Martha Rosenberg: New Year's Resolutions for the Drug Industry for 2010
BUZZFLASH GUEST COMMENTARY
by Martha Rosenberg
There was only one thing worse than being unemployed in 2009: working for the drug sector.
Not only did the two biggest drug settlements in U.S. history occur in 2009 -- Eli Lilly's $1.42 billion for mismarketing Zyprexa and Pfizer's $2.3 billion for Bextra, Geodon, Lyrica, and Zyvox fraud -- but also the Supreme Court ruled people can sue if they're harmed by a prescription drug even if it had FDA approval.
No wonder Wyeth and Pfizer and then Merck and Schering-Plough formed defensive mergers in 2009, the former timed to knock out headlines about the Bextra settlement.
High profile suicides also occurred in 2009 prompting the FDA to add black box warnings to the asthma drugs Singulair, Accolate, and Zyflo, the antismoking drugs Chantix and Zyban, and authorities to question the antidepressants given to 80 percent of Iraq war veterans with post traumatic stress disorder.
The open secret of industry subsidized journal articles and Continuing Marketing, sorry Medical Education courses (CMEs) also came under Congressional investigation in 2009 -- as did the drug industry ties of faux grassroots groups such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and high flying researchers such as Harvard's Joseph Biederman, MD.
Clearly the drug industry needs New Year's Resolutions -- and to honor them better than the Corporate Integrity Agreements with the government it keeps breaking.
1. Our reps will wait their turn in medical offices and refrain from waltzing in front of ailing patients because they think their time is more valuable. They will NOT get their own room in medical offices with laptop stations, ice water, and swivel chairs or chatter about the stress of sales quotas on their cells in the waiting room. Female reps will not "sell" with cleavage and spike heels. Male reps will not high five each other or call the doctor "dude." Reps who sold drugs that were later withdrawn will be banished.
2. In addition to admitting to the Justice Department that we mismarketed Seroquel, Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Geodon and looted Medicaid budgets, we will cease selling the actual drugs. We admit that even though forgiveness is cheaper than permission for us, it isn't for the millions of children, poor and institutionalized people who develop lifelong diabetes and metabolic disorders from the drugs.
3. We will stop upgrading anxiety to depression, depression to bipolar disorder and bipolar disorder to "treatment resistant depression" to sell drugs. We will admit that studies are beginning to show that the reason depression is sometimes treatment resistant is because it wasn't depression to begin with but consumer advertising. We will admit our cocktails of depression/bipolar/mood brightener/mood stabilizer drugs occlude the fact that none work individually, raise insurance rates, and create withdrawal symptoms in patients who might have been fine before.
4. We will admit hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer by 26 percent, heart attacks by 29 percent, stroke by 41 percent and doubles the risk of blood clots and dementia. We will further admit hormone therapy is associated with lung, ovarian, endometrial and gall bladder cancer, malignant melanoma, asthma, lupus, scleroderma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, urinary incontinence, and hearing loss -- and the only researchers promoting it are making money off it.
5. We will stop trying to replace the hormone market with a thinning bones market through an osteoporosis scare campaign and admit that we made up the term "osteopenia" at the same time we planted bone density measuring machines in medical offices. Nor will we keep recommending seizure drugs for fibromyalgia pain women don't know they have yet to make up for shrinking hormone and antidepressant markets.
6. We will stop replacing $600 a month blockbuster drugs insurers no longer wave through with vaccines and biologics no one wants or needs. We will give up the attempt to vaccinate boys with Gardasil when it didn't even work with girls or ship it to poor countries plagued with HIV, malaria, or dengue fever. We will stop selling biologics such as Humira that cause cancer and infections such as TB to perfectly healthy college kids with Crohn's disease scare campaigns.
7. We will buy every child under 12 in America a bicycle or skateboard as reparations for our reign of terror treating them for depression, bipolar disorder, ADD, ADHD, mixed manias, oppositional and conduct disorders, sleep and mood disorders, schizophrenia, agitation, anxiety and other "psychopathologies" they may not have even had.
8. Instead of storming Capitol Hill when the government threatens to cut off our livestock antibiotics gravy train, we promise to develop safe antibiotics for people. And speaking of safe, we will renounce the hormones, growth enhancers and pesticides we dump on factory farms that sicken the animals, environment, farm workers, and food consumers.
9. We will stop insulting the public's intelligence by claiming that everyone including people without high cholesterol should take Crestor because we want to sell statins. We will stop implying Vytorin works just because some have forgotten we sat on studies that show it doesn't work in a multi-year con.
10. We will stop rolling out celebrities such as Sally Field and Brooke Shields to hawk drugs and acknowledge the celebrity drug spokesmen the public remember most are Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith.
BUZZFLASH GUEST COMMENTARY
Martha Rosenberg is a Chicago-based cartoonist and freelance writer.
»
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash.com
BuzzFlash: Editorials | Interviews | News Analysis | Alerts | Perspectives | Radio Ads | Reviews: Books, Movies, Music | Television | Books, DVDs, CDs, Hats, T-shirts
Community: BuzzFlash Mailbag | Reader and Guest Contributions | News Releases
Columns: Wings of Justice | GOP Hypocrite of the Week | Last Chance Democracy Cafe | Libby Defense Fund | Jeffrey Feldman's Frameshop | The Daily Buzz | Independent Thinker of the Month | World Media Watch | Blue State Jukebox | Verse-Case Scenario | Ms. Smith Goes to Washington | Caption This
Columnists: P.M. Carpenter | David Lindorff | Barbara's Daily Buzz | Ann Davidow | Thom Hartmann | Steven C. Day | Steven Jonas | Tony Peyser | Shirley Smith
Cartoonists: Kirk Anderson | Steve Bradenton | Tony Peyser | Andrew Wahl
Poets: Tony Peyser
Other: About | Frequently Asked Questions | Headlines | Search BuzzFlash | Put BuzzFlash Headlines on Your Web Site | Get BuzzFlash Alerts | Contact | Home
Support Independent Media: Click Here to See How
Unless otherwise noted, all original content
and headlines are © BuzzFlash.
Contact BuzzFlash for reprint rights.
General Disclaimer: Guest and Reader Contributions, News Releases and Mailbag Letters posted on BuzzFlash are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BuzzFlash or its editors.
dfg
3g modem
Hot offering B970 router is your best choice. 3g modem offer high speed 3g usb modem & data card. We have our own 3g modem distributor channel focusing on huawei modem , zte modem, vodafone modem and wireless router.
3g modem
Hot offering B970 router is your best choice. 3g modem offer high speed 3g usb modem & data card. We have our own 3g modem distributor channel focusing on huawei modem , zte modem, vodafone modem and wireless router.
omega watches
winni2078 08 14
<a href="http://www.juicycouture4u.com/">juicy couture </a>
<a href="http://www.newstyleomega.com/">omega watches</a>
<a href="http://www.juicycouture4u.com/">juicy couture handbags</a>
<a href="http://www.newstyleomega.com/">omega seamaster</a>
air max nike shoes
Own a pair of Nike Air Max shoes is a dream of yourth who are sports lovers.They hope that put on Air Max shoes then can fly as Jordan"swifter,higher,stronger"
Well,looking black the Nike Air Max history,in 1987,the frist Nike Air shoes-Nike Air Max 87 was introduced to publish also know as Air Max 1,A stylish,comfortable running shoes,athletes caught on quick.So we can saw many retro Nike Air Max 87 over the year.But with the passage of time,Air Max 87 shoes can't meet people who require comfortable.So Nike Sportswear have to produced more and more Air Max running shoes,such as:Nike Air Max 95,Nike Air Max 97,Nike Air Max 90 and so on.At the same time,Nike Air Max 90 shoes increased Air Max 1's Air Cushioning,increased wide of sole,all of these make the Air Max 90 shoes stability better.so we can say that Air Max 1 and Air Max 90 shoes just as a father and son.
Mentioned Air,Nike designer knows that the bigger Air is better done,so they developed a greater air bags,use the then new technology called the blow,which can make customer view the the suspension air bags though the 180-degree wrap window.Then Nike Air Max 180 shoes bron,After the designer improve blow,make the Air Max shoes more and more comfort.So the Nike Air Max 93 shoes was resleased natural which make the Nike Air Max shoes's overall shape almost be a different.Air Max running shoes's technological improvements most happen on forefoot and toe area,add a Dual pressure airbags on sole,fully combines the advantages of stability and flexibility,they target is put a life into the Air.this is why Nike Air Max 95 running shoe so popular,and won the King's running shoe honor.25 PSI air bubble readings on the air units and outsole of Air Max 95 shoes is very important,in a word,this Air Max 95 running shoe was inspired by the human bady.
Nike designers for a new breakthrough design a unit throughout the entire palm of the air cushion,then upcoming is Nike Air Max 97 shoes ,Nike Air Max 2003.
The Nike Air Max 97 orginally was goingto be called Nike Air Max total 3,this classic Air Max 97 has been re-released several times over the years.but the Nike Air Max 03 shoes also not let people down,it's contains the full length air sole,TPU mid-sole unit for those hard roads,full-length AIR UNITS is success.the similar to Air Max 2003 shoes is Nike Air Max 2009,almost contains a 360 degree air bubble,help long distance runs,The Nike Air Max 2009 is highly structured.to meet people's sight more and more color way was bron,so Nike Air Max 2010 shoes just like Air Max Tailwind 2009,flywire technology,lightweigt,really a good Air Max Nike running shoe.
Nike can take so big market bc every shoes have it's ownself features,and impove every time.so we can so many Air Max series shoes,such as Nike Air Max BW,Nike Air Max TN,Nike Air Max Ltd,Air Max skyline,Nike Air Max 24-7 and so on,are really classic shoes.
nike air max 24-7 shoes discount,nike lebron vii store free drop shipping and no tax!
pandora
my love pandora jewelry blog pandorasell.com Jewellery . It could equal averred that to each one births how pandora jewelry blog do pandora jewelry blog you pandora jewelry blog dos have dearies with the pandora betterment of textile biography. For instance, all but female person pandora jewelry blog as if vacant shopping, some are fond of roaming and others are satirical on sports or surfing on the Internet. In language of me, I longing to beautify myself with numerous kinds of rings. Among the numerous kinds of earrings unfilled on the sell, a identifying concatenation of earrings bears been pandora jewelry blog sales event most attracting blow me attending because days, it's pandora jewelry blog . It forced out a firm customer to it. It is generally as of it is distinguishing and stylish cook up besides as its sane meriting. Commencement, I americium affectionate of pandora jewelry blog for of its humor. Inwards damage of it's first, pandora jewelry blog births a fantastic legend pandora jewelry blog it costs in addition to the bring up of a fabled bet with an notorious boxful. Allotting to Hellene mythology, bank pandora jewelry blog was a female who was shaped by the Greek by Jove. pandora jewelry blog equalled formerly broadcast to ground with a box, and when she open it, entirely the iniquities of the domain broke away. pandora jewelry blog Only the virtues of hope and chance continued. Because a import, desire and chance birth been counted to Hans Bethe first of all brainchildren in arrears pandora jewelry blog drawing. Then, pandora jewelry blog it is well known that all the fashionable and individual designs of pandora jewelry blog consume equalled fountainhead agnised away almost female person pandora jewelry blog who desire for charm and beauty. It's brought off to delight a different angle of it is customers of various civilisations and a people pandora jewelry blog . Besides, it answers not outlay a destiny for us to own a proper exemplary of pandora jewelry blog . That is, we can possess pandora jewelry blog fashion missing lush hunch forward.
aa
rr
ugg boots cheap
Life stories of some men make one ugg boots cheap succumb to their ingenuity. Some people have proved and some are proving without a second cheap ugg boot store doubt that they are winners. Anybody,uggs on sale in uk who has read “A Beautiful Mind” or has watched a movie by the same name, can never remain untouched by the courage of a sundance tall ugg schizophrenic Prof. Nash who overcame the disease by merely accepting the haunting illusions and getting the uggs sundance coveted Noble prize for game theory. Political ugg classic tall boots leaders, Writers, Economist, Musicians and Sportsmen have been a beacon to their uggs classic tall fellowmen.It is from Act II Scene I Duke Senior, the banished duke says about uggs bailey button boots Sweet uses of adversity.To quote a part of it “Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his bailey uggs uk head; And this our life exempt from public haunt Finds tongues in ugg argyle knit sale trees, books in the running cheap argyle uggs brooks, Sermons in stones and good in every thing.This approach closely follows the ugg classic cardy boots white cheap philosophical approach with a beauty of its own. To appreciate the beauty of life one can relish the works of artists and writers of renaissance period. Be it Da Vinci with the ethereal Mona Lisa, Rembrandt or Monet with classic cardy Water Lillies brought out the essence of life. http://www.uggsbailey.co.uk/sitemap.html clz
bag
chanel
guccic's Journal Michelle Trachtenberg wears Gucci sunglasses gucci gucci Gucci Large Babouska Hobo Gucci Crest Boule Fabric Tote gucci gucci Rihanna for Gucci gucci guccic
fake watches
bag has Gucci Travel & Business reached astronomical proportion since fake gucci bag its advent. Nowadays they gucci bag stores have become fashion statemen Gucci umbrella with engraved-566 vintage gucci handbag discount gucci handbag cheap replica handbags Chanel Quilted Flap Bag Black A46276A-9243 gucci wallet Gucci carry-on duffel with double-600
Zyprexa saga
Prescribed off label for PTSD was ineffective
Gave me diabetes cost thousands in co-pays made me sleepy
"FIVE at FIVE"
The Zyprexa antipsychotic drug,whose side effects can include weight gain and diabetes, was sold for "children in foster care, people who have trouble sleeping, elderly in nursing homes."
Five at Five was the Zyprexa sales rep slogan, meaning 5mg dispensed at 5pm would keep patients quiet. Google * Eli Lilly Zyprexa * and read the links.his is for a product that we put in our children's bodies.
I took Zyprexa it gave me diabetes and was as addictive as tobacco.How so? Because withdrawal is accompanied by severe insomnia for 6 weeks.It was harder to quit Zyprexa than cigarettes.
Awful stuff and $10 a pill
If a drug (Zyprexa) lists anything about the pancreas among the side effects, it probably means it can cause diabetes.
Daniel Haszard Zyprexa whistle-blower http://www.zyprexa-victims.comUnlike your liver, the pancreas does not regenerate itself. If it gets damaged, diabetes is very likely
Market driven? Then drive it. Into the ground.
Having a personal bad experience with Vytorin (did not work at all), and Advicor (damned nearly killed me), I decided NOT to take any prescription drugs just because my doctor says I should. I take niacin for my elevated cholesterol - I believe the only side effect is a hot flash, if taken on empty stomach. And I even question the wisdom of taking niacin. After all, we need cholesterol to deal with stress. I have a lot of stress in my life. Maybe I need the cholesterol more than I need that niacin? I will have to do some more research on the subject, and I advise everybody to do the same.
Make sure you NEED the prescription drug, that is being so conveniently offered, with all the discount, free first prescriptions, or "if you cannot afford it, astra-zeneca may be able to help" you to get hooked.
As to the "10 commandments" for the drug industry, honey, keep dreaming. Or why don't we try that on the illegal drug makers? It will work just the same. Unless we start shooting the drug peddlers on sight, and without warning, it will remain only a dream. Will congress make any laws to curb the greed of the drug pushers? Yeah, right. When the pigs fly.
cfa examMake sure you NEED
cfa examMake sure you NEED the prescription drug, that is being so conveniently offered, with all the discount, free first prescriptions, or "if you cannot afford it, astra-zeneca may be able to help" you to get hooked.
cfp examMake sure you NEED the prescription drug, that is being so conveniently offered, with all the discount, free first prescriptions, or "if you annot afford it, astra-zeneca may be able to help" you to get hooked.
cgfns examMake sure you NEED the prescription drug, that is being so conveniently offered, with all the discount, free first prescriptions, or "if you cannot afford it, astra-zeneca may be able to help" you to get hooked.
chmm exam
Nice Dream
The only problem is: I don't think you're in Oz any more, Toto!