I Worked for Big Pharma: What I Saw Will Shock You

About this video

• Video Title: I Worked for Big Pharma: What I Saw Will Shock You
• Channel: More Perfect Union
• Speakers: Lisa Pratta
• Duration: 00:09:34

Overview

This video features Lisa Pratta, a former pharmaceutical sales representative with 32 years of experience, who shares her observations and experiences working for "Big Pharma." She details the unethical and illegal practices she witnessed, including bribery of doctors through lavish gifts and "studies," the off-label promotion of the drug Acthar for MS patients, and the immense pressure on sales representatives to meet quotas regardless of patient well-being. Pratta recounts her personal struggle with these practices, culminating in an "aha moment" that motivated her to seek justice against Questcor Pharmaceuticals.

Key takeaways

• Bribery and Gifts: Pharmaceutical sales representatives used various methods, from expensive gifts like Birkin handbags and Armani suits to vacations and entertainment, to bribe doctors and influence their prescribing habits.
• Off-Label Drug Promotion: Questcor Pharmaceuticals allegedly pressured sales reps to promote Acthar for a five-day dosage for MS patients, which was off-label and not supported by the FDA's approval, leading to patient harm and potential jail time for reps who refused.
• Subliminal Conditioning of Doctors: The company allegedly used "bogus studies" that paid doctors to prescribe Acthar, subliminally conditioning them to use the drug and change their prescribing habits, prioritizing payment over patient outcomes.
• Patient Harm and Ethical Dilemma: Pratta witnessed firsthand how patients, desperate for hope, were given Acthar, which she believed was not helping them and could even worsen their condition, creating a profound ethical conflict for her.
• Corporate Culture and Lack of Accountability: The video highlights a corporate culture where executives made significant profits through questionable practices, with little accountability, as evidenced by the acquisition of Questcor by Mallinckrodt while investigations were ongoing, and former employees moving to other positions within the industry.