The AbbVie/InterMune Petition.

Take a moment out to sign this petition put forward by David Healy.

In a nutshell, AbbVie, makers of Humira, and InterMune, whose pulmonary-fibrosis drug Esbriet has recently been approved in Europe, aren't playing ball.

Neither of them want you seeing data from their trials on the benefits and harms of these drugs so both have filed suit to deny access to information that is important for the consumer.

What do they have to hide, more importantly who do they think they are by making demands that the public have no right to access this information? They claim that trade secrets would be released if they had to offer up such information. This is nothing but a smokescreen designed to stop the general public from getting to the truth!

The petition is gaining momentum, over 700 signatures in just 48 hours. However, more people need to sign it.

Let's put pressure on.

Petition can be read and signed HERE.

Bob Fiddaman

葛兰素史克公司 腐败 For Researching Chinagate

So, last night I came up with the idea of translating English to Chinese, to get a heads up of what is going on in China and what is not being reported in the western world.

I've devised a list of key words that advocates, journalists and the general public may have fun using.

First off, 葛兰素史克公司 - cut and paste this into Google and see where it leads you...

Pretty cool eh?

Now, you can add the following search terms to the one above, remembering to add a space.

Here's the list - have fun folks

彼得·汉弗莱 = Peter Humphrey

赵洪彦 = Zhao Hongyan

张国伟 = Zhang Guowei

梁洪 = Liang Hong

黄虹 = Huang Hong

葛兰素史克 = GSK

安德鲁·威蒂 = Andrew Witty

回扣 = kickbacks

妓女 = prostitute

性方面的好处 = sexual favours

帕罗西汀 = paroxetine

非法 = illegal

自杀 = suicide

支付 = payments

腐败 = corruption

贿赂 = bribes

行贿 = bribery

肉毒杆菌 = botox

舞弊 = fraud

举报人 = whistleblower

名人 = celebrities

哮喘 = asthma

处方 = prescriptions

代笔 = ghostwriting

卖淫 = prostitution

旅行 = travel

销售队伍 = salesforce

刑事 = criminal

有罪 = guilty




Bob Fiddaman

Glaxo's Private Investigator Arrested

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Andrew Witty... I know narrrrrrrrthing

Like a script from the 70's classic Fawlty Towers, GSK Head, Andrew Witty, has recently claimed that GSK HQ in London knew nothing about the fraud occurring in China [back stories here, here, here]

If Witty is telling the truth one has to ask why he knew nothing. He's the head of the company and surely this means keeping his fingers on the pulse at GSK, both at home and globally.

Witty, who last year, blamed Glaxo's history of fraudulent promotion on "part of an era", is, in essence, deflecting blame on his own poor performance as a Chief Executive.

Glaxo were found guilty and fined a record breaking $3 billion for that particular crime and Witty spun his company's dirty deeds by blaming an era that he, allegedly, had nothing to do with. So, he was, it can be argued, blaming his predecessor Jean Pierre Garnier.

Nothing changes. Now, it appears, Witty is, once again, deflecting blame.

Digging through the archives we can see that this isn't the first time Glaxo have been embroiled in controversy regarding payments made to doctors.

In 2003, admittedly before Witty was in charge, the Finance Police in Veneto, Italy, charged 72 Italian doctors and Glaxo employees with bribery and corruption, charging that Glaxo employees showered cash, gifts and trips on doctors to encourage them to prescribe more Glaxo products. [1]

Déjà vu anyone?

Just like the Chinese allegations Glaxo were accused back in 2003 of wining and dining doctors and sending them on lavish trips in an effort to get them to prescribe more of it's products.

How did Glaxo's then medical director, Giuseppe Recchia, react to news of the illegal activities?

“We think we acted according to the standards fixed by the law.”

Marvelous isn't it.

During the 2003 investigation it was learned that 26 chiefs and assistant chiefs of hospital departments, five university professors, and four heads of hospital pharmacies were invited to “medical tours” to places such as Monte Carlo in the days of the Formula 1 Grand Prix or to Sharm el Sheik or Damascus, or they received tens of thousands of pounds cash with fictitious justifications.

The current Chinese investigation alleges pretty much the same although we can throw prostitution into the pot as well.

I wonder if Witty's predecessor knew nothing about what was going on in Italy - that seems to be the standard these days. Run a large corporate company, cover oneself in garlands with praise received, deny any knowledge of any wrong-doing when criticism is aimed and fired.

Witty claims that London HQ had no knowledge of what was going on in China. His London HQ have known for years that thousands of people have found Seroxat withdrawal problematic... they still did nothing to help these consumers.

If Witty had any gumption about him, if he really wanted to practice what he preached then maybe it's time for him to sit down with Seroxat victims, maybe he could write directly to Secure Law, the UK law firm representing claimants who became addicted to Glaxo's wonder pill.

Then again, I'm guessing even Witty would find it difficult to face victims or even their representatives... he'd have to get past his own lawyers first who would gently advise him that meeting with Seroxat victims/representatives would be an admission of guilt... and we can't have GSK looking guilty can we?

What happened in China "I know nothing"

What happened in Italy? I know nothing"

Ignorance is bliss eh.

This one's for you Mr Witty.




[1] Italians Link Glaxo to Illegal Doctor Gifts

Bob Fiddaman

Book Your Holidays With GSK Travel

It's okay, GSK haven't branched out into the holiday business, although if they did one could only speculate that the choice of airline may have defective planes.

This is more about what's been going on in China over the past few years.

Glaxo, Britain's largest pharmaceutical company, are currently under investigation by Chinese officials regarding payments, holidays and sexual favours made to healthcare professionals in an effort to get them to prescribe more of GSK's branded drugs.

The Wall Street Journal are reporting that Glaxo reps organised all expenses paid trips to Chinese doctors to tour the scenic river town of Guilin, China's most picturesque region which has long been one of the world's most famous travel destinations.

The WSJ are also alleging that Chinese healthcare professionals were also sent to other exotic destinations such as Hungary and Greece in an effort to get them to prescribe Botox, best known for its ability to combat crow's feet and other facial wrinkles. Botox has another 26 treatable indications which include chronic migraines,  uncontrollable blinking and overactive bladders, ironically, losing control of your bladder is one of the side effects associated with Botox.

Glaxo reps, according to documents leaked to the WSJ, also offered special payments to doctors who sold the most amount of drugs within the years quarter.

As all this filters through from China lest we forget that female reps were, allegedly, also instructed to prostitute themselves to doctors [back story].

Whatever it takes eh?

According to the WSJ, Glaxo officials have declined to make any comment regarding the latest allegations. This is normally the stance, they wait and then issue a denial and "we are currently investigating" type of statement.

You gotta love this company, they are the masters of avoidance, in more ways than one. They avoid the truth, even when evidence is overwhelming and they avoid custodial sentences because nobody can ever get to the root of the problem. Glaxo reps will say they were trained, Glaxo's managers were say they weren't... litigation ensues and deals are struck... Glaxo walk free without entering any guilty plea... in other words, they continue to bang the 'we've done nothing wrong' drum.

The WSJ article can be read here

Bob Fiddaman

Witty Witty Bang Wang. The Glaxo Gangbang...Allegedly

More on the GSK Chinagate scandal. The telegraph are reporting that Chinese authorities have released more details regarding the fraudulent behaviour of the company that wants us all to live longer and feel better.

It's alleged that Glaxo reps were trained to offer sexual services to Dr's in an effort to get them to prescribe more drugs. How does one train a rep to prostitute themselves?

The Telegraph claim that China’s official news wire, Xinhua, "quoted a 35-year-old female “medical representative” who reportedly worked for a GSK regional sales manager named only as Mr Li.

"The woman, named as Ms Wang, said “some executives gave clear directives to the sales department to offer bribes to doctors with money or opportunities to attend academic conferences.”

"Ms Wang said she would even go so far as fulfilling some doctors’ “sexual desires” in order to “meet their needs” and persuade them to prescribe more drugs."

I wonder how that visit went?

Wang: If you prescribe more I will give you money

Dr: No thanks, that's corrupt.

Wang unbuttons her blouse to reveal her cleavage, "then maybe we could come to some 'other' arrangement"?

This has got me thinking. There's some porn director out there right now being paid to write and direct. All they need do is follow this Chinese story.



In other news, Chinese authorities have arrested a further 18 Glaxo employees, this on the back of the four Glaxo employees who were previously arrested by Chinese officials. No names have been released and both the authorities and Glaxo are remaining tight lipped.

Here's the Wang article.

Fid