FDA Fix No. 4: Government-Funded Studies

Studies conducted by pharmaceutical firms are more likely to show success than those funded by the National Institutes of Health or other outside institutions. Yet doctors and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration alike rely almost entirely on information from drug company studies in making their decisions.

... Zyprexa, made by Eli Lilly (nyse: LLY - news - people ), is currently the best-selling antipsychotic medicine on the market, with annual U.S. sales of $2.6 billion. Fans of the drug think, based on clinical experience, that it may be more effective than some other schizophrenia medicines. And many critics say that Zyprexa, which costs more, hasn't been shown to be more effective at treating schizophrenia than cheaper antipsychotics such as Risperdal, from Johnson & Johnson (nyse: JNJ - news - people ); Geodon, from Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ); or Seroquel, from AstraZeneca (nyse: AZN - news - people ).

http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/2005/01/12/cx_mh_0112fda4.html