Another Way The Drug Companies Are Ripping Off The Public

[tex]

Hi All,

For a long time, the drug companies have been able to withhold vital information from the public about the dangers of their drugs, (and in some cases, information about their illegal marketing methods), by convincing judges to "seal certain information" in court cases, on the grounds that it's necessary to protect "trade secrets".

“These court-sanctioned secrecy agreements prevent government officials or consumer groups from learning about defective and dangerous products that can stay on the market unchallenged,” says Herb Kohl, a Wisconsin Democrate who chairs the committee, in a statement. The bill is a “response to dozens of cases in which hazards and threats to public health were not disclosed during court settlements and subsequently resulted in additional fatalities, serious injuries or illnesses.”

As a clinical associate professor in the department of family medicine at Brown University puts it:

“Essentially, they’re claiming the specific methods they use to lie, cheat or steal, are trade secrets, since the drugs and health studies they use to support their methods are public information. For example, many companies pled guilty to misrepresenting the benefits of their drugs. Those are lies. Many companies have been caught cheating in their marketing. And many companies have been caught stealing by overcharging federal and state entities for their drugs. It’s akin to a bank robber claiming that his technique for cracking locks on safes is a trade secret.”

Hopefully, this unfair practice may eventually be corrected.

. . . the US Senate Judiciary Committee today voted 12 to 6 to approve the “Sunshine in Litigation Act,” which would require judges to consider public health before granting a protective order or sealing court records and settlement agreements. You can read the text here. http://freepdfhosting.com/1f194e50ad.pdf

http://www.pharmalot.com/2011/05/a-sena ... documents/

Tex

[sarkin]

Tex,

Did I not just tell you that I'm concerned about my blood pressure? Some of your posts should come with a health warning, lol.

I really cannot discuss this rationally. (Sadly, neither can most of our physicians... I would say "don't get me started" - but it's way too late for that!)

In all seriousness, now that I'm in my mid-fifties, with a family history of the usual stuff, plus personal gently rising cholesterol and BP, I am genuinely concerned that my aversion to pharma solutions might lead me to a different adverse outcome from the problems I'd have if I were a 'compliant' patient. (Not unlike the dilemma about colonoscopy prep from that other thread.)

However, since every pen my late father owned at the time of his Rx-triggered, fatal, iatrogenic health crisis, was from a pharmaceutical company - and since he visited his PCP and cardio guy constantly, and they didn't ONCE see him in the hospital, though their offices were across the street - I'm going with HELL NO. For the time being.

Must take my BP now ;)

xox/S