UNPUBLISHED

November, 2006

To the Editor, NEJM:

Bayer’s suppression of data regarding aprotinin’s risks typifies its history of undermining public health, including helping to develop chemical warfare; exploiting slave labor at Auschwitz; knowingly selling HIV-tainted blood products; refusing to withdraw toxic pesticides from the market and to educate developing world farmers regarding exposure risks; paying volunteers to swallow its insecticide Guthion; misleading the FDA and FTC regarding aspirin, MIs and strokes; violating OSHA carcinogenic workplace exposure limits; transgressing Commerce Department export laws; refusing to remove agricultural enrofloxacin (Baytril) from the market, ignoring FDA warnings regarding its contribution to increased human, fluoroquinolone-resistant, Campylobacter infections (FDA ultimately forced Bayer to discontinue sales); suppressing data regarding cerevestatin (Baycol) and rhabdomyolysis; and defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.(1,2,3,4,5)

Bayer heavily lobbies Congress for patent extensions, attacks “trade barriers” (environmental health and safety laws), and sued South Africa to prevent its purchasing inexpensive generic versions of HIV drugs.(1,2,3,4,5)

Because of its corporate malfeasance, Bayer was voted one of the “10 Worst Corporations of the Year” in 2001 and 2003.(2)

References:

1) Donohoe MT. Factory farms, antibiotics, and anthrax. Z Magazine 2003 (Jan):28-30. Available at Accessed 11/29/06.

2) Mokhiber R, Weissman R. Multiple corporate personality disorder: The 10 worst corporations of 2003. Multinational Monitor 2003(Dec):9-20.Available at Accessed 11/29/06.

3) Mimkes P. Bayer and the UN Global Compact: How and why a major pharmaceutical and chemical company “bluewashes” its image. Corpwatch 2002. Available at:

Accessed 12/21/04.

4) Bogdanich W, Koli E. Two paths of Bayer drug in 80’s: Riskier one steered overseas. New York Times 2003 (May 22). Available at:

Accessed 12/21/04.

5) Psaty BM, Furberg CD, Raay WA, WeissNS. Potential for conflict of interest in the evaluation of suspected adverse drug reactions: use of cerivastatin and risk of rhabdomyolysis. JAMA 2004;292:2622-2631.

Martin Donohoe, MD, FACP

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