The Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex (lets call it PHIC for short, folks) lobbed another grenade last week, aiming to increase profits yet minimize choice and affordable public health. Last week, Pfizer announced that the testing of its new cholesterol drug Torcetrapib will be conducted only in combination with Lipitor.
If the test plan is approved by the FDA, Pfizer will test and then sell Torcetrapib only in combination with Lipitor, granting the blockbuster Lipitor a new lease on life past 2010 when it loses patent protection and generic alternatives enter the market.
NBN wonders how much longer before Pfizer, Merck and the rest of the PHIC boys get added to the list of corporate evil doers right next to Enron and World Comm?
See the New York Times Editorial Page March 15th, 2005.
