Tough pill to swallow
Sometimes legal settlements reveal more than just boring dollar amounts. Last week, GlaxoSmithKline agreed to plead guilty to the illegal marketing of the prescription antidepressant Wellbutrin and pay $3 billion in criminal and civil fines. This settlement followed a 9-year investigation into the company’s marketing practices by the federal government. In the process, documents associated with the case revealed that TV physician Dr. Drew was among the “consultants” paid to do this illegal advertising. So what did Glaxo do, and why was it so bad? And why would a trusted name in science forsake his neutral and beneficial advice in the name of a pharmaceutical company’s profits (hint: it has to do with money)? Find out after the break.