I don’t get it — why is there not more open criticism of big drug companies as part of the health care debate? They’ve offered up to $150 billion in lower drug costs and to give Medicare a “discount” but already they are raising prices and they are being spared from future price controls and from allowing reimportation of cheaper foreign drugs, like from Canada. What’s up with that?
Who is going to criticize the drug companies? The politicians who have received millions from the pharmaceutical industry year after year? The drug companies have bought themselves all the get-out-of-jail-free cards they need. They are among the biggest contributors to political campaigns. They have nearly every member of Congress in their pocket. Their highly publicized offer to give Medicare a discount means nothing because the legislation that created the Medicare drug program prohibits the government from even trying to negotiate a discount. Isn’t that just wacko? The biggest single purchaser of drugs in the United States, Medicare, cannot even try for volume discounts. It would be nice if the drug industry was held to task, but they won’t be. Congress would not just be biting the hand that feeds it, it would be biting the hand that provides the thick steaks and the perfectly made martinis and the fine wine and the scrumptious desserts. Even poor old vote-how-the-bosses-tell-me Wally Herger has collected around $75,000 this year from drug companies and health insurers. As Kelly Brewer asked when she first reported this several months ago (if I may paraphrase), if pointless, useless Wally is getting this kind of dough, what do you think the members of Congress who actually do something are getting? The top 12 drug companies in the United States had profits of nearly $80 billion in 2007. You can buy a lot of peace and quiet with that.
Dugan Barr has practiced law in Redding since 1967. He has tried more than 200 civil jury cases to verdict. He is married and has five children. The offices of Barr and Mudford, LLP, are at 1824 Court St. in Redding and can be reached at 243-8008.
