Pfizer fined a record $2.3 billion dollars...

Ca-ching...Pfizer has entered an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay a record fine in the amount of $2.3 billion dollars. Pfizer was found guilty of misbranding anti-inflammatory drug Bextra which was pulled from shelves by the FDA in 2005. Pfizer promoted the sale of Bextra for several uses and dosages that the FDA specifically declined to approve due to safety concerns. Aside from Baxtra, three other drugs were mentioned in the settlement Geodon, Zyvox, and Lyrica. According to the release on The Department of Justice website, $1 billion will go to Medicare and Medicaid and get this at least $102 million will go to six whistleblowers for assisting with the recovery wth?! The $2.3 billion will resolve civil and criminal complaints held against the company. Wow. For more information visit:
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/September/09-aag-900.html

Pfizer's Free Drug Program

Pfizer has launched a new program called Maintain that will provide free medications to the newly unemployed. Qualified patients may receive free drugs for up to one year or until the patient becomes insured again. In a move to banish public perception of greed, Pfizer as well as other drug companies are making moves to become *ahem* good corporate citizens. For more information on the program and requirements, please log onto: http://media.pfizer.com/files/pfizer_maintain_fact_sheet_051409.pdf

Remember Pfizer IS the maker of Viagra ;-)