pharmaceuticals public health

From Tobacco to Pharma: The Danger of Putting Profit Before Public Health

Isaac Horton Isaac Horton Follow Apr 10, 2023 · 14 mins read
From Tobacco to Pharma: The Danger of Putting Profit Before Public Health
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For decades, the tobacco industry operated unchecked despite knowing that their products were causing cancer. The industry manipulated public opinion and science to maximize profits, while the government was slow to act all at the expense of American lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year.

Despite this, tobacco companies like Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds continued to push their products after research linked smoking to lung cancer in the 1950s. In 1964, the Surgeon General released a report that officially linked smoking to cancer, but it took another decade before the government took action.

The tobacco industry fought back ruthlessly, launching massive campaigns to discredit the science linking smoking to cancer and manipulating public opinion to maintain their profits. They sponsored research that suggested smoking was not harmful and pushed for more lenient regulations.

According to a report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, tobacco companies continue to make billions of dollars in profits every year, with a net profit of $35 billion in 2019 alone. The industry also spends millions of dollars every year on lobbying efforts to prevent new regulations and maintain their profits which shows a scary but real truth at the heart of our global banking system, it is ok to profit off of death if you can get away with it legally or pseudo-legally.

The Pharmaceutical Industry

The pharmaceutical industry operates similarly to the tobacco industry in the 60’s, with a focus on profit over health. In fact, they profit off of our unhealthiness. Pharmaceutical companies control information through selective research that they themselves fund with clear conflict of interest, they manipulate doctors and patients, and repeatedly break the law to gain more profit.

According to a report by Public Citizen, the pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable industries in the United States, with a net profit margin of 17% in 2018. They also spend billions of dollars every year on marketing and advertising, influencing(manufacturing consent) doctors and patients to prescribe and use their products.

Drug companies produce selective research that shows the benefits of their products while ignoring the side-effects.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, about one-third of all new drugs approved by the FDA have serious side-effects that were not discovered until after approval.

Drug companies have been repeatedly caught breaking the law to gain more profit. In 2020, five major pharmaceutical companies were fined a total of $5.7 billion for their role in the opioid epidemic, but the effective profit margin is so massive that they can afford these fines as a cost of production. Think about that for a second. They make so much profit, that they can afford to simply spend a small portion of that to pay fines which means that they have incentive to break the law, they have incentive to sacrifice public health for the sake of profit.

The focus on profit over health has also led to high drug prices, with some medications costing tens of thousands of dollars per year. The industry has no incentive to lower prices or prioritize health, instead, they need sick people and new markets of experimental therapy to sell their products. One such market is the highly controversial obesity therapy drugs that have been recently recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. These markets revolve around lack of education. Any health expert will argue it’s much more healthy to exercise and eat well than to take a drug that attempts to solve metabolic and hormonal issues which are a natural part of going through puberty. But even with this common knowledge the Big Pharma cartels have such a stranglehold on information that they can manipulate public policy and public opinion enough that they make millions and laugh all the way to the bank. The stupidity of average people, they must think to themselves.

According to a report by the House Oversight Committee, the 14 largest pharmaceutical companies spent $577 billion on stock buybacks and dividends between 2016 and 2020, prioritizing shareholder profits over public and individual health.

Controlling Information

Just like the tobacco industry, the pharmaceutical industry has learned to control information to maintain profits. They sponsor research that shows the benefits of their products, while downplaying or ignoring the negative effects. They also lobby to prevent the release of negative information and manipulate doctors and patients to promote their products.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that pharmaceutical companies spent $27.5 billion on drug promotion in 2016, with most of that money going towards marketing directly to doctors. Another study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that over 90% of doctors have received gifts or payments from drug companies, which can influence their prescribing decisions.

The pharmaceutical industry also lobbies extensively to prevent regulations that could harm their profits. According to OpenSecrets, the industry spent over $306 million on lobbying in 2020 alone.

Furthermore, the industry manipulates clinical trials, which are meant to test the safety and efficacy of drugs. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that pharmaceutical companies frequently manipulate the design of trials and selectively report results to make their products appear more effective and safe.

Don’t rattle the cage, Bret!

Renowned biologist Bret Weinstein made a groundbreaking discovery about telomeres in rats, and its implications for cancer research and tissue damage have been widely ignored by the industry. Weinstein discovered that telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, can shorten due to aging and damage, leading to a higher risk of cancer and other diseases. However, his research suggests that telomeres may not always shorten at the same rate, and the current methods used to measure them using common lab rats may overestimate cancer risks and underestimate tissue damage which is beneficial to the pharmaceutical companies.

Despite the potential impact of his findings, Weinstein’s research has been largely ignored by the industry. This is because it has the potential to invalidate prior research, which could be detrimental for pharmaceutical companies. These companies can manipulate research through selective funding to produce favorable results for their products. Weinstein’s research was a threat to their bottom line, so it was simply ignored.

This is not the first time that pharmaceutical companies have prioritized profits over public health. The industry has a long history of manipulating research to produce favorable results, and many drugs have been approved based on flawed research. This has led to countless health problems and even deaths.

Lawbreaking for Profit

The pharmaceutical industry has repeatedly broken the law to increase profits. They engage in illegal practices such as bribery, kickbacks, and fraud to promote their products and increase sales. According to a report by Public Citizen, the pharmaceutical industry has paid over $38 billion in fines and settlements for illegal activities since 1991.

In one notable case, the drug company Purdue Pharma was fined $8 billion for their role in the opioid epidemic. However, the effective profit margin is so large that these fines are often seen as a mere cost of doing business.

The industry also engages in price gouging, where they increase the prices of essential medications for no reason other than to increase profits. This has resulted in astronomical prices for life-saving drugs, such as insulin, with some patients having to ration their medications due to affordability issues.

Furthermore, the industry exploits vulnerable populations, such as people with rare diseases, by charging exorbitant prices for their medications. The drug company Biogen, for example, charged $56,000 per year for a medication to treat a rare genetic disorder, despite the fact that the medication had been available in Europe for a fraction of the price.

Profit Motives Over Health

The profit motives of the pharmaceutical industry often come at the expense of public health. In many cases, drug companies prioritize profits over patient safety and well-being.

One example is the over-prescription of opioids, which has led to an epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths. The pharmaceutical industry played a significant role in this crisis, as they aggressively marketed and promoted opioids despite knowing the risks of addiction and overdose.

Another example is the promotion of drugs with known side effects, such as antidepressants, which have been linked to increased risk of suicide and violent behavior in some patients. Despite these risks, drug companies continue to push these medications, with some even hiding the negative data from clinical trials.

Additionally, the industry often focuses on developing drugs for profitable markets, rather than for diseases that are most in need of treatment. This has led to a lack of investment in treatments for neglected diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis, which disproportionately affect the world’s poorest populations.

The Need for Reform

The pharmaceutical industry’s profit-driven practices have led to a crisis of affordability, accessibility, and safety for many patients. The need for reform is urgent, as more and more people are unable to access life-saving medications due to skyrocketing prices.

One solution is to increase regulation and oversight of the industry. This could include measures to prevent price gouging, increase transparency in clinical trials, and limit the influence of drug companies on medical research and prescribing practices.

Another solution is to promote alternative models of drug development and distribution, such as public funding for research and development, or the use of generics and biosimilars to increase competition and lower prices.

Ultimately, the goal should be to prioritize public health over profit. This will require a fundamental shift in the way that we approach healthcare, with a focus on ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and effective treatments.

Lessons from History

The history of the tobacco industry and its eventual regulation provides important lessons for the pharmaceutical industry today. Just as tobacco companies prioritized profits over public health, drug companies have a responsibility to prioritize the well-being of patients over their bottom line.

One key lesson is the importance of transparency and accountability. The tobacco industry was able to deceive the public for decades by concealing the dangers of smoking and using propaganda to promote their products. It was only through the efforts of journalists, scientists, and public health advocates that the truth was revealed and the industry was held accountable.

Similarly, the pharmaceutical industry must be held accountable for its actions, and removing profit from public health must be a priority. This includes increasing access to information about clinical trials, drug pricing, and the influence of drug companies on medical research and prescribing practices.

Another lesson is the power of collective action. The tobacco industry was eventually brought to heel through the efforts of a broad coalition of advocates, including doctors, public health officials, and grassroots activists. The pharmaceutical industry can also be held accountable through the collective efforts of patients, healthcare providers, and lawmakers.

The history of the tobacco industry and its regulation highlights the need for strong government action. While individual efforts to hold drug companies accountable are important, they must be accompanied by government action to ensure that pharmaceutical companies prioritize public health over profits.

The lessons of the tobacco industry’s regulation provide important guidance for the pharmaceutical industry today. By prioritizing transparency, accountability, collective action, and strong government regulation, we can ensure that the industry serves the needs of patients and the public, rather than its own profits.

The Path Forward

The history of the tobacco industry and the current state of the pharmaceutical industry both reveal the dangers of allowing profit to drive public health decisions. Money has become like a cancer on our society, eating away at the fundamental health of the people. We need to remove the influence of money from the equation and prioritize the health of the public.

One major milestone that needs to be addressed is the need for affordable and accessible healthcare for all. The high cost of healthcare and pharmaceuticals has left many people unable to access the care they need. This creates a system where only the wealthy can afford to prioritize their health, while the rest of us are left to fend for ourselves. Universal healthcare is not only a moral imperative, it is also a practical solution to ensure that everyone has access to the care they need.

Another important milestone is the need for transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry. We need to ensure that drug companies are held responsible for their actions, and that they prioritize public health over profits. This includes increasing transparency in drug pricing, clinical trial data, and the influence of drug companies on medical research and prescribing practices.

We need to prioritize preventative care and public health initiatives. Rather than focusing solely on treating illness, we need to invest in programs and policies that prevent illness from occurring in the first place. This includes initiatives to improve diet and exercise, increase access to vaccines and preventative screenings, and reduce exposure to environmental toxins.

The path forward requires a fundamental shift in our priorities. We need to remove the influence of money from public health decisions and prioritize the health of the public. By investing in affordable healthcare, transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry, and preventative care and public health initiatives, we can build a system that truly serves the needs of the people.

References:

tobacco industry surgeon general warning cancer pharmaceutical industry drug pricing universal healthcare sticky
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Isaac Horton
Written by Isaac Horton Follow
Isaac Horton is the passionate writer and creator of The Incident. He has a strong dedication to free speech, exposing corruption, and investigative journalism. With a deep desire to uncover the truth behind the workings of the powerful, Isaac is committed to exposing corrupt schemes and disarming propaganda machinery.
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