Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - (Page 14) Business Ethics is only approved by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia and a specific type of bipolar disorder and, under FDA rules, prescription drug manufacturers may only promote their products for approved uses. However, Lilly was accused of marketing the drug for numerous off-label uses including Alzheimer’s, depression and dementia. Lilly clearly has the structure in place to listen to its employees; in this case, though, not enabling it has cost the company dearly. Allegations of some less than ethical tactics employed by Lilly emerged during the court case. It was suggested that during off-label lectures and audio conferences for physicians, Lilly’s sales people posed as audience members who were interested in Zyprexa’s expanded use and asked ‘planted questions.’ Furthermore, while knowing the significant risk for weight gain posed by Zyprexa, Lilly was said to have minimised the connection between Zyprexa and weight gain by widely distributing a videotape called “The Myth of Diabetes,” which used “allegedly scientific studies of questionable integrity as well as the haphazard reporting of adverse events.” The case surrounded six employees who had raised their concerns about these practices to Lilly. All six claimed they were either fired or forced to resign. One sales representative, who is also a pharmacist, contacted the company hotline regarding the unethical sales practices but got reportedly no response. “They reported what they felt was very wrong and tried to do it first within the company boundaries, but no one was interested in hearing that,” says Jamie Sheller of Sheller PC, the US law firm which filed the first complaint in February 2003. After a long court battle, Lilly was eventually ordered to pay out $1.4 billion to settle criminal and civil investigations into the marketing of the drug and has agreed to plead guilty to a federal misdemeanour. Lilly clearly has the structure in place to listen to its employees; in this case, though, not enabling it has cost the company dearly. proliferation of the internet and blogging has led to an increase of the latter — those who may have issues with a company and set out to damage their reputation. Sadly, these people can be effective, especially when unfounded rumours lead to a downturn in share prices. We must also dispel the myth that whistleblowers are ‘misfits,’ people who simply cannot fit into the organisation he or she threatens with disclosure. Some may accuse the Lilly whistleblowers of making a tidy profit from their actions (each of the six will receive a share of 18% of the federal and qualifying states’ recoveries)… The genuine whistleblower recognises that they cannot tolerate the violation of morality or public trust and feels obliged to do something about it. Sadly, the biographies of many whistleblowers make for unhappy reading, but their very existence is testimony to the intertwining obligations of the corporation, the individual and society. Many whistleblowers are considered to be disloyal to the company that gave them a job, but this view disregards the sometimes terrible internal conflict between ‘corporate values’ and ‘personal values’ that they often feel. Some may accuse the Lilly whistleblowers of making a tidy profit from their actions (each of the six will receive a share of 18% of the federal and qualifying states’ recoveries), although it should be remembered that these people had no idea of the final settlement when they made their decision. What they were aware of is that their actions could lead to ostracisation by their co-workers, the potential loss of their jobs, and perhaps damage to any future career in the pharmaceutical industry. But they still went ahead because they believed that when the demands of doing business conflicts with the morality or well-being of society, it is business that should yield. Amilia Tope is the associate editor of Pharm Exec Europe What motivates the whistleblower? We must make the distinction between genuine whistleblowers and those people who are just interested in malicious scaremongering. The 16 ON THE MOVE This weeks appointments and promotions 2 FROM THE EDITOR A week in pharma is a long time 3 NEWS Best new antidepressants named 4 NEWS Pfizer’s ‘stomach turning’ UK cinema ad
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 Contents From the Editor News Calendar Actavis Exclusive Diagnostics Business Ethics On the Move Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Contents (Page 1) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 2) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - News (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - News (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Calendar (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Calendar (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Actavis Exclusive (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Actavis Exclusive (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Actavis Exclusive (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Diagnostics (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Diagnostics (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Diagnostics (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Business Ethics (Page 13) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Business Ethics (Page 14) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - Business Ethics (Page 15) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 11, 2009 - On the Move (Page 16)
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