American Drugmaker Blasted For Unethical Practices

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Sun, 5 Mar 2006 09:11:55 -0500

[sSRI-Research] American Drugmaker Blasted For Unethical

Practices

 

 

 

 

American Drugmaker Blasted For Unethical Practices

 

http://www.mercola.com/2006/mar/4/american_drugmaker_blasted_for_unethical_pract\

ices.htm

 

Sales representatives for Abbott Laboratories paid for lap dances, dog

track entertainment, Wimbledon tickets, and other favors for health

professionals.

 

As a result, Britain's leading drug industry trade group, the

Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, has suspended

Abbott's membership.

 

The gesture is symbolic and will have little effect, but it does draw

attention to the ethics violations practiced by many drug companies,

even after the industry claimed it would begin voluntarily policing

itself.

 

Abbott, a Chicago-based company, claimed that only a small number of

employees were involved, all of whom either resigned or were fired

before any investigation began.

 

Drug companies spend upwards of $20 billion a year in the United

States marketing directly to health professionals, which is more than

five times what they spend on television ads.

 

Chicago Tribune February 11, 2006