Philly doctors earn more than $1 million from Big Pharma on the side; Michael White takes responsibility for Rittenhouse slaying | Morning Newsletter
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The payments aren’t illegal. And they’re not new, either. And, recently, the names of doctors and how much they’re getting paid by pharmaceutical companies have become accessible. But those payments may not mean much to patients. Also, this weekend, Michael White, the man found not guilty of voluntary manslaughter stemming from a slaying in Rittenhouse Square, spoke at a South Philly church. He expressed remorse over the slaying of Sean Schellenger, saying, “I never wanted that to happen.” And finally, the Eagles weren’t competitive in a huge loss last night to the Cowboys.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
In five years, pharmaceutical and medical device companies paid more than $500,000 to 76 doctors in the Philadelphia region, an analysis of federal data by The Inquirer and ProPublica has found. The doctors were paid to consult on or promote their products. Nearly two-dozen area doctors, among them some of the region’s most prominent health-care leaders, received more than $1 million in such industry payments.
These payments have been in practice for a long time, and they’re not illegal. But the individual arrangements and the amount of money involved have been kept fairly secret until recently. While the transparency is a positive step, a medical ethicist said, “I don’t think it is much of an antidote to the influence that the private sector has over medicine.”
White spoke publicly for the first time since he was found not guilty last week of voluntary manslaughter in a fatal stabbing near Rittenhouse Square. The 22-year-old addressed the congregation of Gospel Tabernacle Family Church in South Philly.
“Me being free is kinda bittersweet because on the other side of this someone lost their life,” White said. “I never wanted that to happen. I’m the person who is technically responsible for that.”
Can long-standing laws be applied to jobs and industries that have changed astronomically? A New Jersey woman asked Pennsylvania’s highest court to figure it out last month.
A North Jersey resident was forced to shut down her vacation-home property management business in the Poconos in 2017. She filed a lawsuit against several Pennsylvania Department of State agencies, alleging that the state shutting down her business was unconstitutional.
What you need to know today
Last Monday, Eagles coach Doug Pederson said the Birds would leave Dallas with a victory. This morning, they’re waking up with a big L after getting thumped.
He used to be a Manayunk restaurant manager. Now, he finds himself entangled in an alleged international conspiracy swirling around the Donald Trump impeachment inquiry.
Some Bucks County residents with tainted tap water will be getting relief. But not all of them.
A retired Philadelphia businessman has offered to wipe out Cherry Hill students’ lunch debt, a problem that has plagued the district since August. The district rejected him.
A 2-year-old girl was killed Sunday in one of two shootings of a child in Philly in less than 24 hours. An 11-month-old was shot four times Saturday, and a $5,000 reward is being offered for information.
An early-morning explosion in Allentown on Sunday destroyed 10 homes, displacing almost two dozen people.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
You really had to do what it takes to stay dry yesterday. Great shot, @ninthdayofmarch.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out.
That’s Interesting
For the first time in franchise history, the Philadelphia Union won an MLS playoff game with a dramatic 4-3 comeback over their rivals from New York. It’s been a long 10 years.
Pennsylvania is ranked seventh nationally in pumpkin production, and a good chunk of the pumpkins satisfying America’s Halloween obsession come from the state’s “pumpkin king.”
Why are Joe Biden’s debate watch parties pretty much empty? And does that even matter? And yesterday, Pete Buttigieg’s first stop in Philly drew about 1,000 people to Reading Terminal Market.
For a few seasons running, the Phillies have been missing the offense necessary to make a legitimate World Series run. But now a Bucks County start-up says it has a solution for them: a souped-up batting cage.
People with disabilities are increasing their ranks in elected office. But, still, they’re an underrepresented group.
A Chinese artist started his dream project Saturday: a sidewalk mural on Chinatown’s 10th Street Plaza.
Opinions
“But now when neighbors sense trouble, they don’t go into their homes and draw the shades. Empowered, they put in the work themselves. And if they need backup, they know they can always call on the guys.” — columnist Helen Ubiñas writes about a group in West Philly working to help neighborhoods in West Philly.
Columnist Trudy Rubin writes that “President Trump’s bizarre behavior” on the world stage has “become a security threat to our country," especially regarding the situation in Syria.
The Inquirer’s opinion section focused on multiple perspectives about school choice. They have pieces on segregation, tools for school choice, the impact of school choice on Philadelphia, and more.
What we’re reading
Billy Penn writes about a new program in Philly that helps students get and keep hospitality jobs while attending school.
You might eat salmon all the time, but have you ever thought about the future of the fish? Harper’s has the story.
Electric and autonomous vehicles are supposed to be better for the environment and safer. But they’re also having a major impact on those who work for car companies such as GM, according to a Bloomberg News report.
Your Daily Dose of | The UpSide
Serving hundreds of meals a week, the Sunday Love Project has a mission to “share food amongst the homeless, while simultaneously building community.” To keep the project going, the woman who runs the project “decided to be broke all the time."