“A Frenzy Of Lobbying On 21st Century Cures”

[UnfoldingSky]

https://www.madinamerica.com/2016/11/frenzy-lobbying-21st-century-cures/

 

“A Frenzy Of Lobbying On 21st Century Cures”

 

 

Kaiser Health News and NPR report on the immense lobbying effort aimed at passing the "21st Century Cures" Act which would fast-track FDA approval of drugs and devices. "The 21st Century Cures Act set for a House vote Wednesday is one of the most-lobbied health care bills in recent history, with nearly three lobbyists working for its passage or defeat for every member on Capitol Hill. More than 1,455 lobbyists representing 400 companies, universities and other organizations pushed for or against an earlier House version of a Cures bill this congressional cycle, according to federal disclosure forms compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. A compromise version was released over the holiday weekend."

 

More at above link, including comments on how to oppose the bill.

[UnfoldingSky]

There's now a petition about this bill, started by US Senator Elizabeth Warren, about how Big Pharma has hijacked it.  Here's a bit from the petition, about the justification for starting it:

 

http://pac.petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-congress-dont-let-2/

 

Petition Background

 

From the beginning, I've argued that any “cures” bill must include substantial new funding for medical research (NIH), or it’s not going to cure anything. Democrats and Republicans had agreed that a medical innovation bill would not go forward without substantially more money for NIH. But the Cures deal has only a tiny fig leaf of funding for NIH.

21st Century Cures doesn’t reduce crushing drug prices. It doesn’t really expand the invention of new cures. And it doesn’t increase access to lifesaving therapies.

What does it do?

• Legalizes fraud: It’s against the law for drug companies to market drugs for uses not approved by the FDA. You can’t sell a headache pill as a cure for cancer. Drug companies have paid billions in penalties for “off-label marketing." Instead of following the law, they’ve cozied up to Congress to have the Cures bill shoot holes in it.

• Covers up bribery: Currently, drug companies have to disclose the buckets of money, gifts, giveaways, and free trips they give doctors and hospitals as kickbacks to use certain drugs. Once again, drug companies cozied up to Congress to gut that disclosure rule – allowing any gift related to “medical education” to be exempt.

 

More at the link above and space to add your signature if you wish.

[compsports]

Not too late to call your Representative regarding this bill.  It is horrible and part of it included the Murphy bill with involuntary outpatient treatment which wasn't there before.

 

Do this before signing the petition as calls are very important.

 

CS

[compsports]

Unfortunately, this bill was passed by the House and will not be voted on by the Senate.

 

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/11/30/1605782/-Elizabeth-Warren-Asks-Democrats-Which-Side-Are-You-On-The-Answer-May-Disappoint-You

 

Just as an FYI, this blog entry doesn't say anything about the very repressive Murphy bill that got folded into this act.   But if this bill gets defeated for any reason, I am all for it.

 

By the way, even if the oppressive mental health legislation wasn't part of the bill, it is still horrible as it considerably weakens patient protections.  If you think the FDA is worthless now, you ain't seen nothing yet if this bill passes.

 

Please, please, please, call your Senators to oppose this bill.  I know from personal experience when you feel like cr-p, that even making a call is difficult.   But please find a way to do this.

 

Here is the contact information for all 50 Senators.

 

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=state

 

Thank you.

[compsports]

Ugh, meant to say this bill will be voted on by the Senate,

[UnfoldingSky]

They are adding amendments to this bill even now.  Anyone in the US who wants to oppose this please call  MONDAY DEC. 5.

 

Also Lauren Tenney ran a blog talk show tonight, about the bill and the addition of amendments, which can be heard here:

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talkwithtenney/2016/12/05/emergency-senate-vote-on-amendment-to-hr-34-is-near-ideas-for-legislators

 

On this show, Yvonne Smith, Lauren Tenney, and others will discuss things that you can talk about with your Senators AND Representatives concerning the scam of amending the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015 H.R. 34 as the 21st Century #CuresAct amendment, which includes awful versions of the Murphy Bills and multiple other bills that Senators are still attempting to amend before a vote. They are pushing this through and if you can believe, Senators are even still adding amendments.

 

Senate will take up the proposed amendments on Monday, December 5, 2016, or earlier.

[UnfoldingSky]

According to MIA you can still call before 10am on TUES DEC. 6, they deal with it at 10am.