Big Pharma
As I stated in several posts, In my opinion physicians and other healthcare prescribers should have an informed view on the role the pharmaceutical industry plays in medicine (research, education and primary care).
This collection of posts is a work in progress. It intends to gather information from different independent sources, please feel free to improve it by sending your favorite links to contributions@pharmacologycorner.com .
Big Pharma, drug reps and physicians
How drug representatives can influence doctors. The story behind the marketing of Xyprexa , and some tactics used to persuade physicians. Both revealed by the former drug rep from Eli Lilly, Shahram Ahari.
Clinical Trials in India: An interview with Dr. Amar Jesani. He explains why pharmaceutical companies are increasingly shifting their clinical trials to developing countries.
What is medical ghostwriting? This post summarizes some of the most relevant facts about this nowadays generalized practice.
Marketing practices of the pharmaceutical industry. Excellent PowerPoint presentation from the Southern Collaboration in Research to Impact Prescription of Therapeutics (SCRIPTS).
Big pharma and consumers
Direct to consumer advertising (DTCA). An article overviews how SSRIs where advertised citing the serotonin hypothesis, another post shows the work of a photographer to raise awareness about disease mongering.
External links
Prescribing Under the Influence: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, from Santa Clara University.
Pharmed Out: a project directed by Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD; researcher at Georgetown University.
No Free Lunch: Discusses pharmaceutical industry marketing, promotion, and sales practices and how they may adversely affect prescription drug prescribing practices.
Finally, the documentary
A must see for anyone interested in the topic:
Big Bucks, Big Pharma
