Feds found Pfizer too big to nail

Feds found Pfizer too big to nail

www.cnn.com

Imagine being charged with a crime, but an imaginary friend takes the rap for you.

That is essentially what happened when Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, was caught illegally marketing Bextra, a painkiller that was taken off the market in 2005 because of safety concerns.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This doesn't surprise me, seems if you have the money, your above the law..

So millions (I'm guesstimating) of people were put at adverse risk for a heart attack, and they only have to pay $1.2 billion... a slap on the wrist.

America is truly FOR Corp. and FOR big Pharma..

I'm not shocked in the least.. I am dissapointed.

Their reasoning for not doing what they would to any other smaller company is purely for the loss of jobs it would cost.. I can understand that, but the fines should have been much larger. a mere $1.2 Billion is peanuts for large companies like this.

I'm diguested. I have lost faith in our system. and i have never had faith in large corporations.



www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Cygnis


Cygnus.....

Thanks for posting this interesting story.

If you've noticed my work in the medical forum, you'll note that as a "medical industry insider", I argue strongly against the position that the medical industry is "evil', etc...

However, this is an example of where Pfizer should be strongly sanctioned for this type of "off label" marketing.

I can also assure you that this sort of thing can happen at "front line sales level" & "middle management level" without the knowledge of "senior management level".

That's happened to me.

Tangential to this Pfizer issue.....

I am presently involved with "off label" type use of medical device technology & pharmaceuticals.....it's an extremely complex area, with many subtleties & "shades of grey".

Whilst in some instances it is clearly not advisable, in other instances it is not clear cut at all.

If you are interested, I can illustrate with examples, however I don't want to veer your thread "off topic".

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

[edit on 2-4-2010 by Maybe...maybe not]