Side Effects of Drugs

Question: The official website for the drug Olanzapine probably didn’t mention the fact it might cause diabetic symptoms in patients. Another website obviously did. Commercials on TV now are required to mention possible side effects. Should drug companies be required to come clean about situations like the one with Eli Lilly’s Olanzapine in their commercial websites? Why or why not?

I think that all drug companies should be required to come clean about the side effects of their particular drug because in the end it is the decision of the consumer to purchase the drug or not. A consumer should have all facts whether positive or negative in front of them in order to form an appropriate decision. Eli Lilly knew that their drug, Olanzapine, could cause uncontrollable weight gain which could ultimately lead to obesity and diabetes. While the company was aware of this fact, they were afraid that it would hurt their bottom line so they decided to keep it from the public and downplay the side effects to doctors. As a patient with schizophrenia, I would want to know all side effects of a drug before taking it so that I would be prepared for the risks. Eli Lilly should have been upfront about the possible side effects of diabetes because a patient could know that it is a possible side effect and take the drug anyways because in their mind diabetes is whole lot better than schizophrenia. Unlike, schizophrenia, there are ways to control diabetes and be able to live life day to day.