Ghostwritten Papers Pushed Hormone Replacement Therapy
Newly unveiled court documents show that pharmaceutical giant Wyeth paid ghostwrites to publish more than 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The articles, published in medical journals between 1998 and 2005, emphasized the benefits and downplayed the risks, including increased risk of invasive breast cancer, endometrial cancer, heart attack, stroke and dementia, of HRT.
Physicians rely on medical literature, so the concern about ghostwriting is that doctors might change their prescribing habits after reading certain articles, unaware they were commissioned by a drug company.
Wyeth faces about 8,400 lawsuits from women who claim that Premarin and Prempro, the company’s HRT drugs, caused them to develop illnesses.
Holistic Alternatives to HRT
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, changes in mood and headaches without the negative side effects associated with HRT.
A 2008 study found acupuncture to be more effective than drugs in treating hot flashes, night sweats and other menopause-like symptoms in patients with breast cancer. Acupuncture Beats Drug in Alleviating Hot Flashes, Night Sweats and other Symptoms Associated with Breast Cancer Treatment
