Pharmaceuticals

Industry Tries to Sell Congress on Drugs

by Diane Farsetta — October 29, 2008 - 1:00pm

A $13.2 million ad campaign thanks 28 members of Congress, 25 of whom are Democrats, "for supporting a children's health-care bill vetoed twice by President George W. Bush in 2007." The ads are by America's Agenda: Health Care for Kids, a new non-profit group whose sole funder is the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), October 24, 2008

Pfizer Turns Failure into Success

by Diane Farsetta — October 8, 2008 - 4:36pm

"Documents and emails released this week ... suggest Pfizer's marketers influenced" research on the drug Neurontin "by declining to release or altering the conclusions of studies that found no beneficial effect from Neurontin for various off-label conditions," reports Keith Winstein.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), October 8, 2008

Not Following the Pharma Money

by Sheldon Rampton — October 5, 2008 - 10:17pm

Medical research conflicts of interest are in the news lately, thanks to recent congressional hearings by Senator Charles Grassley. But are journalists part of the problem?

Main Source: 
Gooz News, October 1, 2008

Costly Silence

by Bob Burton — October 4, 2008 - 6:14am

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), a UK government agency charged with deciding whether drugs should be subsidized by the British government, has been criticized by some patient groups for refusing to approve new and expensive drugs.

Main Source: 
The Independent (UK), October 1, 2008

Eli Lilly: Yet Again, One Small Step Ahead of Congress

by Diane Farsetta — September 25, 2008 - 3:34pm

The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has announced that it will begin reporting its payments to doctors in late 2009, using an online database. But the disclosure is limited to payments of more than $500 made for giving talks or advice to the company; payments for other services or gifts will not be included.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal health blog, September 24, 2008

Drug Companies Need Reputation Rx

by Diane Farsetta — September 9, 2008 - 11:36am

According to a recent Gallup poll, the public has "a dimmer view of the pharmaceutical industry than they do of the advertising / public relations sector, if you can imagine such a thing," writes Mark Dolliver.

Main Source: 
AdWeek, September 8, 2008

Pfizer to Jarvik: See You Later, Doc

by Diane Farsetta — September 3, 2008 - 1:09pm

Pfizer's getting ready to resume advertising for its cholesterol drug Lipitor. In February, the drugmaker pulled its Lipitor ads, over charges they were misleading.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), September 2, 2008

Best-Selling Cholesterol Drugs Found Ineffective

by Anne Landman — September 2, 2008 - 12:53pm

Three million people worldwide are taking the new, heavily advertised anti-cholesterol drugs Zetia and Vytorin, despite a lack of clinical evidence that they reduce cardiovascular disease or heart attacks, or help patients live longer.

Main Source: 
New York Times, September 1, 2008

Merck Makes Science Sell

by Diane Farsetta — August 20, 2008 - 3:13pm

An analysis of Merck internal documents concluded that the pharmaceutical company carried out a clinical study of Vioxx in 1999, "primarily to support a marketing campaign before the drug's launch." Merck stated that the study was done "to test side effects of the painkiller Vioxx," which was pulled from the market in 2004, after being linked to an increased risk of heart attacks.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), August 19, 2008
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