Byron Richards from medicationresources.com has written a very interesting post entitled, "Vioxx Shocker-Merck Wrote Many Of the Published Studies." Needless to say, he had me at hello on this one. After a few weeks of researching the cover-ups and shoddy scientific testing of dangerous drugs such as Heparin and Trasylol, this post solidified in my mind why it is so important for victims of these drugs to come forward and file suit.

Richards reports:

The lawsuits over Vioxx have forced very uncomfortable documents into public view, exposing that Big Pharma has massively corrupted the scientific database with what amounts to promo pieces written by its own employees who then pay for prestigious doctors to attach their names to the studies as if they are legitimate - hiding the fact the drug companies wrote their own studies and conclusions in the first place.

The interesting thing about this post is that Richards is not a lawyer. He is an unbiased author writing on medical wellness. Yet he clearly sees the link between Vioxx lawsuits and the exposure of documents that clearly show the corruption behind the marketing of dangerous drug products. Sadly, without the constant probing from lawyers and the courts, who knows what other incriminating studies actually exist regarding popular prescription drugs.

And while its already too late for the thousands of people that have died from dangerous drugs such as Vioxx, Trasylol and now Heparin, it"s not too late to demand better scientific research and honest marketing procedures by holding these companies accountable via the court system. Admittedly, litigation is not fun. It"s often a long and emotional process for families and attorneys alike. But it"s the only solution. As I noted in my previous post on the Trasylol recalls, Congress will not get involved unless it is in their best interest to do so. Right now it"s in their best interest to let shady testing and marketing procedures continue because the "donations" from drug companies keep them in office. So if we can"t count on Washington, we have to go right to the source and demand more from these pharmaceutical giants by filing suit and making it financially impractical to continue doing business this way.

Unfortunately, what these companies do not realize is that when safety is put first, the profits will come. Look at Volvo. Their cars are ugly, they are expensive but they are known to be safe. And because of their clear desire to protect people, they are tremendously successful. Pharmaceutical companies may have to spend a bit more at the onset of a drug launch for better testing, etc., but the profits will be huge because Americans will put their trust behind the product. So if there are any Big Pharma executives reading this post, consider a consumer friendly way of doing business before the public forces you out of the market via lawsuits and bad press.