Roy Poses, M.D., writes in his Healthcare Renewal blog about the “Anechoic Effect,” with the example of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) fearing to offend Big Pharm and complain about its very high prices and other rapacious practices.

Anechoic in this context means the deadening of discussion.

He writes: “So because pharma gives ASCO a lot of money, at best, only the most distinguished ASCO members can gently question pharma, but cannot criticize, much less ‘trash’ the source of their mammon.”