ABSTRACT
The drug industry is unique in that it can make exploitation appear a noble purpose. The patients are surely the best judges for weighing a certain degree of pain relief against the side effects of the drugs. It is a nice gesture to give away a pill box for free, but some doctors actually sell them to their patients or bill their government for them. Ghostwritten papers are subsequently cited in promotional materials and in other ghost-papers, as if they provide independent verification that the drug is effective and safe and better than other drugs. Physicians believe that their actions are motivated by how good the drugs are, but studies have shown that their beliefs more closely match marketing claims. Treatment of one patient with biologic agents can cost up to €16 000 a year in Denmark, which is 120 times as much as treatment with conventional drugs.
