Common Schizophrenia Drug on Trial
The pharmaceutical giant, Eli Lilly, is being sued by the state of Alaska over allegedly covering up the potential risks of Zyprexa (olanzapine). Attorneys for the state argue that the company knew that the drug, approved for the treatment of Schizophrenia and acute manic and mixed episodes of Bipolar Disorder, may cause diabetes in patients taking it. 
According to the prosecution, the presented evidence suggests that Lilly’s management was aware of the drug’s potential risks soon after its introduction to the market in 1996, but chose to limit the public’s awareness, in order to keep the drug’s sales numbers up. The state wants Eli Lilly to pay Medicaid expenses of patients who developed diabetes and other illnesses after taking the medication.
Attorneys for Eli Lilly claim that the company has properly disclosed all of the drug’s side-effects to the Food and Drug Administration and that company has done nothing wrong. It is proud to offer the breakthrough drug to individuals suffering from mental illness. Zyprexa continues to be covered by Alaska’s Medicaid.
Zyprexa is one of the top-selling drugs worldwide, being used by over 20 million patients. According to a large National Institute of Mental Health study published in 2005, Zyprexa helps patients control their symptoms for a significantly longer period of time than with other antipsychotic drugs.
Sources: Zyprexa.com, The New York Times
- The company informed the FDA of all the side effects, should it still be sued?
- What effect will this lawsuit have on patients who have benefited from taking Zyprexa?
Some fast facts on the Zyprexa controversy chronicled by a patient user.
What is it? Major tranquilizer daytime sleeping pill.It acts like the 50 year old Thorazine but with less of the tardive tics,cost ten times more I paid $2.50 a pill.
How does it make you so awfully fat? Experts say they don’t know for sure,my patient opinion is that it just slows you down so much,you don’t burn off the calories.
(A) Year 1996 FDA approves Zyprexa for schizophrenia (at first,later on for mania) which is only about 1% and 3% of the population to lessen delusional hallucinations of schizophrenia.
The drug goes on to become Lilly’s top seller at $4.2 billion a year.How does a drug with such a small patient market get to be the the world’s 7th largest drug sale? Lilly denies it was promoted “off label” and pushed on doctors by thousands of Lilly drug reps for FDA unapproved usage to non schizophrenic patients like myself with PTSD.
(B) During the 4 years 1996-2000 that I took Zyprexa,Lilly is alleged to have had an ongoing cover up of critical doctor feedback,that the drug has up to a ten times greater incident of causing diabetes.Finally in 2003 the FDA requires a ‘black box’ warning label of these potential complications.
(C) 2006-07 Eli Lilly lawyers spin a ‘promise’ of a whopping $1.2 billion compensatory settlement for victims like myself who will now have a shortened zyprexa diabetic life.Lilly reports plant closings and employee layoffs in a less favorable political climate and denies that it has been poisoning for profit a mentally challenged patient group less capable of advocating for itself.
Daniel Haszard http://www.zyprexa-victims.com
If someone were to state Mental illness does not exist, all one would have to do in order acquire a meager concept of Mental Illness would be to take a cursory look at THE GROUPs associated with inventing such mental illnesses (i.e. its source). That an extremely bold statement indeed. “…inventing mental illness.”. I suppose this argument presents the paradox of the all too common question of “did the egg come before the children?”, or “did the mental Illness come before the Psychiatrist?”.
Why would someone like me or millions of others even begin to imply such a blithe notion that Mental Illness is invented by a group of charlatans? After all, people do have rough days, drink excessively and sometimes feel nervous speaking in front of audiences. Adults can also, not even mentioning children, have a bit of difficult time sitting still (in uncomfortable chairs) concentrating for long periods of time. After all, the entire sum of human responses or emotional difficulties can be categories as a mental illness. (e.g. Jet lag’s recently purported mental illness can be addressed with medication.
What about all the millions of people who have supposedly been assisted by the myriad of FDA rated Class II anti-psychotics drugs currently on the market (compared by many experts and the FDA to have similar effects and as addictive as heroin)? How could one deny that people actually feel and operate better on these high powered narcotics? After all, it doesn’t take a genius to see that Johnny is now able to sit still in class, and that Betty is certainly able to be present at social gatherings without eating up her insides.
Do these drugs change the way we feel?
What’s wrong with the way we feel and who is saying it? Can the source of these subjective and “voted on” mental illnesses (i.e. source) cure what’s wrong with people, or are they (Psychiatry) generating more problems by creating a world full of medicated addicts who attract diabetes?
Sue them and charge them with criminal charges and fine them punitive damages that makes the company go broke. These drugs are POISON and all those who manufacture them and dose them out are MURDERS.
ASK – your post is so ridiculous that it’s not worth responding to, but you scare me, so I have to respond.
“those who manufacture and those who dose them are murderers” the manufacturer is the pharm company which you hate b/c it’s successful; those who dose – (the doctors) why do you hate the doctors??? It seems like you’re one of those people that prefer to go to an unlicensed, unregulated shaman who will charge you the same as a physician, but instead of drugs THAT WORK will graciously “prescribe” you hot tea and a pinch of dried bull’s testicles – yeah, that will cure you!
“drugs are poison” – just ask how many lives these POISONS have saved… cancer patients, diabetics, hemophiliacs, pregnant women, children and infants, the list goes on and on my friend…
So once a pharm giant goes down, as you wish, who will produce these drugs for those who need them?? Not everyone is particularly excited about trusting their health to a shaman
Are you a socialist, simply hating everything that’s capitalistic? Hating not only pharm companies but everyone who is more successful than you are. Pharm companies make money, and I’m glad they do, if they weren’t, there would be no drugs to save people, even those like you
YO SCARE ME!!
[...] The state of Alaska is suing Lilly, makers of the beleaguered (yet extremely profitable) drug Zyprexa. Of course, the pharma company alleges nothing in the way of intentionally misleading the public, but attorneys representing plaintiffs in this case (Alaska’s Medicaid beneficiaries taking the drug for schizophrenia) believe Lilly opted to wait until last year to add FDA warnings concerning the drug’s effect on weight gain and development of diabetes, instead of making these adverse effects public back in 1998. Zyprexa’s sales amounted to almost $5 B last year. | LINK [...]
I started taking in 06.by 07 I was diagnosed with diabetes I recommend any one on this drug to get a liver function test.I have had to change my life.I will admit I eat more balanced now .I’m not happy about it {the diabetes} what are you gonna due.At least I’m eating less and more aware of what I’m putting in my body
[...] News:MedHeadlines: Common Schizophrenia Drug on TrialNew York Times: Lilly Waited Too Long to Warn About Schizophrenia Drug, Doctor [...]
Interesting..
Interesting Article. Thanks for the read!