Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
On December 15, the Illinois Supreme Court threw out a $10.1 billion verdict against Philip Morris and its parent company, Altria Group, saying they did not mislead consumers when advertising "light" cigarettes.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"Many of the articles that appear in scientific journals under the byline of prominent academics are actually written by ghostwriters in the pay of drug companies." Used by doctors "to guide their care of patients," these "seemingly objective articles ... are often part of a marketing campaign." The New England Journal of Medicine recently revealed that a 2000 article on Vioxx "omitted information about heart attacks among patients taking the drug.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
The only licensed U.S. anthrax vaccine maker, BioPort, turned government contracts into "a gold mine," with help from the "right lobbyists and public relations professionals," writes Bob Evans.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Submitted by Laura Miller on
Due to a proposed rewriting of the nation's environmental right-to-know law, thousands of communities stand to lose access to information on toxic chemicals that are released into their neighborhoods.
Submitted by Bob Burton on
Professor Andrew Herx-heimer, emeritus fellow at the UK Cochrane Centre, told the British Medical Journal that changes to the British drug industry's voluntary code of practice were minimal. "This is very competent window dressing but not much has changed at all," he said.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"CBS affiliate WUSA-TV was charging the [Washington] DC government as much as $100,000 annually to promote breast cancer awareness during newscasts." From 2002 to 2004, anchors at the Gannett-owned station were required to encourage viewers to go to the station's website for information about breast cancer - next to a banner ad for the city's Human Services Department. Through their "Buddy Check 9" program, the TV station also encouraged viewers to remind women friends or family members to perform self-exams for breast cancer.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"DuPont Co. hid studies showing the risks of a Teflon-related chemical used to line candy wrappers, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags and hundreds of other food containers," according to a former employee and leaked company documents.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
As "part of a cultural shift that increasingly sees health problems as lifestyles rather than diseases," food marketers are targeting the chronically ill "as the new much-reach demographic." Groceries have "heart healthy" sections because there are more than 70 million U.S. residents with heart problems, representing "$71 billion in annual buying power." The nation's 21 million diabetics "command about $14 billion" and "about two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese," writes the Associated Press.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
West Virginia's Pharmaceutical Cost Management Council unanimously approved "a financial disclosure form that would require pharmaceutical companies to reveal how much they spend on advertising and promotion of brand-name drugs" in the state, as well as any "gifts, grants or payments to physicians" in excess of $25.
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