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Comprehensive Prescription Drug Briefing Book Now Available from Public Citizen

July 25, 2002

Comprehensive Prescription Drug Briefing Book Now Available from Public Citizen

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Public Citizen today released a comprehensive resource guide about the prescription drug issues that are at the center of the legislative debates in Congress and state capitals around the country.

The 81-page briefing book, America?s Other Drug Problem: A Briefing Book on the Rx Drug Debate, is available in print and online. It includes information on the following topics:

  • The extent and type of prescription drug coverage held by Americans;
  • Facts about the overall increased spending on drugs and rising drug prices, including international price comparisons;
  • The extent of advertising and marketing of prescription drugs, with a special focus on direct-to-consumer advertising;
  • Drug company profits, including a historical analysis and cross-industry comparisons;
  • The cost of researching and developing new drugs, including a critique of industry claims and the therapeutic importance of new drugs;
  • Taxpayer subsidies for the drug industry, including cross-industry comparisons;
  • Patent protections for new drugs and patent extension tricks for older drugs that are used to delay generic competition; and
  • Campaign contributions and lobbying spending by the drug industry.

“We believe this fact-based resource will be a valuable asset for reporters covering the prescription drug issue, as well as for policy makers and consumer advocates involved in legislative debates,” said Frank Clemente, director of Public Citizen?s Congress Watch. “While Public Citizen has a strong opinion about this issue, the facts speak for themselves.”

The briefing book was compiled from more than 50 government, academic and institutional sources. It will be updated regularly as new studies and reports are published. For a print copy, please call Ben Peck at (202) 454-5155 or Dennis Jaffe at (202) 454-5136.

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