Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

From The Prescription Project

Always happy to throw them a link.

Go here to sign the petition.

Drug marketing is out of control. Help send a message to Congress.

Support the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which will require drug companies to publicly report their gifts and payments to doctors.

Drug companies spend at least $25 billion each year marketing to doctors. We pay for that with every drug we buy. And studies prove that marketing causes doctors to prescribe higher-cost drugs. Some new drugs also have safety risks (like Vioxx). By increasing transparency, the Sunshine Act will help protect patients and counter the skyrocketing costs of drugs.

Sign this petition today to ask your members of Congress to support these bills.


'Nuff said. Although personally, I don't think reporting these gifts is sufficient -- they should be banned. As in, you can't do it. And, if that's not possible, doctors should be forbidden to accept them by both medical association codes of ethics, and state licensure requirements. And you should ask your doctor if she or he accepts anything of value from drug companies. If the answer is "yes," go elsewhere.

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