Mobsters demonstrate prescription drug preferences

We knew mobsters had brand preferences when it came to stuff like cars, but who knew they had such deeply-ingrained desires when it comes to prescription drugs? But yesterday’s announcement of charges against three suburban New York doctors for supplying Viagra, Levitra and Cialis among others to members of the Gambino crime family proves that direct-to-consumer ads have had an impact within La Cosa Nostra. Even though the complaint centers around erectile-dysfunction drugs, other reports about the investigation demonstrate their yen for brand name prescriptions goes further. According to this story, they were also after cox-2 inhibitors like Celebrex and the now-off-the-market Vioxx, and this story alleges that there was even discussion regarding the anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor. (BTW, in case you were speculating, we are using this post as an excuse to run the pic of the Viagra guy with the horns again.)

—Posted by Catharine P. Taylor

May 6, 2005 | Permalink