Furious Seasons

March 16, 2007

The Zyprexa Chronicles: Big Pharma Apologist Trots Out Lamest Argument

Ever. Yep, CMPI's founder Robert Goldberg makes the following point over at Drug Wonks concerning Zyprexa's static sales:

"Except people don't switch to something else. They just stop taking drugs. Period. Or, as with the case when the media fed the SSRI scaremongering, they don't take drugs at all. As with depression, untreated, schizophrenia and manic depression can lead to violence, self-mutilation, substance abuse and suicide.
I am afraid that the slowing sales is a signal of tragedy to come. Lilly has been warning of weight gain and diabetes for years. Coming up with something other than trial and error before starting with meds is what we need to shoot for and is best for all. But others have fanned the flames of fear."

I am not sure where Goldberg picks up his information on the patient world, but patients generally don't stop taking drugs due to media coverage (media coverage of psych meds is pretty scant to begin with). They do it because the drugs don't work especially well and are mean as hell to their bodies and brains. When Goldberg's homies at Big Pharma begin making tolerable meds that actually works as advertised for the majority of patients, as opposed to a minority, then maybe I'll be sympathetic to his point.

I'm not sure, also, where the hell he's getting "scaremongering" in the media's coverage of these issues. If anything it's been restrained, and the item that set Goldberg off was business coverage of Eli Lilly's CEO talking about Zyprexa sales. Nothing more.

His contention that Lilly has warned of diabetes and weight gain associated with the drug for years, an assertion he's made before, is only correct after 2003. Prior to that, Lilly was staring doctors and patients square in the face and saying, "Diabetes? What diabetes?" As they did in June 2002, weeks after the Japanese (and Europeans) forced them to add warning to Zyprexa. Meanwhile, here in the US, Lilly reps were instructed to go into PCPs' office and tell them they could assure "Donna" that Zyprexa was safe. It's not flaming fear to report those simple, documented facts.

Back to you, Dr. Goldberg.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at March 16, 2007 12:03 AM

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Comments

He won't respond. He is smart enough to know better.

His job is to simply parrot whatever line furthers pharma's chosen narrative, and then be there with his grassroots sounding astroturf org so he can be cited or quoted whenever necessary.

He fits fact to policy and will not (can not) respond when the veracity of his factual claims are challenged.

This is why DrugWonks never posts comments.

Posted by: Morris Berg at March 16, 2007 09:30 AM

Why doesn't he ask patients why they quit taking psych meds? Here, Mr. Golberg I'll tell you why. They suck. They did not improve my life, they made it worse. Psych meds put me in the psych hospital 3 times. I've never been hospitalized, not one time since I stopped all psych meds against medical advice. The twitches in my quadricep muscles, the trembling in my hands - gone. Labile moods - gone. Insomnia - gone. Problems urinating - gone. Blurry vision - gone. Nausea - gone. I'm now employed full time. I have a life. I'm so happy I'm off the crappy meds. Hooray!

Posted by: Lisa at March 16, 2007 03:48 PM

Lisa--

Good for you. Unfortunately, I hate to admit it, but not everyone can function without meds. Like you, I got off Lilly's Prozac several years ago. Depression isn't completely gone, but I can function quite well. And now that I can compare then (w/Prozac) and now (w/o Prozac), I choose to manage WITHOUT Lilly's miracle treatment.

Posted by: Melody at March 17, 2007 07:15 AM

.."scaremongering."

..."Except people don't switch to something else. They just stop taking drugs. Period."

The patients stop taking drugs, because they are smart. The ones who can suffer through withdrawals can testify to feeling better off meds than on meds.

There is no media scare tactic going on; as a matter of fact it's an advertising blitz happening directed at innocent people; like the Abilify booth ads.

.."I am afraid that the slowing sales is a signal of tragedy to come."

The only tragic outcome is losing $$ Big Pharma. There is no way on God's green earth that I believe any one defending a drop in sales of psych medications cares one bit about the human side of this story.

IF anyone of these suits ever took these medications, they would be "scaremongering." They would be speaking out against psych med use and demanding better quality of life.

"..As with depression, untreated, schizophrenia and manic depression can lead to violence, self-mutilation, substance abuse and suicide. "

This is where I draw the line: the above statement is a rediculous piece of crap. Now who is scaring who into taking meds?

Where in the hell does this guy pull his information from? I know where.

Goldberg why don't you focus on "FDA Reform" and get on with it.

Posted by: Stephany at March 17, 2007 09:23 AM

Talking about "suits" taking these drugs--while not having taken specifically neuroleptics, Gwen Olsen a high ranking drug rep at one time, speaks out about her terrible reactions to two meds on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/

Do the search "Gwen Olsen" to see the videos.

Of note: Her reaction to to antidepressants led to a manic episode that got her labeled bipolar. The doctors told her she would be on drugs the rest of her life. She didn't believe them, stopped the anti-depressants and has no bipolar symptoms.

Too many people get the bipolar label due to a anti-depressant adverse reaction and go on to be lifetime patients. She is lucky she figured it out.

She is also the author a book "Confessions of a Drug Pusher: God's Cal to Loving Arms"

A true whistle blower. She is quite refreshing.

Posted by: Gianna at March 18, 2007 04:27 AM

Goldberg is just whining because Zyprexa sales are flat, according to CEO Sydney Taurel. YAY. All of us put together are having an impact on prescribing practices of this lethal drug.

Philip Dawdy is right about Japan and the UK making Lilly place warnings on Zyprexa in Spring of 2002. I often dream that if we had been living in one of those countries, my child would still be alive. He died of profound hyperglycemia in October 2005. We had no warning on the label,no warning from the doctor,nothing. And no vigilence, as lithium had been the drug of choice until he was put on this poison by Maryland Medicaid in 2000.

I hope I never come near a Lilly employee because I feel violence and might act on it.

Posted by: Allen at March 18, 2007 01:58 PM