Critics say drug firms worked to discredit a clinical trial that found that inexpensive pills for hypertension worked better than newer drugs.

Critics say drug firms worked to discredit a clinical trial that found that inexpensive pills for hypertension worked better than newer drugs.

Researchers said the drug, Chantix, should carry a strong warning about the potential risks of accidental injury and death.

researchers said the drug, Chantix, should carry a strong warning about the potential risks of accidental injury and death.

Pfizer said its earnings rose, despite declining sales of some of its key drugs, like Lipitor. Meanwhile, profit at Shering-Plough fell while profit at Biogen surged.

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer said Thursday that its third-quarter profit tripled, mainly because a huge charge depressed last year’s results.

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer said Thursday that its third-quarter profit tripled, mainly because a huge charge depressed last year’s results.

Pfizer said that it had an $894 million deal to end more than 90 percent of personal injury suits brought by people claiming the drugs caused heart attacks, strokes or other harm.

Lobbyists and executives say the swing reflects the fact that drug companies’ fortunes depend more than ever on Democrats in power.

The drug maker manipulated the publication of studies to bolster use of its epilepsy drug Neurontin, according to expert witnesses in a lawsuit against the company.