Fwd: [SoFlaVegans] Are Drug Companies Next Target After Tobacco?

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For members who have family and friends who medicate regularly.

Note: forwarded message attached.Ronald A. Fells

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Are Drug Companies Next Target After Tobacco?

 

http://www.mercola.com/2003/may/17/drug_companies2.htm

 

America’s drug industry, which pulls in billions of dollars in

profits, is likely to face political attacks similar to those waged

against tobacco and big banking, according to analysts.

 

Tactics similar to those used in the past to fight against the

tobacco industry and investment banking, such as targeting the

harmful effects of smoking or sales and marketing techniques, are now

being used in a campaign against the pharmaceutical giants.

 

Two states, Connecticut and New York, are already filing lawsuits

against drug companies on the grounds of their sales and marketing

practices. Another hot topic in the campaign involves drug pricing.

 

America spends more money on drugs ($149 billion in the year to

February, according to a research firm) than Britain, Canada, France,

Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain combined. While Americans do consume

more drugs than these other countries, drug prices in America are

also much higher. Canadian, European and Japanese governments set

limits on drug prices, while in America the market has more freedom

to set prices.

 

Americans often take the brunt of these expensive drug prices

directly. Private health insurers are continually introducing higher

co-pays in order to switch costs to consumers, fewer employers are

offering prescription-drug benefits to retirees, and those without

insurance are faced with particularly high drug prices.

 

Meanwhile, through the Internet Americans are realizing that their

drug prices are much higher than those in other countries, and some

have turned to Canadian Internet pharmacies as a way to get less

expensive drugs.

 

As the drug industry attempts to justify their high prices, several

states are looking for ways to lower the prices. For example,

Michigan is using an " approved-drug list " as a way to harness

discounted prices. The state reportedly saved $45 million on drugs in

2002 by requiring drug companies to discount drugs from the " average

wholesale price " in order to be included on the list.

 

Drug companies maintain that America’s free market in regard to drug

pricing makes the companies more likely to spend R & D money, and that

the states’ efforts to lower prices is potentially harming research

and new drug development.

 

Another widespread perception is that drug companies bribe doctors

with free or cheap drugs and spend billions on advertising in order

to convince consumers to embrace their expensive and sometimes

unnecessary treatments.

 

But, more and more consumers are starting to see drug companies as

firms out to profit from the public. While drug companies are

spending the same amount on marketing today as they did in 1997,

spending on direct-to-consumer advertising has increased from $1.1

billion in 1997 to $3 billion in 2001.

 

Nonetheless, the drug industry argues that drugs lower health care

costs overall by reducing the need for more costly treatments such as

surgery. However, whether consumers and politicians will continue to

accept this argument remains to be seen.

 

Economist April 24, 2003

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1736488

 

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Dr. Mercola's Comment

 

For the first time in almost a decade, according to federal health

economists, health expenditures outpaced the growth of the economy.

This is one amazing statement, but one that is not hard to believe

considering retail pharmacies filled 3 billion prescriptions in 2000.

 

The United States currently spends about $1.5 trillion for health

care, and the projections are that it will double in less than 10

years.

 

Like the late Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois was fond of

saying when he was referring to the Defense Department budget, a

billion dollars here, a billion dollars there, and before you know it

you are talking real money.

 

Well, we are talking about a lot more than a few billion dollars; we

are talking about nearly $1.5 trillion, an amount that is even beyond

Bill Gates’ level.

 

Why is it that we are spending huge amounts of money on health care,

yet Americans are suffering from more and more chronic illnesses?

Obviously the system is not working.

 

We are nowhere near achieving the high levels of health that we could

be. More and more people do not have the energy they need to get

through the day while millions of others are suffering with painful,

crippling diseases--but it does not have to be this way.

 

The tragedy is that rather than spending money on education and

methods that can stop disease at its roots, we are spending billions

of dollars on drugs and surgery to temporarily cover up the real

problem. And what is the real problem? The violation of basic health

principles.

 

But, it seems the tide may be turning. More and more Americans are

getting fed up with expensive drugs that often cause more harm than

good, and the drug companies’ deceitful sales and marketing

techniques are being exposed for the scams they truly are.

 

In time the truth will naturally come out, but it is my vision and

passion to facilitate the spread of truth now.

 

You can take control of your health and your life and free yourself

from needless drugs. There is no secret potion needed--only basic

health principles.

 

Fidyl

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