Novo Nordisk Response To New York Times Article

Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Also Included In: Diabetes
Article Date: 06 Feb 2006 - 10:00 PDT

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Novo Nordisk is a company of great people doing great things to advance the health and quality of life for millions of people around the world. We are making a difference yet diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S. Twenty million people have diabetes, of which a full 65 percent are not in good glycemic control. This is unacceptable. Improvements in education and self-care are desperately needed to reverse the startling diabetes trends, which now include a huge economic burden to individuals and the healthcare system.

The information reported in The New York Times on Saturday, January 28, 2006 is not new to us, but nonetheless is concerning. For legal reasons we cannot provide details, other than saying that disciplinary action has been taken against a small number of employees who were found to be in violation of our company policies.

Novo Nordisk takes very seriously our obligations to conduct our business ethically and will not tolerate any behavior that is contrary to our values and company policies, that is in violation of any laws or regulations, or that threatens the trust we have established with patients, healthcare providers, policy makers and shareholders. Where necessary, we will review our policies and practices to ensure such conduct does not reoccur.

The New York Times also reported on the subpoena Novo Nordisk received in December. As we said at the time, Novo Nordisk is cooperating with this external investigation.

We want to emphasize that the agreement between Novo Nordisk and Rite Aid is consistent with our policies and continues to benefit many people with diabetes by providing them with important educational information about how to manage their condition and how our products can help them achieve this goal. Patient education is a key driver of better outcomes in diabetes care.

At Novo Nordisk we will continue to work day in and day out to raise awareness about diabetes, and educate healthcare providers and patients about how proper treatment can make a significant contribution to improving lives of people with diabetes.

For more information about Novo Nordisk, please visit www.novonordisk-us.com or call 1-800-727-6500.