Pharma’s Astroturfing
As pressure builds on the pharmaceutical industry to rein in soaring drug prices, it appears drugmakers are using underhanded tactics to sway public opinion in their favor, according to the Associated Press.
The AP investigation focuses on the nonprofit Alliance for Patient Access, which looks and sounds like a grassroots group dedicated to consumers’ well-being. It’s running ads that warn of the ill effects patients might face if the Trump administration and Congress succeed in bringing down prices — socialized European-style medicine!
But a look at who’s behind the Alliance suggests the pro-consumer face is really a mask. Pharmaceutical giants including AbbVie, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca, as well as the trade organization PhRMA, fund the group. It shares a Washington office with lobbying and PR firm Woodberry Associates, whose politically-connected founder and president serves as the Alliance’s executive director. The Alliance also paid Woodberry’s consultants more than $1 million from 2015 to 2017, according to the AP. And several of the physicians listed as Alliance directors have had lucrative consulting arrangements with pharma companies.
As a nonprofit, the Alliance doesn’t need to disclose a lot about benefactors and can engage in limited political activity — it’s done so, at least in part, by giving awards and publicity to friendly members of Congress.
It’s so difficult to know who to believe these days. I’ve always believed in getting to the root of information; who is standing behind or funding “research.”
Diane Kress’ New York Times Bestselling Books: The Metabolism Miracle, Second Edition, The Metabolism Miracle Cookbook, The Diabetes Miracle, The Metabolism Miracle Holiday Book….all available at Amazon.com and can be ordered at your brick and mortar bookstore.
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“I was in an elevator with an endocrinologist whose office was next door to mine. He said, “Kress, I won’t be referring any more patients to your practice”.
I thought he was joking as I had great success with his patients. Why?
” Once they work with you, they don’t need me and my practice is suffering.”
The door opened, we both got out, and true to his word…he never referred another patient.”
