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Beyond Sadness (way beyond) In 2002, Eli Lilly donated $750,000 to the University of Michigan Depression Center. The same year, U of M published a full-color brochure entitled Beyond Sadness: Bridging The Gap Between Emotional and Physical Symptoms of Depression."We at Lilly are proud to support the U-M Depression Center, the model program for establishing a national network of state-of-the-art depression centers," said Lilly spokesperson Paula Trzepacz. "Our vision is to emulate the wonderfully successful precedents established by the national networks of cancer centers and heart centers," said Dr. John Greden, executive director of the Depression Center and chair of psychiatry at the University Medical School. Publication of the brochure Beyond Sadness coincided with the pre-launch of a new antidepressant manufactured by Lilly. Language identical to the University of Michigan brochure appears in Lilly's own promotional brochures, press releases, product web sites and media ads -- all part of an aggressive campaign by Lilly to expand the market for its latest miracle wonder drug, Cymbalta. Often called "the Swiss Army Knife of Drugs," Cymbalta is approved for the treatment of major depression, generalized anxiety, fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain associated with diabetes. The FDA has not yet approved Cymbalta for the treatment of genital warts, bee stings, acid reflux, urinary incontinence, hiccups or pleurisy.  These product ads are misleading because they fail to reveal, in the main parts of the ads, material facts in light of the representations made or with respect to consequences that may result from the use of a product. Cymbalta is associated with several important risks as noted above, but the ads fail to disclose any of these risks within the main parts of the ads. ~ September 2005 FDA Warning Letter to Eli Lilly |
Side-by-side comparison: disease promotion on the left, drug promotion on the right. 
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