Senators Grassley and Kohl have introduced legislation that would require disclosure of all gifts from pharmaceutical companies to doctors over $500. That sounds like good news, except, according to this report, Grassley's staff worked closely with Eli Lilly to re-write two aspects of the bill to gain Eli Lilly's support. Initially, the bill would apply to all gifts over $25. In addition, the Senators have added a pre-emption clause, so that this law will supersede all state laws, even those that are more strict. This bi-partisan effort to pass a bill and get industry "on board" does not portend well for post-2009 reforms: it sounds like the process that both Clinton and Obama are promising for their health care initiatives. For Eli Lilly, it's yes we can, indeed. But where does this leave patients?

The pre-emption clause is particularly disturbing. This "feel good" legislation overturns more consumer-protecting state rules. By working with a sponsor's staff in Washington, manufacturers are able not only to secure a more lax federal rule but also to undermine all state efforts to enforce more strict regimes.