March 21, 2007

Conflict Of Interest O-Rama, The Zyprexa Documents And A Blogging Note

First, I am having a bear of a time posting today. Juggling too much other reportorial work on the one hand--my phone has literally rung a dozen times this morning and that's good--and trying to find something intelligent to say about the mental health world on the other. So, instead of me scrambling to say something smart, I'll link to other smart folks.

The New York Times has an excellent article today on just how much money Big Pharma is giving to doctors in Minnesota, some of whom are influential researchers. It's lots and some of it is going to psychiatrists. A sales rep goes on the record admitting that this money is essentially buying off docs and creating markets for drugs that otherwise wouldn't exist. The paper's reporting is based on reports that have to be filed with the State under a unique law. All states should have this law. Because transparency is a good thing for the public. Much credit to the Times for staying on these issues. Much shame to the rest of the media for being lazy reporters on these issues.

AHRP has an excellent post up about some legal analysis of the Zyprexa documents ruling last month, which, among many other effects, effectively muzzled AHRP on some of the issues around Zyprexa and has prevented the group from linking to this here blog because I have the documents on my site. The basic legal analysis is that Judge Jack Weinstein's seal on some of these documents was stupid to begin with since they were hardly trade secrets. And so on. Read it here.

On Monday night, my good pals at Johnson & Johnson hosted a blogger summit on pharma blogging in NYC. Although the idea of a pharma company hosting a blogging event strikes me as bizarre, they had the good sense to invite Ed Silverman of Pharmalot (one the best blog names going and a damn good blog). BrandweekNRX has an account of the affair.

I was not invited. Neither was CL Psych who has a hilarious parody of a hypothetical pharma blog. Some might say that was because I am too much the critic or would have insisted that the J&J executives look at my drivers license pic, taken mere days after I had a bad reaction to Risperdal (their product) and Lexapro (Andrew Solomon's daddy's product). But, no. I think it was because the event featured an open bar and much wine was consumed. And, well, let's just say the pharma folks would have seen their profit margins collapse if I had been able to go through said wine list. French wine and I are an expensive combination.

The event also featured a blog consultant. Oh, my. Glad to see someone is making money off the blogosphere's back.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at March 21, 2007 12:00 PM
StumbleUpon Toolbar del.icio.us Digg it reddit
Comments

I am so glad tat people like yourself are putting time and energy into being the watchdogs for these big pharma companies. I am relucant to use olazapine if I suffer psychosis again but what are the alternatives? I hope public pressure will stir the company into finding a way to eliminate this side effect.

Posted by: tara east at March 21, 2007 03:05 PM

I find the J&J blogging summit to be one of the most kiss my ass pieces of work yet.
Clearly the blogosphere has widened the 3rd eye of Pharma's marketing teams.

The one who wrote the blog entry you linked to: #1 I never would have walked out without those business cards or a handshake.

Oh for the love of an open bar and Pharma suits to smooze up all night, and write about it on my blog later.

Good thing they don't suspect me being an undercover J & J blogger.

Posted by: Stephany at March 21, 2007 08:23 PM

pic1.jpg

Patient Blogs. Sites.
Doctor Blogs. Sites.
Activists. News.
Social Networking. Forums.
Science. Big Pharma. Ethics.
Current Affairs
Seattle Stuff
Smoking. Stuff.

Info
About Furious Seasons
Email
Other Articles
ZYPREXA Documents
Alt ZYPREXA Documents Source
Blakemore-Brown Transcript

 Subscribe in a reader

Search


Recent Entries
$99 Left
$114 To Go
Winter Fundraiser, $134 To Go, Final Day
Ruth Lilly, Eli Lilly Heiress, Prozac Beneficiary Dies At 94
Winter Fundraiser, Final Day, Less Than $200 To Go
UCLA Psychiatrist Criticizes DSM-5
Winter Fundraiser, Barely $200 To Go
Most Popular Posts Of 2009
Winter Fundraiser, Less Than $300 Left, Let's Wrap It Up
Senate Health Care Bill Contains $1.25 Billion Gift To Sen. Stabenow
Travel Day, Comment Approval May Be Intermittent
Winter Fundraiser, Close But Stalled
Senate Health Care Reform Bill Contains Controversial MOTHERS Act, Abortion Study
Adult ADHD And Sleep Problems
Vic Chesnutt Dead At 45, Possible Suicide
Recent Comments

Stephany on Conflict Of Interest O-Rama, The Zyprexa Documents And A Blogging Note

tara east on Conflict Of Interest O-Rama, The Zyprexa Documents And A Blogging Note

Archives
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
Resources
Mental Health America
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
National Institute of Mental Health
McMan Web
Powered by
Movable Type 3.2