Reason #3 Michiganders Can’t Trust Rogers: Mike Rogers Is a “Champion” for Big Pharma, Spent a Decade Working to “Boost Opioid Prescriptions”

Rogers “received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the same drug companies that now are paying billions of dollars in national opioid settlements for their roles in causing the epidemic.”

LANSING — With three days left until Election Day, Mike Rogers has given Michiganders countless reasons not to trust him to represent Michigan in the Senate. Rogers “received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the same drug companies that now are paying billions of dollars in national opioid settlements for their roles in causing the epidemic,” and he bragged that he was a “champion” for Big Pharma. 

Reason #3: Rogers was a “leading advocate” to “boost opioid prescriptions,” after taking “hundreds of thousands of dollars” from Big Pharma:

• Rogers “received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the same drug companies that now are paying billions of dollars in national opioid settlements for their roles in causing the epidemic,” and he bragged that “drug companies considered him ‘a champion’ of their industry.” 

• Rogers was “one of Congress’ leading advocates for increased access to pain care” “which are typically variations of opioids,” working to pass bills that “did not include penalties for over-prescribing.”

• Rogers has “close ties to pain foundations that were bankrolled by drug companies trying to increase sales of pain pills like Oxycontin.”

• “Rogers’ support of the drug industry was notable enough that he is referenced in at least one book about the opioid crisis.” One book “refers to Rogers as ‘among the principal beneficiaries of pharma’s largesse,’” and the Michigan-based Opioid Policy Institute Director notes that “Rogers contributed to the crisis.”

• Rogers refuses to take accountability and “declined to say whether Congress played a role in the crisis.”

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, Michigan Independent: Bankrolled by pharmaceuticals, Mike Rogers helped block Medicare price negotiation, The Gander [Opinion]: Mike Rogers refuses to answer for his role in the opioids crisis.

Read more about why Michiganders can’t trust Revolving Door Rogers: Reason #4 Michiganders Can’t Trust Rogers: Mike Rogers Lied for a Year and a Half About Where He Lives, Reason #5 Michiganders Can’t Trust Rogers: Revolving Door Rogers Sold Out Michigan and Our National Security to China to Enrich Himself, Reason #6 Michiganders Can’t Trust Rogers: Mike Rogers Opposed to Saving 700 Michigan Auto Jobs, With Seven Days Until Election Day, Seven Reasons Why Michiganders Can’t Trust Revolving Door Mike Rogers