Conspiracy Question

patientx · Post by **patientx** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:31 pm

The big pharma and nervous neurologists thing has become a common theme lately. Along those lines, it's been posited many times that the multiple sclerosis societies are afraid to promote this, since they are in bed with "big pharma." Does anyone have figures on how much in contributions the NMSS receives from drug companies? So far my searches haven't really turned up much.

Post by **jimmylegs** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:48 pm

haven't seen any open book accounting but the canadian mss lists major donors in the annual report
http://www.mssociety.ca/en/pdf/Annual_r ... 7_2008.pdf
page 16 has them broken down but you can't see how *much* over 250,000 serono donated compared to the four estates also shown in that top category..

whyRwehere · Post by **whyRwehere** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:14 am

I guess you would have to count the advertising they pay them as well. And have they stopped the practice of wining and dining the whole medical community or just the doctors...my sister works for a doctor and they had some lovely meals out and he went on some good trips, business of course.
I guess he's not allowed to do that any more.

patientx · Post by **patientx** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:14 am

Great find, JL. Thanks.

So searching through the document for the major MS drug makers, Biogen is one category below Serono (they have some work to do), and Teva is in the paltry $10,000-$24,999 category.

whyRwehere:

What do you mean by advertising? Doctors I assumed got consulting fees, meals, gifts, etc. from drug makers. They have in the past, and I assume they always will.

whyRwehere · Post by **whyRwehere** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:22 am

I mean when the groups put out their magazines, there are ads in them, and the drug companies pay for those ads. And as for the dinners and the "gifts", I think it is not allowed in the US now, but who's to say it doesn't happen.

Loobie · Post by **Loobie** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:38 am

I'll add one local thing also. Every time I get a mailer from a support group that I used to attend, the sponsor of the doctor speaking, and the dinner and the drinks are always paid for by Biogen, Serono, et al.

patientx · Post by **patientx** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:29 am

I see what you mean wRwh.

Lew, I've noticed that also.

Absentee · Post by **Absentee** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:38 pm

unfortunately this is not conspiracy, this is reality. This is the world in which we live in, where there is more money in stringing us along than finding a way to halt/cure this stupid mess.