When it’s easier to buy a Doctor than a Politician

It’s one of the most true statements of all time: Follow The Money. Sadly, nowhere is this more a reality than in healthcare, and the last 2 years have laid bare an enormous problem we have in our field. Despite the hard work of doctors and nurses at the frontlines striving to get their patients better, what’s going on behind the scenes isn’t nearly as honest or noble.

I’ve been a doctor for a few years and have always known that healthcare in the United States is a business. I knew that there were some bad actors at the top whose motivations are, let’s say, far away from the true health and well-being of the patients they are supposed to be serving. I also knew that institutions across the country—including top public health agencies, hospitals, and even medical schools—are rife with financial conflicts of interest guiding their policies. Let’s call it what it is: shady dealings and legalized corruption everywhere.

We’ll discuss two of the most prominent physicians in the US and what they’ve been up to, but let’s first consider the following:

• At last count, almost 50 percent of the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration) multi-billion dollar budget came from “industry user fees”. So we have a pay-to-play system where the main regulatory agency is captured by the very corporations they are supposed to be regulating. That’s just great for benevolent healthcare isn’t it?

• Big Pharma has spent over $5 billion since 2000 lobbying congress in Washington DC, to get favorable regulations for their products. This includes campaign contributions. They spent $357 million in 2021 alone!

• The insurance industries, which include health insurance, are the second biggest lobbying group on Capitol Hill. In 2021, Blue Cross/Blue Shield spent over $18 million and America’s Health Insurance Plans spent $11 million. A huge proportion of the money you spend on health insurance is simply being spent on their lobbying efforts. It’s a merry-go-round that ensures the worst possible deal for the patient

• Healthcare institutions, including hospitals and nursing homes, spent almost $120 million on lobbying including campaign contributions in 2021. The American Hospital Association spent over $25 million. These are supposed to be cashed strapped institutions!

An investigation by Science journal in 2018 revealed the following:

• Of 107 physician advisers who voted on the committees examined by the journal, 40 over a nearly 4-year period received more than $10,000 in post hoc earnings or research support from the makers of drugs that the panels voted to approve, or from competing firms; 26 of those gained more than $100,000; and six more than $1 million

• Of the more than $24 million in personal payments or research support from industry to the 16 top-earning advisers—who received more than $300,000 each—93% came from the makers of drugs those advisers previously reviewed, or from competitors

• Most of those top earners, and many others, received other funds from those same companies, concurrent with or in the year before their advisory service. Those payments were disclosed in scholarly journals but not by the FDA

So it’s clearly not just an issue of organizational monetary interests, but individuals too— including many physicians.

Coming back then to the main topic of the last couple of years of COVID, since we first heard about this new virus emerging from Wuhan, China—we all know about the various large corporations all over the world who have done very well financially from the pandemic response. But if we want to focus on big-name physicians with financial conflicts of interest, look no further than the two most recent Surgeon Generals of the United States (the TOP public health position in the nation):

• Vivek Murthy, current US Surgeon General, was paid over $2 million just before his re-appointment to the position in 2021, for “COVID consulting and speaking engagements”. According to financial disclosures, this included more than $540,000 in consulting fees from Netflix, $410,000 from Airbnb, and $400,000 from Carnival Cruises. Not a bad gig!

But let's pay particular attention to Jerome Adams, the former Surgeon General from 2017 to 2021. When he was first appointed, I actually thought he seemed like a decent professional. He disappeared from public view for a while, and then over the last few months I noticed he was posting more online about COVID—somewhat bizarre and dramatic statements—emphasizing that we are still in a public health emergency and need ongoing precautions like masks and widespread testing. Now why would he be doing that? Well, a little bit of digging around will show you:

• In September 2021 a press release announced that Jerome Adams had joined a company called Lumos Diagnostics as a “Strategic Healthcare Adviser”. The company—no surprises—calls itself “a leader in rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic technologies”. COVID testing kits are one of its best-sellers.

• In May 2021 there was a press release that Jerome Adams had been appointed to the Board of Directors at Atea Pharmaceuticals, a company making oral antiviral treatments for COVID.

No wonder someone like Jerome Adams would be stressing how much we need to continue in a perpetual state of COVID emergency. Very disappointing, but really not that surprising to those of us who are wise to the ways of the world and the enormous and widespread conflicts of interest in healthcare.

Let’s ask the following questions:

• How much did cozy financial relationships play into our whole pandemic response, from prolonged lockdowns to excessive testing requirements?

• How much did cozy financial relationships play into mandates, especially vaccine mandates?

• How much did cozy financial relationships and corporatism play into drug approval processes, including the prolonged (inexplicable) delay of the “traditional” Novavax vaccine, and the FDA pushing Paxlovid?

I have traveled to many parts of the world, including south Asia, where corruption and bribery are sadly part of everyday life. You just kind of accept it there. But in the West things are much more sophisticated. We may have moved past everyday citizen corruption, but what is political lobbying if it’s not simply legalized bribery? Yet our society just accepts this as a normal thing, so nothing changes.

I must say though, it hits me very hard when we are talking about healthcare. It’s one thing—as happens in many poorer countries—when bureaucrats and other officials are corrupt to the point where the average citizen has to pay them just to get daily things done like getting the correct electric bill or an inspection certificate for their vehicle. But it is another when corruption and shady conflicts of interest are involved in decisions regarding the health and well-being of millions of people.

It hits close to home for me as a doctor, and disgusts me when I witness this simply going on as a matter of fact in the United States. I really hope those of us who feel the same way, can all fight together for change. In the meantime, remember that if you want to know why many crazy things keep happening in the world of healthcare and medicine: Simply Follow The Money and know that it’s easier to buy a doctor than a politician.

I pledge to keep on talking about this and fighting to make the system more transparent and less corrupt. Do check out my videos below. I cannot talk as much on mainstream pro-censorship platforms about all that I want to, so do also come join our group on Locals.com if you haven’t already!

Thanks for reading everyone. Take Care and Stay Strong,

Dr Suneel Dhand

www.RealPublicHealth.org

---

THANK YOU last 2 years: I’ve been RED PILLED

---

THIS is why the SYSTEM, and HEALTHCARE, keeps screwing you over

---

The Pandemic Profiteers

---