[Ip-health] GoozNews: Bush Badgers Brits for Big Pharma

[Benjamin Krohmal]

http://www.gooznews.com/archives/000541.html

November 14, 2006
Bush Badgers Brits for Big Pharma

"This is almost impossible to believe. U.S. trade zealots
masquerading as health officials are in London this week to badger
the British to adopt the U.S. drug industry model, according to The
Guardian. The U.S. wants the British national health service to open
its formularies to all drugs regardless of relative medical benefit
vis-a-vis generics, allow direct-to-consumer advertising, and use
insurance companies to deliver drug benefits.

In a visit with the newspaper's editors, U.S. deputy secretary of
Health Alex Azar had this to say:

     Allowing all new drugs to be used in the NHS would result in the
companies fighting it out on price, which would drive the drug bill
down.

Ever watch The Daily Show when Jon Stewart rubs his eyes in
disbelief? That's what I'm doing right now after reading that one.

Before joining the administration, Azar was a partner at Wiley, Rein
and Fielding, a K-Street law firm with numerous pharmaceutical
industry clients."


Benjamin Krohmal
Medical Innovation Fund Project Director
Consumer Project on Technology
Tel: +1-202-332-2670 ex. 14
Fax: +1-202-332-2673
ben.krohmal@cptech.org