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A BuzzFlash Editorial Commentary
October 28, 2001
http://www.buzzflash.com/BuzzScripts/Buzz.dll/Content
Take the issue of Cipro, the preferred Antibiotic that fights Anthrax. Bayer owns the
patent. Should a major Anthrax attack be launched over our cities, millions upon
millions of dosages would be needed. Instead of temporarily revoking Bayer's patent,
which would upset the pharmaceutical companies, who donate large amounts of money to
the Republicans, Tommy Thompson was finally forced to negotiate a discounted rate for
Cipro purchased by the government. This is a totally inadequate "solution" for several
reasons:
--Bayer, even with increased production, will not be able to produce a large enough
supply to deal with a massive airborne anthrax attack in the foreseeable future. By
allowing other companies to produce generic versions of Cipro, we would have had more
of it produced in a shorter period of time, thus increasing our nation's stockpile at
a faster rate.
--Bayer lowered its price to the government, but not to the public market. This, of
course, means that Bayer will be able to reap huge profits at the expense of the
average American. In fact, some experts say that Bayer will probably even make a small
profit over the discounted rate to the government.
--Other drug companies were willing to provide generic Cipro, or Cipro-like
antibiotics free, in exchange for approval to produce the drugs. Thompson did not take
advantage of any of these offers. Beyond the fact that they would have saved the
American taxpayer money, the offers, if accepted, would have increased our stockpile
to more widely cover the devastating impact of mutliple airborne attacks. (see
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/26/business/26CIPR.html?ex=1005068556&ei=1&en=d "Bayer
Halves Price for Cipro, but Rivals Offer Drugs Free")
Most importantly, it is worth repeating that Tommy Thompson's action to protect the
patent rights of pharmaceutical companies, even when millions of American lives may be
at stake, is inexcusable. Read this excerpt from the New York Times article cited
above:
"With the Bayer deal, the nation will have 120 million Cipro pills in government
stockpiles by the end of the year. Mr. Thompson said this is enough for 12 million
Americans, but this is true only if each person takes the medicine for only five days.
If doses were ever needed for 60 days, or 120 tablets a person, then the stockpile
would be adequate for only a million people."
If a terrorist were to release a bucket of "weapons grade" anthrax from the top of a
building in a major American city, given the right wind conditions, millions of people
might potentially need to take Cipro (which is considered the most all-around
effective antibiotic against Anthrax). Other Tommy Thompson, no doubt at the behest of
the White House, has struck a "deal" that puts Americans at grave risk.
Again from the New York Times article:
"The Bayer deal on Wednesday included the donation of two million tablets beginning
next week. But that offer has been quickly upstaged. Johnson & Johnson (news/quote)
announced late on Wednesday that it would provide up to 100 million tablets of its
Levaquin free if the F.D.A. approved its use for anthrax. Bristol-Myers Squibb
(news/quote) said today that it would provide free Tequin to anyone exposed to anthrax
if the F.D.A. approved it for anthrax.
Dr. Sandro K. Cinti, a specialist in infectious diseases at the University of Michigan
and a member of Michigan's bioterrorism task force, said that Tequin and Levaquin were
chemically very similar to Cipro and were considerably newer than Cipro. "They would
be at least as effective and possibly more effective," than Cipro, he said."
It would be easy for the White House to take an action to protect the American public
instead of taking one to protect the patent rights of a pharmaceutical company.
A BuzzFlash Editorial Commentary
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