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To the Editor:
Mr. Jerry Wood’s recent campaign flier draws attention to his legislative activities concerning pharmaceutical matters. I can’t understand why.
He introduced a bill (HB 1259) to require drug manufacturers to sell their products to pharmacists at the same price they charge “the most favored purchaser,” which is a buyer such as the Medicaid Program or the Department of Health that negotiates discounts for large volume purchases.
The bill was killed in committee by a vote of 19 to zero. According to the “Fauquier Times-Democrat" on Feb. 3, 1993, the committee sus- I pected that Mr. Wood’s bill was self- j serving.
Then he introduced a bill (HB 1515) which would keep insurance companies from lining up deals with certain pharmacies, and then making their customers go only to these pharmacies. Fair enough; this helps Mr. Wood, but it helps the customers, too.
But then I don’t understand his vote on a very similar bill, the Practitioner/Self-Referral Act (SB 968). This Act keeps a doctor from making an investment in a pharmacy, and then sending his patients exclusively to this pharmacy, unless he discloses . the special relationship to his patients. This Act benefits customers, but it’s not too good for pharmacists looking for under-the-table financing i from doctors.
Well, in any case, this bill passed by a vote of 98 to 1. Guess who was the Lone Ranger? It makes you wonder just who Mr. Wood is rep- I resenting in the House: the citizens, or himself.
MICHAEL USSERY •
Warrenton -
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