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# Public Citizen Warns Against Azar at HHS
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/public-citizen-warns-against-azar-at-hhs/
- Published: 2017-10-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:56:53.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5139902

Public Citizen says that if former Lilly USA president **Alex Azar** is named HHS secretary as has been rumored in the media, “Big Pharma’s coup d’etat in the healthcare sphere will be virtually complete.” The advocacy group says that Azar has made public statements indicating that he opposes measures to restrain drug company profiteering and limit improper marketing, and favors weak drug safety approval standards.

“Americans understand, passionately, that drug company price gouging leads to rationing of care,” Public Citizen says. “It is unethical and must end. Even **President Trump** says so. But it is highly unlikely that a pharmaceutical company executive who has made passionate arguments against price restraints is going to advance real reform. Much more likely is that he serves as the instrument by which Big Pharma aims to defend its monopolies and unaffordable prices. The swamp only gets worse. **Tom Price** supported Big Pharma in the U.S. Congress. Now apparently Trump has decided to cut out the middleman, and let a pharmaceutical executive literally run the health department.”