PhRMA's Terrorist Plot

Back in May I posted a few comments about the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) commissioning Guiliani Partners to produce a report that called for an immediate moratorium on drug importation legislation (see "Terror Politics vs Drug Importation").

According to Giuliani, "opening U.S. borders to prescription drugs could provide an unfortunate opportunity for terrorists. Several credible sources have identified links between counterfeit goods, including pharmaceuticals, and organized criminals and terrorist groups," the report said. "It is not difficult to imagine a scenario in which terrorist groups could use this system to either finance operations or, worse, as a vehicle of attack."

It seems that PhRMA has taken this "scenario" one step further and paid a publisher to write a thriller involving terrorists and drug importation from Canada. The book may be edited by none other than Jayson Blair, the former NY Times reporter who made up a number of stories.

Peter Rost ("Peter Rost: Pharma's Black Knight") had this to say about PhRMA's efforts to scare Americans away from importing drugs from Canada:

This story is simply getting more and more amazing by the day . . .

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have according to several news sources admitted that they paid a publisher to have a thriller written about Croatian terrorists using Canadian pharmacy websites to slaughter millions of Americans.

According to the New York Post's Page Six, Jayson Blair working for Phoenix Books, was tasked with editing this book, called "The Karasik Conspiracy." But now one of the two co-authors is accusing Jayson of lying -- again, in the NY Post.

Meanwhile, PHRMA, scared by publicity surrounding this project now claims it was a "rogue employee" at PHRMA who initiated, led and paid for this project, according to Toronto Globe and Mail, and that they have stopped funding the book. In fact, NY Daily News claims they offered $100,000 hush-money to kill the project. But the book is still getting published, in January 2006.

PHRMA also, according to NY Daily News, made several editorial suggestions. "They said they wanted it somewhat dumbed down for women, with a lot more fluff in it, and more about the wife of the head Croatian terrorist, who is a former Miss Mexico," one of the authors told the newspaper. Apparently, women are among the most loyal buyers of Canadian drugs.

If you want to read more about this, see the story in the Washington Post.