Dr. Drew Pinsky responds to allegations he received GlaxoSmithKline payments

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

(CBS News) After being accused of taking payments from GlaxoSmithKline to promote the antidepressant Wellbutrin, Dr. Drew Pinsky told CBS News everything he said was in accordance with the law and accurate according to his medical experience.

GlaxoSmithKline agrees to $3 billion settlement with Justice Department in largest sum of its kind over health care fraud

"In the late 90s I was hired to participate in a 2-year initiative discussing intimacy and depression which was funded by an educational grant by Glaxo Wellcome," Pinsky told HealthPop in a statement. "Services for the non-branded campaign included town hall meetings, writings and multimedia activities in conjunction with the patient advocacy group the National Depresive and Manic Depressive Association (NDMDA). My comments were consistent with my clinical experience."

Pinsky - a board-certified internist, addiction medicine specialist, and radio and television personality - was mentioned in a complaint filed by the U.S. government against the pharmaceutical company, according to the Forbes.

The document states that Pinsky allegedly received two payments in March 2009 and April 2009 from GlaxoSmithKline totaling $275,000 to promote Wellbutrin SR. The Wall Street Journal reported in June 1999, he made statements on "Loveline," a television and radio show he co-hosted, saying that he prescribed Wellbutrin to depressed patients because it "may enhance or at least not suppress sexual arousal" as much as other antidepressants are known to do. Pinsky was also reported to have made comments on other media, including another national radio program called "David Essel - Alive!," Forbes added. In both instances, he did not disclose that he was paid by the company to do so, and he promote uses of Wellbutrin that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

GlaxoSmithKline recently plead guilty and had to pay $3 billion in the largest settlement of health care fraud in U.S. history, HealthPop reported. The company was charged with unlawful promotion of certain prescription drugs.

[debisis]

http://shrinquerap.com/2011/03/17/doctor-first-diagnose-yourself-and-do-no-harm-from-technorati-31711/#comment-33

a post about Dr. Drew NOT being a friggin psychologist / psychiatrist in the first place, true addition has part of the psychology discipline in it's field...but give me a break! why isn't the American Psychology Association not sanctioning this guy's ass? the guy is not a shrienk but he obviously plays one on tv.

[ani3010]

This really shows that the pharmaceutical companies are in the driver's seat and not the doctors. There are good doctors out there but when this sort of thing happens they all get blemished. It is time good doctors stood up to what's happening.

[Just-In-Beaver]

Dr. Drew too bad you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube once it is out. You are now and will forever be a pharma shill. Unlikely that you will ever be seriously considered an astute medical practitioner.

[Jojo_Jones]

Dr. P. is just the latest and most obvious sellout to the pharmaceutical industry. American drug laws prohibit natural substances in order to support the sale of synthetic substitutes that are usually much more dangerous. Marijuana, for instance, has effects much like the benzodiazepines, but overdose is not possible and withdrawal is not hazardous, as it is with the benzodiazepines, that can result in delerium tremens and possible death.

[bryansutton]

Another Quack getting rich taking advantage of his patients and the public at large.When will people wise up an realize that "Doctors" like Dr. Drew and Dr. Phil are just quacks in it for the notoriety and money.

[keithajarvis]

"Dr" Drew's prepared media response is the finest money can buy, probably written by the same firm GSK employs, probably paid for by them too. The NDMDA, just like NAMI, is a paid public relations front group cashing major checks from GSK and all of Big Pharma, in order to relentlessly drive home their marketing message. GSK paid $3 Billion for years of criminal activity, yet they made $42 Billion last year alone, and are projected to beat that this year. Who says white collar crime doesn't pay, ask "Dr" Drew. He should be in prison, as should many psychiatrist, and all of the other acronyms for psychiatrist wanna bees - ARPN, Psychologist w/PhDs, LMHC, LCSW, LCFT, etc, etc; as well as the Pharmacies, Community Mental Health Centers, BHMO's, the principals of Big Pharma, take your pick which one, they all do it, and the insurance companies rake a third of the top. They are all like dogs fighting over a bone, and you are it! The number of deaths, suicides, murders, permanent physical and mental damage, broken lives, broken relationships and ruined careers attributable to the psychotropics makes the so called Drug Cartels look like a bunch of cup cakes. He should be in prison, learning the long and hard way about intimacy and depression. IMHO.

[Egads_No]

Wow a media ***** quack selling out for the 193+ billion dollar/yr war on drugs (goes to not only prisons, drug squads, but rehabs and psychiatrist)- but bending over so big pharm can push their poison you most likely do not really need. But do not worry- those side effects you get, they got a pill for that too...

[NLawson1979]

Oh look, a devoted follower vouching for him. What a surprise. Get a clue fool. He said those things because he was paid handsomely to do so. Maybe it is consistent with his clinical experience, but he may not have even said those things if he wasn't paid, and besides, he's a jew. Enough said.

[Read-Head]

Any point you had was lost at "he's a jew". Many Jewish people are very honest. Many Christians are dishonest. Many Muslims are gentle, peace-loving people. Racial, ethnic, and religious statements like yours are discriminatory and do not add to your argument.

[RobiPete]

Dudes and Dudettes, Excuse me but Dr. Drew totally rocks. Do not diss him in any way. He is the true shizzle and he tells it like it is. If any of you had actually ever listened to him you would not be so dismissive. I love his impartial opinions and have listened to his shows from the beginning here in LA on KROQs loveline program. He is so not a quack!!!

[Read-Head]

I caught his very first ever episode, and was a fan for a long time. But it is clear now that he is most certainly not impartial. Who knows if he ever was now. He has admitted to taking money for promoting one company's products. If he was impartial, he'd promote products based on their own merits rather than by which manufacturer will pay him.

[jimmy_joe_bob]

His name is spelled both Pinsky and Pinksy in the article. If you can't get his name right why should we believe any of the information in the article? Close enuf for BCS Gnus.

[Jeff714]

"National Depresive and Manic Depressive Association." The article also spells depressive wrong and then right in the name of the NDMA.

"He promote uses of Wellbutrin that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration."

He promote is acceptable for Ebonics. It is incorrect in English, however.