Sunday, August 03, 2008

Lilly - Viva Zyprexa: court documents released

Eli Lilly trained its sales force to downplay risks for Zyprexa and encourage doctors to prescribe the drug beyond approved uses for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to court documents.

Lilly's research showed some patients on Zyprexa gained as much as 80 pounds and that the incidence of high blood sugar at diabetes levels was 3.5 times higher than for placebos, according to documents filed in a lawsuit brought by the state of Alaska. Before those findings, doctors already saw a ``logical link between weight gain and diabetes,'' an instruction sheet advised the sales force in 2002.

``We believe it is essential to weaken this link to neutralize the diabetes/hyperglycemia issue,'' the company said in the sales document, which was provided for the Alaska case. ``Neutralizing any concern from our customers will be essential to the future growth of Zyprexa in the marketplace.''

Bloomberg

Here's the Connecticut AG's Press Release.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Eli Lilly Zyprexa RICO Lawsuit
"Through a complex series of illegal rackets and lies, Eli Lilly drug company built a multi-billion dollar drug enterprise at the expense of taxpayers, consumers and patient lives".
Zyprexa remains on the market in the United States and more than 80 other countries. About 30 state attorneys general have subpoenaed documents detailing Lilly's sales practices for Zyprexa as part of a civil investigation under state consumer protection laws.

HERE http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=28308 Connecticut Sues Lilly Over Zyprexa (this is a RICO lawsuit like they use against organized crime)