BY ANY standard, the $2.3 billion sum that pharmaceutical giant Pfizer will pay to settle charges of improper drug promotion is big. But will it change anything?
Doctors can prescribe medications in situations other than those approved by drug regulators, but drug firms in the US are not allowed to promote these 鈥涣蹿蹿-濒补产别濒鈥� uses.
The payout settles claims by whistleblowers and the US government that Pfizer broke these rules for a range of drugs including the painkiller Bextra, pulled from the market in 2005 because of evidence suggesting it might increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
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The sum represents less than three weeks of sales for Pfizer, based on 鈥� a significant loss but by no means catastrophic. 鈥淚t sends out a clear message,鈥� says , formerly of the in Washington DC. 鈥淲hether the message gets heard or not is a different question.鈥� Given the huge profits to be made from drug sales, he says, the incentives to bend the rules remain strong.
鈥淚t sends out a clear message. Whether that message gets heard is a different question鈥�
