FDA "proposed" Public Disclosure

The FDA and key staff therein have SIGNIFICANT financial ties to the brand name drug industry.  Therefore, when taking FDA approved prescription drugs you will, most likely, be paying the highest prices in the world for medications with unknown, untested or unlisted adverse drug reactions.  The financial relationship between the FDA and the brand name drug industry may be harmful to your health up to and including death.

Rezulin, a diabetes medication was released in 1997. FDA Medical Officer, Dr. Robert Misbin said that the FDA knew that Rezulin was dangerous before it was released.  In December 1997, following the disclosure of six Rezulin-related deaths, British regulatory officials withdrew Rezulin. 

Despite mounting deaths, the FDA kept Rezulin on the market using four labeling changes.  Rezulin’s ally at the FDA was Dr. Murray Lumpkin who had prior ties to the drug industry.  Dr. Lumpkin overruled concerns from several other FDA personnel. 

In 1999, Dr. David Graham, an FDA physician, presented a report stating that Rezulin was responsible for 430 cases of liver failure. He said the risk of developing liver failure increased 1,200 percent in patients placed on Rezulin, and one patient in 1,800 taking Rezulin would develop liver failure. At the time, Warner-Lambert, the maker of Rezulin, claimed that liver failure occurred only in one in 100,000 patients (1:100,000 is unacceptable & 1:1,800 is murder). 

Another year passed.  An additional five million prescriptions were written, and hundreds of innocent people were needlessly injured or killed before the FDA finally asked Warner-Lambert to withdraw the medication. 

From a Wall Street prospective, Rezulin like Vioxx was a corporate financial success story. In fact, Warner-Lambert earned $1.8 billion dollars on Rezulin sales, and Vioxx final sales totals are yet to be told, but it is in the billions.

Philosophers often ask how can you put a price on human life.  Some pharmaceutical manufacturers can now answer the age old question. With no corporate conscience; no corporate integrity; no corporate moral compass; no viable regulatory entity to create negative consequences; with politicians accepting political contributions from drug companies with strings attached: and with no other "real" goal except to make ever increasing profits...causing adverse drug reactions up to and including death are simply "good business practices" as long as the brand name pharmaceutical universal mathematical equation is followed.

When   Sales - Expenses - Potential Lawsuits = PROFITS, then, the following is the only choice available for the mercenaries in the brand name drug industry:  if it is profitable, by their very nature and by every fiber of their being, drug companies must DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to continue "business as usual" regardless of how many people are harmed in the process. 

AMERICANS beware!  The drug companies absolutely don't care about you! Don't be a drug industry statistic!  According to many industry experts, Vioxx was known to be a significant health risk for several years, and yet, it was one of the most heavily advertised medications. Don't trust drug industry advertising!  Taking the newest medicine could kill you, and most likely, you would have paid top dollar to get the poison from your executioner.

Be an aware and informed consumer. Before taking the newest medication, ask your doctor If there is an older, proven, less expensive alternative available.