Pharma Cos. Freak Out Over Mass. Law Limiting Pharma Whores

Well this is simply classic: via Pharmalot, we learn that trade groups pimping for pharma companies are freaking out and have bought a full page ad in today's Boston Globe. This comes in response to legislation passed in Massachusetts last week that would require pharma companies to publicly disclose any docs they gave payments of more than $50 to. The pharma companies are interpreting this to mean that they would have to disclose information about ongoing, proprietary clinical trials, thereby tipping off competitors about what they are up to and who's in bed with them. Ironically, this info is already somewhat publicly available through the clinicaltrials.gov website.

Anyhow, the pharma companies are using this issue as their moment to threaten pulling clinical trials from the state. What with three major medical schools in the Boston area and a whole infrastructure of biotech and pharma companies and clinical trials shops in the state, that strikes me as an empty threat. Where are they going to move their trials? Maine?

Read the rest at Pharmalot.