Beacon Hill's Behavior

Someday, Beacon Hill will do the right thing and stop these back room deals!

This was hard-fought legislation, widely supported by consumber groups and activists seeking to remove the impact of Pharma's generosity on medicine, yet .....

AARP Urges Gov. Patrick to Put Consumers First
June 29, 2012


...AARP questions the legislature’s action to weaken the prescription drug gift ban law, put in place to help protect consumers against spiraling health care costs – in particular, rising prescription prices. Consumers should not have to foot the bill when drug companies wine and dine doctors at restaurants across the Bay State – especially when prescription drug spending continues to be the fastest growing medical expenditure for consumers, and drug prices continue to climb.

“Bottom line: Prescribing decisions are too important to be tainted by marketing practices. By funding a state-sponsored, evidence-based outreach and education program for prescribers – called academic detailing – state legislators have signaled the importance of providing unbiased information about the therapeutic use and cost effectiveness of prescription drugs to doctors and medical professionals.

“AARP urges Gov. Deval Patrick to put consumers first and protect the prescription drug gift ban law by vetoing Outside Sections 110-112 of the Fiscal Year 2013 state budget.”