Eli Lilly issues NY Times Zyprexa response

Eli Lilly has issued a response to an article published in the New York Times on December 17th 2006 regarding its treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Zyprexa.

The company issued the statement commenting that it is vital to both doctors and patients that it publicise a number of facts regarding the compound it felt were omitted by the newspaper article.

Steven Paul, executive vice president of science and technology at Lilly, said: “Contrary to incorrect statements in the Times article, Lilly has conducted more than 23 years of research on Zyprexa.”

He added that in the past decade, a number studies by the company, as well as those by its competitors and governmental bodies including the National Institute of Mental Health, had not shown a causal link between administration of Zyprexa and diabetes.

Lilly commented further that the compound has been on the market since 1996 and been used by over 20 million people worldwide, with correct labelling regarding associated risks from using the treatment.

It added that the company was opposed to the leaking of confidential documents which constituted a small fraction of the documents submitted as part of the litigation process that were also out of context when considering the company strategy.

The New York Times has claimed that the company urged physicians involved in primary care to use Zyprex for patients with dementia, a condition for which it is not authorised to treat.