Dated eMails lead to foot in mouth

Mar/15/2008 07:51 Filed in: In The News
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John C. Lechleiter, an Eli Lilly official who is about to become the company’s top executive, wrote an e-mail message in 2003 that appears to have encouraged Lilly to promote its schizophrenia medicine Zyprexa for a use not approved by federal drug regulators. This in common terms is known as "open mouth A and insert foot "B" and shows just high up the chain managers at Lilly went to expand sales of Zyprexa.


Mr Lechleiter is about to become Lilly's top executive. This author has met Mr Lechleiter several times when I was at Lilly and frankly I found him to be an open and honest person. However, when key decisions need to be made behind closed doors they can often reveal the true nature of a persons character. The eMails, written in 2003, are not a smoking gun but it sure suggests that Lilly was looking to expand Zyprexa sales via off label indications.


This trial is NOT going well for Lilly and my guess is that the jury will rule against Lilly and in favor of the state of Alaska. Now keep in mind that the FDA is considering easing restrictions on promotion of off label drug use by allowing sales people to hand out journal reprints about use of prescription drugs for other uses than what is written in the label. Given the insight of Mr Lechleiter's eMail, written only 5 years ago, one would have to wonder why in hell the FDA would trust the drug industry to adhere to guidelines?


The key issue, however, with this whole mess is character. At a time when the drug industry needs CEO's who set examples by their actions can it afford to have a CEO at the helm who has these questions lurking over him? What kind of message does this send to other Lilly employees?


When I read this article I was disappointed. I feel as though I was let down by someone I looked up to in Mr Lechleiter. I loved my time working at Lilly it was challenging and engaging but maybe I was naive in thinking that I was there to help patients first. I knew a lot of people at Lilly and still keep in contact with them although we don't discuss business too much anymore. There are people who really believe that what they do can help people overcome health issues but there are also too many who want to do anything they can to make themselves look good at the expense of patients and other employees. It's time to stop talking the garbage and be straight with shareholders, customers and employees. Only when this happens can pharma put all this mess behind them and talk about the realities of marketing in a transparent environment.
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