BU Now » Pfizer

FDA and outsourced drug making

Dick Taffe — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:15:03 +0000

The Food and Drug Administration reportedly will propose tougher regulations for pharmaceutical companies that outsource manufacturing of drugs, making them more responsible for the safety and purity of the products made by contractors. Law Professor Kevin Outterson, an authority on food and drug law and director of the Healthy Law Program, says the changes likely will have little effect because branded drug manufacturers put their reputations on the line every day with their drugs already.

“I’d be surprised if the FDA requirements are a great improvement over what Pfizer and Merck already do to protect the integrity of their supply chain.”

Contact Kevin Outterson, 617-353-3103, mko@bu.edu

Pfizer’s history of illegal marketing

Dick Taffe — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:29:21 +0000

Bloomberg News reports on the history of Pfizer, the world’s largest drug company, illegally promoting drugs for uses not approved by the FDA – even after being heavily fined for doing so. Law Professor Kevin Outterson, an expert on drug marketing and director of the BU School of Law’s Health Law Program, says big pharma can afford to pay the fines for such transgressions.

“Drug companies are paying these fines so frequently that they begin to look like speeding tickets when you’re earning billions in profits.”

Contact Kevin Outterson, 617-353-3103, mko@bu.edu

Pfizer to give free drugs to jobless

Dick Taffe — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:05:52 +0000

School of Law Professor Kevin Outterson, director of the Health Law Program and an authority on drug marketing, says Pfizer offering free drugs to recently uninsured or jobless customers will create a mountain of paperwork for doctors’ offices and their patients.

“Some states have created ‘central-fill’ pharmacies, which greatly simplify the paperwork burdens. If drug companies really wanted to help the largest number of people, they would embrace the central-fill model and stop putting unnecessary paperwork between patients and the drugs they need.”

Contact Kevin Outterson, 617-353-3103, mko@bu.edu

GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer combine HIV-drug business

Dick Taffe — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:59:31 +0000

Law Professor Kevin Outterson, director of the Health Law Program, says big pharma giants GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer combining their HIV-drug business should be good for the companies and for patients around the globe.

“The joint venture will allow GSK and Pfizer to coordinate antiretroviral-drug research, which will both lower R&D costs and reduce competition between the companies.

“Given the global importance of this drug category, and Glaxo CEO Andrew Witty’s recent comments on global access to drugs, I hope the joint venture will issue a clear statement on affordable access to ARVs across the entire world.”

Contact Kevin Outterson, 617-353-3103, mko@bu.edu