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Pfizer Cranks Out New Diseases
Posted by Pile
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| "Fibromyalgia is a real, widespread pain condition," stresses a woman in a television ad for Lyrica, a Pfizer drug that recently became "the first medicine approved to treat the pain condition." But some doctors have their doubts. These skeptics "say vague complaints of chronic pain do not add up to a disease. |
The condition cannot be linked to any environmental or biological causes." Even Dr. Frederick Wolfe, who first defined fibromyalgia, "now considers the condition a physical response to stress, depression, and economic and social anxiety." The president of the National Fibromyalgia Association, "a patients' advocacy group that receives some of its financing from drug companies," counters that the Food and Drug Administration's approval of Lyrica made her pain "real to people." Even though Lyrica has troubling side effects, its sales increased 50 percent from 2006 to 2007, and are expected to "rise an additional 30 percent this year, helped by consumer advertising." Forest Laboratories and Eli Lilly have "asked the FDA to let them market drugs for fibromyalgia." One thing is certain, says Dr. Wolfe -- the drug companies are "going to make a fortune."
Hoping to follow Pfizer’s lead, two other big drug companies, Eli Lilly and Forest Laboratories, have asked the F.D.A. to let them market drugs for fibromyalgia. Approval for both is likely later this year, analysts say.
Worldwide sales of Lyrica, which is also used to treat diabetic nerve pain and seizures and which received F.D.A. approval in June for fibromyalgia, reached $1.8 billion in 2007, up 50 percent from 2006. Analysts predict sales will rise an additional 30 percent this year, helped by consumer advertising.
In November, Pfizer began a television ad campaign for Lyrica that features a middle-aged woman who appears to be reading from her diary. “Today I struggled with my fibromyalgia; I had pain all over,” she says, before turning to the camera and adding, “Fibromyalgia is a real, widespread pain condition.” |
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| Posted by Surfergurl on 2008-01-16 11:01:50 | | well, yeah, fibromyalgia IS real....but as long as people eat badly there will always be a need for drug suppliers |
FM Is VERY real
Posted by Shadeaux63 on 2008-01-23 04:24:20 | I can tell you that from experience. I have it.I am not a wimp. nor do I whine at the least little twinge of pain. I've given birth to 5 children-the last two at home.24 hour labors with no medication, and no desire for any.But, all my life, as far back as I can remember, I've had symptoms of FM.Doctors kept telling me it was stress, or I just needed to exercise more, or that I was lazy, or a host of other "there, there, you'll be just fine" comments.None of it true.What was wrong is that I have Fibromyalgia.
Anyone who reads this needs to know that at one time, doctors thought diabetes was all in a persons head,too-it was called a psychosomatic condition.As was PMS, Epstien-Barr,and a host of other now-known-to-be-legitimate health problems.Just because they don't understand it and don't know what causes it, does NOT mean it doesn't exist.If it doesn't exist, explain why there are visible differences on MRIs of FM patients brains.Explain why the APA Assay test shows elevated levels of anti-polymer antibodies in people with FM.Explain the elevated levels of substance P in spinal fluid in people with FM.And explain the unbelievably large list of common symptoms so many of us share that "normal" people don't have. |
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