A lot of people have asked about my concerns regarding Dr. Sanjay Gupta's qualifications for Surgeon General. I would share with you a few questions I believe we should be asking the nominee and I encourage you to join me in seeking answers on these important matters.
· In 2003, in a report about a connection between Vioxx and heart attacks on CNN, you stated, “The numbers are very small. Perhaps a small percentage increase in the overall risk of heart attacks with Vioxx. They say 37 percent to 39 percent but that's of a very small number. After 90 days, no increased risk.” According to the FDA, more than 140,000 heart attacks can be attributed to the ingestion of Vioxx. Were you aware of any prior medical evidence, peer reviewed journals, or drug research warning of the potential harmful effects of Vioxx at the time of these statements? Are there any other drugs or products on which you reported favorably, that were later found to have serious concerns or negative impacts on health?
· You have accepted honoraria and speaking fees from corporate clients. Have these included fees from pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, medical device manufacturers or other corporate interests? If so, have you reported or offered commentary on any of these products? If so, did you disclose your relationship with such companies when you reported or offered commentary? As a way of honoring the promise of transparency championed by our President-elect during his campaign, I would invite you to disclose all sources of income, including an itemized list of speaking engagements and fees, prior to your confirmation hearing.
· As a part of your coverage of the claims made in Michael Moore’s movie “SICKO,” you accused Moore of “fudging the facts” during an on-air interview. After an examination of each of your claims, it appears that most, if not all, of Moore’s facts and claims were accurate. What motivated you to focus your attack Moore? Is there a reason you focused your reporting on undermining the claims of universal health care and Medicare advocates?
· In a recent CNN segment, you described Medicare as “one of the best examples of health care.” However, you later questioned whether Medicare would “be a working system 20 years from now.” How do you reconcile these two statements? Medicare has an over-all administrative cost of 3%, versus 15-30% for private health insurance. Do you believe that expanding Medicare to all Americans, a federal program that has insured our nation’s seniors and the disabled since 1965, is economically infeasible? If not, why?
