Illegal Big Pharma Activities Contribute to Inflated Spending and Prices.

Update: Big Pharma has surpassed every other industry when it comes to defrauding the US government, according to a new analysis by Public Citizen, which calls for stiffer penalties and increased criminal prosecution Big Ph executives. Here's the thing: 75% of all of these violations and penalties have taken place in the last five years! And four drugmakers: GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Merck’s Schering-Plough.

The report lists all of the violations: kickbacks; financial violations and illegal distribution; overcharging government health programs; illegal promotion; anti-trust violations; concealing clinical trial findings; poor manufacturing practices; environmental violations...

Here's another thing: those who commit the crimes walk while those who report the crimes pay the price...and, it's often life-changing.

However, nothing will change because the primary job and responsibility of US government is to protect the corporate elite, and that includes allowing them to plunder with impunity. In fact, it's not only accepted, it's expected. Those who play by ethical rules, lose.

In other words, what we see play out, in what appears to be the feds going after Big Pharma is all for show. To be sure, Big pharma pays their "drop in the bucket" fine (for them), but, to be even more sure, they earn back double that amount when they take their criminal behavior to the next level. What do the feds get out of all of this? The same thing Big Pharma does: more money...more power...

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Conflicts of interest amongst academic researchers who accept enormous contributions from some of the largest and influential lobbying organizations in Washington, namely,  Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, also known as PhRMA, started polishing their image in anticipation of the incoming Obama administration.  This included becoming slightly more transparent with a little pressure from the US Senate Committee on Finance Committee.  PhRMA has a record of hiding its lobbying and PR activities, often by paying other organizations to advocate industry-friendly policies.

After reports of NAMI  coordinating lobbying efforts with drug makers and pushing legislation that benefits the pharma industry, and that most donations made to the big advocacy group came from drug makers in recent years, NAMI agreed to disclose its funding sources.

Links:
Participation of Academic Scientists in Relationship with Industry.

Pharmaceutical  Biotech Top-Performing Physician Leader Analysis