Quick Picks: Sneaky Drug Marketing and Emanuel's Freddie Stint — ProPublica

Quick Picks: Sneaky Drug Marketing and Emanuel's Freddie Stint

by Alexandra Andrews

March 26, 2009, 5:18 a.m. EDT

More than 27 million people have taken the online RealAge test, which generates tailor-made health recommendations, but that advice is also aimed at improving drugmakers' bottom lines: Pharmaceutical companies pay RealAge to market their drugs, unbeknownst to users, reports the New York Times. The site's privacy policy does state that it will share users' personal data with third parties.

Also, Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama's chief of staff, sat on the board of Freddie Mac when the company "hatched a plan to enhance its political muscle" by "illegally using corporate resources to host fundraisers for politicians," reports the Chicago Tribune. Emanuel ended up being a beneficiary of one of those fundraisers in 2002. A spokeswoman for Emanuel "downplayed the significance of the fundraiser" and said Emanuel didn't remember the meeting about the plan.

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