Fed: Maker of cholesterol drug being sued

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-2007
Fed: Maker of cholesterol drug being sued

CANBERRA, Dec 24 AAP - A drug maker is being sued in the United States over allegations
it misled doctors into over-prescribing an anti-cholesterol medication, which is also
widely used in Australia.

Lipitor, made by Pfizer, is Australia's most prescribed statin, a class of drugs used
to reduce blood cholesterol levels.

In Australia, it is taxpayer-subsidised through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

But in the US a former senior employee is suing the drug company over allegations it
used misleading education programs for doctors to boost sales, the Wall Street Journal
reports.

Jesse Polansky claims he was fired from his job as Pfizer's director of outcomes management
strategies after complaining about "improper" marketing practices. He is seeking compensation.

There is no suggestion the allegations extend to Australia.

In the US, drug companies are only allowed to market drugs for uses approved by the
Food and Drug Administration, but independent educational programs can discuss the possible
other uses of medicines.

The lawsuit claims Pfizer's marketing strategy included giving "unrestricted educational
grants" to other companies, which would run the so-called misleading campaigns.

This "led thousands of physicians to prescribe Lipitor for millions of patients who
did not need medication", the lawsuit claims.

But the drug company, which was served with the US lawsuit on December 19, said the
case "has no merit".

"We believe that our sales and marketing practices are solely based on our prescription
information as approved by the US FDA," Pfizer told the Wall Street Journal.

AAP jb/ht/mn

KEYWORD: LIPITOR

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