“Do you think pharmaceutical companies would be discouraged from research and development if their profits were restricted?”
This was the simple question asked by a report to “big star” Montel Williams which sent bruthaman into a rage. Here is how the AP reported it.
SAVANNAH, Georgia (AP) — Talk show host Montel Williams has apologized for an angry confrontation with reporters who said he threatened them.
Williams — in Savannah to promote a program giving free prescriptions to low-income people — became upset with a reporter’s question Friday and terminated an interview.
When the Savannah Morning-News reporters later returned to the hotel for an unrelated assignment, he approached one of them — high school student Courtney Scott, an intern at the newspaper.
“As we were preparing to film, Montel walked up with his bodyguard and got in Courtney Scott’s face pointing his finger telling her ‘Don’t look at me like that. Do you know who I am? I’m a big star, and I can look you up, find where you live and blow you up,”‘ said Joseph Cosey, a web content producer for the newspaper.
“At this time he was randomly pointing at all of us.”
Scott said she wasn’t sure how to interpret Williams’ comment.
“I’m not sure if he meant ‘blow me up’ and ruin my career or really blow us up, but it was threatening,” Scott said.
Williams, a patient advocate since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, later issued a statement apologizing for the outburst.
“I mistakenly thought the reporter and photographer in question were at the hotel to confront me about some earlier comments,” Williams said. “I was wrong, and I apologize for my overreaction.” (more…)
Williams’ response is typical (Maybe not the ‘blowing up’ part) of those who flatly refuse to include some common sense into their global outlook. Here is what Bristol-Myers Squibb has been doing both in and out Partnership for Prescription Assistance:
Outside the U.S., Bristol-Myers Squibb is actively engaged with governments and other partners to enable access to our HIV medicines. Through the Global Access program, we make our HIV medicines available at no-profit prices in sub-Saharan Africa and the poorest countries globally. In July 2005, we announced the further reduction in the price of pediatric formulations from no-profit to significantly below cost in an attempt to further reduce barriers delaying broad and accelerated access to treatment for the millions of children in sub-Saharan Africa who need them most. Bristol-Myers Squibb has also implemented a differential pricing policy for many other markets globally in order to enable collaboration with and support of government activities in regions with high incidence and low ability to pay for these HIV medicines.
Since 2001, Bristol-Myers Squibb has maintained a policy of not enforcing its patents for HIV products in sub-Saharan Africa. The company is committed to ensuring that its patents do not prevent inexpensive HIV/AIDS therapy in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to ensure sustainable access to care for millions of HIV positive patients in sub-Saharan Africa, Bristol-Myers Squibb has engaged in various activities to facilitate generic participation. In February 2006, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced a highly innovative agreement for full technology transfer of its newest antiretroviral to two generic companies, Aspen and Emcure. The technology transfer agreement seeks to expand access to to this medicine for people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and India by ensuring access to a high quality product supported by local expertise, supply and infrastructure. It builds on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s consistent leadership and long-term commitment to expand access to medicines in sub Saharan Africa and countries where HIV has reached epidemic levels.
In the U.S., the company participates in a number of programs to ensure that those in need and who qualify can obtain its medicines at no cost or at a reduced cost. Bristol-Myers Squibb has consolidated its patient assistance programs in the U.S. into a single LifeLines of Care initiative that continues to provide assistance for qualifying patients with financial hardships. During 2006, approximately 570,000 patients in the U.S. benefited, with donated products valued at more than $418 million at wholesale list price. (more…)
The hard truth here is that in order to provide something free, money has to be generated in order to provide research & development needed to produce effective medications. This links right back into the long debate over the rising costs of medications by many of the same folks who want to give it away free to the poor. While I think we can all certainly agree that plans such as PFPA are very needed, one must also accept the fact that “free” for one person costs someone else–YOU!
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