Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16034

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Ubac ML.
Pfizer ‘bribe’ case brought before US gov’t
Philippine Daily Inquirer 2009 Jul 21
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090721-216480/Pfizer-bribe-case-brought-before-US-govt

Full text:

Sen. Manuel Roxas II Monday brought to the attention of the US Department of Justice and Department of Commerce the alleged attempt by Pfizer Philippines to bribe President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In separate letters, Roxas formally asked the US government to investigate possible violations by the drug company of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other laws “in the company’s attempts to influence the Philippine legislature and the government into watering down the Cheaper Medicines Law.”

The senator also demanded that the American giant pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc. open the records of its local entity, Pfizer Incorporated Philippines, for scrutiny by the joint congressional oversight committee on quality affordable medicines.

Roxas wrote two identical letters to Deputy Chief Mark F. Mendelsohn of the US justice department and Chief Counsel for International Commerce John Cobau to seek their assistance on Pfizer’s “unethical lobby practices” in the Philippines.

The senator noted Pfizer’s numerous attempts to block the legislation and subsequent implementation of the cheaper medicines law.

“The Filipino people’s fight for access to quality affordable medicines is now more than a decade… The Philippine government’s efforts to bring down prices of medicines have been met with fierce resistance by the pharmaceutical industry,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the same pharmaceutical companies who have strongly lobbied against the passage of the law to this day continue to employ tactics meant to delay and impede its implementation,” he said.

Delaying tactics

Roxas cited Pfizer’s move in 2006 to stop the Philippine International Trading Corp. from importing the anti-hypertension Norvasc from India.

Also, during deliberations of the Philippine Congress on the cheaper medicines legislation, Roxas said a Pfizer lawyer was ordered to leave the session hall of the House of Representatives for trying to delay the proceedings by handing a lawmaker a note to question the existence of a quorum.

“Just recently, Pfizer allegedly arranged two meetings between the Philippine executive and pharmaceutical industry players in relation to a proposed executive order to impose a maximum retail price on 22 essential medicines,” he said.

Roxas said that the industry had opposed the signing of the executive order.

During the July 13 oversight hearing on the July 8 “secret” meeting with Ms Arroyo, it was revealed that Pfizer had offered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III five million discount cards estimated to cost P100 million or more in exchange for not implementing the MRP on essential medicines.

The law gives Ms Arroyo the power to regulate drug prices when needed to protect the interest of the consumer.

Instead of signing the order, Ms Arroyo gave the pharmaceutical companies 10 days to come up with reduced price proposals.

On Saturday, the companies did submit a list.

“To my mind, the actions of Pfizer are motivated by no other reason than to impede and obstruct the full implementation of Republic Act No. 9502,” Roxas said in the letters.

“The persistence with which Pfizer has been blocking and fighting Philippine government’s efforts to bring down the prices of medicines and make essential medicines accessible to Filipinos is extremely alarming.

“In fact, I believe that their acts are unethical and violate not only Philippine anticorruption laws, but also the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” Roxas said.