Sens. Sanders, Warren call research bill gift to drug firms

[Mainecat]

Bloodsuckers....

Sens. Sanders, Warren call research bill gift to drug firms

ALAN FRAM,Associated Press 1 hour 55 minutes ago

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two of the Senate's most liberal lawmakers are assailing a $6.3 billion medical research bill as a gift to drug companies, even as Republican leaders prepare to try pushing the measure through the lame-duck Congress.

"It's time for Congress to stand up to the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies, not give them more handouts," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Tuesday in a written statement.

The comments by Sanders came a day after Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivered a ferocious attack on congressional Republicans and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell over the legislation and pushed fellow Democrats to oppose a measure she said "is corrupt, and it is very, very dangerous."

The opposition by Sanders and Warren was noteworthy because it comes as progressives and moderates are struggling over the direction the Democratic Party should take in the wake of its defeats on Election Day. Hillary Clinton lost her White House bid to Republican Donald Trump and Democrats remained in the House and Senate minority, making only small gains in each chamber.

In remarks Tuesday to the Senate, Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said there is "some angst" among Democrats about the bill and said he was expecting it to be changed, but was not specific.

White House spokeswoman Katie Hill voiced support for added research and drug abuse spending but said officials are reviewing the legislation "while conversations continue in Congress."

The House planned to consider the 996-page measure on Wednesday and Senate debate was expected next week, which is expected to be the final week of this year's post-election Congress.

The bill would let the Food and Drug Administration approve drugs and medical devices more quickly and bolster federal mental health programs. It lays plans for $4.8 billion in additional spending over the next decade for cancer, brain and other biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, $1 billion for grants to states for drug abuse prevention and research and $500 million for the FDA to accelerate its approval procedures.

Top Republicans announced the research bill last week, more than a year after the House approved an earlier version by an overwhelmingly bipartisan margin.

Sanders and Warren — two of the highest-profile liberals in Congress — both complained that the bill's money is not guaranteed and must be provided in later legislation by Congress. They also criticized the legislation's savings, which includes cuts in a public health program under President Barack Obama's health care law, reduced payments under Medicare and Medicaid and oil sales from the government's strategic petroleum reserve.

In a Monday speech on the Senate floor, Warren used the populist rhetoric that has made her a hit among progressive voters.

All but demanding that her party follow her lead, Warren said, "Republicans will control this government, but they cannot hand that control over to big corporations unless Democrats roll over and allow them to do so."

She said the research bill would "legalize fraud" by reducing the scientific evidence the government needs to approve existing drugs for new uses. She said it would "cover up bribery" by exempting medical companies from publicly reporting some payments they make to doctors.

"I cannot vote for this bill. I will fight it because I know the difference between compromise and extortion," said Warren, who some mention as a potential 2020 presidential contender.

Warren also said the bill benefits a Republican donor who backs contentious therapies that are supposed to regenerate cells. She did not name the donor during her speech but said McConnell, R-Ky., has accepted contributions from him.

A Warren spokesman said Warren was referring to an April report by Politico that said separate legislation helping companies get approval for stem-cell treatments was backed by Ed Bosarge, a wealthy Texan. The report said Bosarge has donated to McConnell's political committee and invested in regenerative medicine.

A McConnell spokesman declined to comment. McConnell said this month that the overall bill is a major priority for Congress' lame-duck session and singled out its provisions helping regenerative medicine.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Monday that he wanted the removal of a provision letting companies not report some payments to doctors. Consumer groups have complained that the payments encourage doctors to prescribe those companies' products.

No. 3 Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York is also trying to remove that provision, a Democratic aide said.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sen-warren-blasts-drug-approval-bill-extortion-084433768--finance.html

[Snake]

She said the research bill would "legalize fraud" by reducing the scientific evidence the government needs to approve existing drugs for new uses. She said it would "cover up bribery" by exempting medical companies from publicly reporting some payments they make to doctors.

 

And yet she championed Hillary...

SMH

Edited November 29, 2016 by Snake

[Anler]

This shit has been going on forever. Much of the medical research is done using fed grant money. to the tune of billions. And many will decry "socialist medicine" and defend the medical and drug companies but wont say shit about the billions of tax dollars they took to do their research. Socializing costs and privatizing profits. Murica!

[Highmark]

The bill would let the Food and Drug Administration approve drugs and medical devices more quickly and bolster federal mental health programs. It lays plans for $4.8 billion in additional spending over the next decade for cancer, brain and other biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, $1 billion for grants to states for drug abuse prevention and research and $500 million for the FDA to accelerate its approval procedures.

 

Sounds fucking awful.  

[Mainecat]

4 minutes ago, Anler said:

This shit has been going on forever. Much of the medical research is done using fed grant money. to the tune of billions. And many will decry "socialist medicine" and defend the medical and drug companies but wont say shit about the billions of tax dollars they took to do their research. Socializing costs and privatizing profits. Murica!

And when politicians have the opportunity to lower prescription costs to medicare they vote no.

Anyone here that supports this bullshit should be kicked the fuck out.

[Mainecat]

6.3 BILLION FUCKIN DOLLARS????

[bussman]

1 minute ago, Mainecat said:

6.3 BILLION FUCKIN DOLLARS????

No shit, Obama could buy like 1/10th of a website for that. 

[Highmark]

7 minutes ago, Mainecat said:

6.3 BILLION FUCKIN DOLLARS????

You do realize that's over 10 years?  Hey I'm all for shelving it but I thought with how the money is being spent you libs would love it.  

Its going to be funny to watch the dems get fiscally conservative and the GOP want to spend.   Elections have consequences they make the parties fight over ideals that would be opposite given different election results.   

The bill would let the Food and Drug Administration approve drugs and medical devices more quickly and bolster federal mental health programs. It lays plans for $4.8 billion in additional spending over the next decade for cancer, brain and other biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, $1 billion for grants to states for drug abuse prevention and research and $500 million for the FDA to accelerate its approval procedures.

Edited November 29, 2016 by Highmark

[Mainecat]

Pharmaceutical subsidies ($270 billion/year)

As US Uncut has previously reported, the pharmaceutical industry costs taxpayers roughly $270 billion a year when accounting for the cost we pay for life-saving drugs whose patents have been bought up by Big Pharma. This is over $1,914 per household in corporate welfare. This is partly due to the Medicare Part D bill that George W. Bush signed into law in 2003, which prevents Medicare from negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. But the biggest drug companies also make a pretty penny (a combined $711 billion in profits between 2003 and 2012) by buying patents for drugs that were largely developed with taxpayer-funded research, then jacking up the price by absurd amounts after cornering the market.

Combined profits of top pharma companies. Data courtesy of healthcareforamericanow.org.

This $270 billion annual subsidy could be virtually eliminated by passing Bernie Sanders’ bill to establish a government fund that buys up drug patents as soon as they become available for purchase. Then, the government would sell drugs at-cost to save money for those who need them. The money saved could pay for the annual $270 billion in insurance costs from Obamacare that would help more Americans get access to healthcare.

 

http://usuncut.com/class-war/10-corporate-welfare-programs-that-will-make-your-blood-boil/

[Mainecat]

1 minute ago, Highmark said:

You do realize that's over 10 years?  Hey I'm all for shelving it but I thought with how the money is being spent you libs would love it.  

Its going to be funny to watch the dems get fiscally conservative and the GOP want to spend. 

It will be more fun to watch Trump fling himself down on the floor like a baby beating his hands and feet when he does not get his way.

[oleroule]

fda: another unconstitutional dept

[Highmark]

2 minutes ago, Mainecat said:

Pharmaceutical subsidies ($270 billion/year)

As US Uncut has previously reported, the pharmaceutical industry costs taxpayers roughly $270 billion a year when accounting for the cost we pay for life-saving drugs whose patents have been bought up by Big Pharma. This is over $1,914 per household in corporate welfare. This is partly due to the Medicare Part D bill that George W. Bush signed into law in 2003, which prevents Medicare from negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. But the biggest drug companies also make a pretty penny (a combined $711 billion in profits between 2003 and 2012) by buying patents for drugs that were largely developed with taxpayer-funded research, then jacking up the price by absurd amounts after cornering the market.

Combined profits of top pharma companies. Data courtesy of healthcareforamericanow.org.

This $270 billion annual subsidy could be virtually eliminated by passing Bernie Sanders’ bill to establish a government fund that buys up drug patents as soon as they become available for purchase. Then, the government would sell drugs at-cost to save money for those who need them. The money saved could pay for the annual $270 billion in insurance costs from Obamacare that would help more Americans get access to healthcare.

 

http://usuncut.com/class-war/10-corporate-welfare-programs-that-will-make-your-blood-boil/

Top 10 GLOBAL phar companies.   Hell lets throw in foreign oil companies profits while we are at it. 

[Highmark]

2 minutes ago, Mainecat said:

It will be more fun to watch Trump fling himself down on the floor like a baby beating his hands and feet when he does not get his way.

Kind of like you Hillary and Sanders supporters.  

[Mainecat]

Just now, Highmark said:

Top 10 GLOBAL phar companies.   Hell lets throw in foreign oil companies profits while we are at it. 

swing and a miss.

You agree with this....not surprising at all. Never complain about your healthcare premiums here again.

[Angry ginger]

16 minutes ago, Highmark said:

The bill would let the Food and Drug Administration approve drugs and medical devices more quickly and bolster federal mental health programs. It lays plans for $4.8 billion in additional spending over the next decade for cancer, brain and other biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, $1 billion for grants to states for drug abuse prevention and research and $500 million for the FDA to accelerate its approval procedures.

 

Sounds fucking awful.  

so lets see 6.3 billion out of 6.3 billion to government agencies, wheres all this private company profits that the resident libs are bitching about here. 

[Highmark]

6 minutes ago, Mainecat said:

swing and a miss.

You agree with this....not surprising at all. Never complain about your healthcare premiums here again.

No I don't agree with govt funded research at all.   End it then big pharma can't buy the patents and exploit the market.   I would however like to see some links to this claim.

NIH could simply share patents.   End of issue.   

Best solution get govt out of providing research funding.  

Edited November 29, 2016 by Highmark

[Mainecat]

WATCH IT....

 

 

[racer254]

Hillary lost 6 billion while SOS and you wanted her as POTUS, FFS

[Boered]

3 cents per week per person. OMG lets all freak out.

[Mainecat]

57 minutes ago, racer254 said:

Hillary lost 6 billion while SOS and you wanted her as POTUS, FFS

I didn't vote for her.

 

12 minutes ago, Boered said:

3 cents per week per person. OMG lets all freak out.

That's sig material right there

[Mainecat]

Back on subject. You guy think we should pay more for drugs than any other country?

[Boered]

52 minutes ago, Mainecat said:

I didn't vote for her.

 

That's sig material right there

Fuck off.

[motonoggin]

[Sleepr2]

4 hours ago, bussman said:

No shit, Obama could buy like 1/10th of a website for that. 

LOL! Poor McLliar.

[Sleepr2]

1 hour ago, Mainecat said:

I didn't vote for her.

 

That's sig material right there

BS!