The anti-psychotic Zyprexa is making headlines, again. The amount of money Eli Lilly is paying to defend itself and its tactics in marketing the drug is rising (estimated to be now more than 0.2 billion US dollars since 2004 ). Zyprexa is also one of the most profitable Anti-psychotic medications (almost 5 billion US dollars in 2007).

The metabolic syndrome, a condition of weight gain, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia (which could possibly raise the chances of getting diabetes or atherosclerosis), is common to all second generation anti-psychotics. Zyprexa appears to be the worst regarding this side effect.

This blog chronicles the lawsuits by the company. Interestingly this same blog, in a strange twist, received an award co-sponsored by lilly. It also posted internal memos and documents that describes how the company obscured the drug's side effects from health care professionals.

Despite the questionable ethics of Lilly's marketing department. The drug is effective in treating psychosis.

A long-acting depot injection of Zyprexa is awaiting approval by the FDA, it is called Zyprexa Adhera.

Zyprexa is still very expensive in Egypt. A 10mg pill costs 25 EGP. Patients who receive Anti-psychotic medications need to take them for very long periods and sometimes for life.

Egyptian packed generics are also inaccessible to low income patients.

Related posts:

• Will Zyprexa join Vioxx (Oct 2007)