Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Medical Industry Fraud


http://www.washingtondcinjuryattorneyblog.com/2011/01/pharmaceutical-companies-are-r.html

22 comments:

  1. This fact that Big Pharma is corrupt is not shocking. They have long strive for huge profits of the backs of Tax payers and working class in this country. The increase for huge profits is pure greed motivation at its best and our societies ever growing Machiavalian Theory of do what it takes to keep power at all cost. We see this growing in big industry and especially in our health care system. You see big Pharma as well as the insurance industry fight tooth and toenail to stop any kind of real health care reform and change. Why??????
    So they can peddle their goods at high price and exceptable profitable rate.
    We need stronger FDA regulations and to make what Big Pharma is doing to the consumer a harsh criminal act. We need enforcement with Teeth not a set of worn out dentures.

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  2. In no way am I surprised that pharmaceutical company's are a leader in Federal Fraud Lawsuits within the United States. As you can see just walking around supermarkets almost 70% of our fellow shoppers are either obese or overweight. This population is a target which aids to the advancements of the medications market. They produce products and sell them without being approved by the U.S. FDA.
    There’s no easy fix ,but no medications should be the go to for weight loss. If we simply just walk once a day everyday or simply do an activity such as cleaning the house one can start seeing improvements towards weight loss. This will help decrease the fraud towards pharmaceutical company’s.

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  3. No surprise here that the pharmaceutical companies are the leaders in fraud. Tons of money is generated and spent for the research and testing of new drugs. The pitfall for these companies though, with the amount of funds used in the process of creating a new drug, is when the drug fails. The outlook for the pharmaceutical companies that experience this is grim. Thankfully, Public Citizen was founded to fight back and give the people a voice when fighting against the government. There would be more people dead had Public Citizen not been established. The pharmaceutical companies that market illegally obviously have a longing for mass profits, instead of having conscience awareness for the customers that could and would be taking their drug. There is no excuse for something not approved by the FDA to be released into the industry. FDA approval first, then we’ll start marketing your new miracle drug – is the way it should be.

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  4. I am not surprised in the least bit that the leader of lawsuit is the pharmaceutical companies. I mean seriously every time you turn on the television there is a new ad about how some drug company did you wrong and how you can sue the companies for your damages. Just like most things in this world the pharmaceutical companies are corrupt. They make billions of dollars each year and if they have to fudge the truth about whether or not the drug might be safe so be it. As long as they are making money, that is the important thing right? I’m glad that there are avenues that citizens can use in order to get something for what they may have lost. I think there should be a stronger crackdown, stronger penalties to discourage drug companies from doing this. Because let’s face it yes money helps but it can never replace a life.

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  5. Yeah i figured that the whole pharmecutical industry was corrupt with fraud. There are alot of ways you can fraud this industry. i think that what the government is doing is right. this isnt the place for fraud. people really do benifit of of some of the medicine going through the pharmecies. one of them if me, i benifit of a couple differnt medicines that i take. if one of my medicines wasnt right or wasnt working or maybe wasnt what i thought it was it would really hurt me. i think its good that the govermnet is cracking down on the fraud in the pharmuctical indusrty. there is no exuse for fraud in this indusrty.

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  6. This does not surprise me. Pharmaceutical companies are some of the greediest organizations in the world. They get the government(FDA)to back their products, but some of their products don't make it that far. Some of the products haven't even been tested, yet they still find ways to get the product out into the market. So many people are looking for a quick fix to things that ail them;that they are willing to try anything without thinking about the consequenses. The Gov't needs to crack down on all of the crooked pharmaceutical companies because a lot of people are being harmed or even killed by these concoctions!

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  7. I’ll have to agree with everyone before me when I say I’m not surprised by this article or claims that the pharmaceutical industry is fraudulent. I know from experience that prescriptions are thrown at people left and right without proper diagnosis, in order to make more money. My 6 year old went in to the ER for a small fever, earache and headache. She was prescribed a high-dose antibiotic and pain reliever (which I chose not to administer) after the doctor flat out told me the ache was caused by molars that were growing in. I called her dentist and pediatrician and they both advised against giving her an antibiotic (which could potentially harm her immune system) and assured me the pain would alleviate within no more than a couple of days. Needless to say THEY were right! Another experience was my own sister who was prescribed Lithium on a first-time visit to a doctor for anxiety when she was 17 years old…. Imagine what you will how that one turned out. Again, this article has nothing new or surprising to report; this industry has been and will always be corrupt.

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  8. I’m not the first to say I am not shocked by the fraud filtering through the pharmaceutical industry and i’m sure I won’t be the last. In 2011, our world has come to depend on medications more than ever before. A kid who is badly behaved MUST have ADHD, an adult that isn’t as energetic and bubbly as they used to be MUST be dealing with depression. Our first instinct is to slap a medication to someone’s name and let them be on there way. As long as you know the right symptoms to tell your doctor, you can get any prescription drug you want. With the medical world operating this way, it’s no wonder fraud in this business is escalating, it’s where the money is. Americans have become so greedy and money hungry that it is no skin off someone’s back to sell a drug that isn’t FDA approved, at the consumers expense, as long as it is profitable.

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  9. it does make sense that the pharmaceutical industry has one of the biggest frauds within usa, nad im totally agree with kayla about that pharmaceutical industry uses medicacion that it hasent be aproved by FDA in people as experiment. all the peolpe that have some kind of rare decease are perfect target to them because there is when they can say it could be the last hope adn that way they let them try they new medication on them hopping that maybe there could be a hope for this people, and anyways if they work or not, the pharmaceutical industry still charging the family of that particular person and here is where they make money and of course is illegal.... for the pharmaceutical industry is like play lottery because if their medication works.... they win...

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  12. Chase Barnett
    How can I respond to this blog respectively? It may be that you are misinformed about your ADHD theory. Also, the analyses and example of physical abuse to a child is alarming. There are many issues plaguing the pharmaceutical companies and making a profit is one of them because they have to. When the FDA approves a drug the approval is for a specific indication. Promoting a prescription medication or something that the FDA did not approve is a violation of the False Claim Act. Vitamins and over the counter weight loss products are considered nutritional supplements and do not require approval by the FDA. Also, it is not the pharmaceutical company’s fault that kids illegally sell their medication to others. That is a moral issue and a criminal act that individuals commit by selling a controlled substance in violation of the Controlled Substance Act. Unfortunately there are no quick answers to solve the issues.

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  13. The pharmaceutical industry is both greedy and rifled with fraud. Most of this industry is pushing to make as money as possible now because they know that the Medicare system is broken. Recently, I had a prescription that I refilled and the copay was $35 from $14 last year. When I asked the pharmacist about this, she said that the cost of the drug had gone up! The sales reps of the pharmaceutical companies that "push" the use of psychoactive drugs and use bribery to persuade the physician to aggressively prescribe are also involved in the fraud because they receive incentives too. The doctor is at risk also because there have been mistakes in prescribing two or more drugs whose interaction is known to produce side affect and the patient does not find out about this until it is too late, such as long term damage to the body. What is really a crime is that there are medicines that the pharmaceutical companies have that could save lives or enrich some quality of life for cancer patients. These patients cannot either get the medicines or cannot afford the absorbent rates that are charged. I believe that this greed starts at the pharmaceutical companies but goes all the way from the sales reps, doctors and the pharmacy.
    Shirley

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  14. I will not be the first who is not surprised that the corruption of pharmaceutical companies is now being brought to the light. Thinking about all of this I wonder... What the **** happened to making medication to enrich the lives of people?! Now it is about PROFIT! Not making medication that WORKS! Now pharmacy companies seem to make products to make money and not study them in depth, to make sure the drug is does not contain some harmful effect as well as gain the U.S. FDA approval. This can be shown by companies who bribe doctor to prescribe their product to patients. Also promote their product using doctors who are not medical doctors. I do not remember the product's name but I knew it was some type of weight loss pill that was being promoted by a person who had a Ph.D. in something like psychology, nothing to do with medical. Whoever these people controlling the pharmaceutical companies, they need to focus on enriching the lives of people, not trying to, "make a buck".

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  15. I'm not one to be surpised about anything that happens to us. So many times we get walked all over, but in this case the gov't has decied to help lets all give them a hand. For once they want to stand up for us maybe when the flu hit they can pay for everyone to have the flu shot since some dont have the ins. or the money. They wont do that because the flu season brings in lots of money. Yes they are help will curtain cases but what about everyday things. We need the help now not in 10 or 20 years when they settle the case. I want to know would the gov't be trying to help us if they didn't make a buck off it and I would say NO in every case they help us in they are making something out of it. I will be nice they day we don't get lie to stolen from but what am i asking for not much , but it is No one will be willing to help unless they were getting something in return. But one day kindness and trust will come we will all work together. When we can trust the meds that the doctor writes they the companies with be one with us.

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  16. Like most of the responses, it does not surprise me that pharmaceutical companies account for the largest amount of federal fraud. It also does not surprise me that companies such as Pfizer and Elan Pharmaceuticals would do whatever it takes to make money, even if it means going behind the FDA's back and risking the health of many individuals. I strongly agree with U_S_Blogger in the fact that what happened to providing medications to better the quality of life? It truly is, as the article points out, merely for profit and the companies are willing to gamble our health for money. We should be able to 100% trust drug companies are invested in our health and are doing everything they can to produce medications to better our lives. Even in the documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story, the inventor of the polio vaccine gave it away FREE when he could have easily been a millionaire. What happened to the ethics in the pharmaceutical industry?

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  17. Of course, like mos have mentioned, it is no surprise at all that the pharmaceutical companies are the number one leader in Federal Fraud Lawsuits. And sadly, as Nick did state, there is ton of research and lots of money being spent for the testings of many drugs. Yet, sometimes the outcome doesn't turn out the best they thought it would; however, it's great for them because they have all the money. The whole issue stars from the very beginning, why do companies promote their products when they haven't even been approved by the FDA? Well money talks, is the answer! Maybe if there were to be better penalties to encourage these companies to not do so, it would help out a lot.

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  18. It’s sad when pharmaceutical companies can get by with murder. That is what it is “Murder!” Dr. Braithwaite said that criminal conduct is worse in the pharmaceutical industry than in the streets. Now that’s HORRIBLE! This is another example of corporate crime. The pharmaceutical companies are testing drugs on humans looking for a good outcome to get the FDA to approve this drug for the market. In addition, these companies are also looking for a quick buck without getting FDA approval. The government will not allow someone to take their own life if they are terminally ill but they allow these pharmaceutical companies to commit murder and get by with it. Is there something wrong with this picture? What I don’t understand is why the government or our legal system doesn’t step in and stop all this corporate greed? It is not just with the pharmaceutical companies but also with the big corporations. We complain how bad our economy is, the richer getting richer and the poor getting poorer, and no one does anything to stop it. Corporate greed is alive and well in this country and we the people DO NOT do anything to stop it!!

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  19. In no way does this surprise me either, pharmaceutical companies have always been corrupt and only in it for the money. They are in a competitive business and have to do anything to make money, while also protecting their medications from, the companies that make generic prescriptions. They have to run tests and experiment for the drugs in order to receive FDA approval. I do agree that they are just in it for the money, however they are allowed to be because they are providing a much needed commodity for the American public. With diseases like diabetes set to reach 15% of the US population by 2015, drug companies are going to continue trying to make the most money possible.

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  20. I wasn't really aware of this happening but now I can see how it can happen. Drug companies want to get out there and get there medications known and want people to use them. I remember watching a movie about a guy who got into the business of selling the Viagra pill but I cant seem to remember the name of the movie but it showed him going to doctor's offices and placing his drug on in the doctor's office and taking the competitor's drugs off and throwing them away. So I can kind of understand this. But the fact that the drugs haven't been approved yet is the main thing. There could be side effects some small and some big. It's crazy to think that it is one of the largest federal fraud cases. But knowing this now makes me way more aware what is going on out in the world and to be careful with some prescribed drugs.

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  21. Greed! Greed synthesized with capitalism breeds “crime in the making” for those free enterprise crazies’. If America had universal health insurance, fraudulent schemes in the pharmaceutical industry would cease to exist. I must be careful to mention this, or else be possibly stoned by the millions who disagree with this form of socialism. I mean in the film “Sicko’s,” Mike Moore made a point. We do have a lot socialized services that we “need” but don’t pay a dime to have which help to make life easier for instance: education grades K-12, Fire Fighters, Police, Public Libraries, etc… But when it comes to life and our health, in America there is a dollar value place on it?!? And if you cannot afford to pay the price then it’s inferred that your health or very existence itself isn’t worth anything. I guess humans really are a hot commodity! But that is not the case. It’s sad to think that the solution to patients existing conditions are in the hands of money hungry companies that have one motive in mind, PUR$UIT OF PROFIT…CHA-CHING!! I mean what better way to gain revenue than to mass produce a supply of needed medications and reeve up the price. These companies manipulate the fact that there is a demand for certain types of medicine and they quickly produce and distribute these products without receiving thumbs up from the F.D.A; greed. Medicine to me is kind of like gasoline to a car, regardless if the gas prices go up it is inevitable that you will manage to operate your vehicle without purchasing that high priced gasoline. So gas prices will sky rocket and people will COMPLAIN until the sky turns red about the prices because they are forced to comply if they want their vehicle to function. I believe the same goes for pharmaceutical industries with medicine and patients.

    GREED!!!!

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  22. Corruption in the pharmaceutical industry has been running rampant for years and just increasing in size. The sheer enormity of crime in the street pales in comparison to the number of people murdered by poorly tested or inferior drugs with harsh side effects, such as death. Are the lobbyists that well paid? The restorative justice discussion, which Braithwaite refers for the pharmaceutical companies, needs to include the elimination of the lobbyists. They have become the bottom feeders of society and don’t care who they throw under the bus. So what if one of the disclaiming side effects is death. The drug will make millions for the pharmaceutical glutton. They probably have the pay out for any wrongful death, or false claims that make it through the court system, figured out as a fraction of the cost of doing business and will fall in the lap of a subsidiary company. The subsidiary will go under and emerge as a new company and do the same thing over again. If it works for them, why not? Regulation and restructure of operations should be entertained as getting a little more control with indus

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