First, as Art points out this afternoon, two recent articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association charge that the pharmaceutical giant withheld
First, as Art points out this afternoon, two recent articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association charge that the pharmaceutical giant withheld data on the damaging effects of its painkiller Vioxx. The blockbuster drug was pulled from the shelves in 2004 after it was found to be a cardiovascular risk.
Now, Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, is all riled up and pushing for greater transparency from the pharmaceutical industry.
“„These reports reveal just how far a drug maker might go to market its product and try to bury information that might hurt sales even when that information directly affected the health and safety of the people taking their medicine. Revealing this kind of activity is very important in building pressure on the Food and Drug Administration to regulate, not accommodate drug makers. These new reports also underscore the value of transparency in making industry more accountable to the public.
In a letter to Merck (pdf), the Iowa Republican all but accuses the company of cheating federal health programs out of a billion dollars in Vioxx purchases.
“„Besides incurring over $1 billion dollars in costs to our federal programs for this drug, it turned out that VIOXX was also causing heart attacks. Merck, with knowledge of the increased risk of heart attacks associated with VIOXX, proceeded to negotiate with FDA for label changes, while at the same time initiating an aggressive campaign to sell as much of the drug as possible. In fact, one FDA safety officer determined that VIOXX negatively affected tens of thousands of patients who took the drug.
“„Now we are learning that VIOXX not only increased the risk of heart attacks-it seems that it caused the death of certain patients. Had the federal government, namely the FDA known of this risk in 2001, instead of 2003, I am confident that the federal government would not have paid Merck $1billion dollars for the drug.
Grassley is no stranger to the topic. As Finance chairman four years ago, he led the investigative charge into Merck’s deceptive marketing and research practices surrounding Vioxx. Still, it’s no easy task taking on the pharmaceutical industry, even for a powerful guy like Grassley. As the Center for Responsive Politics pointed out last week, drug makers gave more money to Washington’s lawmakers than any other lobby in the country last year.
The latest Vioxx revelation will test just how much influence that cash can buy.
Rep. Patrick McHenry: Please, Conservatives, Fill Out Your Census Forms!
The conservative congressman from North Carolina, a constant critic of the census -- one of the people who sounded the alarm about politicization when the
Rep. Paulsen allies with medical device industry to relax FDA oversight
Source: Flickr; Republicanconference (www.flickr.com/photos/republicanconference) On the heels of the Minnesota Independent story last week about U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s cozy financial relationship with the medical device industry, the New York Times reported Tuesday that some health professionals are alarmed by Paulsen’s push to relax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight
Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.)
One of the most conservative Democrats in the House -- a freshman who said he couldn’t support Nancy Pelosi again -- is going to switch over to the GOP. Josh
Rep. Paulsen touts balanced budget constitutional amendment
In a post for the conservative blog True North , U.S. Rep
Rep. Paulsen, Karl Rove the latest to get ‘glittered’
Rep. Erik Paulsen and former Bush staffer Karl Rove were both showered with glitter at the Midwest Leadership Conference Friday
Rep. Paul Ryan to deliver SOTU response
Chairman of the House Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will deliver the Republican response to the State of the Union Tuesday, according to Mike Allen
Rep. Perlmutter criticizes House measure that would eliminate 800K federal jobs
Congressman Ed Perlmutter today issued a scathing statement criticizing the House of Representatives for passing a spending bill that could put nearly a million federal employees out of work. The Colorado delegation voted strictly on party lines, with all four Republicans voting in favor of the bill and the three Democrats voting in opposition. Perlmutter’s statement: “My number one priority is to get people back to work because that’s the best thing we can do to pay our debt and move forward toward economic stability
Rep. Perlmutter to hold constituent meet-up in grocery store
Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter will hold a Government in the Grocery constituent meet-up this evening from 5-7 at the Safeway at 38th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge. The address is 3900 Wadsworth. The meeting, where Perlmutter typically sits at a folding table and talks to whomever shows up, is free and open to the public
Rep. Peace, ACLU seek investigation of soldier’s allegations of racial discrimination in Afghanistan
Both Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and the American Civil Liberties Union agree: There needs to be an investigation into Spc.
School of Hock
A growing number of college grads are defaulting on their student loans as the economy worsens.