As with so many other harmful drugs, the use of testosterone went off the rails when companies pushed the drug’s use for off-label purposes. Although testosterone replacement therapy was approved to treat just two specific conditions, companies eventually pushed their products to treat all kinds of other conditions, uses never…
Articles Posted in Off-Label Drug Use
Androgel Testosterone Trial: $150 Million Punitive Damages Award
A few weeks ago I wrote about an Androgel testosterone case being tried in Illinois. We now have the verdict, and the result is, well, a mixed bag. Still, on balance, it must be viewed as a win for plaintiffs, and a major rebuke for companies like AbbVie, Inc. who…
Zofran: Fraud Claims Against GlaxoSmithKline Will Move Forward
Zofran is an anti-nausea drug. It works to prevent nausea and vomiting by blocking the effects of serotonin, a chemical in the body that triggers nausea and vomiting. The drug was designed to help cancer patients dealing with the side effects of chemotherapy but it was also approved by the…
“Off-Label” Drug Use: Pursuing Profits at the Expense of Safety?
Let me state the obvious: companies sell you stuff with one purpose in mind, to make money. McDonald’s doesn’t sell you quarter pounders because the company believes what you need to live a better life is to eat more quarter pounders. The NRA doesn’t advocate gun ownership because it believes…
The Criminal Pursuit of Profit: Device Company Execs Accused of Fraud
Profits can lead corporations to take dangerous risks. In the medical device industry, it can mean that a company decides to rush a product onto market without proper clinical testing. Or it could mean the company goes too far in promoting a product for “off-label use.” Sometimes, the pursuit of…