Merck Demands Omerta

Merck proves that the drug war isn't just about pot and coke. For all you MDs, university grant gobblers and public health officials carrying Merck's water (Evian, no doubt) - are any you brave enough to speak out on behalf of your patients regarding drug and vaccine safety?  Or is silence the best medicine?

AN international drug company made a hit list of doctors who had to be "neutralised" or discredited because they criticised the anti-arthritis drug the pharmaceutical giant produced.

Staff at US company Merck &Co emailed each other about the list of doctors - mainly researchers and academics - who had been negative about the drug Vioxx or Merck and a recommended course of action.

The email, which came out in the Federal Court in Melbourne yesterday as part of a class action against the drug company, included the words "neutralise", "neutralised" or "discredit" against some of the doctors' names.

It is also alleged the company used intimidation tactics against critical researchers, including dropping hints it would stop funding to institutions and claims it interfered with academic appointments. Read the full story in The Australian (HERE).

 

Comments

[AutisticLiving.com]

I see a lot of jokes, sarcasm, and plenty of outrage.

Are there any attorneys in the house?

http://www.ricoact.com/ricoact/theact.asp

Maybe it's just me and my lack of a Juris Doctorate, but I'd say not only Merck, but several others meet the criteria.

If not, please tell me why.

The act is not limited to law enforcement. A civil RICO suit can be filed as well.

Vaccines aside, how come nobody has used Vioxx to take these pricks down? Can someone explain to me why nobody seems to be taking this route? I can't be alone in that there is no amount of money they could offer me to go away if I were injured by Vioxx, or one of my loved ones was killed by it.

I'd much rather save the world than buy it.

[Twyla]

Yeah, Craig -- I agree. When it comes to vaccines they're completly different -- their motivations are as pure as newly fallen snow. They say, "Profits be damned! We must do whatever is best for the little babies!"

(end sarcasm)

What scumbags. And we're called conspiracy theorists! This is like a novel. It sure is like "The Fugitive". Who would have thought that pharma companies would become so powerful?

These are the kinds of forces that Dr. Wakefield is up against.

Kudos to every person who is speaking out, fighting back, refusing to go along with the pharma agenda -- especially the researchers, doctors, scientists who have career interests at stake.

[Zed]

As a healthcare provider who attempts to educate patients about vaccine, they invariably ask "why would doctors DO that?" Here's an explanation that covers some of it.
http://www.mudvillenews.com/mnarchives/2009/mn20090318/mn20090318_oped.php

[Kathy Blanco]

Now I know why they push vaccines on us, it's life or death for them, and life or death for us. The two, don't combine well, like oil and water...

[JOAN M. PETTY]

Merck & Co. Inc. has a shield of protection that was put in place by the United States Congress, when they omitted from the FDCA ACT in 1962, Product Liability for Medical Devises and Prescription drugs. This preemption of the Law allows Merck and others to be shielded from any prosecution for a criminal act, such as murder or killing or causing injury with a defective drug such as VIOXX. The public is at risk because of this preemption that has been allowed for 70 years. Why is the United States Congress protectiong the DRug Companies and ignoring the safety of the people. ???? Merck is a German owned Company whose main office is located in New Jersey,United States, Protected by the United States Government, and doing a healthy business.I know I am a VIOXX Survivor.

[samaxtics]

I do think the tide is turning and doctors and researchers will start to revolt against the machine. The editor of JAMA criticized a professor for pointing out a COI and omission in a published study and the fallout may be revealing as to what is starting to brew. In the comments, doctors write about canceling their subscriptions; there may be hope yet.

JAMA Editor Calls Critic a ‘Nobody and a Nothing’ http://tinyurl.com/cb8v7d
“Jonathan Leo, a professor of neuro-anatomy at tiny Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., posted a letter on the Web site of the British Medical Journal this month criticizing a study that appeared in JAMA last spring. The study concerned the use of the anti-depressant Lexapro in stroke patients. In addition to identifying what he said was an important omission in the paper — that behavioral therapy worked just as well as the drug when compared head to head in the study — Leo also pointed out that the lead author had a financial relationship with Forest Laboratories, the maker of Lexapro, that was not disclosed in the study.”
AND
ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND CONTROVERSY OVER THE PUBLICATION OF FACTUALLY CORRECT, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION Jonathan Leo, Ph.D.
http://tinyurl.com/ccv68c

[John Stone]

This story emphasises the necessity for legislation against corporate manslaughter. For these people it still does not ultimately matter how much damage they inflict it is still a commercial gamble: nobody's lives matter. And we can imagine who else could have been on the hitlist.

The groundbreaking 2005 report by the UK House of Commons Health Committee 'The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry' included the following information (p.60):

'The use of PR to counter negative publicity'

'221. Public relations is particularly important during times of bad publicity, especially when the safety of brands is called into question. Considerable resources are invested into building long-term, sustainable relationships with stakeholders and ‘key opinion leaders’ and journalists. These relationships are used to promote the use of certain brands and counter concerns relating to safety. Efforts to undermine critical voices in particular were identified, under terms of “issues management”. In later evidence, in response to the ISM’s memorandum, Pfizer stated that PR is entirely legitimate and can “help to educate and inform”. According to the PMCPA, PR activities may include “placing articles in the lay press, TV documentaries, soap operas etc”.'

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmhealth/42/42.pdf

So, there you are, it is just educative!

[Sarah]

They are nothing but drug pushing thugs intimidating those who won't buy their product. To them I say..

God damn, God damn The Pusher man!

[bensmyson]

Of course it goes without saying that if Merck will do this to protect Vioxx they will do it to protect GARDASIL® (HPV) and ProQuad® (MMRV). I still can't for the life of me understand why something like this isn't a criminal offense. At the very least it is extortion. But if you factor in negligence (giving them the benefit of the doubt) it could easily be involuntary murder.

I am convinced Merck wrecked my child's brain. ProQuad® was rushed into the market, thanks to the FDA, so that doctors could save time in the jabbing process, one less shot to give. This was not a product to be used to fight off a epidemic outbreak of disease, it was a tool of convenience. In the two years the vaccine was on the market it grossed 2 billion dollars for Merck. Merck, themselves, in November reported two deaths to VAERS due to the reactions two children had from receiving ProQuad®. Eight deaths resulting from ProQuad® have already been reported.

No telling the totals on those killed and injured by GARDASIL®

[Erik Nanstiel]

Remember the film "The Fugitive" with Harrison Ford? Merck is sounding more like the fictional drug company "Devlin-Macgregor Pharmaceuticals." Falsifying safety data and hiring thugs to "neutralize" whistle-blowing doctors...

[Deb in IL]

There are no side effects, only coincidences.

[Jack]

Holy crap. If this doesn't start to wake people up, nothing will. Probably nothing will, but it's going up on my Facebook anyway.

[Craig Willoughby]

But, of course, it is IMPOSSIBLE for them to do something like this to Doctors and scientists who question the safety of their vaccines. Nah, could never happen.

The Church of the Immaculate Vaccination is good and right! They only have our best interests in mind.

(end sarcasm)