Bextra Withdrawal Could Be Just the Beginning for Pfizer
The pharmaceutical industry is a tremendously profitable one, as anyone who reads the business pages of their newspaper can see. Although it can take years to develop a new drug and bring it to market, the profits obtained from a breakthrough drug can be staggering. Last year Merck sold about $2.5 billion worth of Vioxx, and Pfizer sold about $1.3 billion worth of Bextra. The profits are huge, but so are the losses if a problem should develop with a pharmaceutical product. Pfizer voluntarily withdrew the popular anti-inflammatory drug Bextra from the market last month, and their stock has suffered from both the loss of sales and the potential for a large number of product liability lawsuits. Pfizer may have to endure a double whammy this year as the FDA announced that they are investigating reports that the impotence drug Viagra may be linked to cases of blindness in male users. Cialis and Levitra were also mentioned in the report, although most of the cases involved the use of Viagra.
The FDA reports shouldn't cause alarm; the agency says that it is investigating fewer than 50 incidents of blindness in patients who use a drug that has been used by more than twenty million people since its introduction seven years ago. The FDA investigation says less about the likelihood of blindness in patients than it does about the agency's own concerns about its reputation. The FDA rightly insists upon rigorous testing of drugs before they reach the market in the name of public safety. But that coin has two sides, and there are those who say that the agency is too quick to approve potentially dangerous drugs and others who say that the agency's testing isn't thorough enough. Adding fuel to the fire are the recent memos obtained from Merck employees that suggest that the company was aggressively marketing Vioxx even though their sales staff knew the drug was potentially dangerous.
There may be no link between Viagra and blindness at all, as the form of sudden blindness alleged to have been caused by Viagra use is common to the sorts of patients who have erectile disfunction. The FDA is just being cautious, as they should be. Further tests will determine if there is an actual link. The party likely to suffer immediately is Pfizer, as stockholders, already concerned about Bextra lawsuits, drove the stock price lower immediately upon the release of the Viagra news. Sales will probably decrease, too, as patients who are now accustomed to reading about drugs being withdrawn from the market may shy away from the product until further tests are done. That could present a huge income for Pfizer, as they currently sell about $2 billion worth of Viagra each year. The drug business is a profitable one, but like any business, comes with risks. This year, it would seem that Pfizer is getting a double dose of bad medicine. ©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including Bextra-Info.net, a site devoted to the withdrawn drug Bextra and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site devoted to structured settlements.
MORE RESOURCES:
Yoga of compassionMonterey County Herald, CA - 3 hours agoHow can a yoga practice uplift your spirits, increase compassion for self and others and create sukha — the Sanskrit word for ease and happiness — during ... |
Mama yoga trumps karateTheChronicleHerald.ca, Canada - 2 hours agoI do know yoga. And I’m not afraid to use it. I have to be a tough yogi. I live in a family of karate practitioners: two brown belts and one green. ... |
New class at North Shore Yoga designed for childrenChattanooga Times Free Press, TN - Nov 19, 2008A children’s yoga class unravels more noisily than adult versions of this ancient Indian practice. “There are a lot of active poses,” said Claire Mooney, ... |
Yoga in a chairLouisville Courier-Journal, KY - Nov 20, 2008By Darla Carter • dcarter@courier-journal.com • November 20, 2008 If the idea of getting down on the floor to strike a yoga pose makes you say, "Ouch! ... |
Teacher uses yoga to inspire studentsSun-Sentinel.com, FL - Nov 20, 2008"Yoga is a powerful tool to help students and teachers relieve stress and gain inner strength and concentration," she said. "The sessions are brief, ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
After Viagra, Its Now a Premature Orgasm Pill for Women
Pfizer's exciting drug history traces back to the most popular Viagra drug, which treats erectile dysfunction in men. Now, they are gearing up to hit the bull's eye with a new premature orgasm pill for women.
Medical Billing Specialist
As Pres. Bush was touring the Midwest, shortly before he was re-elected as President, and even after, he spoke of medical reform centering on liability costs.
Stopping Hospital Infections
Each year hospitals end up killing twice as many people than automobiles, some 90,000 deaths in the United States. It is not from malpractice, it is due to infections.
Study Confirms IBS Improvement
Irritable bowel syndrome is a debilitating and distressing condition, which affects 10-20% of the population. IBS is characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel function such as constipation, diarrhea or alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers - Take An Informed Decision
Alcohol rehabilitation centers in the United States offer a
wide range of treatment programmes for your recovery from
alcoholism.They provide services such as detoxification, residential
treatment, day care and outpatient alcohol rehabilitation
programs.
Benefits of a Virtual Top Doctor Consultant
Looking for the best doctor to suite your medical needs can be a problem, especially if you don't have time and you need to research the doctor's credentials. Whether you're in urgent need of help, or just need a second opinion, I will show you how to access all the information you need - through the Internet's Virtual Top Doctor Consultant.
The Pain Factor
Last year I told an acquaintance that at the age of 46, I had taken up running. The reply was, "Oh, that's awfully hard on your knees.
10 Home Remedies For Arthritis Pain Relief
Your Remedy No. 1
==============Stretch Gently for Strength and Mobility.
Kids and Medication Part I
We have all talked a lot about the problems in our educational system, about latchkey kids, about teacher turnover (50 percent of teachers quitted within the first five years on the job), psychologists over prescribing medications such as Prozac and Ritalin with our friends and families. We can all foresee a terrible problem in the future because we are feeding these drugs to kids under the age of six, their brains have not been fully formed yet and these drugs and their predecessors and competing drugs all have adverse side effects.
CRP And Your Heart
Monitoring your CRP level is vitally important because it is one of the best indicators of heart disease. C-Reactive Protein has proven to be one of the best indicators of looming Heart disease.
Another Cold Sore! Why Me?
An estimated 85 million Americans have acquired the herpes
simplex (cold sore) virus. And the majority had received the
virus before the age of 3.
Coumadin Users Can Avoid Unnecessary Complications By Wearing Identification
The police arrive at the accident scene promptly. A driver has run his automobile into a guardrail while exiting a highway.
Naproxen Lawyer: Aleve Recall Consideration
Naproxen belongs to a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This basically means it's a common pain reliever among the ranks of ibuprofen (Motrin), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumentone (Relafen), and several others you are probably familiar with.
Exposing the Miracle Cure
It was Saturday morning and while I was making breakfast, letting the cats outside, and watering my half-dead plants, I had the TV on. Saturday morning TV is usually composed of nothing but infomercials and today was no different.
A Closer Look at Lower Back Pain Relief
As many as 8 out of 10 adults will experience back pain in their lifetime, and most of them will feel it in their lower back. When we consider that our lower back bears the brunt of our body weight, and that our back is made up of many vertebrae, a few discs to absorb shock, several major nerves and joints that allow for movement of the spine, stacked on top of each other, this statistic begins to make more sense.
Are You Suffering From Addiction?
Many researchers believe that addiction is a behavior that can be controlled to some extent and also a brain disease. And since some testing with functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) found that all addictions tend to cause nearly the same reactions inside the brain, there could be one type of control model for addiction health-related issues.
Blood Pressure Treatment: High and Low Blood Pressure Tips and Medication!
High blood pressure is on the rise worldwide. But, doctors believe that small lifestyle changes can go a long way in preventing this silent killer.
Living Migraine Free
Don't treat your migraines, prevent them. A life without migraines is obtainable, I know.
Is the Mexican Pharmacy safe to buy drugs online?
Are you frustrated with the high prices of prescription drugs? Take a look at a Mexican Pharmacy. Not only can you save a lot of money but you can also be sure that you are getting quality medicines and online customer service that provides you all the necessary information on drugs.
An Addition For Practitioners - How to Help Your Patients and Your Practice
Please feel free to comment, so I may modify this appropriately, or help
Do you refer to other modalities or tests?I invite people to investigate this valuable additional resource to their practices. Contact pk.
|
