Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15429
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: news
Rout M.
Merck&Co reps allegedly said drug links
The Daily Telegraph 2009 Apr 16
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,25341394-5014099,00.html
Full text:
SALES representatives for pharmaceutical giant Merck&Co were given line-by-line instructions on how to convince concerned doctors that possible links between anti-arthritis drug Vioxx and heart attacks were simply “bollocks”.
In a rare insight into the aggressive strategies used by international drug companies to market their products, documents tendered to the Federal Court reveal Merck armed its sales team with “objections handling” cards to deal with any concerns over the safety of Vioxx, despite research showing an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.
The company allegedly used role playing, in which sales staff would act as doctors, to practise rote-learned responses to any difficult questions raised by GPs, The Australian reports.
According to evidence given yesterday by marketing expert Robert Donovan, sales staff were given instruction cards from which to memorise the company-authorised response.
“Doctor, I can understand your concern, however, let me reassure you that when you consider all of the available data, there is no difference in cardiovascular events between Vioxx and placebo,” read one instruction card, according to Professor Donovan, who inspected the marketing documents.
“Vioxx is an appropriate and efficacious therapy for your patients with osteoarthritis … Vioxx can be used in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease,” the card allegedly said.
The alleged marketing tools were revealed as part of a class action against US company Merck and its Australian subsidiary Merck, Sharpe and Dohme for compensation.
Lead plaintiff Graeme Peterson and more than 1000 Australians claim Vioxx caused them to have a heart attack or stroke. They also claim Merck played down the risks of the drug before it was withdrawn in 2004 for safety reasons.
Vioxx was launched in 1999 and at the height of its popularity was used by 80 million people worldwide because it did not cause stomach problems as traditional anti-inflammatory drugs did.
Merck last year settled thousands of lawsuits in the US over the effects of Vioxx for $US4.85 billion ($6.6 billion) but made no admission of guilt. The company is fighting the class action in Australia.
The trial continues.
