Watchdog group claims Big Pharma funded Biden’s NIH Director nominee.
President Joe Biden‘s NIH Nominee Accused of Ties to Big Pharma
The nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to lead the National Institute of Health (NIH) has come under scrutiny, as a watchdog group alleges that she received millions of dollars in research-related funds from big pharmaceutical companies while opposing Trump-era drug costs.
“Big Pharma bankrolled her career, and she has long been a friend and ally to them,” said the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative opposition research group.
“Especially after the corruption and lies that came from the government’s medical agencies during COVID, the American people need to know that NIH will be led by honest people who serve them, and are not owned by massive corporations.”
The group further stated, ”Our government’s medical institutions must serve the interests of the American people, not Big Pharma. However, Dr. Bertagnolli’s extensive financial ties to pharmaceutical companies raise serious questions about her ability to lead NIH in a manner that is not beholden to special or secret interests.”
According to data, Bertagnolli received over $350 million in research-related funds from pharmaceutical giants in 2022, including at least $56 million from Pfizer, Seagan Inc., and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.
Biden’s White House defended the funding, stating that it included grants awarded to a non-profit organization run by Bertagnolli, which conducted nationwide clinical trials on cancer prevention.
“These studies ensured that rural communities were part of these trials,” said an administration official. ”Funding for large clinical trials like these come from a number of sources, including companies participating in the trials. That’s standard.”
The watchdog group argued that although the grants did not go directly to Bertagnolli, it is likely that secondary funds were “flowed through to her salary” at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where she is a researcher.
In her financial disclosure forms, Bertagnolli reported a salary and bonuses totaling $1,609,198 from the cancer institute.
President Biden announced Bertagnolli’s nomination as NIH Director in May, praising her as a “world-renowned surgical oncologist, cancer researcher, educator, and physician-leader who has the vision and leadership needed to deliver on NIH’s mission to seek fundamental knowledge and promote human health.”
During the Trump administration, Bertagnolli voiced her opposition to the president’s “Most Favored Nation” proposal, which aimed to reduce prices of prescription drugs like Insulin by approximately 50%.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bertagnolli would become the first surgeon to serve as director of the NIH.
The American College of Surgeons reported that Dr. Bertagnolli’s Senate confirmation hearings are expected to address issues such as lowering prescription drug pricing and the agency’s COVID-19 response.
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