Pfizer Inc., the world's largest pharmaceutical company, sells drugs in some 150 countries. The New York-based firm markets such blockbusters as Viagra (for erectile dysfunction), Lipitor (for lowering cholesterol) and the controversial painkiller Celebrex, which was found to increase the risk of heart ailments and cardiovascular problems. Its subsidiaries include Pharmacia, Warner-Lambert, Parke-Davis, and Goedecke.
The company had nearly 10 percent of the global drug market share last year. It posted a profit of $11.4 billion out of sales of $52.5 billion. The U.S. market accounted for $29.5 billion of the total sales. Lipitor was the top-selling drug in the United States, with sales of $7.7 billion.
Pfizer spent almost $17 billion in marketing, advertising and administrative costs, more than double the amount it spent on research and development. Since 1998, the company has spent $43.5 million on lobbying.