Majority of US patients’ groups supporting pharma against Medicare reforms received industry funding, claims report
pharmafile | August 5, 2016 | News story | Medical Communications, Research and Development | medicare reform, patients' groups, public citizen
An overwhelming majority of US patients’ groups who supported the pharmaceutical industry in opposing Medicare part B pricing reforms receive industry funding, according to new research from advocacy group Public Citizen.
A report compiled by the group examined industry funding for 147 patients’ groups publicly opposing the Medicare part B reform proposals, and found documents relating to funding and sponsorships from the drug and medical device industry to 110 of these groups.
The reform proposals, which seek to lower spending on the most costly treatments under Medicare part B, were vehemently opposed by the pharmaceutical industry. According to the report: “This particular instance of alignment between the industry and patients’ groups merits close scrutiny, especially as consumer groups including Public Citizen and AARP voice strong support for the project as one that will benefit patients and taxpayers.”
The patients’ groups who opposed the reforms either by signing a letter to congressional leadership or a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The report indicates that, as funding disclosures are voluntary, there may potentially be more patients’ groups receiving pharmaceutical industry funding.
Rick Claypool, a Public Citizen research director and author of the report, says: “While it is certainly not the case that every patient group that takes industry money is a Big Pharma puppet, the fact that three-quarters of the patients’ groups opposing these reforms receive industry money should make policymakers sceptical of these groups’ independence.”
Sean Murray
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