Health Care & Prescription Drugs News

HARRISBURG- Today, the Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group (PennPIRG) released a report, "Turning Medicine Into Snake Oil: How Pharmaceutical Marketers Put Patients At Risk," revealing that deceptive prescription drug marketing is both pervasive and dangerous. Some of the principle findings were:

∙During this period, 85 pharmaceutical companies, including industry giants like Merck, Pfizer, Novartis, and GlaxoSmithKline, received notices that the marketing for 150 different drugs was false and/or misleading.

∙Approximately a third of these companies received more than one notice, and nearly that many received multiple letters for the same drug.

∙Of the advertising messages the FDA deemed misleading, 35% misrepresented the risks involved in taking the drug, 22% promoted unproven uses, and 38% made unsupported or misleading claims.

“This report confirms that the Vioxx and Paxil scandals are merely part of a much larger problem,” said Jim Swoyer, a consumer advocate with PennPIRG, “We can’t trust pharmaceutical companies to give us the information we need to make safe decisions about our treatment options.”

Swoyer pointed to well-publicized reports that drug maker Merck suppressed important safety information about Vioxx, its blockbuster drug that was pulled from the market in September 2004. GlaxoSmithKline paid $2.5 million in a settlement with the state of New York for hiding negative results of Paxil, an antidepressant that can increase suicidal tendencies in children and teenagers.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is currently considering legislation that would require pharmaceutical companies to publish all the clinical trial results of prescription drugs they distribute in the Commonwealth. SB 894 (Browne) and HB 2163 (Creighton), also known as The Prescription Drug Right To Know act, would make the publishing of clinical trial results mandatory, and would give the Attorney General enforcement powers over the act. Currently, drug companies can decide which clinical studies to publish, and which to suppress from medical professionals and the public.

Senator Pat Browne (R-Lehigh Valley), chief sponsor of SB 894, stated “Information on the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical products should be fully disclosed to the public. The public must have accurate information, both positive and negative regarding pharmaceutical product in order to make informed purchasing decisions.”

Senator Jane Orie (R-McCandless), a co-sponsor of Senator Browne's bill, said, “I am a strong supporter of this bill. The bill is all the more important as consumers become increasingly sophisticated about their health care purchases. Providing them with the results of the clinical trials allows them to weigh the pros and cons and make their own choices and assume greater responsibility for their own well-being."

Representative Don Walko, (D-Allegheny County), who joined Representative Tom Creighton, the chief sponsor of the house legislation, as a co-sponsor of HB 2163, stated, “The Prescription Drug Right to Know act protects Pennsylvania patients, and empowers Pennsylvania doctors. This is important information which is necessary for making sound healthcare decisions.”

At a press conference announcing the release of the report, Chester Witczak, a York County resident, discussed how his family was beset by tragedy. On August 8, 2003, his son committed suicide at the age of 37. Tim Witczak had been prescribed Zoloft for the treatment of insomnia. He was healthy, had no history of depression, and had never expressed any suicidal tendencies. Soon after he began taking Zoloft, Mr. Witczak began suffering from akathisia, a drug induced side effect that can cause overwhelming anxiety and severe dysphoria (a state of feeling unwell or unhappy).

Chester Witczak stated, “I truly believe that Tim’s death was 100% preventable. This tragedy is a clear example of why a clinical trial disclosure bill is necessary. Had my son known that these conditions were possible side effects when he encountered them, he would have stopped taking Zoloft.”

“There’s no good reason why any drug company should be permitted to keep clinical trial results secret,” said Elizabeth Foley, a campaign organizer with Consumers Union, a leading national consumer advocacy organization. “We urge the Pennsylvania Legislature to pass this important safety bill.”

“Drug companies consistently make claims in advertising that clinical studies do not support,” said Swoyer. “Unless drug companies are required to publish all study results, they’ll continue to cherry-pick the best results and suppress unfavorable information.”

Chester Witczak, PennPIRG, and Consumers Union called on the Senate Committee on Public Health & Welfare (Sen. Corman, Chair) to immediately hold hearings on SB 894.

The Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group (PennPIRG) is a non-profit consumer advocacy group representing 3,500 citizen members across the state. PennPIRG has offices in Philadelphia and Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.pennpirg.org