When Big Pharma attacks homeopathic and natural medicines, which they hate because the cost is so much lower than their chemicals, you would think that they might take notice and think about why this trend is happening. No, instead they spend more time smearing the entire trend, focus their attention on jury-rigging the system to knock out these treatments and of course, leaning on their GOP friends in Congress to stop whistleblower awards. People are increasingly disgusted with the stories of Big Pharma pushing garbage through a neutered FDA and bribing doctors. How is it possible to have faith either in pharmaceuticals or even doctors with such obvious problems?
Since the FDA is now just an industry-sponsored rubber stamp and the GOP Congress has shown little concern for consumers, federal prosecutors have been turning to a Civil War-era law to crack down on Big Pharma, costing the industry $3.5 billion since 2001. Naturally, the GOP lapdogs are worried about their financial supporters and if left unchecked, will leave their constituents and consumers left to fend for themselves.
Such intensive drug marketing campaigns have led doctors to give patients drugs they don't need, sometimes with dangerous results, according to watchdog groups and academics.
Industry lawyers and consultants say the risk of hefty fines has become as potent as the threat of congressional action in prompting pharmaceutical companies to reform their sales practices, especially after studies linking painkillers and anti-depressants to deaths and suicides.
Patrick L. Meehan, a U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania, says whether or not the FDA condoned the practices, the companies broke the law. "If that's the way things work, then it's wrong," he said.
