And although big pharma claims their very high drug prices are caused by development costs; it is important to understand they spend millions on advertising - and often to create a market for a drug that really is not indicated.
We have already seen the overuse of Testosterone and the artificial and dangerous creation of "low-T". Millions of cases of Restless Leg Syndrome were "discovered" because certain drugs needed a market. And who wuldn't want to take an anti-depressant these days - smile!!
But more dangerous is the recent marketing of inhaled fentanyl - off label. This drug is more potent than morphine and very addictive. The nasal inhaler produces rapid blood levels and is useful and indicated in the severe pain of cancer - ONLY. But this market was apparently too small for the manufacturer and it has been pushed off label for chronic pain. This is extremely dangerous due to addiction potential.
In a recent New York Times article Interviews
of former sales reps by the Times
"suggest the company [Insys Therapeutics] ... has aggressively marketed
the painkiller, including to physicians who did not treat many cancer
patients," and paid higher sales commissions for selling higher doses.
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