How Big Pharma Exploits Your Health for Profit

How Big Pharma Exploits Your Health For Profit
This week’s Independent Medical Alliance (IMA) webinar featured co-hosts Dr. Ryan Cole (@drcole12) and @drpaulmarik1 along with special guests, internal medicine physician and IMA Senior Fellow Dr. Clayton Baker (@cjbakermd) and… pic.twitter.com/e1WT8lbcYp
— Independent Medical Alliance (@Honest_Medicine) January 30, 2025
Speakers: Dr. Paul Marik, Dr. Ryan Cole, Dr. Clayton Baker, Dr. Toby Rogers
“When COVID happened, Fauci knew he could promote profitable junk science vaccines with astronomical injury rates because he’d been getting away with that for decades. And he seems to believe that they can just spend enough money on propaganda, buy enough politicians, and they can basically get away with anything.” — Dr. Toby Rogers
Big Pharma generates billions annually, yet America’s health outcomes remain shockingly poor. The U.S. consumes more prescription drugs than any other nation, yet life expectancy is falling—for the first time since tracking began after World War I. Chronic disease rates are climbing, and new reports indicate that over 60% of Americans live with at least one chronic condition. With healthcare costs rising, many are asking: Why do pharmaceutical companies prioritize profit margins over patient outcomes? How did our system reach this point. What can be done to fix it?
Our recent webinar tackles these questions and more, featuring a distinguished panel of experts to guide you. Senior Fellow Dr. Ryan Cole leads the discussion with IMA co-founders Dr. Paul Marik, alongside Brownstone Fellow Dr. Toby Rogers, new IMA Senior Fellow Dr. Clayton Baker. If you can’t watch the webinar right away, don’t worry. Below are some of the key insights from this timely conversation.
Dr. Toby Rogers
Dr. Toby Rogers has a Ph.D. in political economy from the University of Sydney in Australia. His doctoral thesis, “The Political Economy of Autism,” explores the regulatory history of five classes of toxicants that increase autism risk. Dr. Rogers is a Fellow at the Brownstone Institute for Social and Economic Research. He writes about the politics of health, corruption in the pharmaceutical industry, and the revolution required to end the epidemics of chronic illness in children.
Dr. Clayton Baker
Clayton J. Baker, M.D. is an internal medicine physician with a quarter-century in clinical practice. He has held numerous academic medical appointments, and his work has appeared in many journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine. From 2012 to 2018 he was Clinical Associate Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics at the University of Rochester.
Blocking Repurposed Drugs to Make Way for Big Pharma Profits
“The federal COVID response was a combination of the AIDS playbook (blocking access to safe and effective medicines) and the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act that caused catastrophic harm while generating astronomical profits for the pharmaceutical industry.”—Dr. Toby Rogers
The history of Big Pharma’s manipulation of drug availability is long-standing. Dr. Rogers explains how, during the AIDS crisis, Dr. Anthony Fauci blocked access to Bactrim, an inexpensive antibiotic, leading to over 30,000 preventable deaths. Fauci’s move created a lucrative market for the toxic yet profitable drug AZT. Fast-forward to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we see a similar pattern: Fauci quickly obstructed access to inexpensive treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine to pave the way for high-priced drugs like Paxlovid, Remdesivir, and, of course, the COVID injections.
According to Dr. Rogers, vaccines have become a cornerstone of Big Pharma’s strategy. Since the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act granted liability protection to vaccine makers, the childhood vaccine schedule has multiplied twelvefold, creating billions in annual revenue.
Do Pharmaceutical Companies Care More About Profit than Your Health?
Dr. Rogers highlights a stark reality: vaccine injuries, particularly autism, skyrocketed in the 1990s, with autism rates now at 3% among American children. Despite this, pharmaceutical companies spent billions on lobbying and propaganda to dismiss concerns. Dr. Clayton Baker adds:
“Pharma pays billions of dollars a year to buy off the media. We are one of only two countries that allow direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.”
This marketing dominance allows pharmaceutical companies to control public perception and policy. The revolving door between regulatory agencies and pharma corporations further exacerbates the problem. Dr. Baker points to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who shifted from leading the FDA to sitting on Pfizer’s board while simultaneously appearing as a trusted media figure.
The Bayh-Dole Act and the Broken Innovation System
“[The Bayh-Dole Act] allowed the government to give exclusive patent rights to bring certain drugs to market that were developed using federal dollars.”—Dr. Clayton Baker
Passed in 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act was meant to stimulate innovation by allowing pharmaceutical companies to patent federally funded research. However, Dr. Baker and Dr. Rogers argue that this has led to monopolies, higher drug prices, and stifled scientific discovery.
“Scientific research used to be in the public domain, freely shared to find answers to pressing questions. Now, it’s all behind paywalls and patents,” says Dr. Rogers. “The act was supposed to generate economic activity but has mainly enriched companies while failing to improve lives.”
Despite provisions like “March-in rights”—meant to prevent companies from abusing patents—the government has never invoked these safeguards, enabling unchecked profiteering.
The PREP Act and Liability Protection
The PREP Act, passed in 2005, extended liability protection for pharmaceutical companies during emergencies, shielding them from legal accountability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Rogers criticizes this legal framework:
“We need to remove all liability protection so people can have their day in court. The Constitution guarantees us the right to a jury trial. If a pharmaceutical company harms us, we should be able to seek justice.”
Without the threat of litigation, companies have little incentive to conduct thorough safety research. Dr. Rogers notes that plaintiff’s lawyers could fund independent studies to uncover harms if liability protections were lifted.
How Can We Reform the Pharmaceutical Industry?
Dr. Rogers outlines three key legislative changes to dismantle Big Pharma’s grip on public health:
- Repeal the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act to end monopolistic patent practices.
- Repeal the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act to restore liability for vaccine injuries.
- Repeal the 2005 PREP Act to eliminate broad liability protections during emergencies.
Beyond that, transparency in pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) is crucial. Dr. Paul Marik emphasizes the importance of prioritizing affordable, repurposed drugs over costly new drugs with questionable efficacy. This simple “if it ain’t broke” approach would save money and save lives when compared to the current profit-model of big pharma.
The Path Forward: Decentralization and Medical Freedom
“We need to decentralize decision-making. The idea that 15 bureaucrats in Washington control medicine is a recipe for disaster,” says Dr. Rogers. Local and state-level reforms, such as those underway in states like Idaho and Montana to ban unsafe technologies, are vital steps toward reclaiming health autonomy.
Dr. Marik advocates a return to the basics of medicine, focusing on lifestyle changes and minimizing dependency on pharmaceuticals.
“The average American takes five prescription drugs. The human body wasn’t designed for this level of medical intervention. We need a cultural shift away from the belief that every problem requires a pill.”
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