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Biotech Lobbyists Provided Grist for Lawmakers' Health Care Statements
Statements put into the Congressional Record by more than a dozen House members were ghostwritten in whole or part by lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world's largest biotechnology firms, the New York Times reports.
An example: two separate statements entered into the record by Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri and Joe Wilson of South Carolina used this language suggested by the lobbyists read: "One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country. Unfortunately, many of the largest companies that would seek to enter the biosimilar market have made their money by outsourcing their research to foreign countries like India."
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. of New Jersey said he regretted using the language from the lobbyists that duplicated other lawmakers' statement, and added that he got the statement from his staff and hadn't known where it came from. A lobbyist familiar with Genentech who was quoted by the Times saying, "This happens all the time. There was nothing nefarious about it."
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Bruce Drake
Drake began his career with the New York Daily News, spending most of that time in Washington covering Congress, national politics and the Reagan White House... moreRelated Articles
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Comments (21)
higgdj7
10:49AM Nov 15th 2009
"Nothing nefarious" yeah right!!! Lobbyists always write the legislation and pay BIG $$$$$$$ to do so.
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(10)
(10) 
copterdude118
10:55AM Nov 15th 2009
The Obamacare plan to suck money out of doctors, healthcare professionals, drug companies, biotechs, and medical device makers will also suck money out of those whose skills we depend on to save lives and cure diseases. Budgets for research and development will be slashed and America will no longer be the shining light of medical innovation, attracting the best and brightest minds from all over the world.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (5)
(5) angeldolllogic
12:23PM Nov 15th 2009
copterdud118: Good comment! I would also like to state that not only will America not be "attracting the best and the brightest" but the "best and the brightest" will be leaving to set up shop elsewhere. My husband is a small business owner and we have great insurance (exactly the same as what we provide to our employees) that has enabled me to go to MD Anderson for cancer treatment. Fortunately I was able to take part in a new clinical study that has put my cancer into total remission. Of course I'm concerned about what will happen to me if the cancer returns and Obamacare passes and have questioned my oncologist's about this. They have all informed me that they plan to leave and practice in another country. A few of the nurses plan to stay also some of the office workers but the doctors will be leaving. I find this more frightening than the cancer! I believe people that want this "free" healthcare think that it will be business as usual only free of charge. How crazy is this?!?!? The best doctor's in the world will be leaving and we'll be stuck with God only knows what. (But hey! It will be free!) With fewer doctor's and more patient's we'll be lucky to get an appointment at all! Obamacare might just be another bill to some but it will be a death sentence for me. Obama and Pelosi: LEAVE MY HEALTHCARE ALONE!!!!!
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(3)
(3) Modern Republican
10:57AM Nov 15th 2009
Caution! You are about to enter a Goppy span zone.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(2)
(2) horsedr89
11:29AM Nov 15th 2009
Only goes to show that we ought to be voting for lobbyists. By doing so we eliminate the middle-man......politicans.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (10)
(10) Melissa
7:42PM Nov 16th 2009
Is this the "pot calling the kettle black"?
RATE THIS COMMENT: (4)
(4) teeball
11:37AM Nov 15th 2009
The entire health care bill was written by the corporations with the most to gain,congress and illegals heve one thing in common they dont read english..
RATE THIS COMMENT: (7)
(7) jett862
4:49PM Nov 15th 2009
Ironically, it seems like you don't speak it...
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(-2)
(-2) FOXYLYNX
11:55AM Nov 15th 2009
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY, WE THE PEOPLE, NEED TO INSIST ON TERM AND AGE LIMITS FOR OUR ELECTED CAREER CROOKS. THEY WILL NEVER VOTE FOR THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN UP-RISING AND INSIST UPON IT. NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE W/O THIS.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (14)
(14) Roger Reikilight
3:36PM Nov 15th 2009
No ... This is the very reason why we must start a national ballot initiative that makes it illegal for any government employee whether elected or appointed to accept one penny, meal, drink, gift ... anything ... from a lobby and then vote on, appropriate money, give a contract to a lobby or their cause ... that is called bribery! It should also be against the law to ever become a lobby and make money off the contracts you made while you represented the people of this nation! Quit stepping around the issues! Get RID OF the lobbies and regain control of our government. You won't need term limits if you take the money out of government!
RATE THIS COMMENT: (7)
(7) ogates1
12:49PM Nov 15th 2009
You hit the nail right on joe Wilson's racist little head.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (2)
(2) Fletch
12:54PM Nov 15th 2009
A racist??? Like Jimmy Carter.....
RATE THIS COMMENT: (4)
(4) igreen2115
1:25PM Nov 15th 2009
Repubs take the insurance companies side 100% of the time. We know they dont care about anyone else. Obstructions against change.....as always.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-2)
(-2) copterdude118
9:19PM Nov 15th 2009
That's like saying democrats take the trial lawyers position 100% of the time. They are all for windfall profits tax on industries they don't like, but try to tack a windfall profits tax on a lawyers $50 million cut or on a Hollywood producer's $100 million payday and what happens? Who knows because it never happens. Or it's like saying democrats take teacher's unions positions 100% of the time. Even when they are against the school vouchers that gives lower class parents a chance at providing a decent education when their kids are stuck in a failing school. Or it's like saying democrats always side with the UAW and give them all the power while taking it away from the companies investors and bond holders, those who actually put up money to make the company work, not sucking them dry like the unions do.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (1)
(1) Ruby
4:03PM Nov 15th 2009
Big Pharma is not the American success story they would like to have us believe. Research and development is a actually a small part of the budgets of Big Pharma companies compared to their spending on marketing and administration.
The pharmaceutical companies are not even very innovative. Only a very few truly important drugs have been introduced to the market in recent years. Most of those were based on taxpayer-funded research at academic institutions, small biotechnology companies, or the National Institutes of Health.
Check out http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17244
The pharmaceutical companies are not even very innovative. Only a very few truly important drugs have been introduced to the market in recent years. Most of those were based on taxpayer-funded research at academic institutions, small biotechnology companies, or the National Institutes of Health.
Check out http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17244
RATE THIS COMMENT: (4)
(4) rck8543
5:00PM Nov 15th 2009
Guppy There you go again...who cares what you think? Your post had nothing to do with the article.
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(0)
(0) jessemailsucks
7:23PM Nov 15th 2009
Stop your whine people! There is a hand full of us who love the science fields to death, but as I sat next to all these Americans in class, I don;t feel the least bit shamed to earn my money outside of the Unites States. India is home to some of the smartest fellows and I am all for education; something that Americans take for granted. So go ahead and pout all you want.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-1)
(-1) nefsigh
7:49PM Nov 15th 2009
Where (and when) did it become a commonly accepted assumption that doctors MUST make outrageous incomes? When did this happen? I can recall doctors making house calls and the bills were 4-6$ granted that was 50 years ago, but still--When did Americans become "prisoners" to the excesses of price? I know, some will argue that the "costs and debt's" incurred becomming a medical person "requires" that these folks get big pay--but I no longer buy that--as ANY college education will cost a lot of money. Teachers, for example, are required to get post graduate degrees/education and they incur about the same debt--yet they aren't paid anywhere near what MD's make. Perhaps the current "quota" system that the AMA and others interested in maintaining the current system need changing--
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(1) Truth
9:35PM Nov 15th 2009
Guppy, and the liberal/Progressives like to have their statements written by some Marxist Union, or ACORN, or maybe even the Marxist New York Times.
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(-1) Truth
9:38PM Nov 15th 2009
Guppy, and Progressive/liberals in general, prefer their statements written by some Marxist Union, or ACORN, or maybe the Marxist New York Times.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-1)
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