First Do No Pharm: The shocking fraud of the pharmaceutical industry making people sick

A couple of days ago, I had the privilege of attending the worldwide premiere of cardiologist Dr. Aseem Malhotra's highly anticipated docufilm First Do No Pharm in Leicester Square, London. It was an amazing production, and I wanted to share my experience with you all.

Before the event, I couldn’t wait for what I was about to see, based on some preliminary reviews. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The theatre was packed with doctors, other medical professionals, well-known celebrities, influencers, and concerned members of the general public. What followed was one of the most eye-opening films I've seen in a long time. The docufilm does a deep dive into the excesses, corruption, and outright fraud of Big Pharma, laying out in plain terms the troubling reality of the industry. The statistics to back this up are mind-blowing—pharmaceutical companies have been paying out criminal fines consistently over the last 20 years, practically every major company is involved. This is an industry that has been behaving badly for far too long and needs to be reigned in.

The production highlights the shocking situations that Big Pharma has orchestrated, from pushing addictive pain medications and anti-depressants with known suicidal risks, to promoting weight loss injections and statins without fully disclosing the true risk/benefit ratio. There’s no shortage of disturbing facts presented, backed by leading real experts, including Dr. Robert Lustig, who is featured prominently in the film. This isn’t just a one-sided story, but a well-researched exposé that challenges the status quo. If you get a chance to see this docufilm when it’s released widely, I highly encourage you to watch it. The evidence presented is undeniable (surprisingly, the film has been approved to be screened in the US Senate tomorrow).

The bottom line is this: the pharmaceutical industry has become way too big for its boots and is a clear and present danger to the health of whole nations. They are now the largest lobbying force in Washington, D.C., and it’s estimated two-thirds of congress—on both sides of the aisle—have taken money from them. And moreover, they basically fund the mainstream media, cable news, and worst of all— medical journals and corrupted physician societies.

I entered medicine believing wholeheartedly in the idea that medication exists to help people. The old mantra was simple: Get sick, take the right medicine, and get better quickly. But the mantra has shifted, hasn’t it? Now it seems like the goal is to get as many people on medications as possible, at increasingly younger ages, for the rest of their lives. Many doctors are nothing more than pill-pushers.

Am I saying all medications are bad? Of course not. There are some very important and life-saving medications, like antibiotics, that have changed the course of history. But the paradigm has undeniably shifted. Big Pharma, in its pursuit of profit, has become a nefarious and fraudulent force, one that I now firmly believe does more harm than good. It’s no longer about helping people—it’s about expanding markets and creating lifelong customers. The sooner more people realize this, the better.

On a brighter note, the event was also an opportunity to connect with fellow like-minded individuals. I got to meet some great people who have been fighting this fight for years, including Dr. John Campbell, Dr. Clare Craig, and Dr. Tim Kelly. I’ve included some photos down below. One positive takeaway from the past few years is that many of us, who believe in change and a better future for healthcare and medicine, have banded together. There’s strength in numbers, and I’m optimistic that together, we can make a difference.

Wishing you all the best in health, and rooting for your well-being every step of the way.

Best Regards,

Dr. Suneel Dhand
www.drsuneeldhand.com