Dr. James McMillen of Pennsylvania was ordered by the FDA to stop “false or misleading” promotions of Celebrex. The FDA reported that Dr. McMillen the minimized Celebrex’s risks to potential users and also directly promoted off-label use. Despite this fact, three separate doctors paid Dr. McMillen $224,163 since 2009 to speak about their pharmaceutical products to other physicians. Another doctor, Dr. Donald Ray Taylor of Georgia admitted giving young female patients rectal and vaginal exams without explanation. Shockingly, when confronted by the hospital, the doctor had no answer. Still, last year, Taylor was the third-highest-paid speaker for Cephalon.
It is crucial that potential patients fully understand the risks of the drugs on the market. Because pharmatology can be so complex, drug companies often resort to the testimony of physicians to aid the public in its understanding. Pharmaceutical companies tell the public that they hire only the best doctors to explain the benefits and risks of their drugs. What’s disturbing is that these drug companies are not doing their homework prior to hiring doctors as speakers. Worse yet, sometimes these drug companies simply choose to ignore a physician’s checkered past in favor of product promotion.
More than 40 of these “spokesman physicians” have been directly warned by the FDA for research misconduct, have been convicted of past crimes or have lost hospital privileges. Also, at least 20 additional doctors hired by the pharmaceutical companies have had two or more malpractice judgments or settlements. These numbers may just be the tip of the iceburg as many states do not even report such statistics.
Over the past few years, the public has learned about dangerous drugs such as Bextra, Vioxx, and Avandia but only after millions of people had already taken these drugs. It’s no secret why the drug companies choose physicians as their spokesmen – patients generally trust their doctors. If an individual sees a doctor touting the exceptional benefits of a drug, the person simply wants to believe that the drug is the right medication for him or her. It is quite dangerous for the reckless conduct of these drug manufacturers to continue. Some lobbyists have proposed that drug makers not be allowed to pay doctors to speak favorably about their drugs. As a St. Louis injury attorney, I represent individuals injured by these reckless drug companies. Indeed, the public would receive a much more unbiased view if the doctors were speaking not because they were paid to do so but because they truly believe in the drug and its benefits.
Doctors with questionable records earn a lot as drug firms’ speakers, Boston.com, October 19, 2010