Amount spent nationally in 2008 for all healthcare lobbying: $484 million Amount per day: $1.3 million Amount per each congressman and senator per day: $2,600
Number of health care lobbyists in 2008 and increase since 1998: 3,627 / x2
Number of health care organization in the top ten spenders for Massachusetts lobbyists: 5 Which?: MHA, BC/BS, SEIU 1199, Mass Assoc. of Health Plans, Partners Health Care
Per cent of total health care lobbying money attributed to pharmaceutical interests: > 50
Amount spent by pharmaceutical companies for lobbying in just the first quarter of 2009: $66 million
Per cent increase that is over last year’s amount: +25
Rank of pharmaceutical industry spending on lobbyists of 121 industries monitored since 1998: 1
Number of years new drug patents are “exclusive” which prohibits generic manufacture: 12
Amount contributed this year by Amgen to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States
Senate at the University of Massachusetts: $1 million
Rank of health professionals lobbying and spending level compared to pharmaceutical: 12 and 1/2
Top five health professional organizations making political contributions in 2008 and amount spent:
Am Med Assoc./ $20.1 million; Am Coll. of Radiology/ $3.4 million; Am. Acad. of Family Practice/
$3.1 million; Am. Assoc. of Orthopedic Surg./ $1.7 million; Am Coll. of ER Physicians/ $1.6 million
Amount of money paid for “No.9” electronic cigarettes in the past two years: $100 million
No. 9 is an E-cigarette that dispenses propylene glycol and liquid nicotine and the plastic tip
glows when you inhale. It dispenses 1/5 as much nicotine and costs about one-half as much as a
real cigarette. One scientist has stated, “There is simply no evidence at this time that electronic
cigarette use poses any significant risk to non-smokers (emphasis added).”
Per cent of Massachusetts registered drivers over 75 and per cent of all auto accidents involving a
driver over 75 respectively: 7 / 3.6
Per cent change since 2004 of Massachusetts accidents involving over 75 year old drivers: -18
This is heartening to those of us who have noticed the recent spurt of stories about the
over 75 year old drivers who have confused the accelerator pedal with the brake pedal.
Ratio of fatalities in accidents at intersections for over 75 and those aged 26 to 64 yrs.: 2:1
Factor by which a driver using a cell phone is more apt to cause an accident: 4x
Chance of reducing that increased risk of an accident by use of a hands-free cell phone: 0
Per cent alcohol level in drivers having the same risk of an accident as a cell phone user: .08
Per cent of 50 states that define drunk driving as a blood alcohol level of .08 or more: 100
Conclusion: If you meet an over 75 year old on a cell phone at an intersection, get out and walk.
Number of Massachusetts soldiers killed in action between 2002 and 2007: 78
Number of Massachusetts residents dying of a drug overdose in the same period: 3,265
Increased chance of having a blood clot develop in your leg during a long sedentary trip: x3
Per cent increase in risk for each two hour interval of travel: 18 (26% for air travel)
Absolute risk of developing a blood clot during an airplane trip: 1 in 4,600 flights
Quotable Quote
“Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem. – Woody Allen
Seton Hall University Law School; http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2009/06/27/
Center for Responsive Politics, http://www.opensecrets.org
Boston Globe July 18, 2009, Mass Secretary of State’s office statistics
Boston Globe, Biotech Firms Push Hard to Protect Profits, July 21, 2009, p.A1
Boston Globe, July 21, 2009, p. G22, Alex Beam
Boston Globe, July 19, 2009, p. B1, David Abel; Mass RMV; US Government Accounting
Office;Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Boston Globe, July 19, 2009, p. A9, Matt Richtel
Massachusetts Oxycontin and Heroin Commission
Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 151: Issue 3, 2009, D. Chandra, et al.
HUB's LIST of medical fun facts 