It’s no exaggeration to say that securing record profits for its shareholders is Big Pharma’s primary goal. And while it may seem like we’re drifting into wingnut territory by blaming it on popular conspiracy scapegoat “Big Pharma,” the pharmaceutical industry’s overweighted influence in the halls of American policy is well-documented. Like this show? Please leave us a review here - even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!ĭespite the fact that the US spends more on healthcare than other nations - both on a per-capita basis and relative to its wealth - the amount of time Americans live in good health ranks a dismal 68th in the world. While healthcare reform may seem like an uphill battle against an entrenched infrastructure of corruption, John does offer hope that it can be overhauled to benefit people over profits.The difference: Big Pharma doesn’t have to endure the same level of oversight in the US as it does in New Zealand. The US and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that allow pharmaceutical companies to advertise.Big Pharma funds most clinical trials, controls the research agenda, withholds real data from those trials as corporate secrets, and shapes most of the information relied upon by health care professionals.The pharmaceutical industry, aka Big Pharma, is more focused on making money for its shareholders than maintaining or improving the health of those who rely on its products.Despite spending an excess $1.6 trillion on healthcare per year compared to other wealthy countries, the amount of time that Americans live in good health ranks a lowly 68th in the world.His latest book is Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care and How We Can Repair It. John Abramson ( is a physician, lecturer of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, and author of Overdosed America: The Broken Promise of American Medicine.

John abramson books