Fw: Court Papers Suggest Scale Of Drug's Use ~ Neurontin ~ NYTimes

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----- Original Message ----- ilena@...

Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 10:23 AM

Subject: Court Papers Suggest Scale Of Drug's Use ~ Neurontin ~ NYTimes

I know that many of the women in our support group have beenprescribed this drug.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0817FC3D540C738FDDAC0894DB404482Business/Financial Desk | May 30, 2003, Friday Court Papers Suggest Scale Of Drug's Use By MELODY PETERSEN (NYT) 1215 words Late Edition - Final , Section C , Page 1 , Column 5 ABSTRACT - Documents released in case of Warner-Lambert whistle-blowerDr P lin shed light on how extensively doctors wereinvolved in promoting unapproved uses of company's drug Neurontin;Warner-Lambert paid dozens of doctors tens of thousands of dollarseach to speak to other physicians about how Neurontin, epilepsy drug,could be prescribed for more than dozen other medical uses that hadnot been approved by Food and Drug Administration; Dr B J Wilder, topspeaker for Neurontin, received more than $300,000 for speeches givenfrom 1994 to 1997; six other doctors, including some from top medicalschools, received more than $100,000 each; lin contends company'smarketing tactics were illegal; says federal and state governmentspaid hundreds of millions of dollars for Neurontin as doctorsprescribed drug to Medicaid patients for various conditions; Pfizeracquired Warner-Lambert in 2000 (M) Documents released yesterday inthe case of a drug company whistle-blower shed light on howextensively doctors were involved in promoting unapproved uses of aWarner-Lambert drug, Neurontin.Warner-Lambert paid dozens of doctors tens of thousands of dollarseach to speak to other physicians about how Neurontin, an epilepsydrug, could be prescribed for more than a dozen other medical usesthat had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Thetop speaker for Neurontin, Dr. B. J. Wilder, a former professor ofneuro logy at the University of Florida, received more than $300,000for speeches given from 1994 to 1997, according to a court filing. Sixother doctors, including some from top medical schools, received morethan $100,000 each.http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/31/business/31DRUG.htmlBig Drug Company Says It May Face Obstruction CaseBy MELODY PETERSENhe Schering-Plough Corporation said yesterday that it could soon beindicted in a federal investigation into its prescription drugmarketing practices, and face charges that employees destroyeddocuments related to the case.According to the company, prosecutors are examining whetherSchering-Plough illegally gave financial grants and other items ofvalue to doctors and other customers, whether it marketed drugs forunapproved uses and whether it submitted false pricing information tothe government so that Medicaid paid too much for its products.Advertise mentMost significant, lawyers said, was Schering-Plough's disclosure thata grand jury was weighing obstruction of justice charges. Evidencethat the company sought to impede a government investigation couldprompt prosecutors to take a tougher line against Schering inresolving any charges.The allegations against Schering-Plough are the latest in a spate ofinvestigations and lawsuits by private parties, state governments andthe federal government focused on the pharmaceutical industry'smarketing practices. The cases have been spurred by rapidly risingincreases in the costs of prescription drugs and the burden thosecosts place on governments, employers and patients.Schering-Plough, which is based in Kenilworth, N.J., said it receiveda letter Wednesday from the United States attorney's office in Boston

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