The following is an excerpt from a letter by an Australian, which was quoted in the book (p152) "DES Voices: From Anger to Action" (2008) by Pat Cody:The obs/gyns here have always maintained they know who the original prescribers were - a certain cluster of obs/gyns. In the middle of my examination, the doctor said, "Of course, Dr.G___ (the ob/gyn he names as being the main promoter of DES in Melbourne) set up the company, and most of the prescribing doctors were shareholders."
Our lawyer is sure that DES was never manufactured in Australia but imported in bulk, probably from the USA. What he calls "$2 companies" were set up that imported the raw product, repackaged and distributed it. It had never entered my head that a doctor would set up the company or that doctors would have financial interests in a particular drug. It makes so much sense, it was as if everything fell into place - that's why the doctors here have been so defensive and eager for the DES issue to die.
Details of "DES Voices: From Anger to Action" by Pat Cody can be found at blog item 23 December 2008.
1 comment:
Carol -- I have read Pat's book at least twice, and somehow I overlooked this particular quote. It hit me between the eyes this morning, though. Keep up the good fight Down Under. Kim (Reno, Nevada)
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