Flagrant Misrepresentation
Voluntary Withdrawal
of Vioxx
Recent Cases
It is my opinion that what is masquerading
as a scientific debate in connection with the use
of hormone replacement therapy is really a last-ditch
effort by the pharmaceutical companies to avoid responsibility
for the flagrant misrepresentations they have made
virtually from the time synthetic estrogen was first
invented in 1938. The medical profession fares
little better, at least in this country, in that it
accepted as reliable, scientific information and propaganda
from the pharmaceuticals touting their products� benefits,
disregarding the risks their patients faced from the
time synthetic estrogen first reached US markets in
the early 1940's.
The FDA has been no friend to women
in that for decades it has allowed the pharmaceuticals
to market their products with barely a passing glance
to safety or efficacy. To be sure, new drug
applications may contain tens of thousands of pages
but the reality is that volume was not evidence of
diligent research and proper testing, but rather the
creation of a labyrinth which submerged the truth
so that the larger the new drug application the deeper
the truth is buried.
Today numerous studies have shown
that ERT and HRT are responsible for countless deaths
and injuries ranging from breast cancers to strokes
that were brought about not by any tragic accident
but rather by the blind pursuit of profit by the major
pharmaceuticals in this country. Although that
harm cannot be undone, it is the purpose of this paper
to encourage victims to exercise their rights under
the tort system and to hold Wyeth and the other pharmaceutical
manufacturers accountable for the blatant misconduct
they have engaged in for decades.
The current controversy surrounding
the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
can best be understood from a historical perspective
since there are few answers available that can be
provided with any degree of certainty. One thing is
for certain, generally speaking, while estrogens have
some beneficial effects, one size does not fit all,
and for the majority of women the risks outweigh the
benefits. Moreover, there are viable alternatives
available which range from lifestyle changes such
as diet and exercise to less potent drugs that can
provide benefits without the risks that accompany
the combination ERT and HRT that has been promoted
by Wyeth and other pharmaceuticals for decades.
Wyeth is finally coming around
and warning women that Premarin and Prempro are only
indicated to relieve severe symptoms of menopause
such as hot flashes or night sweats, vaginal dryness
and for women who are at significant risk for osteoporosis
in whom non � estrogen therapies have been carefully
considered, and that treatment should be on a short
term basis. It is only obvious that non hormonal therapies
should be considered as first-line treatment.
However, these are medical issues that are beyond
the scope of this paper.
