A simple suggestion for RFK Jr to end corruption in medicine
If you advise HHS you can't stuff your pockets with Pharma cash
RFK Jr. hates the corrupt role between government and corporations. He hates how doctors take money from pharmaceutical firms and then shill for their products. If he is confirmed as HHS secretary, here is a simple solution.
Currently a number of third parties provide guidance for CMS and HHS. As one example, CMS uses several compendia to help them decide on what off-label cancer drugs to pay for. The CMS relies on the NCCN among others to recommend when to pay for the off-label use of cancer drugs. Those NCCN panels are loaded with doctors who have financial conflicts of interest. In fact, a paper found that 85% of those panelists are on the take from pharma.
Here is something RFK Jr can do tomorrow. Create a new HHS-wide rule. Any third party medical group advising HHS must NOT have more than 60% of it’s panelists receiving personal payments from biopharma in 2025.
In 2026, only 40% can have received money from pharma
In 2027, only 20% and in 2028, 0%.
This simple rule change will alter the incentives across medicine. Junior faculty will be incentivized not to be pharma shills. If they skip a few ad boards, they can be on the guidelines for CMS. There will finally be a different professional opportunity and path in medicine. You can get ahead by NOT taking pharma money.
A generation of physicians without conflicts will think differently about medicine. They won’t recommend off label drugs based on a hail mary— lacking good evidence. They won’t want to treat pre-malignant conditions. They will be more disciplined and think more about what is best for patients.
The lay public hate the fact their cancer doctor is giving them a Celgene drug and taking money from Celgene. RFK Jr can stop it. What do you think?
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End Pharma funding of government agencies.
End Pharma advertising on public media.
Stop revolving door between Pharma and government agencies.
A good start. As John above says. And I’d take it further - to prevent greed from overtaking otherwise honest doctors…huge fines for those who take money from pharma to hawk drugs. That will be difficult for many who have taken big $ and have rationalized compromising patient health with their behavior. But make em pay. Money talks as we all know.