Documents acquired by the New York Times from attorney Jim Gottstein show that Eli Lilly ran a "Viva Zyprexa" marketing campaign to convince doctors to prescribe Zyprexa off-label and between 1999 and 2002, its sales doubled from $1.5 billion to $3 billion.
Although most people would recognize that the Zyprexa cat cannot be stuffed back in the bag, Lilly nonetheless, got a judge to issue an order on December 15, 2006, in attempt to get the documents returned which states in relevant part:
James Gottstein, Esquire, is in possession of documents produced by Eli Lilly and Company in the above-captioned action in violation of CMO-3, and has been so notified by counsel for Eli Lilly and Company without response by Mr. Gottstein.
Mr. Gottstein has further disseminated these documents to additional third parties in violation of CMO-3.
Mr. Gottstein shall immediately return any and all such documents (including all copies of any electronic documents, hard copy documents and CDs/DVD).
In addition, although Lilly does not mention how hard it is working behind the scenes in the courts to get the Zyprexa documents back in the bag, in a December 18, 2006, press release, the drug maker denied all wrongdoing and states that Lilly "vigorously objects to the characterization of company practices in a New York Times article based upon selective documents illegally leaked by plaintiffs' lawyers."
Market Watch even says that Lilly denies it "vehemently."
To that I says, "So what's new?"
A drug company gets busted red-handed illegally promoting a dangerous and useless drug for uses not approved as safe and effective by the FDA, and its always denial, even in cases such as this where the documents are indisputable.
Its difficult to believe that the person who wrote this press release did it with a straight face. It also leads the mind to wonder how much Big Pharma pays a person to write an out and out fraudulent press release these days.
Here! Here! Lilly also says it "deplores the illegal release of select confidential documents," in its statement.
To that I say, "I'll bet."
"This illegal and selective disclosure of incomplete information," the company writes, "will cause unwarranted concern among patients that may cause them to stop taking their medication without consulting a physician."
To that I say, "we can only hope."
"The Times," Lilly whines, "failed to mention that these leaked documents are a tiny fraction of the more than 11 million pages of documents provided by Lilly as part of the litigation process."
This statement begs the question of how would reading 11 million other documents change what is said in the documents quoted by the Times?
Zyprexa off label promotion scandal is all over the news now.
Lilly drug reps are alleged to have called their marketing ploy,"Viva zyprexa".
Eli Lilly zyprexa cost me over $250.00 a month supply out of my own pocket X 4 years and has up to ten times the risk (over non users) of causing diabetes and severe weight gain.
Zyprexa which is only FDA approved for schizophrenia (.5-1% of pop) and some bipolar (2% pop) and then an even smaller percentage of theses two groups.
So how does Zyprexa get to be the 7th largest drug sale in the world?
Eli Lilly is in deep trouble for using their drug reps to 'encourage' doctors to write zyprexa for non-FDA approved 'off label' uses.
The drug causes increased diabetes risk,and medicare picks up all the expensive fallout.There are now 7 states (and counting) going after Lilly for fraud and restitution.
Only 9 percent of adult Americans think the pharmaceutical industry can be trusted right around the same rating as big tobacco.
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Daniel Haszard www.zyprexa-victims.com
by
Danny Haszard (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 50 comments)
on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 1:50:52 AM
Eli Lilly say's,leaked documents don't convey the 'whole picture' but what is compelling is that zyprexa is the 7th some say 5th largest drug sell in the world and Eli Lilly's #1 by their own admission.
This is for a drug that can be $2.50 a pill and won't get you high,and is only FDA approved for 1% of the population.
Somebody in Lilly land is pushing zyprexa hard. Daniel Haszard
by
Danny Haszard (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 50 comments)
on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 1:56:02 AM
