No fees unless
we collect for you.
Get a Free Consultation

Big Pharma’s focus on Profits Puts Patient Safety at Risk

Medical professionals and pharmacists provide medication at the pharmacy

Big Pharma uses multiple tactics to try to release billion-dollar drugs- driving profits at the expense of patient safety. Pharmaceutical companies engage in underhanded marketing schemes, kickbacks to doctors, collusive agreements with pharmacy benefits managers and competitors, and trying to get the FDA to approve the drugs for broader uses. These tactics might lead the companies to earn billions of dollars, but they often put the safety of patients at risk.

Medical professionals and pharmacists provide medication at the pharmacy

Research and Approval

Big Pharma claims that the prices of drugs are high because the companies need the money to fund future research. However, most of the research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, using taxpayer dollars. Pharmaceutical companies actually spend a very small percentage of their revenues on research and development.

Drugs that are developed take an average of six years to be approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. When they are approved, they may only be approved to treat rare diseases. Because a drug might not have broad applicability, companies often engage in shady tactics to try to gain broader approval so they can earn substantial profits.

Tactics Used by Big Pharma

Drug companies that are trying to expand the uses of a drug may conduct broad investigations so that drugs may be marketed for off-label uses that haven’t been approved by the FDA. These investigations often reveal a lot of information about side effects. While the companies are supposed to report all of these side effects to consumers, many fail to do so. This may result in harm to patients who take the drugs and products liability litigation.

Other tactics that Big Pharma uses include lobbying Congress, offering physician incentives, and even paying to halt the competition. Although it is illegal for companies to pay a physician to write prescriptions for specific drugs, Big Pharma often gives incentives to doctors to prescribe their medications. They also pay doctors to give presentations at medical conferences. These companies might also enter into collusive agreements with pharmacy benefits companies and with their competitors. Sometimes, competitors are paid to not market their own drugs. Finally, the companies may work to undercut generics. All of these tactics may lead to patient injuries or deaths.

The George Bochanis Injury Law Offices was established in 1985. Before opening his office, Mr. Bochanis spent years representing major insurance companies in litigation cases and prior to that was a law clerk to a prominent local district court judge. Our offices have grown from a small one person setting to having its own well known office location on South Ninth Street in Downtown Las Vegas with 15 employees.

Years of Experience: More than 28 years
Nevada Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions: Nevada State Bar Federal Court of Nevada, 3rd Circuit

Top-Rated Injury Attorneys Fighting for You

Since opening our doors in 1985, the accident lawyers at the George Bochanis Injury Law Offices have been committed to helping injury victims get full compensation after slip and fall accidents, motor vehicle crashes, workplace injuries, and other personal injuries.

We’re here to listen. Schedule your free consultation with an injury lawyer today.