Hi all, I'm back again with another installment of Edwards Evening News Roundup. Tonight I'm going to focus on what Edwards plans to do to rein in on big pharma's deceptive advertising and his plans to lower prescription drugs. Let's get it going.....
Fighting big drug companies is not a new thing for Edwards. Edwards has advocated drug importation from Canada for years. He also advocated for curbing drug ads, full disclosure of side effects and requiring the National Institutes of Health to study effectiveness of new drugs when similar ones are already on the market. When Edwards was in the Senate he proposed legislation to curb deceptive drug ads. He also proposed a similar amendment to the devastating Medicare prescription drug bill. Here's what Edwards said about his bill back in 2004:
"By tackling wasteful and misleading consumer advertising, we will be able to lower drug costs for all Americans," Edwards said. "Drug companies try to convince us that their high prices ensure innovation. The reality is they're spending millions on ads for drugs that are nearly identical to ones already on the market."
Congress Continues to Fail Us
Right now, legislation that would increase the availability of generic drugs has been stalled in Congress. Herb Kohl has proposed this legislation the last two sessions in Congress. The Republicans are fighting with all they've got to make sure this bill does not come to the floor for a vote. It makes sense. They're loyal to the drug companies and not the American people. They don't want the public to realize this! The drug companies are strong arming the politicians that supposedly represent us. If nothing else, we sure as hell need to do something about the lobbyist influence in Washington. Their power over our representatives needs to end. Congress stalling on this bill makes me question what our democracy is supposed to be about. Enough ranting from me, here's what Edwards had to say about the stall in Congress:
"It is an insult to every American that legislation to increase the availability of affordable generic drugs has been stalled in Congress as a result of lobbyists and the pharmaceutical industry. But while this delay is unacceptable, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise. We all know the system in Washington is broken – our government has been rigged by corporations and their lobbyists and it is failing the American people.
"And, to be clear, when I am president, this game where Congress sacrifices the health care interests of the American people for the financial interests of lobbyists will come to end. I'm going to say to members of Congress and members of my administration, including my cabinet: I'm glad that you have health care coverage and your family has health care coverage. But if you don't pass universal health care by July of 2009 – in six months – I'm going to use my power as president to take your health care away from you. There's no excuse for politicians in Washington having health care when the American people don't have health care."
What Edwards Will Do As President to Lower Drug Costs
From his website:
Improving the Patent System and the FDA: Edwards will convene an expert panel to explore whether there are certain key disorders where prizes for breakthroughs – as an alternative to patent monopolies—would offer new incentives to researchers, guaranteed gains to companies, and lower costs to patients. Prizes would supplement, but not replace, the current patent system. Additionally, Edwards will eliminate loopholes and trade obstacles that block generic drugs and let the FDA approve biogenerics, saving up to $43 billion over 10 years.
Ooooh. Saving billions and lowering the cost of prescription drugs? What a rational idea, I wish other politicians would join Edwards on this one.
Protect Patients against Dangerous Medicines: Edwards will restrict direct-to-consumer advertising for new drugs, strengthen the FDA, and ensure evaluation research is truly independent.
Evaluation research on new drugs should be independent. Nuff said.
Getting a Fair Deal for Taxpayers: Edwards will repeal the law preventing Medicare from negotiating drug costs with drug makers and empower states to use Medicaid's leverage to purchase drugs at lower prices, with safeguards to preserve access. He will give Medicare beneficiaries the choice to pick a public plan for their prescription drugs.
This is an obvious one. I can't believe that the Republicans have gotten away with this. They actually prohibit Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices. This is ridiculous and needs to be repealed, and I'm glad Edwards is on the moral and just side of this.
Allowing Reimportation: Edwards has long supported the safe reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada, which could save consumers $50 billion over 10 years.
Yes yes yes! I honestly can't imagine what families are going through when they have to spend hundreds....thousands on drugs for life threatening diseases. It's not right that American families have to choose between taking one drug or paying their electric bill on time. This needs to stop. We need real leadership that represents us, and I strongly believe Edwards is the candidate to have our backs. He'll fight for us!
What Edwards Will do About Big Pharma Ads
From his website:
Delay New Ads to Put Safety First: Edwards will institute a two-year delay on consumer advertising of all new drugs, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine and the American Medical Association.
This is about safety folks. Edwards will make sure that before any ads hit the t.v. that these drugs have been tested thoroughly. A delay will also result in doctors becoming more informed about what they are prescribing.
Get Control with Real Oversight of Advertising: Edwards will give the Food and Drug Administration real power to prevent misleading drug ads by requiring the agency's approval before drug companies can launch major ad campaigns. He will also increase the penalties for drug companies that violate truth-in-advertising laws.
Right now, before the FDA can even call for the removal of deceptive drug ads, they're already on the air. Edwards will give them the authority they lack right now so that misleading ads will never hit the airwaves.
Require "Whole Truth" Disclosures: Edwards will improve drug makers' disclosures to the public, requiring companies to tell the public the whole truth about side effects and how effective drugs are against placebos and existing alternatives. As a result, drug companies will no longer be able to advertise costly "me-too" drugs without disclosing the existence of less costly alternatives. He will also require drug companies to disclose foreseeable side effects from implants of medical devices, which are not disclosed today.
Full disclosure is a good thing, and IMO it is a must especially when someone's health is concerned.
Help Doctors Make Decisions Based on Evidence, Not Ads: Edwards will establish a non-profit or public organization – possibly within the Institute of Medicine – to research the best methods of providing care, drawing upon data from Medicare and the Health Care Markets and medical experts from across the nation. The center will perform head-to-head testing of drugs, as well as devices, to see which work best for specific conditions and populations. It will quickly and widely disseminate its unbiased, scientific findings to physicians and patients. In addition, the FDA will require drug companies to conduct head-to-head testing prior to approving new drugs.
Speaking from personal experience, this one is very important. I'm glad that they finally banned the practice where doctor's were receiving kickbacks from drug companies for prescribing particular drugs. I already bore the brunt of that practice, where a doctor who does not practice medicine anymore (thank god!) prescribed me all kinds of meds during my car accident days. Medications that were outlandishly expensive ($27 per pill) and meds that had nothing to do with my injuries. Doctors need to be more informed by an agency that has our best interest at heart. Doctors can no longer be influenced by the drug companies and their advertising.
Give Edwards Money!
I started a fund raising account for Edwards via Act Blue. I'm trying to raise $4,600 by the day of the Iowa Caucus. I'm only $1,650 away from that goal. Will you help me meet my goal and help John Edwards become the next POTUS? I hope so! Go here to donate:
http://actblue.com/...