By David Merchant
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the National
Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices (NLARx), the Campaign for America’s Future (CAF), and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to immediately investigate the vaccine bundling practices of Sanofi Pasteur and Merck, which make it harder for pediatricians to use the best vaccines for children. Sanofi and Merck force pediatricians to buy vaccines in a bundle at a discount, or pay exorbitantly high prices to purchase vaccines individually. As a result, some children may not receive the vaccines most suitable for them.
“When parents take their kids to the doctor, they expect the best medical care available, not the care dictated by drug companies seeking to maximize their profits. Basically, doctors are asked to make a choice they can’t refuse.”
CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan stated, “When parents take their kids to the doctor, they expect the best medical care available, not the care dictated by drug companies seeking to maximize their profits. Basically, doctors are asked to make a choice they can’t refuse.”
CREW first wrote to the FTC about this issue in 2010, but a whistleblower has now provided new details about the practice.
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