NY Times Blows The Whistle On Drug Industry’s Dirty Tricks
by Joseph Mercola
As a sobering example of how members of Congress can be spoon-fed the views and even the exact words of high-powered lobbying firms, consider remarks inserted into the Congressional Record after the debate and vote on health care reform in the House.
Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten, in whole or in part, by Washington lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies.
E-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that the lobbyists drafted one statement for Democrats and another for Republicans.
The lobbyists, employed by Genentech and by two Washington law firms, were remarkably successful in getting the statements printed in the Congressional Record under the names of different members of Congress.
The apparent goal was to show that, even though there were sharp divisions between the parties on the overall reform bill (only one Republican voted for it), there was bipartisan support for provisions relating to drugs produced by the biotechnology industry. One provision, for example, would allow generic competition to expensive biological drugs but only after the original manufacturer had enjoyed 12 years of exclusive use, a generous period by anyone’s standards.
Asked about the Congressional statements, a lobbyist close to Genentech said: “This happens all the time. There was nothing nefarious about it.”
Sources:
Dr. Mercola’s Comments:
Let’s remember that it all started with a gaggle of moralizing and marginalized religious dissidents who feasted on fowl, and a native relish of sour red berries.
On Thursday, Americans will stop and share a meal like these long-ago Pilgrims. Thanksgiving is the holiday of hope, as well as drumsticks and football. It is also the emblem of American identity – of who we are as a people and our distinctive role in history.
The two New York Times’ articles above provide a powerful commentary about health care “reform,” and the true power behind the US health care system in general. They document the level of influence, corruption, and conflict of interest that affects your health.
There should be no doubt about the power the drug industry wields in shaping the US health care system.
Big pharma has been the driving force behind conventional medicine, and the beneficiaries of exploding health care costs for well over a century, and there are no signs that the current health care reform will change any of this.
Read the rest here
“America: Freedom to Fascism” Star Sherry Jackson is Being Murdered
Sherry’s Representative is Hank Johnson, representing the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.
FIRST:
Call and fax him at each office and demand immediate medical attention for Sherry:
Washington, DC Office
1133 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-1605
Fax: (202) 226-0691
Lithonia Office
5700 Hillandale Dr., Suite 110
Lithonia, GA 30058
Phone: (770) 987-2291
Fax: (770) 987-8721
Tucker Office
3469 Lawrenceville Highway, Suite 205
Tucker, GA 30084
Phone: (770) 939-2016
Fax: (770) 939-3753
SECOND:
Slam his Facebook page with comments demanding immediate medical Care for Sherry:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Congressman-Hank-Johnson/115356957005
THIRD:
Forward, post, and blog this email EVERYWHERE!!!
Date: November 30, 2009 12:34:03 PM PST
Subject: Sherry Peel Jackson
Hi Friends and Family,
Please, pray for my wife, Sherry Peel Jackson. She’s still having challenges while she’s incarcerated. Thank you, in advance, for your prayers and encouragemenet. Here’s a letter from Sherry to our Congressman, concerning her current situation.
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Dear Congressman Johnson
I am Sherry Peel Jackson, your former CPA. I am writing you because I am concerned about my health and my life. Prior to becoming a political prisoner I was the picture of health. In late June, 2009 I started experiencing a rapid heart beat on an irregular basis. Since this had happened infrequently in the past I did not think much of it. However, in Mid July it started happening on a regular basis and I became concerned. I went to the medical staff twice in Mid July only to be given a one-minute EKG test and powerful meds without proper diagnosis. I did not take them because I had not been seen by a specialist. One week later, on July 21 at 12:45am I left the dorm in flip flops to go tell the officers that I was having a heart attack. The officers on duty called the ambulance and the ambulance checked my heart on their portable EKG machine. It was beating at 150 beats per minute. They took me to Leesberg (spelling) hospital where I remained until Friday, July 24th at 11:30pm. During the hospital stay it was determined that my heart was healthy but my thyroid was producing too much hormone, thus speeding up my heart. This is called hyperthyroidism or Graves disease. I was given two medications by the hospital – Methimazole, which is an anti-thyroid agent used to reduce the amount of thyroid hormone produced by the body and Metoprolol, which is a beta blocker used to slow the heart. The hospital doctor told me that in four weeks (approximately August 21) the prison medical unit was to do blood tests to determine how the thyroid medication was affecting my body. The blood test was taken in late August and I was told that I would be placed on the appointment schedule to come over and review the results. I was never called. I went over in early September and inquired of Dr. DeLeon as to how to get blood test results. He told me to put in a request to staff, so I did that on September 15th. It simply asked to see the results of the tests. Sometime after September 23rd I received a response in writing, from Ms. Marich, that stated that I could either make a sick call (come over early in the morning wait in line and fill out forms) or come to Open House to see the results. Open house is held only on Thursdays from 3:00pm to 3:30pm. I went to Open House Thursday September 30th and was told by Ms. Marich that she could not find the results! I watched her look through and around several piles of folders in her office but at no time did she look on a computer for them. She told me to check back later. On Wednesday October 28th I passed out around 4pm and was taken to medical and cleared. On Friday October 30th my lips started turning black as if I had been a lifelong smoker. By Sunday November 1st my lips were fully black. My boss, the Chaplain, called medical and a male nurse was sent over from the medium security men’s prison on this complex (there are two maximum security, one medium security and one low security men’s prisons on this complex with the women’s camp). He took my blood pressure and oxygen and said there was nothing else he could do. He told me to go to sick call Monday morning, which I did. I showed Mr. Coucho my lips and told him that something was wrong with my blood, I could tell. (I am leaving out gross details here). He said I would be put on the schedule. However, the very next day, Tuesday morning, November 3rd, I found blood in my stool and rushed over to medical because I am smart enough to know that this is a major problem. I was chewed out for coming over to medical without a staff member telling me to come. I told Charlie, the female nurse and Mr. Coucho the PA that I was in the hospital in July, never got the blood work results and something was terribly wrong. I am 46 years old and I know my body! I finally convinced them that I was not playing and was not stupid, so they ‘treated’ me with a packet for a stool sample test. Mr. Coucho looked on the computer for the blood test results from August and found them there! The blood test showed a problem with the thyroid way back then! He said I would be put on the schedule for new blood work later that week because these results were too old. He had a short conversation with Dr. DeLeon in Spanish and then said the thyroid count was off. This was November 3rd. I administered the stool tests and returned them to Nurse Charlie on Friday November 6th. Today is November 26th, Thanksgiving. I have not received the results of the stool test. I have not been given any new blood test. My neck is swelling up like a blow fish and I am having trouble talking. I have been feeling very ill for the last two weeks. Congressman, I don’t want them to kill me in here. As you well know, I am being punished for exposing government fraud. However, millions of people don’t file tax returns and I was just used as an example by the DOJ for their new program called the Tax Defiers Initiative.
I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful children. I have already spent 21 months in prison for a non crime, and I refuse to come out dead or maimed for life. I have not caused these people any problems. This is no threat but just for your information. I also wrote the warden today. Things can’t go on this way as I languish in here for someone’s political gain. God doesn’t like ugly and He is the ultimate judge and vindicator.
Sherry Peel Jackson 59085-019
FCI COLEMAN MEDIUM FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION P.O. BOX 1032 COLEMAN, FL 33521 |
