Zyprexa Cat Out Of The Bag

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By Evelyn Pringle (about the author) Page 1 of 4 page(s)

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For OpEdNews: Evelyn Pringle - Writer

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."

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Evelyn Pringle is a columnist for OpEd News and investigative journalist focused on exposing corruption in government and corporate America.

The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.

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