Simply put, Pfizer didn’t listen, or didn’t care, about what docs in the trenches thought. It cost them $2.8 billion.
A myriad of problems with the drug:
* it was expensive – almost 30% more expensive than traditional insulin
* insulin needles today are so small, they are pretty much painless
* the awkward, bong-style delivery system needs no further discussion
* the diabetic smokers would rather continue smoking than use Exubera
* regular PFTs are a pain in the ass. PCPs are already inundated enough during their 5-minute patient visits
* a stupid dosing system, with 1 mg = 3 units, and 3 mg = 8 units
I can go on, but you get the idea. Maybe if Pfizer would have considered the opinions of real, practicing physicians rather than their insulated pseudo-MDs, they could have saved themselves a few billion.
