Pharmaceuticals

Ex-FDA Commissioner Turned Lobbyist Pleads Guilty

by Bob Burton — October 20, 2006 - 4:19am

The former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Lester Crawford, has pleaded guilty to breaching conflict of interest rules. Crawford and his wife held between $188,000 and $336,000 in shares in four companies that he was required to have sold, under FDA rules.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, October 17, 2006

Legal Chill Worries Drug Bulletin

by Bob Burton — October 16, 2006 - 1:35am

The case of a judge granting an injunction to prevent a group of medical professionals publishing a critical review of the herbal drug Tebonin has the editor of a major drug bulletin worried. The editor of Australian Prescriber, John Dowden, notes that in two other instances where drug companies sued drug bulletins, the judgements favoured the publishers.

Main Source: 
Australian Prescriber, October 2006

Drug Ads Debate Heats Up in Europe and New Zealand

by Bob Burton — October 16, 2006 - 1:31am

A coalition of European health groups, including the International Society of Drug Bulletins and the Medicines in Europe Forum, is alarmed at a renewed campaign by the drug industry to lift the ban on direct-to-consumer advertising in Europe.

Main Source: 
Health Action International Europe, October 2006 (pdf file)

European Drug Pushers

by Bob Burton — October 6, 2006 - 4:17am

The drug industry is hopeful that it will succeed in watering down the European Union's ban on direct to consumer advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceuticals. Draft proposals from a working group, which includes members of the European Commission and the drug industry, have proposed a public-private partnership to provide patient "information" on prescription medicines.

Main Source: 
MSNBC, September 28, 2006

Merck Unconvincingly Clears Execs of Vioxx Wrongdoing

by Diane Farsetta — September 25, 2006 - 11:29am

Although the pharmaceutical company Merck spent $21 million on a 20-month investigation led by a former U.S. district judge, the report's conclusion that "executives at Merck had not knowingly put Vioxx patients in cardiovascular danger" may not boost the drugmaker's sagging reputation. "Some critics say the report is not credible because of Merck's board's involvement" and point out that Debevoise & Plimpton, the firm whose lawyers carried out the study, has a "pro-corporate" reputation.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub req'd), September 21, 2006

Saudi Arabia's PR Firm on Drugs

by Diane Farsetta — September 18, 2006 - 1:18pm

The major industry lobby group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has retained Qorvis Communications "for a national PR campaign to educate the public about the good work done by drug companies and the important role they play in developing new m

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), September 15, 2006

Scary Evidence

by Bob Burton — September 16, 2006 - 3:45am

British Columbia's Deputy Minister of Health, Gordon Macatee, ordered a lunchtime presentation on disease mongering cancelled until a drug industry speaker could be added.

Main Source: 
Monday Magazine (Canada), September 13, 2006

Medical Journal's Spin Doctors Promote Controversial Studies

by Diane Farsetta — September 14, 2006 - 4:27pm

Writing on her blog "Honest Medicine," Julia Schopick points out that the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) used video news releases (VNRs) to promote two studies that later proved controversia

Main Source: 
Honest Medicine blog, July 30, 2006

Stanford Bans Drug Company Freebies

by Bob Burton — September 14, 2006 - 5:26am

Under a tough new code of ethics all staff and students at Stanford University's medical school, hospitals and clinics will not be able to accept any gifts from drug company representatives. The new policy comes into effect on October 1.

Main Source: 
Los Angeles Times, September 13, 2006

Pharma PR Tries to Spin Gold From Yawn

by Jonathan Rosenblum — September 6, 2006 - 2:06pm

Americans may tire quickly of some pharmaceutical PR, but they've got nowhere to turn (certainly not in bed) when it comes to a new campaign sponsored by the makers of a sleep-fighting medication, Provigil. Drug-maker Cephalon hired Dorland Global Public Relations, which has spun consumers' disinterest in "sleepiness" into a Homeland Security-like campaign for "alertness." The trick: target employers.

Main Source: 
PRWeek, August 28, 2006 (sub req'd)
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