Although I agree with the harshest penalties for both companies and individuals responsible for these unacceptable actions, please remember that there are very many people who work or have worked -- myself included -- for pharma companies, and to whom the "ethical" in what used to be "ethical pharmaceuticals" was, and remains, primary.

It is very troubling to feel associated with people who hold the view that fraud of this kind might be acceptable. However, it is also extremely uncomfortable that some view everyone associated with pharma as evil. I and colleagues have in the past categorically refused to work with some units in some companies because of their attitudes, and made this clear, even if it meant attracting ill-feeling or turning down paid work. Probably won't make much difference, but at least my conscience is clear.

And yes, my small pension will be affected by all of this.

I hope that "these folk" refers specifically to those directly responsible.

Andrzej Glowinski

On 3 Jul 2012, at 15:21, Tom Jefferson wrote:

The only deterrent for these folk are jail and confiscation of bank accounts, property and other assets including pensions.

On 3 July 2012 16:18, Penny S Reynolds/FS/VCU <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote:

To put the settlement into its financial perspective, Katie Smith of the New York Times stated on the PBS Newshour that the combined sales of Avandia, Paxil and Wellbutrin totaled approximately $26 billion over the settlement period. So will a $3B fine be much of a deterrent to this sort of irresponsible behaviour?

bw

Penny S Reynolds

The world presents enough problems if you believe it to be a world of law and order, do not add to them by believing it to be a world of miracles. Louis D. Brandeis

-----"Evidence based health (EBH)" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote: -----

To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
From: "Lehman, Richard"
Sent by: "Evidence based health (EBH)"
Date: 07/03/2012 09:14
Subject: Re: GlaxoSmithKline to pay $3B in largest healthcare fraud settlement in US history

Couldn't agree more. GSK are now trying to clean up their image by supporting the priniciple of open data sharing in the future, but firms caught doing the things they have should be made to disclose their entire retrospective research databases for independent scrutiny at their own cost, as well as being made open to the prosecution of individuals involved in fraud/false marketing/data concealment.

It is shameful that settlements like this can be part of a business plan to amass huge profits while knowingly harming patients. As yet there is nothing concrete in place to deter similar behaviour in the future.

Richard

From: Evidence based health (EBH) [[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Paul Elias [[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 9:03 AM
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: GlaxoSmithKline to pay $3B in largest healthcare fraud settlement in US history

Once again, the good, the bad, the ugly about big pharma...for this, I can only see the bad and ugly, nothing good about this. this was all greed and complicity. Last week it was Pfizer and the Celebrex deceit and witholding of safety clinical data, now Glaxo...

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/record-settlement-glaxosmithkline-plead-guilty-pay-3b-illicit-192857575--finance.html

Best,

Paul E. Alexander

--
Dr Tom Jefferson
www.attentiallebufale.it