'Pfizer's cholesterol pill Lipitor remains the best-selling drug in the world for the fifth year in a row....'. How would you interpret this news item?

Could be. But people are buying the drug because their doctors prescribe it. Reducing fat intake would be a better alternative to pills, I would feel, WT. +6.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009

That, and regular exercise (which, incidentally, I'm not at all inclined towards).
Also, I'm sure doctors must be getting "rewarded" very well for their "favour".

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by Wisdom Tooth on August 19th, 2009

I have heard about in what shapes the rewards come to doctors, WT.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009

No, Mensan. There is a list of 25 top selling drugs and Lipitor happens to top the list. I Googled and found the same result in all newspapers.
It is the largest selling drug brand, no doubt about that.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009

True indeed, but the manufacturer of the drug ARRANGED for that bit of "news" to be brought to the attention of The Press.
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The reason I know this to be factual, is I used to be employed by Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals, and was privy to strategy meetings where free publicity was discussed. Parke-Davis is a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parke-Davis

Thanks for the points.

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by Anonymous on August 19th, 2009

Parke Davis is quite a famous international pharma company. They have been having their operations in India too for a pretty long time. Never knew they were a subsidiary of Pfizer.
I get the idea about arranging to news to be planted for free advertisement. Thanks, Mensan.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009

YW

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by Anonymous on August 19th, 2009

What I meant was are people becoming more cholesterol conscious or are people getting prescription for the pill because their doctors diagnose cholesterol to be their main problem, Thriftymaid. +6.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009

Lipitor is used as a heart disease preventative as well as for high cholesterol. As far as I can tell, Lipitor has the more positive successful studies (which were not funded by the drug company) of any of the other cholesterol meds. Some people are on it whose cholesterol is not extremely high but have other high risks for heart disease.

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by Thriftymaid on August 19th, 2009

Thanks for explaining, Thriftymaid.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009

You are the only one who has had personal experience with the drug to answer, DudeLer. So it affects the thinking process. May be the drug is being abused because of its mind altering properties making it a best seller.
Thanks you very much for your answer. +6.

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by Suby the Coat on August 19th, 2009