Open up NHS to our drug firms, White House demands

[Kagemusha]

Source: The Guardian. I know people would ask, not believing their eyes that something this utterly bonkers can be true.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1947280,00.html

"The White House is lobbying British ministers to allow the world's main drug companies unrestricted access to the NHS as part of a package of free market reforms for the service. The US government is positioning itself behind the giant pharmaceutical firms, predominantly based in America, which have been piling pressure on the body that approves drugs for use in hospitals and for prescription by GPs.

The drug companies claim that they are being held back by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and have separately lobbied for it to be reformed.

In a surprising intervention, the US deputy health secretary, Alex Azar, forced the issue in London yesterday, ahead of talks with officials following a trip to the US last week by the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt. He said attempts to use rationing mechanisms such as Nice to cut soaring drugs bills would stifle innovation - an argument that is constantly made by the pharmaceutical industry.

Allowing all new drugs to be used in the NHS would result in the companies "fighting it out" on price, Mr Azar said, which would drive the drug bill down."

You won't believe your eyes. Labour doesn't have a death wish so I doubt this is gonna fly but... do these people have brains!? Do they have any idea what even proposing this does to their supposed political ally Tony Blair!? Unbelievable.

[HawkerHurricane]

1. Hoookay...

Meanwhile, the U.S. bans the importation of drugs at the request of U.S. drug companies as part of the effort to keep prices up...

[SoftUnderbelly]

2. the NHS

The NHS is by far the most popular public service in Britain, prescription drugs cost £6.65 (and its free for children and the elderly - also in some other circumstances they are free or reduced in cost)

Blair has 'reformed' the NHS (introduced privatisation through such things as PFI - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Finance_Initiative ) far more than most people are happy with (not even Thatcher would have dreamt of going so far for fear of public backlash)

Labour will continue to mess with the NHS at their own peril, the people just dont want any reforms. we like the NHS as it is! (ok its not perfect, but thats more from long term underinvestment by the tories - ive used to NHS a few times in the past couple of years and im very happy with the service i have received.)

Not sure if this is relevent to the article you posted, but i take every opportunity i can to let people know how good the NHS is.

[Kagemusha]

3. Go right ahead! The Bush admin's nuts to push this on Labour

It'd be an electoral death wish. Bad enough that Bush sunk his own congressional majorities. Labour doesn't have a separate presidency as an anchor in power. This'd lead to a wipeout if implemented in full.

[SoftUnderbelly]

4. quite possibly

most traditional labour voters are prepared to 'forgive' labour for the war (not blair, he will be gone by the next election anyway) because they see the tories as a threat to public service. even with the 'reforms' being pushed through, improvements in the nhs (and there have been significant improvements since '97) is one of the main things people are actually happy with. im just hoping the left of the labour party gets its spine back and sees sense in what they are allowing to happen.