On February 24, USA Today ran a letter to the editor written by PhRMA President John J. Castellani and Biotechnology Industry Organization President Jim Greenwood responding to an editorial that not only mischaracterized the relationships between physicians and biopharmaceutical and medical technology professionals, but also admonished them. An additional rebuttal by Dr. Thomas Stossel, Professor of Medicine at Harvard University, was also posted.
The letter states:
“Discovery of new and improved medicines would be impossible without collaborations between physicians and biopharmaceutical companies. Consider ongoing research and clinical trials that not only make medicines possible, but also help our understanding of disease. Biopharmaceutical professionals help physicians stay current on the latest treatments and, in turn, physicians share patient experiences with their medicines. Suggesting that physicians are somehow pawns of companies does a huge disservice and runs the risk of discouraging future medical innovation.”
