Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16213

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Electronic Source

Thawani V
E-DRUG: The real mission of the pharma giants
Essential Drug 2009 08 04
http://www.essentialdrugs.org/edrug/archive/200908/msg00007.php

Full text:

Hi,

Merck and Schering-Plough knowingly promoted their combination product on lipid lowering (simvastatin + ezetimib) on Direct-to-Consumer advertisements (DTCA) in the US in spite of the fact that the results of their clinical trial showed no advantage of the product. See the full statement of the settlement in the US with 35 States on http://www.thompson.com/public/newsbrief.jsp?cat=FOODDRUG&id=2246

The settlement does not include any admission of misconduct or liability on the part of the companies. Bruce N. Kuhlik, executive vice president and general counsel of Merck, said that the agreement was consistent with the companies? belief that they ?conducted the ENHANCE trial in good faith and that their promotion of Vytorin and Zetia was in compliance with the law.?

Note that the conduct of the trial was in “good faith” but the promotion was simply in “compliance with the law”; no good faith, contribution to health. Neither is there “Committed to Science and Innovation …” which is on the website. And this is from the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Merck itself and not some pharma activist.

See the report about the effort to suppress the data about harmful adverse effects of same product on http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/business/21drug.html?_r=1&hp&oref;=slogin

The Mission Statement of Merck reads:
??.to provide society with superior products and services by developing innovations and solutions that improve the quality of life and satisfy customer needs, and to provide employees with meaningful work and advancement opportunities, and investors with a superior rate of return?.
Perhaps this can be changed to “Committed to making money in compliance with the law”. That would make life much simpler for the companies, the regulators and the consumers.

Honesty, where have you gone?

Dr Vijay Thawani, Nagpur, India
vijaythawani@rediffmail.com