Devalued and Distrusted Can the Pharmaceutical Industry Restore its Broken Image?

An expert's view on solving the challenges confronting today's pharmaceutical industry

Author John LaMattina, a thirty-year veteran of the pharmaceutical industry and former president of Pfizer's Global R&D Division, is internationally recognized as an expert on the pharmaceutical industry. His first book, Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths About Pharma R&D, was critically acclaimed for clearing up misconceptions about the pharmaceutical industry and providing an honest account of the contributions of pharmaceutical research and development to human health and well-being.

As he toured the country discussing Drug Truths, Dr. LaMattina regularly came across people who were filled with anger, accusing the pharmaceutical industry of making up diseases, hiding dangerous side effects, and more. This book was written in response to that experience, critically examining public perceptions and industry realities.

Starting with "4 Secrets that Drug Companies Don't Want You to Know," Devalued and Distrusted provides a fact-based account of how the pharmaceutical industry works and the challenges it faces. It addresses such critical issues as:

• Why pharmaceutical R&D productivity has declined
• Where pharmaceutical companies need to invest their resources
• What can be done to solve core health challenges, including cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases
• How the pharmaceutical industry can regain public trust and resuscitate its image

Our understanding of human health and disease grows daily; however, converting science into medicine is increasingly challenging. Reading Devalued and Distrusted, you'll not only gain a greater appreciation of those challenges, but also the role that the pharmaceutical industry currently plays and can play in solving those challenges.


Get to know the author: Read an interview with John LaMattina or watch a video on ChemistryViews!

Interview: John LaMattina: 30 Years in Pharma

Video: Can the Pharmaceutical Industry Restory its Broken Image?

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER 1 THE FOUR SECRETS THE DRUG COMPANIES DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW 4

Drug Companies Underestimate Dangerous Side Effects 5

Drug Companies Control Much of the Information Your Doctor Gets 10

You’re Often Prescribed Drugs That You Don’t Need 14

Drugs Target the Symptoms, Not the Cause 19

Conclusion 22

References 23

CHAPTER 2 WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO R&D PRODUCTIVITY? 25

Impact of Mergers on R&D Productivity 26

Heightened FDA Requirements for NDAs 34

Higher Hurdles Set by Payers 41

Conclusion 46

References 48

CHAPTER 3 KEY THERAPEUTIC AREAS FOR IMPROVING HEALTH 49

Cancer 51

Diseases of the Brain 54

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) 60

Diabetes 63

Bacterial Infections 65

Conclusion 68

References 69

CHAPTER 4 IMPROVING R&D OUTPUT 71

The Views of Others 72

Pharma’s Blockbuster Mentality Needs to Change 72

Can “Predictive Innovation” Lead to Greater Success Rates? 76

Would Royalties Make Scientists More Productive? 78

Will Drug Repositioning Help Fill the R&D Pipeline? 80

Consultants Don’t Always Have the Facts 82

Personal Views 84

Discovery Must Focus on Productivity 85

Does Size Help or Hinder R&D Productivity? 87

To Outsource or Not to Outsource? That’s the Pharma R&D Question 89

Big Pharma Early Research Collaborations 92

Conclusion 93

References 95

CHAPTER 5 RESTORING PHARMA’S IMAGE 96

Illegal Detailing of Drugs 97

Pharmaceutical Companies Should Drop TV Ads 98

The Need for Greater Transparency 100

How Committed Is Big Pharma to Rare Diseases? 102

Pharmaceutical Companies and Philanthropy 104

Pharma Needs to Have Its Scientists Tell Their Stories 105

Conclusion 106

References 107

CHAPTER 6 FINAL THOUGHTS 109

References 114

INDEX 115

JOHN L. LaMATTINA, PHD, retired as president of Pfizer's Global Research and Development in 2007, where he managed more than 13,000 scientists and support professionals in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Dr. LaMattina has received numerous honors and awards, including an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of New Hampshire. Currently a Senior Partner with PureTech Ventures, he is the author of Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths About Pharma R&D (Wiley).