Dr. Drew's Name Comes Up In Glaxo Fed Suit Settlement Documents

Dr. Drew

Documents disclosed in GLAXOSMITHKLINE's settlement of a $3 billion criminal and civil case brought against it by the federal government include the information that DR. DREW PINSKY, host of COURTSIDE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP's "LOVELINE," was paid a total of $275,000 by the pharmaceutical giant for "services for Wellbutrin," which the WALL STREET JOURNAL reports came before PINSKY told listeners on a 1999 show that he prescribes the antidepressant to "enhance or at least not suppress sexual arousal" as much as other antidepressants. 

The suits alleged that the company promoted drugs for uses for which they were not approved by the FDA.  In the documents, PINSKY is said to have plugged a website in 1999 that today redirects to a GLAXOSMITHKLINE Wellbutrin website.  No mention in the radio transcripts is made of any payments or connections to GLAXO.

PINSKY responded to the JOURNAL, "In the late '90s I was hired to participate in a two-year initiative discussing intimacy and depression which was funded by an educational grant by GLAXO WELLCOME (which) included town hall meetings, writings and multimedia activities in conjunction with (a) patient advocacy group ... My comments were consistent with my clinical experience."

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