Pfizer to Pay $2.3 Billion in Fraudulent-Marketing Suit »

I just read an article about Pfizer paying $2.3 BILLION to settle a fraudulent health care marketing case… the largest settlement in the history of the Department of Justice. 

I’m so interested in health care marketing for the opportunity of being able to work with clients who actually help with improving something really important, you know… people’s well beings! But instances like this seem to be so common in pharma and it makes me question if this is really a field that I want to be a part of. I guess what’s keeping me hooked, though, is that underlying potential for these big drug companies to really live up to what patients and physicians expect from them. It was never the money that drew me to pharmaceutical advertising, but that aspect of the product being something truly beneficial and fulfilling an essential need. ::shrug:: But maybe that’s what I bring to the table — the fact that I actually care about something other than making money.

I don’t get how some of these Pfizer execs can find fulfillment in making billions off of jeopardizing patients’ welfare. Shame. Gets me thinking about where the chain of manipulation starts. Who’s in on the lies? I certainly don’t want to believe that my dad, as a physician, would ever accept kickbacks from these drug companies. And what about the friendly drug reps that come by the office? Are they simply regurgitating whatever crap their company brainwashed them into believing or are they aware of the misconceptions they’re perpetuating? It’s terrifying that we even have to question the integrity of the people who are supposed to be taking care of us. I’ve should really do something about that…