I've not updated the blog in about a week as I was taking a vacation in Spain. When I came back, I found this email in my inbox (full copy after the jump.) It seems that plaintiffs' lawyers would really like to begin building a case against AZ for its marketing of Arimidex (see backstory here).
The email is from a "consultant who "helps to forward leads from pharmaceutical reps specific to unethical/illegal promotional practices. I am able to provide a direct contact at a Washington DC law firm (Robins Kaplan & Miller) that specializes in healthcare fraud. This firm filed against Lilly for Zyprexa promotions. The contact would provide free legal advice and suggestions."
The consultant is John Turner of jturner2007@charter.net.
What's interesting about this? Soliciting for clients this way could be a violation of the Delaware code of conduct for attorneys (see here).
Also while I was away:
Another AZ exec, Scarlett Spring, lost her job, according to Peter Rost. You first read about Ms. Spring on this blog, here. That brings to two the number of AZ execs who've been canned over this. Credit where it's due, AZ CEO Dave Brennan did say in The Independent that action would be taken if necessary.
> From: <jturner2007@charter.net>
> Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 16:48:19 -0700
> To: <jedwards@brandweek.com>
> Subject: AZ Group of 7 Contact Request
>
> I saw a comment posted by you along with your email address on a recent pharma
> marketing blog hosted by John Mack. I was referred to the AZ Group of 7 blog
> by Ed Silverman (NJ Star Ledger) and Peter Rost (Question Authority).
>
> I work in a consultant role that helps to forward leads from pharmaceutical
> reps specific to unethical/illegal promotional practices.
>
> I am able to provide a direct contact at a Washington DC law firm (Robins
> Kaplan
> & Miller) that specializes in healthcare fraud. This firm filed against Lilly
> for Zyprexa promotions. The contact would provide free legal advice and
> suggestions.
>
> If you have a contact for the AZ Group of 7 or could forward this message
> along, I would appreciate it.
>
> Thank you,
>
> John Turner
> jturner2007@charter.net
> (815) 847-9771
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