Big Pharma, the name we collectively attach to all of the drug companies, has been under scrutiny for the past few decades. The government, healthcare institutions, and drug companies collaborate together to supposedly provide us with the finest drugs for our consumption to maintain or improve our health. Peter Coy puts it perfectly, Big Pharma subscribes to a “Machiavellian, long-running, high-stakes Game of Thrones involving: drug makers, insurance companies, pharmacies, PBMs, congress, and presidential candidates” (Coy, 2016). If someone was to simply create a new system, it’d involve the untangling of rebates, reimbursements, pass-through, copayments, and fees. The main concern of the drug companies is not the welfare of the patient, rather, it is how much money they are making or losing.
Almost half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug. Odds are that someone or someone they know has had issues with insurance covering their medications or issues relating to prescriptions not working as intended. Sometimes drugs are sold for the wrong reason and new side effects are not discovered until the patient dies, becomes a paraplegic, or has severe organ damage. Some drugs are not doing what they are prescribed to do because of the dishonesty and bribery among companies. From over-the-counter to prescription to illegal drugs, drugs are a big part of our world. In the end, everyone is affected by drugs. It is important that articles in mainstream media uncover important information that people do not know about their doctors, drug companies, and up-coming controversial technologies in order to hold Big Pharma accountable. The controversy and corruption that surrounds drug companies is immense.
Due to rising concerns and discussions about designer drugs, there is a failure of communication and unification among researchers concerning the profitability of them. Clinical trials are completed to ensure that drugs are safe and to ensure that they have the intended effects on patients. However, there are companies that skip this time and money consuming process in order to distribute their drugs sooner and make more money. Patents are put on drugs to protect drug companies from others producing and distributing their products. Drug Companies are now finding ways of making spiritual or magical treatments patentable and later trying to reach an incorrect conclusion as to why the treatment works in order to make more money. Again, concerns of money are high on the list of the drug companies. Pharmaceutical companies fail to focus on the patients and consequently put them in harm’s way. Big Pharma’s failure to unify and their running of corrupt clinical trials contribute to harming patients.