WASHINGTON, D.C. - It is necessary to address the recent false and misleading statements made by Senator Bernie Sanders regarding Novo Nordisk’s products. While we respect the democratic process and the role of legitimate Congressional oversight, Senator Sanders’ actions amount to nothing more than using a bully pulpit to harass one of the world’s most innovative companies.
The facts are clear, unambiguous, and indisputable: Novo Nordisk is a global leader in medical research and innovation and its groundbreaking work on obesity treatments has significantly improved the lives of millions of patients worldwide. Developing and bringing new drugs to market involves substantial investment in research, clinical trials, and regulatory compliance. Senator Sanders conveniently ignores these costs and risks the company has undertaken.
More importantly, the Senator also fails to recognize how much of a challenge obesity treatment is, and how significant Novo’s actions are in improving the lives of Americans. His attacks do nothing to solve a problem; indeed, all they do is discourage innovative companies from developing the next generation of treatments and cures.
Publicly vilifying an innovative company can have far-reaching consequences for Americans. Rather than attacking companies, policymakers should engage in constructive dialogue and defend the innovative free market system that creates solutions for obesity and other complex medical challenges.
