Drug Company Forced To Stop Paying Doctors To Promote Drugs After Major Bribery Investigation

Image: preventdisease.com

Marco Torres | Prevent Disease

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said this week it will respond to pressure to stop paying doctors to promote its products through speaking engagements and end linking compensation for its sales representatives to the number of prescriptions doctors write. The move comes amid a major bribery investigation in China.

It also plans to stop payments to healthcare professionals for attendance at medical conferences by the start of 2016.
Authorities say a major bribery investigation in China accused Britain's largest drug maker of corrupt payments to doctors and officials to boost its drug sales.

In 2012, GSK was fined $3 billion and plead guilty to federal charges to resolve a slew of criminal and civil issues stemming from its use of kickbacks, misbranding and other misconduct to market drugs such as Paxil, Wellbutrin and Advair.

The agreement was the largest health care fraud settlement in history, spanning nearly every state, according to the Justice Department. It’s was also the largest payment ever by a drug company.

The company illegally marketed depression drug Paxil to children and teens, even sponsoring dinners and spa programs in the drug’s name, prosecutors said.

Glaxo also used sham advisory boards and speakers at lavish resorts to promote depression drug Wellbutrin as an option for weight loss and a remedy for sexual dysfunction and substance addiction, according to the government. Customers were urged to use higher-than-approved dosages, the government said.

Medical Journals Corrupt 

GSK as well as the largest pharmaceutical companies have been paying off the researchers of medical studies for decades.

Richard Smith, the ex-editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), publicly criticized his former publication, saying the BMJ was too dependent on advertising revenue to be considered impartial. Smith estimates that between two-thirds to three-quarters of the trials published in major journals -- Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine -- are funded by the industry, while about one-third of the trials published in the BMJ are thus funded.

He further adds that trials are so valuable to drug companies that they will often spend upwards of $1 million in reprint costs (which are additional sources of major revenues for medical journals). Consumers trust medical journals to be the impartial and "true" source of information concerning a prescription drug, but few are privy to what is truly going on behind the scenes at both drug trials and medical journals.
Scientists who conduct drug trials may be hard-pressed to stay impartial when the manufacturers so often pay them for lectures and consultations, or when they are conducting research that has been funded by the company. In addition, as stated by doctors Mark Hyman and Mark Liponis in Ultraprevention, since drug companies are so reliant on the word of doctors, they often visit doctors' offices to hand out free samples, take the staff out to lunch, offer free gifts -- including toys for kids, seminars at expensive restaurants and junkets to the Caribbean islands -- and frequently sponsor continuing education for doctors.

Bribery Coming To An End

GSK is not the only culprit. Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, Eli Lilly and Sanofi have all been heavily criticized and accused of initiating scandals in medical research.

"It's all coming to an end," says Dr. Robin Herring. "There is no longer a place for corrupting the health of this country and drug companies are finally being exposed for this shady practice," she stated.

Opponents of the perceived corruption are beginning to offer many solutions. A change may be in the cards, and as Richard Gerber, MD, notes, the number of patients seeking alternative medical answers to their problems is becoming too large for mainstream medical media to ignore. Gerber says that some medical journals are even publishing articles that explore the nature of these "unorthodox" treatments and discuss why patients are seeking alternative health care.

GSK's admission will surely not be the last for those at the top of big pharma's food chain.

Sources:
preventdisease.com
latimes.com
preventdisease.com
reuters.com


Marco Torres is a research specialist, writer and consumer advocate for healthy lifestyles. He holds degrees in Public Health and Environmental Science and is a professional speaker on topics such as disease prevention, environmental toxins and health policy.

If You Thought Someone Couldn't Explain Empathy With A Dry Erase Marker, You're Wrong

Best-selling author, Jeremy Rifkin, takes us on a 30,000-year journey through the development of humanity, the known universe, and how empathy impacts and binds us all together. 

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It is an amazingly eye-opening presentation, which encapsulates the trends we are following as a species; where we lost our way, and how we can get ourselves back on track. Enjoy!

Top 10 Countdown for Optimum Health: Fast, Simple Steps to a Happy Life

10 - Practice mindful breathing.  Most people are "shallow breathers," taking rapid breaths that enter only the upper portion of the lungs.  As you read the rest of this countdown, try focusing on drawing full breaths into your belly so that it expands first. Breathe in as if your lungs are a vessel being poured full of air, until they are filled to the brim.  Then, release the breath, until your lungs are free off any stale air.  Breathing this way oxygenates the blood, so organs can function at their best.  Take a few minutes to focus on your breathing at the beginning and end of each day or whenever you need a moment to refocus and center.

9 - Brush and Floss. Practicing proper oral hygiene can reduce your risk of health problems as serious as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

8 - Cleanse Your Internal Systems.  Cleansing the body of toxins is a preventive measure at the core of many traditional medical philosophies.  Now more than ever, regular cleansing is essential.  Our food, air, and water deliver daily doses of toxins that accumulate in the body and inhibit proper function.  Plan a full detox at least once a year.  It may be seem difficult to sacrifice certain habits at first, but you will be rewarded.  Your systems' function will improve and you'll feel light and energized!

7 - Take a Multi-Vitamin.  Vitamins and minerals prevent imbalance at the cellular level, the primary level at which illnesses are treated and cured.  

6 - Laughter really is the best medicine.  It's proven to be one of the most powerful ways to prevent sickness.  Laughing alleviates pain, reduces stress, and connects you to others. One hardy belly laugh can boost your immune system's function for up to three days! 

5 - De-Clutter.   The application of this recommendation is quite expansive, and it's and important tool to have on your belt at all times.  Before signing up for another stressful commitment with friends, family, or at work consider how the obligation will effect your spirit.  Don't tack on additional "downers," and slowly take steps toward focusing on your goals.  Eliminate distractions by turning off your gadgets from time to time so that you can focus on your needs rather that the overflow of outside information.

4 - Sleep.  In the past 50 years, the average sleep time has decreased by 1.5-2 hours.  Sleep is treated as a luxury, yet hormone release, metabolism and immune function are drastically altered by curtailing sleep.  Getting 8 full hours of sleep will minimize stress, stabilize your appetite, and give your mind and body the space it needs to rest and repair.

3 - Drink Plenty of Water.  Drink half your body weight in ounces each day ( 140 lbs. / 2 = 70 oz. water ) and more if you are exercising or sick.  Try to cut out excess alcohol, sugary/fizzy drinks, and diuretic beverages such as coffee and tea.  Avoid drinking during and within 30 minutes of meals for optimal absorption. 

2 - Focus on food.  See a professional who can address nutritional deficiencies and identify any hidden food allergies.  Keep yourself interested in your daily diet by trying out new recipes. Incorporate lots of green and colorful veggies, Indian spices, nuts, whole grains, and fruit.  Reduce sugar and caffeine intake, and avoid processed food as much as possible.  Eat oodles of fresh, whole, preferably organic foods in their natural state (i.e. berries, apples, carrot sticks, red pepper slices).

1 - Exercise all the time, in ways that you can enjoy.  If you hate the gym, quit! Sign up for a dance class or try yoga, participate in charity walks or runs, forgo the elevator for the stairs, walk to the store to pick up the newspaper, and depending on the season do your own raking, mowing, and shoveling.  Making exercise a priority is important for so many reasons.  It's a preventive measure that lessens the risk of disease while promoting mental, physical, and spiritual fitness.

The Post-Holiday Flat Belly Diet!

This is another version of the fat flush water, it also promotes energy and good health. There is simplicity in this mix: All of the ingredients are natural, clean, pH/metabolism-boosting diuretics. This means that you are literally giving your gut a cleansing, alkaline bath! After steady consumption of drinks like this, coupled with a lean diet, the body begins to operate at optimal levels: You feel it in your energy levels, you see it in your skin, your belly flattens out, and you begin to feel the addiction to sugars lessen.

It is delicious, ad it will be in my refrigerator in the next few days! This drink can play a huge role in your flat belly diet! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 liters water
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 medium lemon, sliced
12 small spearmint leaves

Place all ingredients in a large pitcher, let blend together overnight, the next day drink the whole pitcher during the course of the day. Add this into a consistent, lean diet - and a moderate exercise routine - and it's "Hello, fast weight loss!"