E-drug: Crisis in the Australian PBS (cont)
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The following letter was published in "The Age" newspaper today.
To the Editor:
Living in a country whose citizens enjoy the highest prescription drug
prices in the world, I have been following the situation involving
Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee with some
interest. First the appointment to the committee of a former drug
industry lobbyist, followed by the resignation of several committee
members in response, and now the appointment of a director of a consumer
group that receives money from the drug industry, a situation that the
Federal Health Minister does not believe represents a conflict of
interest (The Age, February 15). I for one would be curious to know
what would constitute conflict of interest for an individual who is
going to be deciding what drugs are going to be listed on the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
I suppose I should find all this reassuring--I had been worried
that the presence of several former pharmaceutical industry executives
and lobbyists in our new administration might somehow influence future
discussions about prescription drug benefits for senior citizens here in
the U.S. Perhaps Australians can look forward to even more changes
that will bring its health care system closer still to our own--a system
that spends more money on health care than any other, yet is ranked 24th
in the world by the WHO because only the wealthy have good access.
Robert L. Goodman, MD
Division of General Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
622 W 168th St.
New York, New York USA
Phone 212-305-6262
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Bob is also encouraging health workers to, "Take the Pledge" and say
"NO" to drug company influence. See
http://www.nofreelunch.org/pledge.html
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Dr. Ken Harvey, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health,
Room 221, Building HS1 (NW9),
La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Australia,
Telephone +61 3 9479 5773, Facsimile +61 3 9479 1783,
Personal mobile 0419 181910,
Internet: http://www-sph.health.latrobe.edu.au/kharvey/
"Ken Harvey" <k.harvey@latrobe.edu.au>
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