Ties between regulators and business are attacked after politician takes top job in industry
BMJ 2005; 330 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.330.7482.60-b (Published 06 January 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;330:60
- Jeanne Lenzer
- New York
A Congressman who was responsible for an act prohibiting the US federal government from negotiating lower prices with drug companies has retired from Congress to take up a job with the pharmaceutical industry.
Congressman W J “Billy” Tauzin (Republican, Louisiana) announced that he will retire from Congress this month to take over as president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. The group, the main US lobbying organisation for the drug industry, has praised Mr Tauzin for his leading role in crafting President Bush's Medicare Reform Bill, which contains a provision prohibiting the federal government negotiating with drug companies for lower prices. Critics attacked the provision as a “sweetheart deal” for the drug industry (bmj.com, 29 …
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