“There’s so much money out there, and they’ve created all of these allies, so nobody is clamoring for change,” Mr. Thacker said.
Since the Physician Payments Sunshine Act began requiring the industry to report its payments to physicians, the industry is more reluctant to co-opt them, so “pharma has to find other megaphones,” PharmedOut’s Dr. Fugh-Berman said.
And, in times of public outrage over high drug prices and soaring insurance costs, patients are particularly sympathetic messengers, she said.
“Sick consumers make for good press,” Dr. Fugh-Berman said. “They make for good testimony before Congress. They can be very powerful spokespeople for pharmaceutical companies.”
KHN’s coverage of prescription drug development, costs and pricing is supported by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.