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Pharmaceutical companies say the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new social media rules would have a "chilling" effect on the industry and leave consumers in the dark.The FDA in June released draft guidelines for how drug firms should use social networks like Facebook and Twitter. But pharmaceutical companies are concerned the FDA would hold them responsible for misinformation about their products posted online by third parties that the companies have little to no control over. They say the rules would discourage them from interacting on social networks, leaving consumers without useful information about their products."Given the extraordinary growth of the...

A new study commissioned by PhRMA finds that many consumers in ObamaCare’s insurance exchanges could end up paying more than twice as much in out-of-pocket drug costs. The report for the nation’s top drug lobby was conducted by actuarial firm Milliman, which found that people on the Silver Plan, the most popular ObamaCare plan, would likely pay 130 percent more for out-of-pocket prescription drugs compared to people on similar employer-sponsored plans. One reason why out-of-pocket costs are likely to be higher is because employer plans are more generous than typical Silver Plans, according to the report. However, the numbers don’t...

Washington, D.C. Today, the National Center For Public Policy Research hammered Johnson & Johnson CEO William C. Weldon over his company's partisan lobbying at its annual shareholder meeting in New Brunswick, New Jersey. National Center General Counsel Justin Danhof wasked Weldon to justify his firm spending shareholder money to support unpopular policies such as ObamaCare and cap-and-trade. Weldon said that he was proud of his company's lobbying positions even if they were not perfect, and he would not change his position even in the face of stark evidence that, as a result, many Johnson & Johnson consumers now view the...

President Obama has signed the biggest US healthcare reform since the 1960s, and although it is largely seen as a victory for the pharmaceutical industry, some analysts are characterising it as a 'double-edged sword'.The legislation, signed into law amid much fanfare on 23 March, is 'not perfect' but represents a step in the right direction by helping to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality and affordable healthcare, according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) - a lobby group representing the country's leading pharmaceutical companies. President Obama looks to protect US health © Patrimonio/Dreamstime.com The reform bill...

I am in an argument with someone & wondering if anyone knows who the major lobbyists were for and against HRC. Thanks in advance

... Mr. Tauzin, 66, will retreat, to contemplate the apparent collapse of the grandest in a career of fearless deals — a pact to trade the drug industry’s political support for favorable terms under President Obama’s proposed health care overhaul. Mr. Tauzin is leaving his $2 million-a-year job as the top lobbyist for the drug industry amid complaints from drug makers that he bargained away their profits too cheaply, spent too much in his $150 million advertising campaign to sell the overhaul and miscalculated in his assessment that the passage of the legislation was all but inevitable. Other drug industry...

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democrats have headed off a wide-ranging request by Republicans for documents on private meetings White House officials had last year with doctors and other medical providers as health care legislation was being prepared.

The drug industry is threatening to end its support for President Barack Obama's health overhaul effort because of a rift with the administration over protecting brand-name biotech drugs from low-cost generic competitors. In an e-mail obtained Friday by The Associated Press, the president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America told the trade group's board members that "we could not support the bill" if the industry is given less than 12 years of competitive protection for the expensive products. Obama and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., are leading the drive to shorten that period, which...

WASHINGTON -- The drug industry is threatening to end its support for President Barack Obama's health overhaul effort because of a rift with the administration over protecting brand-name biotech drugs from low-cost generic competitors. In an e-mail obtained Friday by The Associated Press, the president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America told the trade group's board members that "we could not support the bill" if the industry is given less than 12 years of competitive protection for the expensive products. Obama and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., are leading the drive to shorten that...

For organized labor, if there's anything better than a federal takeover of health insurance, it's a federal takeover of health care with a major tax break for union members. Union leaders, led by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (see photo), this week gave the country a first-hand lesson on how to play behind-the-scenes political hardball. Yesterday, following a three-day marathon negotiating session, the nation's top labor officials announced they had reached an agreement to delay introduction of a federal excise tax on high-cost health insurance plans on their rank and file. While a number of Republicans are calling the deal a...

It’s crush time for Scott Brown in Senate race By Margery Eagan | Thursday, January 14, 2010 The “let-them-eat-cake” campaign. That’s how bad it is for Martha Coakley: Even some big-time Democrats are calling her Senate run that. What happened? Well, man crushes are breaking out all over. Every time you turn on cable, there’s chiseled Scott Brown doing the Mount Rushmore thing. There’s the two Rushmore-ettes, Brown’s gorgeous daughters, jumping into the fray. Revved-up voters are 15 deep in line for absentee ballots in the People’s Republic of Sharon, for God’s sake, and across the state. (Sharon Town Clerk...

Following the MA Senate debate on Monday, Martha Coakley was off to Washington DC where a big fundraiser was being held for her. Per the Washington Examiner, "17 of the 22 names on the host committee are federally registered lobbyists. Fifteen of those 17 have big health care clients such as Pfizer, Merck, Amgen, Sanofi-Aventis, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Astra-Zeneca, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, HealthSouth, and United Health among many others. In addition, among the other five hosts there are direction connections via marriage and/or direct professional ties to the health care industry." After the fundraising event, Coakley took two...

As you may have heard, a Dem staffer helping the Martha Coakley campaign was caught on video shoving a Weekly Standard reporter, prompting an explosion of outrage from national Republicans and the right-wing media, who alleged bullying and intimidation. Now the staffer, Michael Meehan, sends over a statement admitting error (though not conceding bullying) and saying he also apologized directly to the Standard reporter, John McCormack:

Michael not only works for Marth Coakley!!! Michael Meehan, Weekly Standard Assailant, Works For PHRMA as Lobbyist for PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. PhRMA represents America’s leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. PhRMA member companies spent $44.5 billon in 2007 to discover and develop new medications. And apparently a bit of money for democrate Martha Coakley.

We've been following the special election in Massachusetts, where the GOP hopes to pull a surprise upset in the race to fill Ted Kennedy's seat. If they do pull it off, healthcare reform is instantly in trouble, as the Democrats drop below 60. But money is coming to the rescue of Democrat Martha Coakley -- healthcare industry lobbyist money, specifically. Tim Carney identifies several of her top fundraisers. Take a look at who they represent: * Thomas Boggs, Patton Boggs: Bristol-Myers Squibb * Chuck Brain, Capitol Hill Strategies: Amgen, BIO, Merck, PhRMA * Susan Brophy, Glover Park Group: Blue Cross,...

How Angry is the Left at Obama? Watch this Video

The Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), is the largest single-industry lobbying group in America. It represents name-brand drug-makers. Considering this clout, and considering President Obama's claim Monday that the Senate, by passing the health-care bill, was "standing up to the special interests," it's noteworthy that PhRMA this morning celebrated the bill's passage.

On Fox News this morning. Details of a back-room deal between the White House and drug companies coming out. The White House has agreed to allow reduced competition between drug companies, which allows a bigger bottom line. The drug companies in return are going to spend millions to push Obamacare. White House is trying to keep this quiet. Henry Waxman, of all people, is pushing to get the details. Typical Chicago corruption by the Gang of Crooks in charge of the White House.

This is a report on one of the great sell-outs in American history: How the insurance companies, the drug companies (PhRMA), the AARP, and the AMA have all sold-out their principles to get a piece of the profit of Obamacare for themselves. Instead of standing on their principles, and taking a position on whether Obamacare would be good for America, they are rushing in to make a deal to protect their own interests. This is not just my interpretation of what is going on, but is being documented by national publications and pundits. For example, Business Week (August 17, 2009)...

This is a link to a thread posted by Freeper Jeff Gordon at 11:05pm last night. I think Jeff is right, this article is a must read, and wanted to give those of you who weren't reading FR late last night a chance to see it. The link to his thread is active above and I'll repeat it here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321828/posts