Times must be tough for the Bluth Family of Indiana to think this is a smart idea. Bloomberg reports,
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.
So, they knew all the time. Worse yet, the company was rather brazen with its openness. I can’t imagine working in place where I sit and watch some glossy powerpoint in an crowded conference room and read, “We believe it is essential to weaken this link to neutralize the diabetes/hyperglycemia issue…Neutralizing any concern from our customers will be essential to the future growth of Zyprexa in the marketplace.” No shit?Lying about side affects is essential to throwing more cash onto the $7,600,000 you’ve made on this drug?
Lying and controversy is nothing new for Eli Lilly. But this especially hurts as now, more than ever, Indiana embodies obesity (in case you were counting, we are the 4th fattest state with 26% adults being obese). Way to go Lilly.
1 Comment
August 2, 2008 at 7:06 am
Zyprexa has generated a lot of bad press for Eli Lilly and they still have unresolved Zyprexa settlement claims.
Eli Lilly is ‘reaping the whirlwind’ for aggressive marketing of Zyprexa that has caused suffering and deaths.
Zyprexa is being avoided by doctors they aren’t prescribing it for new patients at all anymore.
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Daniel Haszard 4 year Zyprexa patient who got diabetes from it.