Mixed Outcome on Eli Lilly's Zyprexa Gag Bid

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Federal court judge Jack B. Weinstein has lifted an injunction on U.S. websites distributing copies of internal Eli Lilly documents on the adverse side effects and marketing of Zyprexa, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder. However, in his decision, Weinstein directed eight defendants to return their copies of the documents to Eli Lilly and was highly critical of a New York Times reporter for his role in obtaining them and publicizing their contents. Weinstein justified the gag order against the defendants on the grounds that "selective and out-of-context disclosure may lead to confusion in the patient community and undeserved reputational harm." Philip Dawdy, who writes the blog Furious Seasons, asks, "and what would be the problem with patients having complete information about the drugs they take and how the company that makes said drugs has behaved, conducted research and marketed its products?"