Guest guest Posted September 4, 2004 Report Share Posted September 4, 2004 http://www.mercola.com/2004/sep/4/drug_companies.htm Drug Companies Still Make Bundle Even When They Admit They Lie Even when the mega-billion drug companies admit to federal wrongdoings, they often get away a light slap on the wrist and, if they're lucky, can still make an obscene amount of money on the open market besides. A great example is Warner-Lambert, a one-time independent now owned by Pfizer that recently pled guilty to illegally marketing Neurontin for treating ailments it wasn't approved to cover before August 1996. Warner-Lambert paid a sizeable fine ($430 million) and its parent agreed to stricter rules to compliance laws tighter than existing marketing rules. In addition, it also agreed to fund a multi-million program to educate doctors about Neurontin. Think the publicity made Neurontin a pariah? Guess again. For one, the Warner-Lambert executives who executed the marketing plan were never prosecuted for their shenanigans. Lastly, and most importantly, Neurontin sales in 2004 are projected to exceed last year's totals: $2.7 billion. Federal law prohibits drug firms from marketing their products for treatments that aren't FDA-approved. Neurontin's expressed use was as an anti-seizure drug for epileptics early on and later for shingle-related nerve pain. From 1994-2000, the Justice Department claims Warner-Lambert marketed Neurontin illegally in a number of ways: * Lied to doctors about the drug's effectiveness * Paid doctors to allow a sales representative to sit in on sessions with patients * Paid doctors, some up to $250,000, to unethically talk up Neurontin to other physicians The list of diseases the company claimed Neurontin could cure was so ridiculously long, some employees called it the " snake oil " list. Nevertheless, Warner-Lambert's plan worked to perfection. The government estimates off-label uses for Neurontin increased from 40 to 94 percent from 1995-2002. Today, the estimated percentage of off-label use stands at 90 percent. Some 12 million people have taken Neurontin over the past decade and 60 countries have approved it to treat pain. Still, government prosecutors believed the actions of Warner-Lambert forced Medicare to pay for an excessive number of prescriptions the agency didn't need to fill. So much so that one official believes directly increased medical costs to consumer, states and insurers. One U.S. attorney who prosecuted the Neurontin case hopes drug industry practices will change due to the ruling, but doubts it will have any effect on the drug's popularity. Why? * Although physicians are required to notify insurance companies and Medicaid for approval when they prescribe specific medications, it's seldom done with Neurontin * Congress voted to allow Medicaid to pay for FDA-approved drugs or those supported by one of three medical directories whose rulings are based on small studies that could be skewed * Doctors want to help their patients by allowing them to try drugs that might work, even those not approved by FDA USA Today August 17, 2004 Dr. Mercola's Comment: If you don't understand why I'm so committed to tearing down the established conventional medical paradigm and exposing the blatant disregard the mega-billion drug companies have for you, this story ought to convince you. If there's a silver lining to be found in this tale of greed, think about this: A recent Harris poll found 13 percent of the people it polled believed the major pharmaceutical companies were honest and trustworthy, ranking them at the same low level as tobacco, oil and managed care companies. In fact, pollsters speculate the public's trust in drug companies has dropped faster than any other industry. That's happened thanks to a news media that covers the " dirty tricks " pharmaceutical companies play on consumers with greater regularity as well as the public being a bit more skeptical about the research -- that may be more tainted than anyone thought -- featured in respected medical journals. Related Articles: Ex-New England Journal of Medicine Editor Criticizes Drug Companies How Could Drug Companies be so Evil? Your Car Costs MUCH More Because of Drug Companies' Greed 3 Drug Companies Face Fraud & Bribery Charges How the Drug Companies Deceive You -- The Inside Story of Nexium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.