I used to practice medicine and I rarely read press coverage or even looked for balanced info. I would eat the lunch and listen to the rep., and write a script. (prescription)
After a few years I decided I was basically prosituting myself and no longer accepted any freebies (I was in the MINORITY of other health professionals)and tried to educate myself and still do.

What happens when patients go to a psychiatrist for Zyprexa and other meds, such as Cymbalta, is that is where the medical part leaves it's shoes at the door. The patient goes home, takes the meds, is primarily concerned with allieviating psychiatric symptoms, and when the person feels nauseated, has diarrhea, dizziness, weight gain,insomnia or spiked blood sugar problems--they go to the PCP and complain of these medical issues, and the 2 paths rarely cross between a psych and PCP so there is no connection to the psych medication as a possible reason for the side effects. Women are told to have thyroid tested due to the weight gain, the list goes on and on. The only way for a consumer to connect the dots is to know ahead of time, and be educated before taking that first pill. Doctors are being educated by Pharma reps, and that is that. Most consumers don't have a clue Seroquel for instance could cause the same problems as what they read about re: Zyprexa. [if they heard about it at all].

Their profits went up because they raised the price of Zyprexa, not because doctors used it more.

Anyone who's ever seen a scale in a psychiatrist's office, raise your hand. The disconnect between medical and psychiatric care is real and leaves big disasters in its wake.

I think Zyprexa is up due to Lilly raising its price here and abroad (remember, the euro is worth a heck of a lot more than the dollar) and also Lilly pushing the drug hard in the EU. That's why both France and Germany did TV shows about Zyprexa here: they were worried that with this push their citizens were sitting ducks for the side effects.

The worst part of the CYMBALTA explosion is the number of people being prescribed it for "nerve pain" due to physical injuries such as herniated discs, shoulder injuries, etc. etc. These folks and their doctors have no clue as to the psych effects of this medicine, and no understanding that when you stop using it, it must be done gradually. I have seen several clients of our workers' compensation practice get totally unstrung or even suicidal after being prescribed Cymbalta to reduce their pbysical pain. One young man informed me tersely that he no longer took that pill because he didn't like the way it "fucked with his head." If only his doctor would listen.

These folks taking psych meds for non psych issues like pain often end up getting psych diagnoses when they complain about the side effects of the psych drugs. Years ago I was at a chronic pain lunch and learn seminar sponsored by a physical rehab center. One of the Ortho's giving the presentation recommended prozac for chronic pain - if you could trick the patient into taking it. Turns out, it didn't work.

Keep reading Forbes' reports. They are basically trashing Lilly's third quarter report. Yay.