Big Pharma

Malenee Wheat

Soc 480 – Chapter 10

April 6, 2011

Dr. Wentworth

Big Pharma: The Pharmaceuticals Industry

“Big Pharma refers to the paid representatives of large pharmaceutical companies who seek to influence federal government policy.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_lobby). Starting this year (2011), the U.S. government has decided to enter the pharmaceuticals industry. Drug companies are not producing the results at the speed the U.S. wants, so they are stepping in to conduct their own research on drugs to be given to Big Pharma. Did I mention that they are planning on using taxpayer money to conduct this research? After being turned over to Big Pharma, the drug companies will sell the research for profit. What the U.S. is doing is only perpetuating the Big Pharma madness (http://www.naturalnews.com/020345.html#ixzz1Il2ZSLLq).

The government is taking over the health care industry only to direct profits to the pharmaceutical companies. The U.S. only decided to step in because drug companies have said they will be reducing research funding for new drugs. However, reduction in research might actually be a good thing for the U.S. Big Pharma’s risky drugs have hurt our economy and personal health every year. With the government helping out, a lot of doubt comes to mind. Government money (our money) that goes into the drug discoveries will only end up boosting the profits of drug companies rather than improving the health of Americans. The more drugs we have does not mean the healthier we are. Instead, the U.S. should spend their money researching alternative ways of healing, not involving synthetic drugs. Now that the government is involved, it will be easier for the pharmaceutical companies to get their new drugs approved. The FDA will facilitate the drug approval process, and pharmaceutical companies will make more profit than ever.

Potentially an even bigger issue is the drug research process. Favorable...