The Star Ledger (Newark) reports that Novartis Pharmaceuticals recently sent a memo to employees urging them to choose more generic drugs and over-the-counter medications, and to buy more medicines throught the mail, to "control the escalation of costs."
A citizen advocacy group leader called this "hypocritical" and "a well-deserved dose of their own medicine."
The Star Ledger reports: "Others pointed to the irony of a brand-name drug maker encouraging its employees to use generic drugs. For several years, many drug makers have fought lengthy court battles to prevent lower-cost generic medications from reaching pharmacy shelves."
A Consumers Union health care analyst said, "It could be a smart move. They could save millions of dollars."
Don't expect to see this message in any new direct-to-consumer drug advertising campaign.
Posted by schwitz at October 20, 2004 09:10 AM