Investors' reaction - excerpt from an updated Bloomberg report:
Investors said they remain confident about the drug's safety
and future prospects.
Martin Bukoll, an analyst with Northern Trust Co., which
held 8.7 million Pfizer shares as of December, said he's advising
Northern Trust Fund managers to keep buying Pfizer at current
price levels.
''Given the extensive clinical testing that Viagra
underwent, in the absence of new compelling data, we believe that
the drug is safe and efficacious for most patients when used as
directed,'' Bukoll said.
Pfizer is a ''stock we're probably going to stick with,''
added Mark Molnar, an analyst with the Ohio Public Employees
Retirement System, which holds about 1.7 million Pfizer shares,
according to regulatory filings.
''Short term, it may cause doctors not to write so many
prescriptions,'' Molnar said. ''I don't think it will affect
sales of the drug long-term.''
The 1,500 Pfizer salespeople pitching Viagra to doctors
are supposed to tell them to check patients' cardiovascular
history, McCormick said. Doctors also should review with patients
the possible risks of resuming intercourse after a long
interval ''between episodes,'' he said. |
