This diffusion of false diseases promotes evils that do not exist and exaggerates slight problems with the purpose of increasing their gains, according to informs the publication Public Library of Science Medicine .

Scientists of Newcastle university in Australia indicated that the pharmaceutical companies put at risk healthy people when promoting as disease a normal condition like menopause.

But, the pharmaceutical industry has denied they make up diseases.

The report , by David Henry and Ray Moynihan, authors of the bestseller Selling Sickness , criticize big Pharma's efforts to convince the United States public that 43% of women live with a sexual dysfunction.

Also they stated that risk factors such as high cholesterol and osteoporosis are being presented/displayed as diseases.

They add that, in addition, rare conditions such as the Anxious Leg Syndrome and the Irritated Bowel Syndrome are exaggerated.

Selling malaise / FALSE DISEASES

Anxious Leg Syndrome - Exaggeration of the predominance of a rare condition

Irritated Bowel Syndrome - Promoted as a serious disease that needs therapy when it is usually it is a slight problem

Menopause - With too much frequency its promoted as an disorder when in fact it is a normal part of the life

The report adds that 'the false diffusion of evils means the sale of malaises that extend the limits of the diseases and helps to increase the markets for those that sell and offer treatments'.

The investigators assure that many of the 'warning' campaigns concerning a disease, financed by pharmaceutical companies, frequently are designed, rather than to inform or to educate on the prevention of diseases or the safe keeping of health, to sell medicines'.

Henry and Monihan sent an appeal to doctors, patients and support groups to remain alert to the marketing tactics of the pharmaceutical industry and to do more research on the way in which the physical and mental conditions are presented/displayed.

They added that 'the motivation of health care professionals and health defense groups could well be the well-being of patients, rather than any direct financial benefit, but we think that with too much frequency the companies manage to crudely manipulate those motivations'.

Nevertheless, Richard Ley, from the British Pharmaceutical Industry Association said that it was untrue that the industry invents diseases.

'We do not do it; it's within the mandate of each doctor to decide what treatment to give people. We cannot tell him what to say', he added.