Drug Approved for Disease of Questionable Origins
Fibromyalgia, a disease consisting of chronic, vague, and widespread pain, has been a controversial diagnosis. As reported in the New York Times on Monday, some doctors say that it is a response to an emotional disorder which should be treated as such while others claim that it is a legitimate physical disorder and that it should be treated with drugs such as Pfizer's Lyrica.
Lyrica was approved by the FDA for treatment of fibromyalgia last November, despite objections about the severity of its side effects versus its benefits. Since then, sales of the drug have been steadily increasing.
SELLING SICKNESS exposes the unhealthy relationship between society, medical science and the pharmaceutical industry as it promotes not just drugs but also the latest diseases that go with them.
Labels: articles, disease, FDA, Pfizer