe I did need a little help, but still . . .
now '.

Nikki ,
I can so relate to this , my early twenties were lost in a fog and paxhell haze........
I understand completely....
This should never have happened to us
Damn paxil poison
I hate it.....

[scotty]

And we wonder why we can't get Ferguson to do anything here in N.J.


"Over the past seven years, the report said, President Bush was the biggest recipient of the pharmaceutical industry's campaign largess, receiving $798,732.

U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-7th Dist.) was second on the group's list and first among members of Congress, collecting $457,967 from the drug industry over seven years.

Ferguson aide Chris Jones said yesterday the drug industry is very important for the state's economy, employing thousands of people in the congressman's district, which includes parts of Somerset, Hunterdon and Union counties."