- Target:
- Health Care Consumers
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.prescriptionproject.org
Evidence shows that the U.S. pharmaceutical industry spends an increasing amount of money marketing products direct to physicians: at least $25 billion in 2005 (more than double that spent in 1996).
Published evidence clearly shows that marketing spending shifts doctors toward higher cost and sometimes less-safe drugs.
94% of physicians have some relationship with the pharmaceutical industry.
Consumers and taxpayers pay through the increased cost of drugs.
Disclosure of industry marketing will help reduce soaring drug expenditures, protect the public, and restore trust in the medical profession.
The Physician Payments Sunshine Act introduced by Senators Kohl and Grassley on January 22, 2009, would require all pharmaceutical and medical device companies to publicly report gifts and payments to physicians who receives more than $100/year. Payments that would be disclosed include gifts, consulting payments, speaking contracts, and travel, and would be published in a publicly accessible online database.
We the undersigned support the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which would require drug and medical device companies to publicly report their gifts and payments to doctors.
Drug companies alone spend at least $25 billion per year marketing to doctors. Not only are these costs passed on to consumers (that $25 billion is built in to the cost of every drug we buy) but published evidence clearly shows that marketing spending shifts doctors toward higher cost and sometimes less-safe drugs.
As consumers and taxpayers, we ask you to help pass this Act to protect patients and begin reigning in the skyrocketing costs of drugs.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Support the Physician Payments Sunshine Act! petition to Health Care Consumers was written by Kate and is in the category Health at GoPetition.