Pfizer Probed in Two States for Promotion of Drugs for Unapproved Uses

[Guest guest]

atracyphd2

Sun, 7 Nov 2004 03:22:53 EST

Subject:[drugawareness] Pfizer Probed in Two States for Promotion of

Drugs for Unapproved Uses

 

 

The last few days have not been good ones for Pfizer. It seems that Pfizer

must need a little help with their depression lately as Eliot Spitzer,

Attorney

General for the state of New York, and Richard Blumenthal, Attorney

General

for the state of Connecticut requested materials from Pfizer on the

off-label

promotion on its antidepressant Zoloft.

 

Do you think they might get their own copy of the comic book Pfizer

printed

in French to encourage little French kids to use Zoloft? I am sure I just

misunderstood their intentions when they distributed that comic book,

right?

 

Then Canada gave them another dilemma when they reported 14 deaths and

other

serious injuries there related to Celebrex - Pfizer's version of Vioxx

(the

arthritis drug just pulled from the market).

 

The world watched as the slide began and their stock dropped by 27

cents...not much, but a beginning. When the day comes that it is no

longer profitable

for them to market dangerous drugs they will stop. But until that time

there is

no doubt that we will continue to suffer serious side effects from the

money

grabbing mentality of this company and so many others. With a little

help from

a few more attorney generals across the country we may be able to do

something

about putting an end to this profiting at the expense of the pain on

suffering of so many.

 

Ann Blake Tracy, Ph.D.,

Executive Director, International Coalition For Drug Awareness

Website: www.drugawareness.org

Author: Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare

& audio tape on safe withdrawal: " Help! I Can't Get

Off My Antidepressant! "

 

Order Number: 800-280-0730

Office: 801-282-5282

 

 

 

 

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rup6.9nov06,1,7576833.story?coll=la-headli\

nes-business

 

Pfizer Discloses 2 State Probes

 

November 6, 2004

 

From Bloomberg News

 

 

Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, said New York Atty. Gen.

Eliot

Spitzer requested information about the promotion of some of its drugs for

unapproved uses.

 

Pfizer said Connecticut Atty. Gen. Richard Blumenthal also requested

materials on so-called off-label promotion of its Zoloft

antidepressant. The company

disclosed the probes in a regulatory filing.

 

Doctors sometimes prescribe medications for applications that haven't been

approved by regulators. Although such use is legal, promotion of drugs for

off-label use isn't.

 

Shares of Pfizer declined 27 cents to $28.79 on the NYSE.

 

 

 

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/business/article/0,1426,MCA_440_3306046,00.h\

tml

 

 

Canada reports Celebrex heart cases

 

November 5, 2004

 

Canadian health officials said Thursday they have received reports linking

Pfizer painkiller Celebrex to 14 deaths and numerous heart-related

side effects,

but that it would be premature to issue a warning or pull the drug

from the

shelves.

 

The federal Canada Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Programhas

collected 100

adverse-reaction reports on Celebrex over the past five years,

including 19

heart attacks and five strokes. Complaints are submitted to the agency

directly

by health professionals and consumers, and its database is meant to

serve as a

sort of early warning system for safety problems.

 

-- From Staff and Wire Reports