Comments on: Novartis Pays $185M Fine For Off-Label Marketing http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:52:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: JP http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-576124 JP Sat, 06 Nov 2010 05:51:09 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-576124 I use to work for Novartis (field sales)for four years. Novartis' leadership are a bunch of crooked clowns who claim that the company is all about its patients and the customers? It's all about the money and they know it! Field sales reps earn less than $30,000 in compensation anually and a very modest yearly salary (think less than 85k in total compensation.) $250k-500k Christmas bonuses are a common payout for Novartis executives who have nothing to do with sales, while executives who leave the company are payed in the millions. What a scam! I use to work for Novartis (field sales)for four years. Novartis’ leadership are a bunch of crooked clowns who claim that the company is all about its patients and the customers? It’s all about the money and they know it!

Field sales reps earn less than $30,000 in compensation anually and a very modest yearly salary (think less than 85k in total compensation.) $250k-500k Christmas bonuses are a common payout for Novartis executives who have nothing to do with sales, while executives who leave the company are payed in the millions. What a scam!

]]> By: Codes R not us. http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-463009 Codes R not us. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:18:27 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-463009 I found out of this on CP, where someone posted "Rome is finally burning" reffering to Novartis finally getting busted. This Co though it was untouchable for decades, especially since their merger in .96. Then they implemented a new culture of doing biz that boils down to use of equal parts of legal and illegal means of doing their biz. That means that their breaking laws all over the world is deliberate, planned and approved by the very top of the Co. That includes Dr. Vasella.Except that the very top is protected by "buffers" as it is done with real mafia.The top will never be exposed as crooked although the very orders originate there. Finally they are exposed to bigger degree in USA and more is to come. Diovan was promoted out of label all over the world from the very begining. Also bribery, fake postmarketing trials,and other illegal stuff was used on huge scale. That is most likely why Diovan has become #1ARB in the world.In Canada for instance they did even worse things. They have defrauded drug plans of every province to the tune of 150.000.000.00 Can $$ by use of fake PMST.Unlike in US there are no good laws to fight this (no False claim Act) so they do this with complete impunity. Maybe now that US has caught them they may get in trouble even in Canada. Few of us are working hard on this and have irrefutable evidence that the crime has been done, big time.Prediction; by the time it is over, Novartis will have paid a least 1 billion maybe even over 2 billions in fines. They owe it to your people that they as other bigpharma have robbed from you over long time. I found out of this on CP, where someone posted “Rome is finally burning” reffering to Novartis finally getting busted. This Co though it was untouchable for decades, especially since their merger in .96. Then they implemented a new culture of doing biz that boils down to use of equal parts of legal and illegal means of doing their biz. That means that their breaking laws all over the world is deliberate, planned and approved by the very top of the Co. That includes Dr. Vasella.Except that the very top is protected by “buffers” as it is done with real mafia.The top will never be exposed as crooked although the very orders originate there. Finally they are exposed to bigger degree in USA and more is to come. Diovan was promoted out of label all over the world from the very begining. Also bribery, fake postmarketing trials,and other illegal stuff was used on huge scale. That is most likely why Diovan has become #1ARB in the world.In Canada for instance they did even worse things. They have defrauded drug plans of every province to the tune of 150.000.000.00 Can $$ by use of fake PMST.Unlike in US there are no good laws to fight this (no False claim Act) so they do this with complete impunity. Maybe now that US has caught them they may get in trouble even in Canada. Few of us are working hard on this and have irrefutable evidence that the crime has been done, big time.Prediction; by the time it is over, Novartis will have paid a least 1 billion maybe even over 2 billions in fines. They owe it to your people that they as other bigpharma have robbed from you over long time.

]]> By: Anonymous Patient http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460665 Anonymous Patient Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:49:11 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460665 Jail the bums... They are doing the same thing with their cancer drugs Gleevec and Tasigna... Don't trust the swiss.... Jail the bums… They are doing the same thing with their cancer drugs Gleevec and Tasigna…

Don’t trust the swiss….

]]> By: Miranda http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460585 Miranda Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:17:23 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460585 I used to take Trileptal (brand) as a mood stabilizer (off-label)to enhance my MAOI antidepressant, but it really did nothing. Interesting that prominent medical literature included the drug as an adjunct therapy to treat major depression. What makes me even more curious is this: if Novartis was promoting it on an off-label basis, and this was known at least five years ago, why wasn't more discretion taken in the approval of the generic Trileptal (oxcarbamazepine)? Does the manufacturer of the generic have any responsibility in this? I used to take Trileptal (brand) as a mood stabilizer (off-label)to enhance my MAOI antidepressant, but it really did nothing. Interesting that prominent medical literature included the drug as an adjunct therapy to treat major depression.

What makes me even more curious is this: if Novartis was promoting it on an off-label basis, and this was known at least five years ago, why wasn’t more discretion taken in the approval of the generic Trileptal (oxcarbamazepine)? Does the manufacturer of the generic have any responsibility in this?

]]> By: Betsy http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460551 Betsy Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:59:38 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460551 My son is now taking trileptal, and I'd like to know if anyone can personally report terrible or dangerous side effects. My son is now taking trileptal, and I’d like to know if anyone can personally report terrible or dangerous side effects.

]]> By: Doc http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460540 Doc Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:14:59 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460540 If you don't jail those identified in the documents from discovery, this practice will never end - it is too profitable. If you don’t jail those identified in the documents from discovery, this practice will never end - it is too profitable.

]]> By: harpy http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460526 harpy Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:00:21 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460526 whew - no need to worry about that fine. Novartis reported a net profit of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/26/business/AP-EU-Switzerland-Earns-.html?_r=1&ref=business" rel="nofollow">$2.32 billion</a> in the fourth quarter based on <i>strong sales</i>. whew - no need to worry about that fine. Novartis reported a net profit of $2.32 billion in the fourth quarter based on strong sales.

]]> By: harpy http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460521 harpy Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:22:17 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460521 and, actually, it's a fairly new and big deal to get the misdemeanor plea. if you look back you'll see before the last couple of years all settlements were "deny any wrongdoing." and, actually, it’s a fairly new and big deal to get the misdemeanor plea. if you look back you’ll see before the last couple of years all settlements were “deny any wrongdoing.”

]]> By: Former BP http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460520 Former BP Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:18:57 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460520 Once again they let Big Pharma off with a tiny slap on the wrist and a pittance fine. Novartis is laughing all the way to the banks and the commercial execs have already received their huge bonus checks for doing such a good job. And everybody gets off without serving any jail time. Until there is true accountabbility for these shady actions, it will never change. The public is sick of it and hates the drug companies. Once again they let Big Pharma off with a tiny slap on the wrist and a pittance fine. Novartis is laughing all the way to the banks and the commercial execs have already received their huge bonus checks for doing such a good job. And everybody gets off without serving any jail time. Until there is true accountabbility for these shady actions, it will never change. The public is sick of it and hates the drug companies.

]]> By: harpy http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/novartis-pays-185m-fine-for-off-label-marketing/#comment-460519 harpy Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:18:26 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=21145#comment-460519 felony = automatic debarrment from CMS = end of company. Conviction of a misdemeanor means DoJ gets some discretion. In part, this is why the Purdue guys were so up in arms after being debarred when they pleaded to a misdemeanor. they are now suing for reinstatement. felony = automatic debarrment from CMS = end of company.

Conviction of a misdemeanor means DoJ gets some discretion. In part, this is why the Purdue guys were so up in arms after being debarred when they pleaded to a misdemeanor. they are now suing for reinstatement.

]]>