Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Tuesday issued the following statement announcing his opposition to Dr. Robert Califf’s nomination to run the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
“At a time when the American people pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and as drug companies continue to be the most powerful special interest in Washington, we need leadership at the FDA that is finally willing to stand up to the greed and power of the pharmaceutical industry. Not only have the drug companies spent over $4.5 billion on lobbying and hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign contributions over the past 20 years, they also have created a revolving door between the FDA and the industry. Shockingly, nine out of the last ten FDA Commissioners went on to work for the pharmaceutical industry or to serve on a prescription drug company’s board of directors.
“Unfortunately, Dr. Califf is not the exception to that rule. After leaving the FDA in 2017, he received consulting fees from Merck, Biogen and Eli Lilly. According to his financial disclosure form, he owns up to $8 million in the stocks of major drug companies. That is exactly the close relationship Big Pharma has exploited to regulate the FDA, instead of the FDA regulating them.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has made clearer than ever the choice between pharmaceutical profits and the health of our people. In this critical moment, Dr. Califf is not the leader Americans need at the FDA and I will oppose his nomination.”
Categories: Press Release
wHAT PERSON OF MEANS AND CAPABILITY ARE AVAILABLE…
… HAVE NO INVESTMENTS IN COMPANIES?
It seems to me that Bernie may be the pot calling the kettle black – the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Bernie’s crony constituency is, for example, the public-school monopoly and other special interests.
I agree that ‘big pharma’ and its revolving-door-cronies have no place in government. But Bernie ‘doth protest too much, me thinks’. Perhaps he’s been shut out of big pharma’s financial loop and is negotiating to be a player at the table.
Time will tell. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Even for the gander that prefers to be a goose… if you get my multi-dimensional drift.
sanders has used big Pharma as a villain for decades. Apparently he’s going to stick with his schtick. Whether anyone else in the senate listens- or this is just political theatre remains to be seen.
Unfortunately, big Pharma and their reach into politicians pockets may be a root cause for the asinine policies regarding SARS-CoV-2.
Like the proverbial “blind squirrel” even Bernie gets lucky, and gets it right once in a while, or is it’s like a blind nut finding a squirrel, or is it a blind nut finding a nut, or maybe a blind squirrel, finding another blind squirrel or the squirrel which is of diminished mental capacity, who is also a nut getting lucky ? Hell if he lives long enough, I’d be willing to bet even Biden will do something right. Ah, never mind …………
– off Bernie!! Youve never represented the overwhelming will of my state and never will. How did you get all your money? It certainly wasn’t hardwork, sweat and perseverance. I, and so many others, will never believe or value any of your socialist perspectives. People like you, and likely especially you, are the most responsible for the ####hole of a nation youre trying to build. Get back to the constitution and go back to new york. Youre supposed to represent US! You do not know better than us and Karl Marx was a stupid ####head!
Socialist Bernie Sanders ought to know