LA Times' Lazarus blasts SB 1096

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I admit it. I'm really up in arms about SB 1096. See, I really value my privacy, and want to ensure the privacy of my fellow Californians. particularly Californians with the following conditions: Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cancer, Gastric disorder, Hypertension, Thyroid disorder, Organ transplantation, Chronic eye disorder, Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, Renal disorders, Parkinson's disease, Seizures, Multiple sclerosis, Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Anxiety disorders, Attention deficit disorder. Phew, that was a mouthful!

But David Lazarus, the consumer reporter at the LA Times (for now), notes another drawback of this bill that I neglected to mention:

The reality, critics say, is that this is an effort by pharmaceutical companies to help ensure that patients stick with expensive name-brand drugs and not stray toward cheaper generic alternatives. (LAT 6/11/08)

 There is a clear financial stake in this for name-brand manufacturers. They want you to keep buying Prozac^TM or Zoloft^TM, not the generic knock-offs that cost the system, and the patient, substantially less money.

I highly recommend the Lazarus article for its other insights.

Calderon's bill appears to anticipate that mailings may be paid for by drug makers or companies such as Adheris and not just by drugstores. It says disclosure is required "if the written communication is paid for, in whole or in part, by a manufacturer, distributor or provider of a healthcare product or service."

I pointed this out to Calderon.

"I'm not familiar with that," he replied. "I've never seen that part of the bill."
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He said his sole reason for introducing the legislation was to improve the health of Californians by getting more people with chronic conditions to take their medication.

Since 2002, Calderon has received at least $89,000 in contributions from drug companies and pharmacy chains, according to public records.

It's clear that Sen. Calderon dearly wants this stinker to pass. So do his contributors.