Pfizer Exec Calls Drug Industry Leaders “Dinosaurs”
Pfizer Exec Calls Drug Industry Leaders “Dinosaurs”
As reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, advocacy for drug importation and bulk purchasing came from an unlikely source during this year’s Cover the Uninsured Week. Dr. Peter Rost, vice president of sales for Pfizer Inc., called the leaders of pharmaceutical companies “dinosaurs who are committing financial suicide” for opposing low-cost drugs in the United States. 
Rost said, “Getting drugs to people who need them is about right and wrong…. When millions of uninsured older or poor Americans get sick because they can’t afford their medications, that is morally wrong.”
Rost went on to discuss bulk purchasing, the price-lowering provision his company successfully squelched from last year’s Medicare bill:
Most Americans pay prices similar to those in Europe, negotiated by insurers who buy in bulk, Rost said. “It’s the uninsured who pay the full price — twice what you’d pay in Europe. Everybody negotiates bulk prices for bulk deliveries, everybody but the United States.”
Rost has been speaking out against Bush administration health care policies backed by his employer since last September and twice testified before Congress in favor of legalizing drug imports, not only for moral reasons, but because it’s good for business. Rost claims he once doubled sales in Nordic countries for a pharmaceutical company he previously worked for after he lowered prescription drug prices.
The Star Tribune notes that Pfizer has written two letters to members of Congress urging them to ignore Rost’s opinions.
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Pfizer has given 77% of their $9,244,730 political donations since 1990 to the Republicans.
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.asp?ID=D000000138&Name=Pfizer+Inc
May 3rd, 2005 at 4:57 pmI’m just surprised they haven’t questioned his sanity, slipped “medication” into his drinking water, etc.
Mad credit to Dr. Rost for having the courage to both see and state the obvious. Clearly, a member of the reality-based community.
May 3rd, 2005 at 8:20 pmHow untidy, how perplexing, how uncorporate. Dr. Rost, you are the bomb. You must be damn good to be getting away with being the pea in Princess Pfizer’s bed.
May 3rd, 2005 at 9:41 pmPfizer is offering deep discounts to people who do not have the means to pay for medicine. See Pfizerhelpfulanswers.com. Dr Rost has forgot to mention this fact in his statements. Scientists are working hard at Pfizer to bring new medicines to market. All of you should support their efforts.. Medicine is cheaper than hospitals. Dr Rost conflict of intersest is that he is a doctor first and he needs to protect his turf..Thanks for nothing Pete
May 3rd, 2005 at 10:16 pm“Pfizer is offering deep discounts to people who do not have the means to pay for medicine.” -Brian
“Getting drugs to people who need them is about right and wrong…. When millions of uninsured older or poor Americans get sick because they can’t afford their medications, that is morally wrong.â€? – Dr. Peter Rost
You guys really need to sit down and work this thing out. Cheap drugs rock. You both should be commended.
May 4th, 2005 at 12:01 amBrian wrote at 2216:
“…Medicine is cheaper than hospitals. Dr Rost conflict of intersest is that he is a doctor first and he needs to protect his turf..Thanks for nothing Pete”(sic)
Could you explain the juxtaposition of hospitals with medicine in the context of your first sentence? Dr. Rost’s comment doesn’t conflict that sentiment in any way Just how was your comment supposed to smack him down, since that was plainly its intent.
Also, you might have noticed that Dr. Rost was/is “…vice president of sales for Pfizer Inc.,…” In that capacity he is not necessarily a practicing physician, even if he holds a license. In fact, his primary responsibility would be to increase saels of Pfizer products. Are you arguing that his understanding of medical economics is less than yours? Further, many physicians don’t necessarily need hospitals for their patient practice. In truth, they would be just as glad to keep their patients out of hospitals. So, where is the contradiction?
I might point out that the pharma executives have a greater conflict of interest than Dr. Rost does. Their bonuses are likely much bigger. So the longer they can gouge the American public, the larger their bonuses. I suppose that’t not a conflict in your reality. Also, the pharma companies might be able to discover more drugs if they moved about two-thirds of their advertising budget over to research so they could do the things they claim they are doing. Pharma advertising has ballooned over the last five years to an obscene level while the drug companies seem particularly inept in discovering new drugs. Their primary businesses these days seem to be patent extensions and peddling nostrums. It would be great if they were to revert to being pharmaceutical companies.
May 4th, 2005 at 12:18 amHm. Brian works for Pfizer?
It sounded like a commercial.
May 4th, 2005 at 11:26 amTaken from one of the descriptions from the Pfizer page.
Patients must not have insurance or other third-party coverage, including Medicaid, and must not be eligible for a state’s AIDS drug assistance program. Additionally, patients must have incomes of less than $25,000 (single), or less than $40,000 (family). A staff of program specialists is available to assist providers in rapidly determining patients’ eligibility and enrolling them in the program. Physicians interested in utilizing the program should call 800-869-9979.
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