{"id":1924,"date":"2009-01-06T10:46:41","date_gmt":"2009-01-06T16:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/?p=1924"},"modified":"2021-10-11T13:04:32","modified_gmt":"2021-10-11T18:04:32","slug":"mayo-clinic-sells-its-soul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/06\/mayo-clinic-sells-its-soul","title":{"rendered":"Mayo Clinic Sells Its Soul"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Click here<\/a> for the Health Tip link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment I saw the title of the \u201cresearch\u201d article comparing the effectiveness of the non-generic statin Lipitor to the generic version of the statin Zocor on the cover of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, I knew its conclusion without reading it. My first thought had to do with the research participants being little better than Illinois politicians, money-wise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the facts: A three-month supply of Lipitor costs about $250, compared to a three-month supply of generic Zocor, called simvastatin, at $13. Yes, you read that right–Lipitor costs $237 more than simvastatin, and that couple hundred dollars buys you essentially the same drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lipitor is probably the most profitable drug in medical history, netting Pfizer billions of dollars since its launch a decade ago. It was due to go generic, but Pfizer, not wanting to lose the cash cow that keeps it afloat, has tried every maneuver to extend its patent and keep the price high (\u201cfor the health and safety of the consumer,\u201d crowed their CEO). Three years ago, Pfizer funded a British study that attempted to show switching from Lipitor to a generic increased a person\u2019s risk for heart attacks. Cardiologists on both sides of the Atlantic found so many flaws in the study that it received the minimal publicity it deserved. When that didn\u2019t work, Pfizer cut a sweetheart deal with generic manufacturer Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals to hold off generic production a year beyond Lipitor\u2019s patent expiration date so Pfizer could reap an additional year\u2019s profits. These people are unbelievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a consumer of health care, you should know that Pfizer is unstoppable in its quest to get doctors to keep writing Lipitor prescriptions. So they approached the august and revered Mayo Clinic. Here\u2019s a make-believe conversation regarding the study published by Mayo. This is not a wiretapped exchange, but based on what I know about how drug companies work, I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s not far from the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: We got a proposal from Pfizer to show their brand-name Lipitor is better than the generic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: Are they still on that old horse? Doesn\u2019t everyone know it\u2019s not lowering cholesterol that saves people? It\u2019s lifestyle, it\u2019s reducing inflammation\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: Do you want to see the size of the check? (shows check to Doctor #2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: Jeez! I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen that many zeroes on a check in my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: Plus a donation to the Clinic. Plus lots of full-page ads in the journal. It\u2019s a big study and we really don\u2019t have to work. Just have lackeys go over the records of 170,000 patients who took Lipitor and 50,000 patients who took Zocor and show the Lipitor patients had fewer heart attacks. We can get a team together. Even if we get a dozen doctors on this, there\u2019s more than enough bucks to go around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: I don\u2019t know. I\u2019m real busy these days. These studies can be time consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: Not for us. It\u2019s just a review of records. Computers and such. Pfizer pays for nurses and data analysts to do all the hard work. We just massage the results. They\u2019ve got professional writers to put the final article together and a huge team of publicists in place when we get the results together. We publish in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Heck, the Mayo name is worth more than an Illinois senate seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: But there are so many factors involved that will foul up the data. For example, generic Zocor goes to Medicaid patients who generally have unhealthier lifestyles. Lipitor is prescribed to people with good health insurance. Nobody can unravel all these factors and get coherent results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: You want in or out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: So all I have to do is put my name on the study?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: That\u2019s it, pal. Little ski chalet in Aspen look good? Take the family on an African safari? Get all your kids through college?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: What if our analysis shows Lipitor coming out just the same or even worse than the generic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: You aren\u2019t serious! You\u2019ve got the livelihood of doctors, nurses, writers, and Pfizer executive bonuses all riding on this study. And if Pfizer likes it, there\u2019ll be more to follow. Mmm. I can sure smell that meat a-cookin\u2019\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #2: Come to think if it, my Lipitor patients are doing better than my Zocor patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor #1: That\u2019s the spirit! Welcome aboard!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be well,
David Edelberg, MD<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click here for the Health Tip link. The moment I saw the title of the \u201cresearch\u201d article comparing the effectiveness of the non-generic statin Lipitor to the generic version of the statin Zocor on the cover of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, I knew its conclusion without reading it. My first thought had to do with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2087,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[214,2,3,51],"tags":[181,566,581],"class_list":["post-1924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-big-pharma-evils","category-blog","category-knowledge-base","category-m","tag-editorial","tag-lipitor","tag-mayo-clinic"],"yoast_head":"\r\nMayo Clinic Sells Its Soul<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We publish in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 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