E-drug: Bringing Big Pharma to Book
---------------------------------------------
Dear E-druggers ---
Many of you were kind enough to help in my research for Jeffrey
Robinson's new book, Prescription Games. Thank you.
The book, which is an in depth look at the money, ego and power
driving Big Pharma --- and, especially, the industry's determination
to put profit in front of life and health --- is just out in Britain.
It is due out in Canada in June and in the US (plus foreign editions)
later this year.
The basis of Jeffrey's argument --- and the basic anger that has
driven him to expose the industry in this way --- comes from the
fundamental philosophy that underscores just about everything Big
Pharma does. It is simply this --- that scientists should not worry
about marketing, and marketing people must never confuse their own
issues with medicine and science. The first group is soberly
dedicated to changing the world, to finding that one molecule which
might, somehow, cure the incurable. The second group is about making
money for the company. If a drug cures the incurable but has no real
market, it may be great science but it's lousy business. If a drug
sells but doesn't cure much of anything, it's still good business.
Jeffrey's anger is, clearly, shared with e-druggers. And while he
harbors no expectations that the book will move mountains, he hopes
that by bringing the industry to book like this, if nothing else,
some people might perhaps be forced to take a closer look at their
own behavior.
Not surprisingly, the initial response from Big Parma to Prescription
Games has been anything but complimentary. (They fall back on the
usual, stale and fallacious argument that intellectual property is
paramount to R&D). They say Jeffrey simply doesn't understand the
real world. Considering the way their "intellectual property"
arguments are endangering lives in the real world, Jeffrey takes
their annoyance with him as a huge compliment.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684858371/qid=983731278/sr=1
-20/026-6387958-8878830
This, then, is really just a note to say that Jeffrey is very
grateful to you all for your help and input. E-Drug is acknowledged
in the book as one of the most valuable sources of information and
expertise on the subject. Rightfully so.
Again, thank you all.
Sincerely/ Alan Train
research assistant to Jeffrey Robinson
New York
alantrain@post.com
--
Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.
Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'.
For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.