Barry Blackwell: Corporate Corruption Follow-Up
Barry Blackwell: Corporate Corruption in the Psychopharmaceutical Industry
On March 29th INHN's Central Office sent the essay “Corporate Corruption in the Psychopharmaceutical Industry" to all 74 U.S. members of our organization (INHN in Controversies, 3.16.2017). It was accompanied by a cover e-mail suggesting recipients might consider forwarding it to their local State Senators or Congressmen in the hope of stimulating legislative action at some time in the future. It also suggested feedback to the author about any action taken or response obtained.
Our tracking indicates that 25 members (34%) opened the e-mail and 9 (12%) may have downloaded it. These response rates are fairly close to the average response of INHN members to all postings (32% and 9%) which exceed the industry norms for Medical, Dental and Healthcare internet viewers. (17% and 2%).
As author of the essay I received no feedback from members or from those to whom I sent the essay. These were the two Wisconsin Republican Senators (including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan), two Democratic Wisconsin Congressmen, the White House Science Office, the FDA Commissioner and the Attorney General of Ohio (who is conducting a lawsuit against the manufacturers of opioids).
I would welcome any comments or conclusions from INHN members about the possible meaning of this rather meagre response to a controversial topic of deep concern to most of us. Perhaps it is not surprising in the contemporary political climate although the professional implications suggest to me a weary acceptance of the status quo and lethargy towards addressing the conflicts of interest and corporate greed that are eroding the Hippocratic ideal of a beneficent physician, concerned more with a patient’s well-being rather than personal profit.
July 6, 2017