Sarafem Nation

Renamed Prozac Targets Huge Market: Premenstrual Women

A A A Comments By Carla Spartos Tuesday, Dec 5 2000

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According to Caplan, almost all of the data the roundtable evaluated fell into two categories: the old problematic studies available to the DSM-IV group or the new research into using Prozac to treat PMDD. "There was nothing that looked at the validity of the PMDD construct," says Caplan.

Did Lilly railroad Sarafem through? Two members of the 16-person roundtable conducted PMDD research funded by Lilly, and another member has received honoraria as a speaker for Lilly. Endicott, who hasn't received research funds or speaking fees from Lilly, opened the company's November 1999 presentation to an FDA advisory committee, which voted unanimously in favor of the new PMDD indication for Prozac. In addition, the Society for Women's Health Research trumpets on its Web site an "unrestricted educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company," which they've used to promote PMDD awareness, including a national survey conducted in November to gauge women's awareness of PMDD and available treatment (i.e., Sarafem). "Lilly had done an extraordinary job of getting this to the public," says Stotland.

illustration: Jonathan Weiner

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Researchers taking a ride on the drug-company gravy train is not unique to those who studied PMDD, but it can have effects on scientific research. "I don't think people falsify results. But what kinds of questions do you ask? Which results do you publish?" asks Stotland. "When I was a resident it was the departments who had money to bring in speakers. Now, it's the drug companies who are flying people around."

Incidently, at the time of the interview, Stotland was attending a PMDD conference held at a Palm Springs resort, courtesy of Eli Lilly.

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