Unethical pharmaceutical practices

Criminal activities of pharmacists
Illegal dispensing of drugs
Pharmaceutical malpractice
Corruption in pharmaceutical industry
Blackmail involving drugs
Unfair pharmaceutical practices
Fraudulent pharmaceutical practices

Nature

Unethical pharmaceutical practices refer to actions by pharmaceutical companies or professionals that violate ethical standards, compromising patient safety and public trust. These practices include falsifying clinical trial data, promoting off-label drug use without proper evidence, engaging in price gouging, and providing kickbacks to healthcare providers. Such behaviors can lead to ineffective or harmful treatments, increased healthcare costs, and erosion of trust in medical institutions. Addressing these issues is crucial for ensuring patient welfare, maintaining the integrity of the healthcare system, and promoting equitable access to safe and effective medications.

Incidence

In 2009, Pfizer (and its subsidiary Pharmacia & Upjohn Company) paid US$ 2.3 billion to settle criminal and civil liabilities for illegal promotion of their pharmaceutical products. The amount included payment of more than $102 million in civil settlement to six whistleblowers of the company’s fraudulent practices.

In Brazil, thousands of children were born with deformities due to misinformation and ignorance about the use of the drug Thalidomide as a cure for leprosy.

Claim

"Everybody is out there begging for money. Nobody has any money. The only ones who do are the big international corporations, and they have lots of money. They give grants for research, pay doctors and researchers thousands of dollars to travel around, speak at conferences and establish educational programs, all in order to make profits for their products. The safety trials are supposedly third-party and independent, but the money won’t keep coming unless they support your drug, unless they say what you want them to say. Everybody knows that this is how things work. Only the public doesn’t know it." (Dr Peter Rost, former vice-president of Pfizer and author of The Whistleblower, Confessions of a Healthcare Hitman.)

Counter-claim

Unethical pharmaceutical practices are often exaggerated and sensationalized. The industry is heavily regulated, and the vast majority of pharmaceutical companies prioritize patient safety and ethical standards. Isolated incidents do not reflect the overall commitment to innovation and public health. Focusing on these rare cases distracts from the significant advancements in medicine that save lives daily. Instead of vilifying the industry, we should celebrate its contributions and trust in the rigorous oversight that ensures drug safety and efficacy.