Comments on: Lilly Negotiating $1B Fine Over Zyprexa Marketing

By: Robyn

Robyn — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:27:33 +0000

Spare a thought here for Dr David Egilman.

Knowing of the risk of hyperglycaemia +/- diabetes with Zyprexa, he exposed Lilly’s off-label marketing to the light of public scrutiny. These lawsuits were made possible because of his actions. More importantly, the increased caution that has come with the resulting publicity has saved countless lives.

He deserves to be acknowledged as an international hero.
Instead he has been fined $100,000 for his efforts.

By: Justice in Michigan

Justice in Michigan — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:41:06 +0000

“Until these execs pay with hard time in jail, this stuff is never going to stop!”

I wish it were so simple. Read Howard Brody (_Hooked_) on the “Vice President Assigned to Going to Jail.”

Companies figure in criminal penalties in the same way that other “cost of doing business” potentials are figured in.

By: Lisa Van S

Lisa Van S — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:18:35 +0000

BP Watch

AMEN!!!!

By: Truthman

Truthman — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:13:05 +0000

“Until these execs pay with hard time in jail, this stuff is never going to stop”

Couldn’t agree more…

By: BLD

BLD — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:21:18 +0000

John Leihleiter recently claimed that Lilly is not hiding secrets. Did he do so with his fingers crossed? They may not be hiding secrets, but they sure seem to have committed more than their share of illegal acts for maximum profits!

By: BP Watch

BP Watch — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:17:10 +0000

This is more Big Pharma mess. I guess that old Sidney Taurel knows when he better get out rather than have to deal withmore and more fines. This potential “settlement” only deals with the period of time from 2000 to 2003. What about 2003 to 2007? Was it 4 more years of off-label promotion of this “toxic” drug to people that didn’t need it? How many more people have suffered from side effects and health problems that they didn’t need to have because of the greed-driven irresponsibility at Lilly? Anything to make a buck! Whether it harms people or not! This cavalier attitude has no place in Big Pharma and should only be practiced by those selling true consumer products.

Why do the corporations do this type of stuff? Because they can and escape with a settlement. Eli Lilly made $1.3 billion on Zyprexa in 2007. One of their other major sellers was the life-style drug Cialis, which we all know allows men to be ready for the right time all weekend long, leads couple to take baths in separate tubs everywhere, and may provide for erections for 4 hours or more (not as great as they sound for the unlucky men who have them).

Sidney and John Lechleiter, CEO-to-be, must get paid the big bucks because they have testicles made of steel. John L. is on the news wires claiming that the media is giving pharma a bad rap and at the same time Lilly has its highly-paid lawyers trying to negotiate a settlement with the government in order to avoid criminal prosecution. The individuals who approved and committed the misdeeds escape and it’s the patients who were prescribed the drugs unnecessarily that suffer. I simply don’t understand why being linked to unethical, illegal, wrongful acts that injure others is not a crime! Until these execs pay with hard time in jail, this stuff is never going to stop!

By: truthman

truthman — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:41:08 +0000

The Whole Zyprexa Scandal makes me sick….
I worked with a girl who was precribed this crap..
When the days she could function enough to actually show up for work, she was so spaced out her tongue would fly round her mouth like a lizard and she was constantly on edge… She ended up in the psych ward five times from Zyprexa…

It’s not just Lilly who should go down for this..
The psychiatrists who so eagerly prescribed this poison should be paying compensation too…

Unbelievable…
Human rights abuses by pharma commited everyday affecting thousands of people..

By: Justice in Michigan

Justice in Michigan — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:00:00 +0000

I must disagree with Lisa on one point. If if it were not for the threat of civil litigation, Lilly would never have made this settlement nor would they have made the earlier settlement with injured patients.

Many of us would like to see our outrage over situations like this translated into criminal prosecution. “Settlements,” by definition, preclude that. But again, if it weren’t for the possibility of both civil and criminal liability, there would be no settlements at all, and the Zyprexa “campaign” would still be going on its merry, sweet little way. More destruction.

And again - FDA preemption, if/when the Supreme Court upholds it, will mean no accountability at all.

By: Lisa Van S

Lisa Van S — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:55:36 +0000

Ed,

Do we know where the NJ AG stands on this!! I do know that some NJ legislators expressed concerns to her office.

What scares the living hell out of me, is the fact that Lilly is stll pushing for its approval in kids. FDA will approve antipsychotics for kids, but wont approve a potentially life saving vaccine for Prostate Cancer.
Where’s the Justice

Civil litigation wont deter these individuals, Place them in a Prison where murderers are housed.