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CASPPER, The In-House Ghost

From the Associated Press:

Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline used a sophisticated ghostwriting program to promote its antidepressant Paxil, allowing doctors to take credit for medical journal articles mainly written by company consultants, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

… Known as the CASPPER program, the paper explains how the company can help physicians with everything from “developing a topic,” to “submitting the manuscript for publication.”

The document was uncovered by the Baum Hedlund PC law firm of Los Angeles, which is representing hundreds of former Paxil users in personal injury and wrongful death suits against GlaxoSmithKline. The firm alleges the company downplayed several risks connected with its drug, including increased suicidal behavior and birth defects.

… According to ghostwriting expert Dr. Leemon McHenry, Glaxo’s program was unusually intertwined with its internal sales and marketing department.

“We know that GSK has engaged in ghostwriting for many years,” said McHenry, who works as a research consultant for Baum Hedlund. “But to create an internal ghostwriting program and have the gall to name it after a cartoon ghost demonstrates their juvenile attitude and careless disregard for patients.”…

What an irritable, judgmental remark on the part of McHenry. The man has no sense of humor.

Margaret Soltan, August 19, 2009 7:00PM
Posted in: ghost writing

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6 Responses to “CASPPER, The In-House Ghost”

  1. Bill Gleason Says:

    Who ya gonna call?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekPHOXGNz6E

    (Ghostbusters!)

  2. Van L. Hayhow Says:

    Please, someone tell me I’ve been asleep for several months and its really April 1. Please?!

  3. Christopher Vilmar Says:

    Lost sense of humor? A common side effect that occurs when one researches Paxil instead of taking it.

  4. theprofessor Says:

    UD, did you see that your favorite presidential plagiarist, the Hon. Poshard, has been renewed for another five years at SIU?

  5. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Yes, tp, I saw that.

  6. Health Care. (united health care, universal health care) » Blog Archive » Another Haunting Tale Says:

    […] The latest version was reported by the Associated Press (with a hat tip to Prof Margaret Soltan on the University Diaries blog). To quickly summarize, Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline used a sophisticated ghostwriting program to […]

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