How interesting to read the recent story in the Monitor headlined “U.S. plans to allow meds from Canada” (Nation & World, Aug. 1). Whether this truly comes to fruition is to be determined. What I found most ironic though was some history before this story. An identical effort to do exactly this was proposed more than once many, many years ago but went nowhere.
A major force in shutting these efforts down? Our own (at the time) Sen. Judd Gregg. The main campaign contributor/backer of these shutdown efforts? PhRMA – the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association of America. Yes, the same PhRMA that runs a full-page ad in the Monitor saluting our law enforcement professionals for their efforts in fighting the opioid epidemic on the same day this story runs.
I’m not suggesting that this timing was coordinated. PhRMA has been committed each day, every day for many decades to trying to convince us that pharmaceutical companies are really good corporate citizens that are just trying to help people. But how crazy (i.e. cynical) is it that the main lobbying organization for Big Pharma, which has spent billions of dollars over many decades to lobby against any regulations or controls over the drug industry, runs an ad praising our state’s law enforcement for battling the very drugs they helped to plague our society? All with the complicity of politicians like our own Sen. Gregg.
I am at a loss for words, and in continual search for any sense of shame by corporate America and some semblance of long-term memory from our fellow citizens.
Anyone who wants to bet that this “proposal” will actually go somewhere, please contact me. I also have a red-listed bridge to sell you.
SCOTT METZGER
Hopkinton