Amgen Fired Manager Over Adverse Events?
7 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // October 20th, 2009 // 4:46 pm
Amgen fired a project manager for complaining that the pharmaceutical giant underreported “adverse events” involving “every product it markets,” the man claims in a lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Ventura, Ca., Courthouse News reports.
Shawn O’Brien says Amgen continues to underreport “post marketing adverse event” data to the FDA and that he was ordered to “stop all work” in 2007 after he found that Amgen’s post-marketing product complaints department was underreporting adverse data for “every product it markets.”
O’Brien says he was told not to discuss the issue with anyone, and four weeks later he was fired in a “reduction in force.” He seeks lost wages and punitive damages for wrongful firing, retaliation and unfair competition, and an injunction preventing Amgen from enforcing a mandatory arbitration contract he says he was forced to sign when Amgen hired him in 2003.
Hat tip to Pharmagossip
Jaynesday
Good night!
FDAer
He should have saved himself the trouble.
As Bob Temple is found of saying, “Where are the bodies in the street?”
Unless there’s a publication or the press is making a stink it’ll only be buried at the FDA anyway.
Even when it isn’t, the standard response is:
a) we’re looking into it
b) don’t go off your meds as this may be worse
c) talk with your prescriber
They’ve been doing this for decades and have the routine down pat.
Jaynesday
I hope this is not true. It is beginning to get sickening constantly hearing about the things that are done and the kinds of people that apparently work at some of our pharmaceutical companies and the FDA.
There are no excuses for this kind of thing.
I need a break from this crap.
talbot
Another pharma triumph! Pfizer sales up 26%, so lose 15% of the head count. Shering-Plough tells docs from 3 states who might want a free ice cream cone to take a hike. And now Amgen is firing–and muffling!–people who think honest reporting of adverse events is an important undertaking.
pharmavet
The deception is not in the quantity. It is how they are coded to make serious AE’s appear more benign. Too many 15 day reports by the company and FDA starts sniffing around.
James
I worked with this guy personally. I was very happy when he got laid off. There is a number of people who found cushy jobs at Amgen and it’s great for everyone here to see them go. I am sure he’s just looking for another way to screw Amgen.
pharmabunny
James,
your idea of “lousy” & “worthless” might change when you are presented with your own walking papers! I personally know an Ex Amgen sales rep who received glowing reviews, never missed quota, was a loyal Amgen soldier yet was given the finger & thrown out with the bio-hazardous materials! “Fired” because he was a “risk” stated Ms. Eagle. This rep was a “risk” for sure. He knew & still knows of all the dead bodies & where they are buried & can prove it! That is what makes him a “risk”.
As for Mr. O’Brien why don’t you let the one who over sees all be the judge & Jury. James it appears that the real lousy & worthless employee is you for under reporting serious adverse events that can lead to many deaths!