WLNS: Michigan leaders “point to the money that [Mike Rogers] the Republican candidate for Michigan U.S. Senate seat has taken from the pharmaceutical industry.”

LANSING — More Michigan leaders are sounding the alarm on Mike Rogers’ role in “exacerbat[ing] the nation’s opioid crisis” and “leading on legislation making access to opioids easier,” as they “point to the money that the Republican candidate for Michigan U.S. Senate seat has taken from the pharmaceutical industry.”

• Valerie Johnson, veteran: “Many of my fellow veterans struggled with opioid use because of … these companies and the politicians who helped them. Mike Rogers is one of those politicians.”

• Dr. Farhan Bhatti, CEO of Care Free Medical: “However, the inability of Mike Rogers and other members of Congress to take a more nuanced position that was evidence-based, Rogers and others instead parroted talking points provided by drug companies.”

• Rep. Julie Brixie: “One of my fears is that [Rogers’] … ties to big pharma will get in the way of some of the really important work that Elissa Slotkin has been doing to help working families, lowering the drug prices, capping insulin prices. These are all things that impact the big pharmaceutical companies.”

• Dr. Farhan Bhatti: “Those lobbying efforts included many lies, including the idea that patients with chronic pain supposedly were not at risk of developing addiction to opioids. Members of Congress [like Rogers] played a big role in helping the pharmaceutical companies spread these falsehoods, which led to a dramatic increase in opioid prescriptions and dramatic increases in profits for the companies who manufactured and distributed these drugs.” 

Take a look at what Michiganders are reading and watching this week:

Gongwer: Dems Continue Attacking Rogers’ Record On Opioids While In Congress

• Democrats and officials on Wednesday continued their push to highlight what they called a poor legislative record in Congress by former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who they said was one of many members who exacerbated the nation’s opioid crisis.
• Following a story from Bridge Michigan last month highlighting Rogers’ time in Congress, Democrats have been attacking him for leading on legislation making access to opioids easier. Democrats have also latched onto 2006 comments from Rogers saying pharmaceutical companies considered him a champion of their industry.
• Speaking at a Wednesday press conference at Michigan Democratic Party headquarters in Lansing, Care Free Medical CEO Dr. Farhan Bhatti acknowledged Rogers’ comments about his brother and reasoning behind pushing past legislation.
• “However, the inability of Mike Rogers and other members of Congress to take a more nuanced position that was evidence-based, Rogers and others instead parroted talking points provided by drug companies,” Bhatti said.
• Valerie Johnson, a veteran from Lansing, said the veteran community has been hit particularly hard by opioid addiction.
• “Many of my fellow veterans struggled with opioid use because of … these companies and the politicians who helped them,” Johnson said. “Mike Rogers is one of those politicians.”
• Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Okemos) said she supports Slotkin’s work in Congress, including backing the FEND off Fentanyl Act signed into law earlier this year, a law that seeks to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the country by disrupting the drug’s supply chain.
• “One of my fears is that his ties to big pharma will get in the way of some of the really important work that Elissa Slotkin has been doing to help working families, lowering the drug prices, capping insulin prices,” Brixie said. “These are all things that impact the big pharmaceutical companies.”

See also: Bridge Michigan: Mike Rogers vows to fight drug war, but urged opioid access in Congress, Bridge Michigan: Michigan Dems blast Mike Rogers over opioid stance in Congress

Note: Contact Sam Chan at [email protected] for a recording of the press conference.