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Government: Drug Maker Illegally Marketed Antidepressant
Drug maker Forest Laboratories illegally marketed the antidepressant Celexa to children and teens, costing the government millions of dollars, according to a Department of Justice complaint filed Wednesday. The Department of Justice says the New York-based company hid the results of a clinical trial that showed the drug to be ineffective and possibly dangerous for use by children. Additionally, the agency accuses Forest of paying kickbacks to doctors who prescribed Celexa and other drugs. Barry Meier and Benedict Carey, The New York Times 02/25/2009
Researchers Push for More Clarity on Drug Risks
Medical school researchers are pushing federal regulators to force drug companies to disclose the benefits of their drugs in much the same way that food companies list nutrition facts on packaging. The Dartmouth University doctors say that drug advertising should quantify the benefits of taking a drug compared with a placebo and list the odds of having side effects. The proposal, scheduled to be delivered to the Food and Drug Administration, is based on research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Natasha Singer, The New York Times 02/25/2009
Study Raises New Concerns About Heart Device
A new study says that electrical cables widely used in implanted defibrillators may be failing more often than previously thought. The study, which focuses on Medtronic’s Sprint Fidelis lead, found that fewer leads were still functioning than reported by the device maker and that the failure rate may get worse over time. Two years ago, Medtronic recalled thousands of Sprint Fidelis leads after discovering a potentially life threatening malfunction. Barry Meier, The New York Times 02/23/2009
Wal-Mart Settles Racial Bias Lawsuit
Retail giant Wal-Mart has agreed to pay $17.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of racial bias. According to the lawsuit, Wal-Mart discriminated against African-American truck driving applicants. Under the settlement, Wal-Mart has also agreed to hire additional black applicants and pursue other diversity initiatives. The case is Nelson v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Margaret Cronin Fisk, Bloomberg 02/20/2009
Study Questions Overseas Clinical Trials
The outsourcing of clinical trials to developing nations may present ethical and practice concerns for drugs intended to be used in the United States, an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine has concluded. According to several Duke University researchers, foreign research participants could be unduly biased by financial or healthcare incentives associated with taking part in medical researchers. Equally, the authors suggest that results yielded from some foreign populations may not be applicable to American patients. Natasha Singer, The New York Times 02/18/2009
Advocates Warn of Rise in Job Scams
In the current ailing economy, consumer advocates are warning job seekers to be wary of scams promising the perfect job for a price. According20to the Consumer Protection Agency, 6,000 people filed complaints about headhunters and employment and placement agencies during 2007. In response, state and federal authorities are taking action against firms seeking to profit nefariously from people’s unemployment. Steve Giegerich, St. Louis Post Dispatch 02/17/2009
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