Pharmaceuticals

Sickening Amounts of Healthcare Lobbying

by Diane Farsetta — July 8, 2009 - 12:30pm

The healthcare industry is waging a "record-breaking influence campaign," spending "more than $1.4 million a day on lobbying," reports the Washington Post. "The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) doubled its spending to nearly $7 million in the first quarter of 2009, followed by Pfizer, with more than $6 million" spent in just three months.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, July 6, 2009

Roche Flees Drug Dens

by Bob Burton — July 1, 2009 - 5:14am

The global drug firm Roche has decided to withdraw from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), the peak lobbying group for the U.S. drug industry.

Main Source: 
The Star-Ledger (New Jersey), June 29, 2009

Taxing Times for the Drug Industry

by Bob Burton — June 23, 2009 - 4:06am

As members of the U.S. Congress consider options on how to fund Obama administration plans to extend health care coverage to those currently uninsured, the drug and advertising are digging in to defend tax breaks on direct-to-consumer advertising.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, June 17, 2009

Side Effects May Include... Hey, Look over There!

by Diane Farsetta — May 27, 2009 - 10:51am

"Prescription drug ads have drawn fire for portraying healthy-looking, active and smiling patients while explaining benefits and then rushing through or providing distractions when required risk information is presented," reports Reuters.

Main Source: 
Reuters, May 26, 2009

Bristol-Myers' "Celebrity Patient" Goes off Script

by Sheldon Rampton — May 23, 2009 - 8:48pm

The Wall Street Journal has published a revealing story about one of the seamier sides of the drug industry's marketing campaigns: paying patients to offer testimonials about their drugs. As health industry observer Merrill Goozner explains, the story came to light because a "celebrity patient" had a "falling out with his corporate sponsor, Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Main Source: 
Gooz News, May 14, 2009

Psychotic Marketing for an Antipsychotic Drug

by Diane Farsetta — May 20, 2009 - 1:19pm

Public relations and planning documents from AstraZeneca discuss promoting "off-label" or unapproved uses for the company's drug Seroquel. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Seroquel for schizophrenia, psychotic and bipolar disorders among adults.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), May 20, 2009

Another Bone to Pick with Merck

by Diane Farsetta — May 5, 2009 - 2:55pm

The pharmaceutical company Merck "paid an undisclosed sum to Elsevier to produce several volumes of a publication that had the look of a peer-reviewed medical journal, but contained only reprinted or summarized articles -- most of which presented data favorable to Merck products." The Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine carried "ads for Fosamax, a Merck drug for osteoporosis, and Vioxx" and "appeared to act solely as marketing t

Main Source: 
The Scientist magazine, April 30, 2009

Merck's Heart-Stopping PR in Australia

by Diane Farsetta — May 1, 2009 - 2:24pm

In Australia, the pharmaceutical company Merck is on trial. Australians who took the pain medication Vioxx allege that Merck and its Australian subsidiary, Merck Sharp & Dohme, "knew Vioxx increased the risk of heart attacks long before it voluntarily withdrew the drug from the market in 2004." Merck has paid $4.85 billion to U.S. Vioxx patients, but never admitted liability.

Main Source: 
The Australian, April 24, 2009
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