MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'brand name'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:33:25 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036278&cid=t_220054_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F16%2Fexpectation-affects-our-food-likes-and-dislikes%2F What is expectation assimilation? It’s the notion that our taste perceptions are biased by our imagination, and if you expect a food to taste good it will.  However, expectation assimilation also works in the opposite direction.  If you expect a food to taste unpleasant it will (Wansink, 2006). At a cafeteria in Urbana, Illinois, 175 people were given a free brownie dusted with powdered sugar (Wansink, 2006).  They were told the brownie was a new dessert that may be added to the menu.  They were asked how they liked the flavor and how much they would pay for it.   All of the brownies were the same size and had the same ingredients.  However, the brownies were served on a china plate, on a paper plate or on a paper napkin. Those who received the brownie on a china plate said t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036278 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 10:28:53 +0100 5036278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4446032&cid=t_220054_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FqZDR45Q5V5o%2F A trade deal being negotiated between Canada and the European Union could cost Canadians another $2.8 billion annually in drug costs - notably, by delaying the availability of lower-cost generics in Canada by about 3.5 years - if certain proposals are cemented, according to a new report commissioned by generic drugmakers. During the talks, the EU has sought various changes in Canadian laws and regulations governing intellectual property concerning brand-name meds. These include extending the term of patent protection by up to five years if drugs are bogged down in the regulatory approval process; lengthening the period of data exclusivity from eight years to 10 years or more; and strengthening notice of compliance regulations by adding an appeals process. The upshot is that Canadian payers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4446032 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:24:19 +0100 4446032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159239&cid=t_220054_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-the-young-pharmaceutical-rep-right%2F2010.11.12 I loved my old status. Perhaps, reveled in it would be a better description. I was a crotchety, generic medicine-only doctor.** Sadly, my status changed today. Dabigatran (brand name Pradaxa) was the culprit. It was a little nerve racking. I wrote the order, looked at it, thought it out again, talking to myself: “John, are you sure you don’t want to do it the old way? [pause to think] No, I am embracing the new.”  And then, I closed the chart and handed it to the nurse. “What’s that? Pradaxa?” asked the nurse. “Stop the Lovenox? You sure?” My face must have told the story. Eight days had passed since dabigatran’s approval. “That’s plenty of time to mourn warfarin’s demise,” I thought. Enough studies, enough bl... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159239 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4159239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3935799&cid=t_220054_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgeneric-drugs-not-so-cheap%2F2010.09.05 I received the following e-mail from a patient (paraphrased): Dear Dr. Fisher, Thank you for trying to switch me from lisinopril to generic losartan (Cozaar) to help me with the irritating cough that has been nagging me since I was placed on lisinopril. I did not pick up my prescription, though. At nearly $200 for a three-month supply, I’ve decided to live with the cough, since the same amount of lisinopril costs me about $12. -Ms. Patient Interesting how the generic drug market for some drugs only marginally discounts prices. Since the companies that make generics did not have to absorb research and development costs, how do they justify the exorbitant prices? Simple: The middlemen still have to get theirs. -WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. *This... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3935799 Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3935799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3780565&cid=t_220054_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FhUrAUHm71Bo%2F With all those patent expirations under way, brand-name drugmakers, of course, are desperate to wring as much money as possible out of their products. So how do they counter the generic onslaught? There are several tricks and every company employs multiple strategies, although patent challenges were the most popular choice over the past three years, according to a new survey. Patent litigation, in fact, was pursued by 60 percent of those queried by Cutting Edge Information, followed closely by defensive pricing, which was popular among 57 percent of the respondents. Half of those surveyed also like to concoct new formulations or a next-generation drug, with new indications clocking in at 45 percent. Only 29 percent pointed to an authorized generic or generics subsidiary. Over the next thre... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3780565 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:42:20 +0100 3780565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746741&cid=t_220054_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdrug-ads-consumers-and-doctors-are-tuning-them-out%2F2010.07.12 How effective is direct-to-consumer drug advertising? Some think that drug ads should be banned altogether, saying that it encourages patients to ask their doctors for expensive, brand name prescription drugs. It turns out their fears may be overblown. NPR’s Shots blogs about a recent study looking at the effectiveness of these ads. The numbers, for the pharmaceutical companies anyways, are not encouraging. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746741 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:19 +0100 3746741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730097&cid=t_220054_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FG5nOwsBCVO4%2F The difference in prices of brand-name meds in the US and Europe are actually modest and declining over time, according to a forthcoming study, possibly undermining claims that higher US prices are needed to fund research and development efforts, The Financial Times reports (UPDATE: registration may be required). The study, which was conducted by researchers at the London School of Economics, is due to be published in Health Economics, Policy and Law, and concludes that “public prices for branded prescription medicines in the US are comparable to those in key European and other OECD countries.” You may recall that PhRMA argues the tightly controlled pricing policies in European countries dampen R&D innovation and investment. But the FT writes that the study confirms data released... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730097 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:04:31 +0100 3730097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721960&cid=t_220054_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F28WlTkAyHMw%2F A proposal to end those controversial ‘pay-to-delay’ deals between brand-name and generic drugmakers was passed by the House of Representatives last night as part of a measure to fund wars. Ironic, yes? Or maybe appropriate. In any event, the bill now goes to the Senate, Bloomberg News reports. Under the proposal, drugmakers could be fined if the Federal Trade Commission or the courts determine they struck deals to preserve a brand-name drug patent by delaying introduction of a lower-priced generic equivalent (see page 74). This is “just another signal of the growing support in Congress for ending this unconscionable behavior by some pharmaceutical companies,” FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz tells the news service. The FTC, you may recall, has made a mission of ending these dea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721960 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:55:23 +0100 3721960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511587&cid=t_220054_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F28%2Fbuying-the-counterfeit-may-cost-you-more-than-you-thought%2F We want to look good but can’t always afford designer-name sunglasses. So what do some of us do? We buy a cheap knockoff or “gray market” item that looks just like the designer brand name, without the designer price. It signals to others — we hope — that we’re as cool and “with it” as anyone else (even when we can’t afford to be). But we may be getting more than we thought. We are all aware of the potential consequences of buying fake, counterfeit items on the street — you might get a shabby knockoff or pay too much for it. But outside of questionable quality of such goods, there may be others costs you’re not even aware of. Buying counterfeit goods may actually make us feel less authentic — just like the cheap, knocko... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511587 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:30:59 +0100 3511587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2761962&cid=t_220054_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FamFqwEO_CPw%2F A new report on MSN Health talks about the dangers of generic drugs. While some of them work just fine, others don’t. The article chronicles one woman’s struggle with feeling lousy and going from doctor to doctor before realizing it was the generics. I can relate to this story. I had almost the same thing happen. I had a VERY bad reaction to one generic and was told by the nurse practioner that it “must be in my head” because the “pills are virtually the same.” They weren’t the same. Not at all. I do take some generics and they work out okay. But this one particular drug did not. I think stories like this reinforce that when you’re feeling lousy, you have to be diligent about getting the care and treatment you need. Some people will just bl... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2761962 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:25:33 +0100 2761962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2087096&cid=t_220054_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F-3Cdemw4jKA%2F Brand-name drugs do not offer any advantages, over generic counterparts states the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Aaron Keeselheim of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston found that contrary to the belief, of some doctors and patients that the costly brand-name drugs are no more effective than the generic drugs. There have been 30 studies since 1984 comparing the two types of cardiovascular drugs. The findings of the studies were that there weren’t any advantages to the brand-name drugs. In a interview Dr. Kesselheim said, “if a patient is prescribed a generic drug they should be confident in taking it.” The doctor also stated “that doctors should feel confident in prescribing the generic drugs,” Pharmaceut... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2087096 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:51:55 +0100 2087096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074630&cid=t_220054_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2008%2F12%2F29%2Fzolpi-whaaaat%2F I got a note from The Ole Apothecary about a new drug he got wind of after reading my old post, Removing the Wool. TaestP, I can’t remember if you were the one who was blogging about ripoff prescription drugs such as Treximet or Solodyn. How about adding Zolpimist to the list? http://www.novadel.com/pipeline/zolpimist.htm I’ll just let you ponder this one. I’m glad he brought this to my attention. This is yet another product that serves no purpose other than to milk the public dry. It’s ridiculous how a company could do this and continue to remain a respected corporate citizen. It just doesn’t make any sense. “Faster absorption - quicker to reach steady state.” What a crock a shit! So, you take an Ambien - you fall asleep in 45 minutes. You spray s... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074630 Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:00:06 +0100 2074630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011568&cid=t_220054_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F472879134%2F Despite concerns expressed by some doctors and patients that generics are inferior products, there is no evidence brand-name meds are clinically superior, according to a meta-analysis of 47 studies of various cardiovascular drugs published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston looked at studies published from 1984 to August 2008, as well the content of editorials published during that time to gauge expert opinion. Of the 47 articles, 38 (or 81 percent) were randomized controlled trials, according to a JAMA statement. Here’s what they found… Clinical equivalence was noted in 100 percent of RCTs of beta-blockers; 91 percent of RCTs of diuretics; 71 percent of RCTs of calcium-channel blockers; 100 percent ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011568 Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:08:44 +0100 2011568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1924711&cid=t_220054_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F437134300%2F All the doctors had to do was show up, enjoy a free dinner at an elegant Rochester, New York, restaurant specializing in steaks and expensive wines, and pocket $100 on the way out the door. No, this wasn’t a big drugmaker showing largesse. Health insurers invited the docs to hear a pitch about the benefits of prescribing generics instead of pricier brand-name meds, the Associated Press writes. Meet the flip side of a concern about corporate influence in the doctor’s office that’s been criticized - often stridently - when big pharma entices doc to prescribe brand-name drugs. Under pressure, that industry has since reined in its promotional efforts. But insurers are allowed to push docs toward cheaper drugs, frequently by offering a cut from the savings insurers get when do... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924711 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:56:10 +0100 1924711