Pfizer fined $2.3 billion for illegal marketing

[bobsilber]

In the largest health care fraud settlement in history, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer must pay $2.3 billion to resolve criminal and civil allegations that the company illegally promoted uses of four of its drugs

Pfizer fined $2.3 billion for illegal marketing in off-label drug case - USATODAY.com

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[geolt7]

This is a good thing in my opinion. Sends the signal to other drug companies and in a way I believe will boost consumer confidence in US healthcare. But I fear this might be just the tip of the ice berg.

[Kay King]

It's a good result but brings up questions. We have a whistleblower act so why does it take a lawsuit to make a big company obey that law?

The FDA approved a certain dosage - where is the FDA oversight to assure the regulations are being met?

What caught my attention when I heard this earlier today was the criminal penalty.

kay

[InternetMarketingIQ]

It wasn't fraud, it was the way they were promoting their products to doctors. All the perks and it's really the equivalent of insider trading for doctors... so I guess you could actually call that a form of fraud.

The pharmaceutical industry is huge business. They want everyone taking a handful of some pill or another.

[samstephens]

Wow:

Of the $102 million share of the settlement that will be divided among six whistle-blowers, Kopchinski will receive $51.5 million. To celebrate, he and his wife took their three children out of school Wednesday to have a new family portrait taken and to go to Chuck E. Cheese's for pizza.

That's a nice slice of the settlement!

I wonder if they tipped their waiter at Chuck E Cheese?

cheers
Sam

[George Sepich]

Unfortunate. I'm not sticking up for the drug companies, they do need to be closely monitored because of their incredible lobbying influence over government, but they are the ones that pump all the research and development money into finding the cures that just might help one of your loved ones. When one of them gets fined billions, there's a good chance they will have to cut back, and that miracle drug that you are hoping will magically appear, might not show up until its too late.

George

[lacraiger]

Originally Posted by George Sepich

but they are the ones that pump all the research and development money into finding the cures that just might help one of your loved ones. When one of them gets fined billions, there's a good chance they will have to cut back, and that miracle drug that you are hoping will magically appear, might not show up until its too late.

George

this is the biggest load of ignorant bull crap.

most pharmaceutical drugs dont cure - they only make you dependent on taking them and thats how they make money. doctors are even encouraged to prescribe these heavy drugs to patients with only mild cases that DONT need them. the whole industry is about profit and not helping the sick.

the best alternative is through natural cures - go buy an ebook for $7 and learn about them.

[George Sepich]

Originally Posted by lacraiger

this is the biggest load of ignorant bull crap.

I'm a firm believer in alternative therapies. That doesn't make every drug released from the pharms a bad thing. Sounds like you know a lot about bull crap. Guess the picture in my mind of where your head has been?

George

[Kirk Ward]

So, where does this go in terms of an internet marketing discussion?

Kirk

edit: While I've got your attention, I do agree with lacraiger. I had to go on alternatives to fix the damage the doctor's prescription caused. Never been on a soapbox before, but anyone on a statin drug is killing themselves.