Truth to power – a day of frustration

March 1 was a long day at our capitol   Public health heard 21 bills and our bills – adverse event hospital specific reporting and pharma gift restriction and disclosure – were 13th and 15th.   The arguements made by the hospitals were similar to the ones we heard in 2006 when we were fighting for infection disclosure.  We heard that they have it under control, they are doing a good job and if there were public reporting, the numbers of reported incidences would drop.  Meanwhile, legislators can clearly see the opposite has been documented to be true. courant.com/news/breaking/hc-adverse-health-hearings0302.artmar02,0,2797632.story And our pharma bill opposition was scare tactics.  CT might lose jobs even though we have allowed the “free lunch” so detailers can still get in the door.  One legisltor read from the CT Resteraunt Association’s submitted testimony. ” If meals were banned they would go out of business! ” As if health care workers would not eat any way.  And furthermore, if the amount of money paid by pharma is so important, shouldn’t that in itself be a heads up for legislators and the consumers?  Meals are banned by the the industry’s voluntary and never enforced Code Of Ethics.  Facts keep getting in the way of their arguments.