A Disturbing Pattern: From OxyContin to Vitamin D

Mike Magee Winter is fast approaching, a time to bundle up and a grim reminder for many to load up on Vitamin D. Osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets, fragile fractures – there’s no end to the misery awaiting you if you fail to take this supplement. Or so we’ve been told, by many every-day doctors with the […]

The Pharmacy Benefit Manger (PBM) Syndicate

Mike Magee “Syndicate: a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest. In most cases formed groups aim to scale up their profits.” Drug channel companies including Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) (like United Healthcare’s Optum, Express Scripts and CVS/Caremark) and distributors (like […]

Time For Americans To Speak on Health Care Priorities

Cathy Caldwell, Alabama CHIP Mike Magee Of all the developed nations on earth, our’s is the only one with no cogent national plan to support our citizens’ health, productivity and well-being. What we have in its place is an opaque and deeply collusive system of discovery profiteering that has entangled not only industry, but also […]

The MIC Circular Firing Squad

Mike Magee If you want to see the Medical-Industrial Complex (MIC) in full “circular firing squad” mode, simply check out the recent Energy & Commerce Committee hearings on soaring drug prices hosted by chairman Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR). Delivering tough talk to committee members, he said, “Consider yourself on [the working group] if you’re on […]

Career Ladder Bias: “How To Succeed” Inside The Medical-Industrial Complex.

Mike Magee In 2004, when I read Dr. Marcia Angell’s book, “The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us And What To Do About It”, I agreed with everything she wrote. How couldn’t I? At the time, I had a front row seat inside the largest pharmaceutical company in the world and managed […]