The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) Blog - Another Doctor Bought By Big Pharma

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May 25, 2011

Another Doctor Bought by Big Pharma

BY PAUL THACKER

Barely a month goes by that we don't hear another story about a physician taking

handouts from the pharmaceutical industry. The companies typically respond that

these payments are for legitimate services, or education, or for consulting. And

the doctors usually protest that the money doesn’t influence their behavior.

Yeah. Right.

Well, let’s take a closer look by drilling down into a report released this

morning (.pdf) by the Senate Finance Committee. Investigators working for

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) detailed how drug-maker Sanofi-Aventis lobbied the FDA

to delay the approval of a generic drug that would cut into profits from the

company’s blockbuster blood-thinner Lovenox, which had $4 billion in global

sales in 2009.

Part of this lobbying campaign involved letters sent from the Society of

Hospital Medicine, the North American Thrombosis Forum, and Duke University

researcher Dr. Victor Tapson. The Senate Report said that Sanofi enlisted

experts, like Dr. Tapson, to conduct “independent interaction†with the FDA.

Specifically, Dr. Tapson sent multiple letters to FDA warning that generic

versions of Lovenox may not be as safe as Sanofi’s brand version.

Why might Dr. Tapson take time away from his busy practice at Duke University to

lobby the FDA about Sanofi’s drug? Perhaps because the company paid him over

$260,000 between 2007 and 2010.

And what exactly did Sanofi get from Dr. Tapson?

According to the Senate report, Dr. Tapson sent a letter to the FDA on behalf of

the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) in 2008. The letter advised the

FDA to “learn more about the findings and recommendations†of roundtable on

blood thinners held at Huntington Beach, California.

Executives at Sanofi discussed the letter eagerly when Dr. Tapson was drafting

it. “I understand Vic was going to share his letter with Larry,†one Sanofi

executive wrote to his colleague in an email.

Oh, the Senate report notes that Sanofi sponsored the roundtable for $190,000.

Sanofi executives later sent the draft of Dr. Tapson’s letter to the Society

of Hospital Medicine (SHM) to seek their support with the FDA.

In May 2009, Sanofi executives discussed their ongoing FDA strategy and the

importance of Dr. Tapson and the North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF). “We

need to keep Vic and especially NATF on task for the FDA communication,†an

executive at Sanofi wrote in an email.

But how does Dr. Tapson describe the Senate Finance Report? In an email to the

Wall Street Journal, Dr. Tapson wrote that some of the report’s statements

were “very incorrect.†The Journal adds that he “didn’t explain

why.â€Â 

Bonus Discovery: We dug around and found this letter that Dr. Tapson sent the

FDA on Duke University letterhead. Once again, Dr. Tapson pleads with the FDA to

delay approving cheaper generics to compete with Sanofi’s Lovenox.

Thacker is a POGO Investigator.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

[Guest guest]

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2011/05/another-doctor-bought-by-big-pharma.htm\

l

May 25, 2011

Another Doctor Bought by Big Pharma

BY PAUL THACKER

Barely a month goes by that we don't hear another story about a physician taking

handouts from the pharmaceutical industry. The companies typically respond that

these payments are for legitimate services, or education, or for consulting. And

the doctors usually protest that the money doesn’t influence their behavior.

Yeah. Right.

Well, let’s take a closer look by drilling down into a report released this

morning (.pdf) by the Senate Finance Committee. Investigators working for

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) detailed how drug-maker Sanofi-Aventis lobbied the FDA

to delay the approval of a generic drug that would cut into profits from the

company’s blockbuster blood-thinner Lovenox, which had $4 billion in global

sales in 2009.

Part of this lobbying campaign involved letters sent from the Society of

Hospital Medicine, the North American Thrombosis Forum, and Duke University

researcher Dr. Victor Tapson. The Senate Report said that Sanofi enlisted

experts, like Dr. Tapson, to conduct “independent interaction†with the FDA.

Specifically, Dr. Tapson sent multiple letters to FDA warning that generic

versions of Lovenox may not be as safe as Sanofi’s brand version.

Why might Dr. Tapson take time away from his busy practice at Duke University to

lobby the FDA about Sanofi’s drug? Perhaps because the company paid him over

$260,000 between 2007 and 2010.

And what exactly did Sanofi get from Dr. Tapson?

According to the Senate report, Dr. Tapson sent a letter to the FDA on behalf of

the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) in 2008. The letter advised the

FDA to “learn more about the findings and recommendations†of roundtable on

blood thinners held at Huntington Beach, California.

Executives at Sanofi discussed the letter eagerly when Dr. Tapson was drafting

it. “I understand Vic was going to share his letter with Larry,†one Sanofi

executive wrote to his colleague in an email.

Oh, the Senate report notes that Sanofi sponsored the roundtable for $190,000.

Sanofi executives later sent the draft of Dr. Tapson’s letter to the Society

of Hospital Medicine (SHM) to seek their support with the FDA.

In May 2009, Sanofi executives discussed their ongoing FDA strategy and the

importance of Dr. Tapson and the North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF). “We

need to keep Vic and especially NATF on task for the FDA communication,†an

executive at Sanofi wrote in an email.

But how does Dr. Tapson describe the Senate Finance Report? In an email to the

Wall Street Journal, Dr. Tapson wrote that some of the report’s statements

were “very incorrect.†The Journal adds that he “didn’t explain

why.â€Â 

Bonus Discovery: We dug around and found this letter that Dr. Tapson sent the

FDA on Duke University letterhead. Once again, Dr. Tapson pleads with the FDA to

delay approving cheaper generics to compete with Sanofi’s Lovenox.

Thacker is a POGO Investigator.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

[Guest guest]

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2011/05/another-doctor-bought-by-big-pharma.htm\

l

May 25, 2011

Another Doctor Bought by Big Pharma

BY PAUL THACKER

Barely a month goes by that we don't hear another story about a physician taking

handouts from the pharmaceutical industry. The companies typically respond that

these payments are for legitimate services, or education, or for consulting. And

the doctors usually protest that the money doesn’t influence their behavior.

Yeah. Right.

Well, let’s take a closer look by drilling down into a report released this

morning (.pdf) by the Senate Finance Committee. Investigators working for

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) detailed how drug-maker Sanofi-Aventis lobbied the FDA

to delay the approval of a generic drug that would cut into profits from the

company’s blockbuster blood-thinner Lovenox, which had $4 billion in global

sales in 2009.

Part of this lobbying campaign involved letters sent from the Society of

Hospital Medicine, the North American Thrombosis Forum, and Duke University

researcher Dr. Victor Tapson. The Senate Report said that Sanofi enlisted

experts, like Dr. Tapson, to conduct “independent interaction†with the FDA.

Specifically, Dr. Tapson sent multiple letters to FDA warning that generic

versions of Lovenox may not be as safe as Sanofi’s brand version.

Why might Dr. Tapson take time away from his busy practice at Duke University to

lobby the FDA about Sanofi’s drug? Perhaps because the company paid him over

$260,000 between 2007 and 2010.

And what exactly did Sanofi get from Dr. Tapson?

According to the Senate report, Dr. Tapson sent a letter to the FDA on behalf of

the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) in 2008. The letter advised the

FDA to “learn more about the findings and recommendations†of roundtable on

blood thinners held at Huntington Beach, California.

Executives at Sanofi discussed the letter eagerly when Dr. Tapson was drafting

it. “I understand Vic was going to share his letter with Larry,†one Sanofi

executive wrote to his colleague in an email.

Oh, the Senate report notes that Sanofi sponsored the roundtable for $190,000.

Sanofi executives later sent the draft of Dr. Tapson’s letter to the Society

of Hospital Medicine (SHM) to seek their support with the FDA.

In May 2009, Sanofi executives discussed their ongoing FDA strategy and the

importance of Dr. Tapson and the North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF). “We

need to keep Vic and especially NATF on task for the FDA communication,†an

executive at Sanofi wrote in an email.

But how does Dr. Tapson describe the Senate Finance Report? In an email to the

Wall Street Journal, Dr. Tapson wrote that some of the report’s statements

were “very incorrect.†The Journal adds that he “didn’t explain

why.â€Â 

Bonus Discovery: We dug around and found this letter that Dr. Tapson sent the

FDA on Duke University letterhead. Once again, Dr. Tapson pleads with the FDA to

delay approving cheaper generics to compete with Sanofi’s Lovenox.

Thacker is a POGO Investigator.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

[Guest guest]

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2011/05/another-doctor-bought-by-big-pharma.htm\

l

May 25, 2011

Another Doctor Bought by Big Pharma

BY PAUL THACKER

Barely a month goes by that we don't hear another story about a physician taking

handouts from the pharmaceutical industry. The companies typically respond that

these payments are for legitimate services, or education, or for consulting. And

the doctors usually protest that the money doesn’t influence their behavior.

Yeah. Right.

Well, let’s take a closer look by drilling down into a report released this

morning (.pdf) by the Senate Finance Committee. Investigators working for

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) detailed how drug-maker Sanofi-Aventis lobbied the FDA

to delay the approval of a generic drug that would cut into profits from the

company’s blockbuster blood-thinner Lovenox, which had $4 billion in global

sales in 2009.

Part of this lobbying campaign involved letters sent from the Society of

Hospital Medicine, the North American Thrombosis Forum, and Duke University

researcher Dr. Victor Tapson. The Senate Report said that Sanofi enlisted

experts, like Dr. Tapson, to conduct “independent interaction†with the FDA.

Specifically, Dr. Tapson sent multiple letters to FDA warning that generic

versions of Lovenox may not be as safe as Sanofi’s brand version.

Why might Dr. Tapson take time away from his busy practice at Duke University to

lobby the FDA about Sanofi’s drug? Perhaps because the company paid him over

$260,000 between 2007 and 2010.

And what exactly did Sanofi get from Dr. Tapson?

According to the Senate report, Dr. Tapson sent a letter to the FDA on behalf of

the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) in 2008. The letter advised the

FDA to “learn more about the findings and recommendations†of roundtable on

blood thinners held at Huntington Beach, California.

Executives at Sanofi discussed the letter eagerly when Dr. Tapson was drafting

it. “I understand Vic was going to share his letter with Larry,†one Sanofi

executive wrote to his colleague in an email.

Oh, the Senate report notes that Sanofi sponsored the roundtable for $190,000.

Sanofi executives later sent the draft of Dr. Tapson’s letter to the Society

of Hospital Medicine (SHM) to seek their support with the FDA.

In May 2009, Sanofi executives discussed their ongoing FDA strategy and the

importance of Dr. Tapson and the North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF). “We

need to keep Vic and especially NATF on task for the FDA communication,†an

executive at Sanofi wrote in an email.

But how does Dr. Tapson describe the Senate Finance Report? In an email to the

Wall Street Journal, Dr. Tapson wrote that some of the report’s statements

were “very incorrect.†The Journal adds that he “didn’t explain

why.â€Â 

Bonus Discovery: We dug around and found this letter that Dr. Tapson sent the

FDA on Duke University letterhead. Once again, Dr. Tapson pleads with the FDA to

delay approving cheaper generics to compete with Sanofi’s Lovenox.

Thacker is a POGO Investigator.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T