In the field of addiction treatment there are countless “remedies” and concoctions being prescribed by doctors to “treat” the symptoms of addiction. Albeit, prescribed by Medical Professionals, these elixirs are very high priced, bona fide billion dollar marketed snake oils designed to entice millions to purchase the drugs by promising effortless recovery from the very complex condition known as addiction.
While Zyprexa is not openly marketed as a cure or treatment for addiction, there have been many people prescribed the drug for addiction recovery or associated symptoms. When the dust settles on the quick remedy given to millions of hopeful addicts, they still face the huge challenges of how to overcome an overwhelming urge to use drugs only now they a dollars short and more absent hope.
Off label promotion of the drug is what Eli Lilly is getting penalized for and the consequences are amazingly positive. Eli Lilly said it had entered a misdemeanor plea for violation of federal law in its off-label promotion of Zyprexa between September 1999 and March 2001 and agreed to pay 615 million dollars.
The Justice Department said the criminal fine of 515 million dollars was the largest ever in a health care case, and the largest criminal fine for an individual corporation ever imposed in a US criminal prosecution of any kind. Lilly also agreed to forfeit 100 million dollars in the settlement.
Officials said so-called "off label" use of drugs was a serious legal issue.
"Off-label promotion of pharmaceutical drugs is a serious crime because it undermines the FDA's role in protecting the American public by determining that a drug is safe and effective for a particular use before it is marketed," said Gregory Katsas, assistant attorney general.
"This settlement demonstrates the Department's ongoing diligence in prosecuting cases involving violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and recovering taxpayer dollars used to pay for drugs sold as a result of off-label marketing campaigns."
The company said it had admitted in its plea that it had promoted Zyprexa in elderly populations as treatment for dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia, "although Zyprexa is not approved for such uses."
In the United States, Zyprexa is authorized for the treatment of schizophrenia, acute mixed or manic episodes of bipolar I disorder, and maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder.
Clearly, Eli Lilly's current ill fortune is but the tip of the snake oil ice berg. There are thousands of drugs being promoted for addiction, approved or unapproved by the FDA which have a long standing history of not actually substantially helping someone struggling with addiction to break free from their enslavement. It is our collective hope that the Eli Lilly settlement and subsequent legislation will move regulation further in the direction of proven results before promoting products.
Addiction is a very serious issue, life threatening and family destroying. There is no “magic cure” available today and as enticing as a quick fix pill might seem, if it's too good to be true....
