HARTFORD - Representatives of Connecticut's pharmaceutical and bioscience community made their way to Hartford on April 22 to testify against S.B. 270, a bill they say would interfere with the relationships the companies have with the physicians that recommend their products. As many as 75 employees from Pfizer Inc. were counted among the group.The bill, approved by the General Assembly's Public Health Committee by a 17-14 vote, would "hamper research and send pharmaceutical companies out of state," according to the companies.
S.B. 270 would control how drug and medical device makers market to doctors, including restrictions on gifts, meals and even continuing education opportunities. Additionally it would force the companies to make public their communications with health-care providers.
As Pfizer spokesperson Liz Power told the New London Day, "This bill can really hinder or change the relationship between doctors and our field representatives." The companies also said that federal regulations already address the concerns of advocates for the bill. Pfizer employs more than 5,000 people in the Connecticut, and according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, as many as 53,000 jobs in Connecticut are with companies that would be negatively effected by the bill.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which sponsored the trip to Hartford, said in testimony that the bill threatened up to 53,000 jobs in Connecticut. These jobs include about 5,000 at Pfizer. Pfizer recently walked away from a $300 million investment in its New London R&D facility just eight years after opening it.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
