Pharmaceutical Fraud: Join the Live Chat
Tonight on 360°, a brazen case of health care fraud at the world's largest pharmaceutical company. If a person had done what this company did, they would have locked him up and thrown away the key, but as you'll see that didn't happen. They got special treatment. Plus, more of Anderson's interview with Chaz Bono, who used to be Chastity. He explains why he made the transformation from female to male.
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (there's no need to yell)
3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
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And I know their parents love them on some level, but sometimes the parents are trapped in the lifestyle. Or their parents are in prison, or work 2-3 jobs, or die.
Pharmacia along with Upjohn were companies actually acquired and responsible for discovery and development of Bextra. Wouldn't it be justice for Pfizer to shore up the horrible medical plans for the retirees from the acquired companies? How about $11,000/yr single person no medical problems and getting closer to catastrophic coverage with eacch passing year's reduction in benefits?
@Randy
Thanks for the info on the side effects the higher than recommended doses were. I figured that there had to be some damage as a result of misuse of this medication.
Oh Psycho! over 100 picts of women +kids...wow!
I hope that Father Boyle knows when he needs to step aside and not embrace the power he currently holds.
Pfizer is in Canada too. This is just one corporation ...The consumer has the ability to stop all these abuses. Just buy good food.... oh yes... if there is still crop rotation..
RE Pfizer and fraud – as a former via laid-off employee, I can tell you that the environment at Pfizer has changed. The impact of this "event" was significant. They have taken away all sales-reps financial incentives and have put sales materials on computers so they can track it and control it, just to mention some major issues. They have basically turned their salespeople into nicely dressed up UPS/FEDEX delivery people. Dropping samples and smiling. Medications are an interesting subject. Just remember this, if you don't like the way they do business, you don't have to take their meds.
Karoline, I imagine they have. Still might do. It would not be the first time.
Seen documentary´s on `america´s hardest prisons. Gangs and more gangs and violence.
What good work!!
Hope! What a man, this father!
Thanks for this Anderson!
Sheen is correct. They are unloved and lost young people. So true.
Anderson,
This is Hollenbeck touch my heart, I think Father Boyle is absolutely right, It is very interesting to me, I am also against gangs on the street... I felt not safe from gangs, it is very danger. Martin Sheen is best actor and most important man!
May God be with all of us who are making a change for the better!
Thank you for bringing the hopeful side of the Hollenbeck story.
@Vivian, yes, it's too bad that many of their parents have been shot & killed too!
Why do they call it healthcare? Don't they mean "wealthcare"
The healthcare industry is littered with this type of greed. The truth is while we die .......they get rich.
If I commit a criminal act, I don't get a fine, I go to jail. We need to change our laws giving corporations the legal status as any citizen. Fines are the problem. Management should be prosecuted and if found guilty, go to jail.
Our laws should make them responsible for the actions of, in this instance, the sales team. If one does something it;s his fault. If they all do it the CEO, and President should be at fault.
That would stop this nonsense.
I wonder if some gang members have tried to hurt or kill Father Boyle?
Wait, I watch AC360 like very night, but this is the first time I have "chatted" about it. Do the same people talk every night? Because this is kinda funnnn!
@Emily, I am so glad to see that Father Boyle is still hanging in there. They certainly need him and he is making a difference. I hope Anderson continues to follow his progress.
@Joshua, from ON, Canada,
Lol, I noticed your post there. I saw that the Canadian $ is doing quite well.
sometimes when people appear to let other people take advantage of them, it really is more of a passive attitude and observing how people act – this is what i see in rev greg.
"a true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
regarding pfizer'fraud case, i believe the government should fine them 10 to 15 billion dollars instead of 2 billions. It may perhaps make a difference in how they adhere to FDA regulations...
Forgiveness instead of revenge...boy, couldn't the world use that mantra?! All of us, at some point, can use it.
What a great program for these people trying to turn their lives around. Rev Boyle is a true hero!!!
Moya is clearly an intelligent man. It breaks my heart that he's not done more with his intelligence. And why didn't he use his brain? The causes are so many and so intertwined with the society where he grew up.
People say it's all up to individual choice. That's baloney.
@Linda
I totally agree. I think the drug commercials do more harm than good.
People see a commercial for some medication on tv and say "Hey. I need that drug," when they probably don't.
As always,,,it's all about the money! !
It's too bad that a Rev. has to clean up the neighbourhood instead of the parents raising their children properly.
God bless Father Boyle! You have to love this man and what he has done!
Anderson, thank you again for your follow up on such an important issue.
Forgiveness instead of revenge....something to really think about.
Drug companies as well as dog food companies control veterinary medical colleges and this control needs to end to allow freedom of information to be given to students and those receiving treatment at the facilities. The drug companies have more than their foot in the door at medical schools they have a huge influence on many faculty and what informations is given to students and patients.
The drug companies even have their hand in the law schools.
Please do a story on this. I am happy to give you more information
The party of NO wants less government intervention, more corporate freedom and less interference with the private sector.
So why are we complaining we are getting what we are told is the best situation for capitalism and corporate America.
Fine them, why? The price of their drugs just go up faster. Let them fail because their drugs will be sold and made by other (hopefully ) more honest companies that will see what the real penalties can be.
The ex-gang members look so bad, but they seem to have big hearts under the hard shell.
Father Boyle is SO Inspirational 🙂
Moya has been shot an average of every 5yrs! He's very lucky to be alive. It's good to see him like this now, rather than 5yrs ago.
Starr- the drug caused a higher risk of stroke and heart attack, as well as a risk of a fatal skin reaction.
I'm late tonight....but what an interesting thought, 'giving away' one's advantage vs being taken advantage of. Father Boyle is a rare man.
This Pfizer thing is another abomination in the health care system and more attention needs to be brought out about how big drug companies are making the cost of medication stay high. They are the chief ones that don't want health care reform. We need to be able to buy cheaper meds from Canada. thank you.
In schools, how do we now:
-Teach ethics and law when the golden rule is "be too big to foil"?
-Teach economics when the golden rule is "be too big to fail"?
It seems this country's main products now are fraud and deception....smoke and mirrors...
This clearly marks the end of a great empire.
Pharmaceutical companies need profits not only for recouping the $$ they put into R&D but also to work on 'orphan' drugs; those drugs which are specific to illnesses which affect a very small percentage of the population.
Don't forget that doctors can, and do, prescribe drugs outside of labeling. Many of these uses fall within the "usual standards of care". Why would a surgeon prescribe Bextra. Because patients want narcotics, not ibuprofen. Bextra offered them another option. Was anyone truly hurt. How many patients got relief from Bextra. Perhaps it worked better than other pain medicines. Did you research that? Someone said that if you or I had done this, we would have been thrown in jail. Let's be real hear, I got screwed out of more money last week on a lousy car repair, than anyone lost on a prescription for Bextra. We all lose more money to cell phone providers for their lousy service, crafty billing, and deceptive promises than anyone lost on Bextra. . If you have enough money, even murder is beatable in this country.
In my opinion, all drug TV commercials should be dropped/banned.
Cigarette & Alcohol commercials were.
Finally! Thank you for showing just a taste of the kind of fraud that the pharma industry has been perpetrating against the public with impunity for many years. Please do more! This is a HUGE part of true healthcare reform.
ABSOLUTELY lol get your medications from Canada, we could always use the business 🙂 although I think that the government would have a serious problems with the loss of money. Remember, they tax almost every step of the production, and distribution process.
2-3B is a significant penalty. I'm sorry can someone please tell me how pfizer reps were illegally promoting drugs didn't catch that
I don't understand the shell corporations.
@ Emily
"lady killer' dude is very creepy!
Drew Griffin is absolutely right against this companies., That was so fraud pharmacy who are not telling truth people, they are crooked or fool people.... Thanks Drew, Keep Them Honest!
Since the recent Supreme COurt rulling(that corporations have free spech like people) – then I believe they should be treated like poeple. Anderson, you or I would be in the big house by now had we done what they have done!!!
LOVE YOUR SHOW AND TRY TO WATCH MOST EVERY NIGHT.
Maybe i missed it. Were ANY patients hurt from these high does of the medication?
That "wall of silence" is just nuts!
Somehow that has to come to an end.
Power corrupt, the love of money is the root of all evil.
The more thing change the more they stay the same.
Just remember you reap what you sow.
They will be exposed someday for their crimes.
The Pfizer case is disgusting, but it's business as usual for big companies in the United States. Sad, but true. I know it sounds incredibly jaded, but I learned at a really young age that the rich and powerful virtually never have to pay for their wrongs. For every Bernie Madoff, there are hundreds of other crooks out there