SEARCH:
Sign in | Join | Help
search Mercola.com
 
FREE Subscription 
The World’s Most Popular Natural Health Newsletter
Major Drug Company Illegally Pushes Off-Label Drug Use
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
August 02 2003 | 1,510 views

A former employee of one of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical companies filed a lawsuit alleging the company, Warner-Lambert, distorted information to market a drug for off-label uses.

The drug, neurontin, which is FDA approved only to help control epileptic seizures, was being promoted to doctors as a treatment for bipolar disorder, pain and a variety of other illnesses even though no research existed to support such claims. The drug now brings in over $2 billion in sales, with more than three-quarters of the amount from off-label uses.

The former employee alleges that the illegal off-label marketing scheme may have put patients’ lives at risk and cost patients and taxpayers millions of dollars all in the name of making a profit for the drug company.

MSNBC July 11, 2003



Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Follow me on facebook

The drug companies will stop at nothing to sell their products when billions of dollars are at stake. They are out to make a profit so enticing doctors to prescribe their drugs for as many uses as possible, regardless of whether or not they have scientific evidence to back them up, will only allow them to sell more drugs.

It is a tragedy that so many people rely on drugs and therefore must be exposed to this fraudulent system. There are some cases when drugs are necessary and for those people who do need them, they will have no choice but to rely heavily, if not totally, on their doctor’s prescription recommendation. One can only hope that their doctor has not been persuaded by a drug rep to prescribe a particular drug when another option may be safer or less expensive.

Fortunately, many people can take control of their health and avoid the need for drugs altogether. Drugs are widely overused for so many conditions. I have been able to help many patients resolve their health issues such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even rheumatoid arthritis by using basic health principles that are drug-free and non-invasive.

Intuitively nearly everyone realizes that using a drug is rarely solving the foundational cause of the problem. Check out my nutrition plan for some advice on how to get your health back on track. You can also read my book, The No-Grain Diet, to learn the program that has helped many thousands of people to recover from chronic illnesses without the use of drugs.

With time, and with your help and the Internet, I believe the transformation of the traditional medical paradigm will be complete. I encourage you to share this article with a friend (use the ‘E-mail to a Friend’ feature located at the top and bottom of this page) to spread the word to as many people as possible.

The system is desperately broken and in need of a change. We cannot spend over $1 trillion for health care just to improve profits for drug companies. We have the capital to more than adequately treat nearly all people. It is just a matter of shifting our priorities and perspectives.

If you want to further understand how corporations--and government--manipulate science and the media by preying upon the public trust--and you want to know how to protect yourself--I highly recommend the book Trust Us, We're Experts. It is truly one of those books that all Americans should read, and would make an important gift for any young adult who wants to maintain control over him or herself as they enter "the real world."

Related Articles:

Drug Companies Collect Secret Reports on Doctors

3 Drug Companies Face Fraud & Bribery Charges

Unhealthy Spin by Third Party Fronts for Drug Companies

Drug Companies Greatly Influence Doctors’ Prescribing Habits

Drug Companies Engage in Illegal Sales Practices: U.S. Issues Warning

Are Drug Companies Next Target After Tobacco?






 
 
 
© Copyright 2009 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.