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Local Cluster Sparked National Alarm
- Clinicians in Fargo found an unexpectedly high cluster of PPH cases, implying a 2,300x increased risk from Fen-Phen/Redux.
- Those local findings triggered broader investigations and major national media coverage.
PR Denial Echoed Tobacco Playbook
- Wyeth's PR downplayed risks by calling early evidence 'inconclusive' and comparing risk to lightning strikes.
- These tactics mirror tobacco-industry denial strategies that exploit scientific uncertainty to delay action.
Internal Memos Show Prior Knowledge
- Trial discovery revealed Wyeth and Interneuron knew about safety problems before pushing approval and marketed misleading statistics.
- Internal memos showed deliberate strategies to emphasize danger from obesity while downplaying drug harms.