Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

ryree — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:58:58 GMT

Here is a short excerpt from this week's story. to read the complete story go to http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jmQAzlPOONNMP_7Xdv6iZl4putsw

ANALYSIS: DEATHS FROM DRUG REACTIONS UP
By Lindsey Tanner

CHICAGO (AP) - Reports of dangerous side effects and deaths from widely used medicines almost tripled between 1998 and 2005, an analysis of U.S. drug data found.

The number of deaths and serious injuries from prescription and over-the-counter drugs climbed from 34,966 to 89,842 during the study of reports to the Food and Drug Administration.

Potent narcotic painkillers including Oxycontin, sold generically as oxycodone, were among 15 drugs most often linked with deaths in the study. Drugs frequently linked with serious nonfatal complications included insulin, the arthritis drugs Vioxx and Remicade, and the antidepressant Paxil.

The report adds to recent criticism of FDA oversight on drug safety, including its handling of serious problems connected with Vioxx, which was removed from the market in 2004.

"This growing toll of serious injury shows that the existing system is not adequately protecting patients and underscores the importance of recent reports urging far-reaching legislative, policy and institutional changes," the authors said.

The analysis appears in this week's issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Its authors are Thomas Moore and Michael Cohen of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a nonprofit educational group that analyzes drug safety issues; and Dr. Curt Furberg of Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

They analyzed excerpts of reports on serious side effects received by the FDA between January 1998 and December 2005. A total of 467,809 serious complications were found. Reported deaths nearly tripled, rising from 5,519 to 15,107.

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

True Health — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 12:29:18 GMT

Dr. Mercola, I too agree with all you have stated in this article.

Now, I wish to point out a pet peeve of mine that I hope others share.

I am sick and tired of all the people that want to use or make any excuse to run down one political party or the other. This is always a divisive tactic used by ignorant people that are persuaded that only their beliefs are correct, unfortunately.

Politicians from both major parties are corrupt and take bribes and donations from the drug companies. To say that only one party does so is foolish and a lie. Greedy politicians of both parties are guilty of selling out our health interests. So I hope that in the future, such statements will be seen by intelligent people as attempts by foolish persons to vent their hate against another party or etc. and to further divide our nation and peoples.

I happen to be an Independent and an independent thinker. And of course I would desire that more people take responsibility for their own health issues rather than depending on any party of politicians.

Sincerely, Dr. Brack Callahan

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

holly mosher — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:37:12 GMT

These numbers are really underestimating the money spent by Big PhaRMa in the US. You have to also look at how much is spent on a state by state basis.

PhRMA SPENT OVER $80 MILLION IN CALIFORNIA ALONE IN 2005 when Prop 78 & 79 were on the special election ballot. And those propositions were for drug discount programs. So if they are willing to spend over $80 million in one state, in one election year, for discount programs, how much are they really spending across the country each year? It has to be far above the $155 million mentioned in this article.

And then we as consumers also have to look at how much these companies are spending on drug advertising on television to persuade us to buy their latest, most expensive, least tested drugs on the market. And then we wonder why our medicines are so expensive?

We all need to band together to fight this. You may want to watch <a href="http://www.moneytalksthemovie.com"><u>Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety</u></a> for more information on all the unethical practices within the pharmaceutical industry. It starts with the free drug samples you get at your doctor's office and the bombardment of drug advertising, then past the medical journals and FDA all the way up pockets being lined on Capitol Hill.

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

Moti — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 06:50:20 GMT

I stay in India and am very aware of the power that the Drug Companies wield. The fact that India produces drugs that are cheaper than their counterparts elsewhere, especially America, the Lobbyists here are trying tp force the Government to have prices at par with the US!
Whatsmore the Cartel either dependent on the US Companies or are Multi National Drug Companies from the US (with Licence to manufacture) infuence the market just as they do in the US. I have been a frequent visitor to the US. I feel great about the progress and the setting of everything anout this great country. For me it is an escape from rampant corruption in my country and the effects on every day living. Unfortunately what boggles my mind about the US is the rampant corruption at the top level that the average citizen is blissfully unaware of ! If in India the average citizen is poor, undernourished,houseless and ignorant; the average US citizen is obese, unfit and naive or better still 'just an ignoramus'. With this as a 'given' of the recipient of the drug companies largesse-what can you expect? Big bills

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

Moti — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 06:50:19 GMT

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

healthywithoutIT — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 17:58:51 GMT

I had several symptoms to what I thought was the 'pre' to menopause. With brain fog, irretability, fluffy physical appearance, water retention, puffy face when waking, mood swings, break through menstral cycles, etc. I thought it was time to bring it to my ob/gyn doctor, considering i was 44 years old and my youngest of three children was graduating high school, I couldn't blame it on being overly busy or overly stressed. I could, but I've had worse days. After, explaining my symptoms to the doctor, I was told, "This is all perfectly normal for a woman of your age. You can go with one of three prescriptions." All that had to do with estrogen!! Not happy with the band-aid I received - and reluctant to not do anything, I left and filled my prescription for the birth control pill, considering it would be most convenient for me instead of the 'patch'. The year to follow took me back to my yearly physical with even greater distress over all the same symptoms. Needless to say I was directed once again to the birthcontrol pill at a higher dose, because my body 'had adjusted to the estrogen and needs more.' With my ignorance I filled it, I took it...and went to an alternative medicine doctor 6 months later, looking for someone that could explain why women of 40'ish years old might experience my symptoms and what I could do to help my physical side effects without taking a prescription drug. To make my long story short - I have learned my immune system is down due to the foods i was eatting, causing food allergies or intolerances. And with that have learned that amalgam fillings are not the relavant answer to dental fillings. I'm so glad I didn't take the Rx as the final answer to my health. I have made alot of changes in my food. NO processed food whatsoever - no grain, NO sugar - I had forgotten how good food really is. I lost 42 pounds and the mood swings are gone. Birth control pills are hazardous to your health.

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

bmcqueen — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 06:31:29 GMT

This is absolutely not surprising. In fact, it may even explain why everyone is blogging about the "proposed" FDA guidelines which will allow big pharma to further influence functional foods, beverages, and even fruit (if FDA claims it is a drug). And, this is exactly what could happen. Check out a blog on the issue at http://www.jonbarron.org/blog_published/2007/04/fda_labeling_guidelines.html#more.

Mike Adams at newstarget.com has an excellent blog on this issue too.

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

karrus — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 01:23:51 GMT

Edward Kennedy (D-Mass), Pat Robert (R-Kan), Richard Burr (R-NC) is introducing legislation, if approved will limit and jeopardize your rights to use bio-identical hormones from your compounding pharmacy. Here is another prime example that these Senators have been in to long, have grown complacent, self-serving and bought off by the drug companies. They could care less that if this legislation is approved women will have no other alternative but to take dangerous hormones. Wyeth, who manufactures HRT and has killed and maimed thousand of women with their dangerous hormone replacement and is upset that bio-identical hormones are cutting into their profits. If you are under one of these self serving Senators like I am please write and complain. And don't forget to remember these guys come election time. Give them their walking papers. I am sure they won't have to walk any farther that Wyeths front door for their next job.

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

Russ Bianchi — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 23:45:02 GMT

Prescription Big Pharma Drugs - They Are Not Just For For Breakfast Anymore...As a Matter Of FACT, They Are Not For Any Safe Use At Anytime...

AS WAS CORRECT RESPONSE TO ILLEGAL DRUGS, SO TO THE SAME SAYING IS 100% CORRECT TO UNCLE SAM APPROVED ONES:

"Just Say No"!

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

The Herb Doc — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:47:45 GMT

Thank you so much, Dr Mercola for pointing this out!

In all my years as a Clinical Herbalist I would say the biggest majority of problems I have addressed by far have been created by drugs! With these same kind of statistics from as many natural health practitioners as I know, I would say that all it would take would be a little well placed lobbying from our side to put these drug pushers out of business!

However they wrote the book on clever manipulation! How about the American Cancer Society? They make over 400 million dollars a year. Yet not a single breakthrough has resulted from that massive collection of money.

The American Cancer Society was founded at the New York Harvard Club in 1913 by none other than John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his friends. From the start, the society was to be a "shaper of public opinion". Its goal was to urge the public to consult their doctors at the very first suspicion of cancer.

And when the same research scientists for the drug companies admit that Bloodroot cures cancer but don’t even care because they can’t make money with the whole plant, then I say, BUSTED!

And we can't forget about the Biblical side of all this! Man, are these guys in trouble!

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

Melissa Kelly — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:16:27 GMT

The more information I come across the more disgusted I get with the U.S. Government, the FDA, and the drug companies. As far as I am concerned they are all responsible for the deaths and disabilities that people aquire as a result of taking these "tested, safe, and approved" drugs. It is not about helping people lead healthy lives! It is about padding their wallets and it is appauling. It is as if the government has forgotten the fact that we are a democracy... the people have no control over their government. The people with seats in this area of the government have gotten comfortable and made friends with people and companies that do not our best interest in mind. Don't people have a conscience or morals anymore? It is hard to fight against the drug company's budget. In this day and time money talks and that is a sad thing. : (

re: Drug Companies Manipulate Congress With Overwhelming Lobbying

Bryan - oz4caster — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:57:03 GMT

Let's see ... if enough of us quit using drugs, big pharma won't have money for lobbying : )

Easier said than done!

We all need to help spread Dr Mercola's message to "take control of your health" through nutrition, exercise, and dealing with stress - to friends, to family, and to legislators. Point them to Vital Votes as a starter. Then to Mercola.com and the WAPF for more information about improving their health without drugs.