Note: Articles and documents with links highlighted in red contain material on GPOs and drug shortages
2006
"History of Baldrige award winner angers some"
USA Today, Nov. 29, 2006
"Award raises questions"
Charlotte Observer, Dec. 1, 2006
"Local firm wins prize, and some controversy"
San Diego Union-Tribune, Dec. 8, 2006
2002 New York Times "Medicine's Middlemen" Investigative Series
"Times and Boston Globe Win Polk Awards for Reporting"
The New York Times, Feb. 24, 2003
"More Hospitals Change the Way They Buy Drugs and Supplies"
The New York Times, Dec. 28, 2002
"Hospital Network's Switch is a Blow to Novation"
The New York Times, Nov. 23, 2002
"Ethics Standards Overhaul Urged for Hospital Buying Groups"
The New York Times, Oct. 24, 2002
"A Region's Hospital Supplies: Costly Ties"
The New York Times, Oct. 8, 2002
"Senate Panel Weighs Tighter Rules for Hospital Purchasing"
The New York Times, Sept. 15, 2002
"Spitzer Opens Inquiry Into the Business Practices of Hospital Buying Groups"
The New York Times, Sept. 7, 2002
"A Persistent Small Supplier Gets Contract for Hospitals"
The New York Times, Sept. 4, 2002
"3 Medical Supply Companies Receive U. S. Agency Subpoenas"
The New York Times, Aug. 15, 2002
"Buying Group for Hospitals Vows Change"
The New York Times, Aug. 9, 2002
"Buying Group for Hospitals Changes Ways"
The New York Times, Aug. 6, 2002
"Accusation of Conflicts At a Supplier To Hospitals"
The New York Times, Aug. 1, 2002
"Questioning $1 Million Fee in a Needle Deal"
The New York Times, July 19, 2002
"A Mission to Save Money, A Record of Otherwise"
The New York Times, June 7, 2002
"Senate Panel Criticizes Hospital Buying Groups"
The New York Times, May 1, 2002
"Hospitals Find Buying Groups May Not Come Up With Savings"
The New York Times, Apr. 30, 2002
"Hospital Group's Link to Company is Criticized"
The New York Times, Apr. 27, 2002
"Hospital Products Get Seal of Approval at a Price"
The New York Times, Apr. 23, 2002
"It's just like payola." Buying groups are "getting paid" to buy certain products, said Mr. Lombardi, whose hospital system dropped Premier [one of the two largest GPOs] in 1996.
Paul Lombardi, head of contracts, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle
The New York Times, March 4, 2002
* * * * *
For more than 15 years, numerous media reports have documented the harmful impact of anticompetitive hospital group purchasing practices on patients, healthcare workers, and taxpayers. Although these reports, notably a 2001 60 Minutes segment and a prize-winning 2002 New York Times investigative series, triggered Senate hearings and government investigations, nothing has changed because of the immense financial and political power of the GPO lobby.
Paul Lombardi, head of contracts, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle
The New York Times, March 4, 2002
* * * * *
For more than 15 years, numerous media reports have documented the harmful impact of anticompetitive hospital group purchasing practices on patients, healthcare workers, and taxpayers. Although these reports, notably a 2001 60 Minutes segment and a prize-winning 2002 New York Times investigative series, triggered Senate hearings and government investigations, nothing has changed because of the immense financial and political power of the GPO lobby.
HRDI: A Secret Slush Fund for Hospital and GPO Executives
"Conflict Case at Hospitals is Settled"
The New York Times, Jan. 25, 2007
"Hospital Chiefs Get Paid for Advice on Selling"
The New York Times, July 17, 2006
MEDIA REPORTS
2001
"Needles"
60 Minutes with Mike Wallace
Feb. 25, 2001
WATCH SEGMENT
READ ARTICLE
"Drug Shortages Became a Worry at Hospitals Around the Country"
New York Times, Jan. 3, 2001
READ ARTICLE
"The Monopoly Harms that Antitrust Keeps Missing"
ProMarket, Aug. 12, 2020
"Why Salt and Water in a Bag Became Scarce"
MONOPOLIZED: Life in the Age of Corporate Power, a book by David Dayen
July 2020
"On Antitrust Enforcement"
American Compass, June 11, 2020
READ ARTICLE
"How Sole-Source Captured My Soul...and Blew My Response to the Pandemic"
Linkedin Post, May 2020
(Note: Author John Strong is a former senior executive of Premier Inc., the second largest GPO)
READ POST
"Here’s one reason medical costs are high: We have shortages, and Made in America isn’t working"
Dallas Morning News, April 17, 2020
READ ARTICLE
"Behind the Coronavirus Threat, a Middleman Destroy Prescription Drug Markets"
American Prospect, Feb. 25, 2020
"Premier to Acquire GNYHA's GPO and Finance Consultancy Subsidiaries"
Modern Healthcare, Feb. 4, 2020
READ ARTICLE
2019
"Commentary: Collins' Bill Fails to Address Root Cause of Drug Shortages"
Portland Press Herald, Nov. 16, 2019
"How the Drug Industry Sacrifices Children with Cancer"
American Prospect, Oct. 18. 2019
"Do GPOs Play a Role in Drug Shortages?"
PT Community, March 2019
"Group Purchasing Organizations, Drug Shortages & the High Cost of Health Care"
Chronically Human Podcast, March 2019
2018
"Elizabeth Warren Plan Would Allow the Government to Manufacture its Own Generic Drugs"
The Intercept, Dec. 18, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Detailed rules, transparency should de3ne health system CEOs' outside directorships"
Modern Healthcare, Dec. 8, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Medical Monopoly" (cover story)
dBusiness (Detroit Business), Nov/Dec 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Doc: Middlemen Ratchet Up Health Costs"
Daily Standard (Rockford, OH), Nov. 1, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Identifying the Root Cause of Drug Shortages: A Call to Action"
Anesthesiology News, Oct. 25, 2018
READ ARTICLE
GPOs' "Pay-to-Play" Fees Drive Up Healthcare Costs"
Modern Healthcare, Oct. 18, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Group Purchasing Organizations, Health Care Costs, and Drug Shortages"
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Nov. 13, 2018
READ ARTICLE
READ GPO Letter to JAMA/Author Reply
"Hospitals, foundations launch Civica RX, first nonprofit drug-making company"
Washington Times, Sept. 6, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Surprise! Trump Might Actually Lower Drug Prices"
Washington Post, Aug. 28, 2018
"Meet the Rebates, the New Villain of High Drug Prices"
New York Times, July 27, 2018
"FDA to More Aggressively Tackle Disruptive Drug Shortages"
Associated Press, July 12, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Group Purchasing Organizations: Gaming the System"
Journal of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Summer 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Critical Condition: Inside Pfizer’s Drug Supply Problem"
Fortune, May 22, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Where Does the Law Against Kickbacks Not Apply? Your Hospital"
Wall Street Journal, May 8, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Safe Kickbacks"
AAPS News, April 2018
READ ARTICLE
"Facing the Shortage of IV Fluids"
New England Journal of Medicine, Apr. 19, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"The Multibillion-Dollar Solution- Repeal Safe Harbor"
Townhall.com, Mar. 3, 2018
READ ARTICLE
"As they fight flu, hospitals cope with shortage of IV fluids"
Philadelphia Inquirer, February 14, 2018
READ ARTICLE
2017
"Tarrant County surgical mask maker who backed Trump's 'Buy American' pledge now sees it as 'hot air'"
Dallas Morning News Aug. 14, 2017
READ ARTICLE
"Drug supply shortage forces upheaval, care dilemmas on US hospitals"
Supply Chain Dive, May 25, 2017
READ ARTICLE
2016
"Time to Free a Controlled Marketplace for Generic Drugs"
Barron's, Oct. 15, 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Escalating Drug Prices: Not All Is What It Seems"
American Council on Science and Health, Oct. 4, 2016
"Iron Curtain of Drug Pricing Will Topple the Healthcare System"
The Hill.com (blog), Sept. 2, 2016
"Disgraced EpiPen Maker Gave $10,000 to Schumer Campaign in June"
New York Post, Aug. 29, 2016
"Facing Cancer Drug Shortage, U. S. Relies on Banned Chinese Plant"
Bloomberg News, July 21, 2016
"Drug Prices Too High? Sometimes, They're Not Costly Enough"
New York Times, May 30, 2016
"Hospital Drug Shortages: What is Really Causing Them?"
Medill News Service, May 26, 2016
"Generic Drugs: Low Supply and High Prices"
Sentinel: Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists Newsletter, Spring 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Blog: Senator says GPOs may play role in high healthcare costs"
Modern Healthcare, Mar. 29, 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Blumenthal Seeks Answers on whether health purchasing groups are costing consumers"
New Haven Register, Mar. 28, 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Surviving Drug Shortages by Eliminating the Middlemen"
Modern Healthcare, Mar. 10, 2016
READ ARTICLE
"FDA is Not the Problem"
Center for American Progress, Mar. 9, 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Drug Shortage Guidelines: Sign of an Ongoing Problem?"
MedPage Today, Feb. 2, 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Prescription Drug Pricing: Scam or Scapegoat?"
American Enterprise Institute, Feb. 2016
READ ARTICLE
"Drug Shortages Force Hard Decisions on Rationing Treatments"
The New York Times, Jan. 29. 2016
"Forum: Blumenthal's Silence Deafening on Root Cause of Surging Generic Drug Prices"
New Haven Register, Jan. 11, 2016
READ ARTICLE
2015
"Surmounting shortages: GPOs work creatively with manufacturers to avert drug shortfalls"
Modern Healthcare, Oct. 24, 2015
READ ARTICLE
*Note: Article is mistitled, in our opinion. Header should have read, "GPO execs accuse each other of anticompetitive practices, unethical conduct in causing shortages"
"Politics, Corruption and Drug Prices"
Valley News (NH), Oct. 2, 2015
READ ARTICLE
"Modern Medicine at the Crossroads"
Journal of American Physicians & Surgeons, Fall 2015
READ ARTICLE
"Premier Position"
Business North Carolina, Aug. 2015
READ ARTICLE
"Amerinet CEO Todd Ebert Replaces Curtis Rooney at GPO Trade Group HSCA"
Modern Healthcare, July 13, 2015
"Emergency Room Doctors, Paramedics Decry Shortage of Sugar, Salt Water"
NBC NEWS 4 NEW YORK, June 4, 2015
WATCH SEGMENT
"J&J's Solution to the Compassionate-Use Hot Potato"
Life Science Leader Magazine, May 18, 2015
"Expectations of drug shortages has become 'new norm" for cancer care"
HemOnc Today, Feb. 10, 2015
"There's a National Shortage of Saline Solution. Yeah, We're Talking Salt Water. Huh?"
Fortune, Feb. 5, 2015
READ ARTICLE
"How to Stop Generic Drug Shortages: End Hospital Group Purchasing Kickbacks"
Fortune.com, Jan. 30, 2015
2014
"Correcting Misperceptions Related to Chemotherapy Drug Shortages in the United States"
[Letter to the Editor, Journal of Oncology Practice, by Sherry A. Glied PhD, former assistant secretary, Department of Health & Human Services]
Journal of Oncology Practice, Dec. 23, 2014
"Getting a Handle on Drug Shortages"
HealthTrust Purchasing Group, Dec. 1, 2014
"Drug Bust"
Slate, Nov. 20, 2014
"Hospitals Cash in Premier Shares"
Modern Healthcare, Nov. 15, 2014
READ ARTICLE
"APNU MP links sole-sourcing to chronic drug shortages in local health facilities"
Kaieteur News Online (Guyana), Oct. 25, 2014
"Healthcare GPOs promote positive influence ahead of GAO report"
Modern Healthcare, Oct. 21, 2014
"Dangerous Drug Shortages"
AARP Bulletin, Oct. 2014
"Chemotherapy Drug Shortages in the United States Revisited"
Journal of Oncology Practice, Sept. 2014
'“Doctor, We Have No Saline Today”: The Curious Case of the Generic Injectable Drug Shortage'
Academic Emergency Medicine, July 5, 2015
READ ARTICLE
"The Scary Reality of a World Without Meds"
Reader's Digest, June 2014
"Pay-to-Play: The Impact of Group Purchasing Organizations on Drug Shortages"
American University Law School Business Law Review, Spring 2014.
Letter to the Editor in response to Oct. 2013 article on drug shortages by McKeever et al
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, Mar. 2014
"Nitroglycerin, a Staple of Emergency Rooms, is in Short Supply"
The New York Times, Mar. 25, 2014
"Another Voice: Schumer defends system that creates shortages of critical prescription drugs"
Buffalo News, Mar. 16, 2014
"Citing Distraction, Quality Forum CEO Resigns Boards Seats"
NQF [National Quality Forum] CEO Outed as Member of Premier Inc. Board
HCRenewal, Feb. 21, 2014,
"Payments to CEO Raise New Conflicts a Top Health Quality Group"
ProPublica, Feb. 12, 2014,
"Drug Shortages Worsen: The Blame Game Continues"
American Council on Science and Health, Feb. 11, 2014
"Drug Shortages Continue to Vex Doctors"
"As You Were Saying: Drug Shortages Plague Hospitals"
Boston Herald, Feb. 8, 2014
"GPOs fuel drug shortages"
Baltimore Sun, Feb. 7, 2014,
"Generic Injectable Drugs Get a Boost"
Barron's, Feb. 4, 2014
"Shortage of saline cause hospitals, dialysis center to scramble to manage supply"
Washington Post, Jan. 28, 2014,
2013
"Editorial: What is the Solution to Drug Shortages?"
Life Science Leader, Dec. 2013,
"Drug Shortages: Why They Happen and How They Can Be Solved"
Life Science Leader, Dec. 2013
"Solving Drug Shortages Requires Incentivizing Reliability, Infrastructure Quality"
Bloomberg Brief, Nov. 11, 2013,
"U. S. FDA Outlines Plan to Combat Drug Shortages"
Reuters, Oct. 31, 2013
"Editorial: Greed, Legalized Corruption, and the Death Penalty"
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Oct. 13, 2013
"The Soaring Cost of a Simple Breath"
"Physicians Against Drug Shortages Challenge the Controlled Drug Market for Hospitals"
PolicyMed, Sept. 11, 2013,
"How to Charge $546 for Six Liters of Salt Water"
"Premier’s IPO Rumors Confirmed –Is MedAssets Being Cast as the Industry’s Torch Bearer?"
HCMatters.com, July 22, 2013 (HCMatters.com is a GPO industry mouthpiece)
READ ARTICLE
"Premier considers possible IPO, MedAssets attacks alleged plans as hospital purchasing competition heats up"
Modern Healthcare, July 19, 2013
READ ARTICLE
"U.S. Propofol Drug Shortages: A Review of the Problem & Stakeholder Analysis"
American Health & Drug Benefits
May/June 2013
READ ARTICLE
"Children are Dying"
Washingtonian, May 22, 2013,
READ ARTICLE
"Drug Shortages Not Going Away"
MedpageToday, May 13, 2013,
"Doctor Group Claims Drug Purchasing Organizations Causing Chronic Shortages"
Anesthesiology News, Apr. 3, 2013,
"Drug Shortages Persist in U. S., Harming Care"
The New York Times, Nov. 17, 2012
READ ARTICLE
"Buying Groups' Role in Drug Shortages Queried"
MedPageToday, Nov. 16, 2012,
"Taking the risk: Despite meningitis outbreak, some hospitals have little choice but to rely on compounding pharmacies"
Modern Healthcare, Oct. 13, 2012
READ ARTICLE
"Scant Oversight of Drug Maker in Fatal Meningitis Outbreak"
The New York Times, Oct. 6, 2012
READ ARTICLE
"In a Drug Linked to a Deadly Meningitis Outbreak, A Question of Oversight"
The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2012"Drug Shortages? Look to the Middleman"
Washington Examiner, April 21, 2012
READ ARTICLE
2011
"HHS Rejected ASP Hike After Weighing GPO, Drug Distribution Issues"
InsideHealthPolicy.com, Nov. 9, 2011
"Obama Tries to Speed Response to Shortages of Vital Medicines"
The New York Times, Oct. 31, 2011
"Cut Kickbacks to Hospital Group Purchasing Organizations, Not Medicare and Medicaid"
Roll Call, Oct. 21, 2011
"Congress Should Puncture This Cartel"
Huffington Post, Sept. 29, 2011
"An Empirical Analysis of Aftermarket Transactions by Hospitals"
Journal of Contemporary Health Law & Policy, Fall 2011
"Medtronic Makes Pact-Ending Move"
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 25, 2011
2010
"Billions Wasted in Way Medical Devices are Bought, Study Finds"
USA Today, Oct. 7, 2010
"Broken Compensation Structures and Health Care Costs"
Harvard Business Review, Oct. 6, 2010
"GAO, Senate Question Role of Hospital Supplies Middlemen"
Kaiser Health News, Sept. 28, 2010
"Teva to Stop Making Propofol"
FiercePharma Manufacturing, May 31, 2010
"Dirty Medicine"
Washington Monthly, July/Aug. 2010
2009
"Watch Out for GPOs"
Forbes.com, Nov. 12, 2009
"Paying for Health Care---Will Congress Have the Guts to Bust This Trust?"
Huffington Post, Sept. 14, 2009
"Senators Investigate Hospital Purchasing"
The New York Times, Aug. 13, 2009
2008
"U.S. Pandemic Could Severely Strain Face Mask, Other PPE Supply Pipeline"
Infection Control Today, Oct. 4, 2008
READ ARTICLE
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 9, 2008
READ ARTICLE
"Blowing the Whistle, Many Times"
The New York Times, Nov. 18, 2007
Interview with U. S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) chairman, Senate Antitrust Subcommittee
"Battle Scarred"
Forbes, Mar. 26, 2007
"GPO Reform in Offing? Congress Monitors, while Schumer Shifts Stance"
"Firm Handed 4bn pound NHS contract was investigated for overcharging"
The Times of London, July 31, 2006
2023
"Wyden Eyes Bipartisan Bill to Address GPOs' Role in Drug Shortages"
InsideHealthPolicy, Dec. 6, 2023
2024
“Advocates Criticize Senate White Paper for Not Targeting GPO fees"
Capitol Forum, Jan. 31, 2024
"With Critics Alleging PBM-like Tactics, GPOs Could Face Interest from Antitrust Enforcers"
Capitol Forum,Jan. 17, 2024
2022
"Consumer groups want antitrust probe of hospital suppliers"
Ohio Capital Journal, Nov. 29, 2022
READ ARTICLE
READ LETTER TO FTC
"Buckraking: Did a Medical Monopolist Buy Off CNN?"
BIG (American Economic Liberties Project), July 7, 2022
READ ARTICLE.
"In Short Supply"
60 Minutes, May 22, 2022
Premier Inc. Board Sued Over $474 Million Payout to Insiders"
Bloomberg Law, Mar. 11, 2022
READ ARTICLE
READ COMPLAINT
2021
"Person of the Year: Phillip L. Zweig"
SafeCare Magazine, 4th Quarter, 2021
COVER PHOTO
READ INTERVIEW
READ PLZ BIO SKETCH
“The Corrupt System Behind Covid Medical Shortages"
BIG ( antitrust newsletter), Sept. 26, 2021
READ ARTICLE
Webinar American Economic Liberties Project (comments by Prestige Ameritech EVP Mike Bowen on role of GPOs in causing mask shortages), Mar. 30, 2021
WATCH WEBINAR
2005
"Hijacking at the Hospital"
Fort Worth Weekly, Nov. 23, 2005
"First, Do No Harm"
Forbes, June 6, 2005
The New York Times, Sept. 14, 2004
READ ARTICLE
"Wide U. S. Inquiry into Purchasing for Health Care"
The New York Times, Aug. 21, 2004
"Syringe Manufacturer Settles Claim of Market Manipulation"
The New York Times, July 3, 2004
2003
"Letter to the Editor: Favoring a Fee-based GPO System"
Healthcare Purchasing News, Aug. 2003
"New Scrutiny Directed at Bundled Sale of Hospital Supplies"
The New York Times, Jul. 17, 2003
"Hospital Supplier Says Auditor Has Quit"
The New York Times, May 30, 2003
"Two Big Hospital Buying Groups Settle Lawsuit with Needle Maker"
The New York Times, May 8, 2003
"Who Wins and Who Loses from Premier's Relationship with Montefiore?"
MonteWatch, Feb. 2003
2002
2000
"New Jersey Hospitals Seek Savings, Nix GPOs"
Medical Data, Jan. 12, 2000
1999
"Type of Penicillin in Critical Supply"
New York Times, Oct. 29, 1999
READ ARTICLE
"Examine the Questionable Side of GPOs"
Dallas Business Journal, Mar. 14, 1999
1998
"Epidemic Ravages Caregivers, Thousands Die from Diseases Contracted Through Needle Sticks"
San Francisco Chronicle, Apr. 13, 1998
"Locked Out of the Hospital"
Business Week, Mar. 16, 1998
"Exceeding Expectations: Execs of 1-Year-Old Premier Detail Ambitious Plans"
Modern Healthcare, Feb. 10, 1997
READ ARTICLE
1993
"When Important Drug is Scarce"
New York Times, Jan. 12, 1993
READ ARTICLE