Pharmaceutical companies have, without a doubt, improved the quality of life for Americans. However, certain companies have used the good-will developed through the industry’s advances in medicine to abuse the trust of the American public. This is despite the fact that many pharmaceutical developments have come from publicly funded research that was then adopted by the industry.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the recent opioid epidemic. Purdue Pharma has made more than $35 billion in revenue since releasing OxyContin in 1995. The fine of $635 million for false advertising around claims of non-addictiveness and tamper-proofing is barely a slap on the wrist.
Pharmaceutical companies are responsible for the health of Americans. They have a duty to play by the rules, and those that break the rules will face repercussions through the criminal justice system.
Problems to be Solved
- checkSome pharmaceutical companies prioritize profit over safety.
- Drug companies save lives every day. But their financial incentives may lead them to aggressively market drugs for uses beyond their original intent. We need to provide strong oversight and ensure that new medicines are used in ways that improve health and the public good. With Medicare-for-all, the government will be able to negotiate significantly lower prices on behalf of the public.
Goals
- checkCreate an incentive for pharmaceutical companies to prioritize safety and vigor through their research before releasing drugs
- checkHold those accountable who put the lives of Americans at risk when making a decision about taking a drug to market
As President I will...
- Direct the FDA and DOJ to work together to bring more criminal cases against pharmaceutical executives who use misleading marketing techniques or take shortcuts through the testing and approval process.
- Direct the DOJ to strictly enforce all laws regarding fraudulently presenting clinical research data during the FDA approval process.
- Support a Medicare-for-all plan that will reduce drug costs for all Americans.