Furious Seasons

January 27, 2009

Advertising Pays, Abilify's 2008 Sales Rocket Upwards

Bristol-Myers Squibb today announced its 2008 financials and its atypical antipsychotic Abilify, the object of much TV advertising over the last year, saw its sales hit $2.15 billion, a 30 percent jump over 2007's sales of $1.66 billion. The company has been advertising Abilify on TV both as an add-on treatment for depression (i.e., for use in cases where an anti-depressant alone isn't enough) and for bipolar disorder, the first TV ads ever seen for an antipsychotic. So it's clear that advertising pays.

I've criticized both the ad and the drug in recent months, both in its bipolar version and in its more recent incarnation as an anti-depressant (and in a slightly newer version of the ad). I've noted that the drug is likelier to cause akathisia than it is to successfully treat depression. I've criticized the depression ads for craftily re-branding Abilify as an anti-depressant, when it is actually an antipsychotic. I've slammed the FDA for refusing to comment on BMS's attempt to advertise the drug as an anti-depressant, which in my mind has got to be in violation of the agency's marketing regulations. And I've written about adverse events experienced by children and teens and caused by Abilify. In 2007, I noted that Abilify ads were being pasted to phone booths around Seattle.

BMS is, of course, the same company that in 2007 agreed to pay a $515 million settlement to the feds, much of it to answer allegations that the company had marketed Abilify off-label for use in kids and dementia in the elderly. I guess the big boost in sales in 2008 sort of helps cover that fine.

I'll leave it at that.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at January 27, 2009 11:23 AM

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Comments

To be honest, it's really disturbing that the FDA allows ads like the ones running for Abilify on the basis of such terrible science and the result is a huge growth in sales, but even worse is the destruction in the quality of life of thousands, if not millions, of people. Read www.clinpsyc.blogspot.com today for more on this topic and an analysis of the "science."

Posted by: Sara at January 27, 2009 11:35 AM

I was recently hospitalized for my depression and was asked to take Abilify and initially refused it, but I read up on it (both bad and good) and decided to try it.

I personally am disgusted by this kind of advertising, and didn't want to take any medicine that I saw an ad for.

But... Sine I've been on the Abilify (as an adjunct to my regular meds), I've been feeling so much better. I had a jittery feeling at first, but that's gone away.

I'm concerned about side effects, definitely.
I'm appalled at how big pharma works.
I'm willing to give this med a try, even if it seems naive of me.
I just need to find some way to live and become productive again.

That's my story.

Posted by: Jennifer at January 28, 2009 06:35 AM

Jenniifer, thanks for sharing your story. Do you think there's any chance your "regular meds" may have contributed to your feeling of needing "to find a way to live and become productive again?" I hope your treatment continues to work for you but if things go south again be sure you understand how to get off carefully before continuing to escalate your treatment. There are always two options when meds don't seem to be working, not just one, that is you can reduce or (better yet) eliminate the exisiting meds or add new ones. You may not need to be a patient for the rest of your life.

Posted by: Sara at January 28, 2009 08:55 AM