The Worst Drug Company Marketing Techniques (I): PFIZER

Earlier this year, Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, pleaded guilty to a fraud charge and, along with its subsidiary, agreed to pay a record $2.3 billion fine. The penalty stemmed from allegations that the company advocated the use of certain drugs for treatments beyond what had been approved by the FDA.

In the case of Bextra -- which has since been withdrawn from the market due to concerns about the drug's safety -- Pfizer executives reportedly encouraged the company's salespeople to recommend the painkiller for the alleviation of pain unrelated to arthritis or menstrual discomfort, the only conditions it had been approved to treat.

This wasn't Pfizer's first violation for off-label marketing: in 2004, it was hit with a $430 million penalty after it was charged with recommending its epilepsy drug Neurontin for other uses.

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Ver caso BEXTRA en PHARMACOSERÍAS

Ver caso NEURONTIN en PHARMACOSERÍAS