FC: Australian university shuts web site critical of health minister

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

*********

From: "geert" <geert () basis desk nl>
To: <declan () well com>
Subject: LaTrobe pharmaceutical web site shutdown


> From: "Danny Yee" <danny () anatomy usyd edu au>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 11:09 AM
> Subject: [LINK] LaTrobe pharmaceutical web site shutdown
>
> > Lecturer charged over uni website
> > AN academic website protesting against Federal Health Minister
> > Michael Wooldridge's allegedly close relationship with the
> > pharmaceutical industry has been shut down by La Trobe University.
> >
> >
http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,2304103%5E442,00.htm
l
> >  http://users.bigpond.net.au/Medreach/
>
> That bigpond URL has gone, but try
> http://www.google.com/search?q=%22minister+for+pfizer%22
> and the cache of the first result from that.
>
> This isn't an academic wacko on some esoteric crusade. This is part
> of a serious site (the Health Equity Coalition, apparently a joint
> venture between LaTrobe RMIT and Monash staff) providing really
> important information, and I can't see how shutting the entire site
> down (rather than asking for allegedly libellous wording to be changed)
> could possibly be justified.
>
> If this has happened as a result of Federal government intervention,
> heads should roll.  The NTEU should FOI LaTrobe pronto.
>
> Some excerpts from the site follow.  (I hope this doesn't get you
> into trouble over the web archives, Tony, but I really can't see how
> referring to Wooldridge as "Minister for Pfizer" can be actionable.)
>
> >From the page that used to be at
> http://www-sph.health.latrobe.edu.au/PBAC/
> | This site collates published and unpublished material about the
> | Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), initially stimulated
> | by the controversy over changes to the membership of its Pharmaceutical
> | Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). The aim was to explore the claim
> | that these changes represent a hijack of the PBAC by the multinational
> | pharmaceutical industry, aided and abetted by  the current Federal
> | Health Minister: Dr. Michael Wooldridge (Minister for Pfizer).
> |
> | Subsequently, we have added material about the unsustainable growth of
> | the PBS (14%-16% per annum) costing the Australian taxpayer A$3.45
> | billion in 1999/2000).
> |
> | In addition, we collect material about relevant international policy
> | aimed at improving equity of access to necessary drugs.
> |
> | We trust this resource will assist an informed public policy debate
> | about the PBS and related pharmaceutical policy matters. Many thanks to
> | the numerous colleagues who have submitted material to help this
> | process. Please keep it coming.
>
> And from the page that used to be at
> http://www-sph.health.latrobe.edu.au/HEC/pharmaceuticals.htm
>
> | Background
> |
> | This section of the site collates published and unpublished material
> | about the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), especially
> | the current controversy over changes to the membership of its
> | Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).
> |
> | It does not pretend to do justice to the media coverage, which has
> | been extensive.
> |
> | The aim is to explore the claim that these changes represent a hijack
> | of the PBAC by the multinational pharmaceutical industry, aided and
> | abetted by the current Federal Health Minister: Dr. Michael Wooldridge
> | (Minister for Pfizer).
> |
> | We trust this resource will assist an informed public policy debate
> | about this matter. Many thanks to the numerous colleagues who have
> | submitted material to help this process. Please keep it coming.
> |
> | Resource material
> |
> |
> | The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Background Paper
> |
> | ABC-TV & Radio Coverage
> |
> | Articles in medical and lay press
> |
> | Letters to the press, listservers, this forum, etc.
> |
> | Organisation positions
> |
> | Other material (on AIDS drug availability, patents, the pharmaceutical
> | industry, TRIPS, WTO, NGOs and essential drugs)
> |
> | Pharmaceutical policy documents and suggestions  (Government and other
sites)
> |
> | Cartoons
> |
> |
> | Educational Material for Download
> |
> |
> | Consumer &/or Patient PBS Primer leaflet  (MS WORD DOC, 28K)
> |
> | Consumer &/or Patient PBS Question & Answer leaflet (MS WORD DOC, 30K)
> |
> | Letter for physicians &/or pharmacists to give to drug reps (MS WORD
DOC, 22K)
> |
> |
> | There is concern that these changes to the PBAC will result in
> | more costly drugs (with more marginal benefits) being added to
> | the PBS. This, in turn, will lead to a PBS cost blow-out which the
> | government will then pass on to consumers via higher co-payments or
> | other strategies. The end result will be that poorer Australians will
> | no longer have access to necessary drugs.
>
> Danny.
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>   http://dannyreviews.com/ - more than five hundred book reviews
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