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 'cymbalta'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:00:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762937&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fhg7QGCQONN0%2F Hello, everyone. Another busy day is about to unfold here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, as we prepare for a round of meetings and deadlines. To cope, we are our brewing our mandatory cup of stimulation - we continue to favor Wild Mountain Blueberry this week. Meanwhile, here are some items to help you get started. Hope your day goes well and stay in touch… Par Pharma Pays $153M To Settle Pricing Lawsuits (Reuters) Sanofi-Aventis Profit Falls Due To Generics (Bloomberg News) More US Women Are Using The Morning After Pill (Reuters) Roche Wins FDA Approval For HPV Diagnostics Test (Bloomberg News) AstraZeneca Profits Get A Lift From Tax Breaks (Pharma Times) Merck Hepatitis C Drug Wins FDA Panel Backing (Boston Globe) Australia Delays Subsidies For Some Medicines (Australian Broadc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762937 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:49:06 +0100 4762937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139481&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYx4Lr3S96k8%2F Good morning, everyone. And we are happy to say that the time has come to daydream - just a wee bit - about the weekend. With any luck, we hope to catch up on some reading, perhaps see a movie and frolic with the short people. Never mind the leaves piling up. What about you? A drive in the country? Dinner with someone special? Whatever you do, have a good time. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. See you soon… FDA Approves Lilly’s Cymbalta For Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain (Reuters) Roche Melanoma Drugs Shows Promise In Study (Reuters) Canada’s Share Of Health Spending To Drop (PharmaTimes) Acceleron Cuts 40 Percent Of Its Workforce (Boston Globe) Teva Backs 2015 Goals (The Wall Street Journal) Zydus Claims Injunction Against Generic Strattera Doesn’t Apply (Law.com) G... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139481 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:06:46 +0100 4139481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3896097&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F83umBhska9Y%2F For those of you who, like us, took a respite last week, we thought we would also recap a few of the more interesting events of the past several days. Please forgive us if one or more of these items seems familiar, but we wanted to make sure that these worthy items didn’t escape your attention. And now, of course, let us turn our sights to the matters at hand… Did Johnson & Johnson try a preemptive strike? Stung by months of criticism over its handling of quality control problems at its McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit, J&J ceo Bill Weldon made a rare public statement to The Wall Street Journal that chief quality officers and manufacturing managers will report to Ajit Shetty, a J&J veteran who will now oversee operations for the pharma, device and consumer units. ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3896097 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:10:32 +0100 3896097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3881090&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fcymbalta-sweet-roi-for-chronic-pain.html One new indication for pain = $500 Million in additional sales!Once a drug is developed for a single indication, gaining approval for additional indications can be sweet icing on the profit cake.As an example, take Cymbalta, which was originally approved in 2004 for adults with major depression. Later the FDA granted Lilly, the company that manufactures Cymbalta, approval to market Cymbalta for treating nerve pain in diabetics, GAD (ie, "generalized anxiety disorder"; see "eGAD! How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cymbalta!") and fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by chronic fatigue and muscle and joint pain.Now, as reported in this Bloomberg article ("Lilly’s Cymbalta Helps Chronic Pain in U.S. Review"), Cymbalta may be approved for chronic lower back and knee pain, an indicati... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3881090 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:54:00 +0100 3881090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3618087&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FeIKSx7mehTc%2F This isn’t surprising. A new survey finds that 78 of those seeking treatment for depression or anxiety were prescribed antidepressants, but roughly half of those taking such a pill report being helped ‘a lot.’ Meanwhile, 91 percent of respondents who stuck with ‘talk therapy, reported this approach made things “a lot” or “somewhat” better, according to Consumer Reports, which conducted the survey. The survey also found that older, often less expensive SSRI antidepressants - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Lexapro, Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft - work just as well, and with fewer side effects, than newer, more costly SNRIs, including Cymbalta and Effexor (see Consumer Reports cost data here). Last year, doctors prescribed $9.9 billion worth of ant... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3618087 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:31:11 +0100 3618087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3504954&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F26%2Ftop-25-psychiatric-drugs-in-2009%2F A few years back, we published the Top 20 Psychiatric Prescriptions for 2005. Four years later and we thought it’s about high time we updated that list with the help of the healthcare intelligence firm IMS Health, which tracks prescription data in the U.S. We published the new list this morning, Top 25 Psychiatric Prescriptions for 2009. There’s a few interesting observations we can make based upon this data and the intervening four year span between the two lists. First, anti-anxiety medications like Xanax, Valium and Ativan remain some of the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications. And it’s no wonder — they are fast-acting and have a short half-life, meaning their effects typically wear off in a few hours. Xanax remains the most commonly prescribed psych... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3504954 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:35:14 +0100 3504954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290992&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FncX1t4U0Bgc%2F Grassley, who is the ranking Republican on the US Senate Finance Committee, is investigating the relationship between WebMD and drugmakers after learning the web site is running a TV ad that encourage people to take a depression-screening test sponsored by Eli Lilly, which sells Cymbalta. So he wants WebMD, which lots of folks visit for medical info, to disclose its ties to the industry, in general, because the Lilly sponsorship raises questions about WebMD’s “independence,” according to this Feb. 18 letter to WebMD exec Wayne Gattinella. The ad encourages people to visit WebMD’s site to take a depression-screening test (see here). The test asks questions about suffering emotional or physical symptoms associated with depression and includes banner ads on the top and... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290992 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:40:41 +0100 3290992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283493&cid=t_103199_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fquintiles-to-more-heavily-directly.html This article included an interview with a single apparently academic expert who provided reassurance that the conflicts of interest discussed in the article were not really so worrisome.  This expert, however, failed to disclose his own extensive, albeit somewhat indirect ties to a variety of corporations that might benefit from the conflicts discussed as the main topic of the article, including corporations that were directly involved in them (Quintiles and Eli Lilly).  Maybe because the reporter thought that the expert was unbiased, there was no attempt to find a contrasting opinion.So I say again, again, again, health care professionals, policy  makers, and people in general need to be extremely skeptical of most of the apparently unbiased pronouncements made about medica... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283493 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:22:00 +0100 3283493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3205112&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fseroquel-xr-print-ad-imitates-art-but.html There's a bit of brouhaha in the Twitterverse about a recent Seroquel print ad that  (see "Liu Bolin and JaeSelle - what's the connection?") that imitates the art of Chinese artist Liu Bolin. "Both feature people camouflaged against their backgrounds so that they almost disappear," said Jim Edwards over at bnet. Some say this is a despicable corporate ripoff of art. Here's the ad:Personally, I don't find anything wrong with advertising images that are inspired by artists and I certainly do not think Liu Bolin has any case against the ad agency (Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare) for copyright infringement.When I first saw this ad, I didn't get the connection because (1) I didn't notice the camouflage effect, and (2) I had never heard of  Liu Bolin, nor seen his art. So I am happy ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3205112 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:39:00 +0100 3205112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172202&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5x3gAtaxrKg%2F Earlier this week, the FDA posted warning letters on its site to four drugmakers - Lilly, Bayer, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Cephalon - for making inaccurate or incomplete statements while promoting their drugs. Amylin, for instance, was tagged because its reps made remarks that Byetta can be used as a stand-alone therapy, which was before the drug received that approval. Bayer was chastised for suggesting its Mirena contraceptive women help would feel more romantic or intimate when, in fact, the side effects indicate the opposite may occur. A dosing card for Cephalon’s Treanda, which treats chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, minimized risk and a Lilly promotional piece for its Cymbalta antidepressant minimized risk and overstated efficacy. As The Pink She... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172202 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:02:03 +0100 3172202 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3146209&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-5oJRdTWkPw%2F What is salami slicing? Simply put, this involves publishing separate, but similar articles that rely on the same set of data. Researchers may slice the salami to increase their publishing output and drugmakers may view this as a way to promote useful findings for their meds. And a new article in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics finds that’s what occured with Lilly’s Cymbalta antidepressant. The researchers examined 43 pooled analyses and found 88 percent had at least one author who worked for Lilly. They also contend several pooled analyses were based on ‘highly’ overlapping clinical trials presented safety and efficacy data, but didn’t answer unique research questions. And they found six clinical trials had data that was used as part of 20 or more separately... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3146209 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:05:07 +0100 3146209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3146211&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fg1TfFi2DmLU%2F Nice to see you again. Hope the day is getting off to a good start. It is the middle of the week, though, and after the holiday break, this can only mean one thing - lots of meetings, deadlines and projects to prepare. So as you dig in, here are a few things to help you along. As for us, the time has come for a cup of stimulation. May your day go well… Europe Seeks To Reduce H1N1 Vaccine Inventory (SwissInfo.ch) Glaxo Centralizes HR Functions (EmployeeBenefits.co) WARF Wins Patent Lawsuit Over Enzyme (Chicago Tribune) FDA Cancels Panel Review For Cymbalta (Reuters) Glaxo’s Witty Succeeds Higgins As EFPIA Chief (PharmaTimes) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3146211 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:50:31 +0100 3146211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977569&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAJal4KDWV30%2F Judging by a recent survey, that may seem to be the case. Direct-to-consumer ads are mentioned mostly by docs to increase patient acceptance for a medicine that’s already been chosen. But unaided - or spontaneous - mention by patients or actual patient requests for a specific med is a rare phenomenon, according to the survey by Verilogue. The firm tracked brand requests coupled with a reference to specific ad campaigns across 12,500 doctor-patient conversations from 2008 and covered 20 disease states and 46 different branded prescription drugs. Overall, DTC ‘pull-through’ in conversations in a doc’s office is low - just 3 percent - and specific patient requests for advertised med are even lower - .002 percent. Significantly, the most frequently pulled-through brand... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977569 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:20:15 +0100 2977569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2905110&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F96vVL2ciNtQ%2F Recent mailings by CVS Caremark to doctors about Lilly’s Cymbalta antidepressant are causing a stir - and embarassing Eli Lilly. At issue is the notion that the big pharmacy chain and benefits manager is making available info about patients with - in this case, fibromyalgia - so that the drugmaker can target docs who may be inclined to prescribe the pill for this other indication. The practice, however, has stunned some consumer advocates who says it’s really a paid promotion disguised as a professional mailing. “This kind of drug marketing should simply be forbidden,” Steve Findlay, senior health policy analyst at Consumers Union, tells The Indianapolis Star. “It does not fully inform doctors about drug treatment choices.” Eleanor Kinney, co-director of... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2905110 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:21:13 +0100 2905110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862577&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Feli-lilly-hires-cvs-caremark-to.html Eli Lilly has discovered a new advertising strategy: your pharmacy. Check out this package of material I just received from CVS Caremark, a prescription benefit plan associated with CVS pharmacy. Pure and simply, it is an advertisement for Cymbalta, Eli Lilly's antidepressant which was recently approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia. But it doesn't look like an ad. It looks like a letter from a pharmacy that is deeply concerned that my fibromyalgia patients receive the best treatment. Here's how the letter starts: Dear Doctor:CVS Caremark administers the prescription benefit plan for one or more of your patients. We are committed to providing health care professionals with information about drug therapy. As part of this commitment, we are providing you with this issue of RXViewpoints�... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862577 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:54:00 +0100 2862577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820585&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fkolwatch-meet-very-busy-dr-maria-carmen.html Lilly's top earner in the Tampa Bay area is Dr. Maria-Carmen Wilson, a neurologist who is director of Tampa General Hospital's Headache & Pain Center and a professor at USF College of Medicine. She also is director of USF's headache medicine fellowship program, co-director of the division of pain medicine and associate director of both the neurology residency program and pain medicine fellowship program. Her annual salary from USF is $195,410.95.Despite her busy schedule at the university, Wilson found time to moonlight for Lilly, which paid her $54,400 in the first quarter. She reached Lilly's annual cap of $75,000 in May.Nonetheless, Wilson failed to follow USF policy to get prior approval before making presentations on behalf of a drugmaker. Wilson also failed to inform USF when she... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820585 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:11:00 +0100 2820585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2685339&cid=t_103199_134_f&fid=36012&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FBattleDiabetes%2F%7E3%2F50KKGHHZLLg%2F Cymbalta is an SSRI antidepressant which was being prescribed off label to diabetes patients who were suffering from diabetes nerve pain known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The FDA approved Cymbalta for treatment of diabetes neuropathy but does Cymbalta’s pros outweigh it’s cons? Cymbalta is a dual re-uptake inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine. It is this characteristic that causes Cymbalta to drastically reduce pain. I have been checking out some message boards in which people who began taking Cymbalta saw a great improvement in their pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. If you’ve never had nerve pain, you just can’t imagine how painful it is. Pretty much nothing gives you relief. That is why Cymbalta is becoming so popular to treat the ... Battle Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2685339 Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:49:52 +0100 2685339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2240977&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Feconomy-down-insomnia-depression-up.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2240977 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:08:00 +0100 2240977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190557&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fssri-horse-race-take-our-meaningless.html This is not science, I'm just playing here, nothing random, nothing controlled, just questions for our readers.I just read Peter Kramer's Psychology Today blog post called Lexapro and Zoloft in a Cloud of Dust. Dr. Kramer talks about the relative efficacy of SSRI's, their market share, and if the drug company's influence docs to prescribe in a way that isn't in sync with research. Lexapro, the most expensive SSRI, apparently has the biggest market with 13% of the market share. He writes:Now comes news of a large-scale analysis of research on antidepressant efficacy. Published in The Lancet, it finds a hierarchy, with Remeron, Zoloft, Effexor, and, yes, Lexapro, leading the pack, Cymbalta and Prozac in the middle, and Luvox, Paxil, and (especially) reboxetine, which is marketed outside the ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190557 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:06:00 +0100 2190557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2101073&cid=t_103199_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F01%2F13%2Fincoherent-blogging-its-finest%2F Previous post moved. exit stage left Other things: WPress.  When you make a blog private here, you cannot just add someone by inserting their email; they have to get a user name-that is then entered into the “view” list.   I haven’t decided how to rectify this situation yet. Open to suggestions. UM knows what I’m talking [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2101073 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:28:34 +0100 2101073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1996315&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fcymbalta-pain-in-neck-but-not-back-for.html Lilly announced today the withdrawal of an application for additional U.S. indication for Cymbalta for chronic pain (see press release here).Lilly said: "in discussions between Lilly and the FDA, agency reviewers raised questions about efficacy and dosing that revolved primarily around statistical methodology and study design" of the three of three clinical trials submitted in evidence for the new indication.One of those studies -- for chronic low back pain -- involved ONLY 236 patients, which -- as I pointed out some time ago (see "The Cymbalta Buzz Machine is at Full Throttle!") -- is hardly a basis for making any kind of statistically-significant conclusions.The results of this trial, whose results were not statistically acceptable according to the FDA, was featured in several news stor... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1996315 Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:16:00 +0100 1996315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975631&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F460224952%2F Last May, National Public Radio talk-show host Fred Goodwin was, himself, the subject of a great deal of chatter. An episode of his program, “The Infinite Mind,” which is heard on 300 NPR stations, featured three experts who discussed the controversial link between antidepressants and suicide. And all four, including Goodwin, declared that worries about the drugs have been overblown (back story). But there was a catch: Goodwin never pointed out that all three guests had ties to pharma, or that the show received “unrestricted” from drugmakers, including Lilly, which sells Prozac and Cymbalta. The segment, by the way, aired just two months after UK regulators concluded a four-year investigation of Glaxo’s Paxil and found the drugmaker had been aware since 1998 t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975631 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:25:45 +0100 1975631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1961387&cid=t_103199_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Ffibromyalgia-no-longer-invisible%2F This study demonstrates that these patients exhibit modifications of brain perfusion not found in healthy subjects and reinforces the idea that fibromyalgia is a ‘real disease/disorder.’” Of course, the millions of Americans suffering from fibromyalgia didn’t need this research to know their illness is real. But it might help in the development of new treatments because researchers now have an objective measurement of brain function that can be compared before and after drug administration. In June of 2007, I noted in this blog that Lyrica (pregabalin) was the “First fibromyalgia drug approved,” by the FDA. And a year later, I alerted readers that “Cymbalta [was] approved for fibromyalgia.” Another drug pending FDA approval is milnacipran, a decision on which was ... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1961387 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:29:23 +0100 1961387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907882&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F430827891%2F We have a midday meeting, but do not want you to feel abandoned as we head off for a little while. And so here are a few developments that caught our eye. See you soon… Sepracor Gets OK To Market Lunesta In Europe (Boston.com) Europe Rejects Lilly Drug For Fibromyalgia (Yahoo/Reuters) Watson Files Patent Suit Against Barr Over Patch (Yahoo/AP) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907882 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:33:19 +0100 1907882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837488&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F405499147%2F Such a busy pharma world and so little time to keep up, yes? Like you, we always poke around for items of interest, and so we thought we would point out a few you may enjoy from the past week. Think of it as a little bit of catching up. Meanwhile, we hope your weekend is enjoyable and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow… The droll Jim Edwards points out that Sanofi-Aventis has become the latest drugmaker to get into the online video game business, or advergames. This one is for the ubiquitous Ambien Cr sleeping pill, and the game is called “Silence Your Rooster.” You can check it out here. By striking a deal to fill certain generics for free as part of a trial with Caterpillar, Wal-Mart is subtly undermining the economic model used so well by pharmacy benefit manage... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837488 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:34:00 +0100 1837488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1829143&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F402905622%2Fcymbalta-schatz-storm-duplicate.html Discussion: As I've noted previously, the discussion section of a journal article often contains key marketing points, science being relegated to secondary status at best. The JPR article provides a few good examples of Cymbalta's talking points:The current paper focuses on pain-related outcomes, demonstrating that a switch of SSRI non- or partial-responders to duloxetine was associated with a significant improvement in all pain measures including six VAS pain scales, the SQ-SS and its pain subscale, and the SF-36 bodily pain domain.Switch of SSRI non- and partial-responders to duloxetine resulted in mean improvements on all pain measures regardless of the switch method used.Duloxetine, an SNRI, has previously been shown to be effective in the treatment of PPS associated with depression, a... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1829143 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:28:00 +0100 1829143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1768863&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F05%2Ftwo-psychiatric-drugs-on-fda-watch-list%2F The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today released a list of 20 drugs that are on its adverse effect “watch list” — drugs that have potential new serious risks or had new safety information from January to March 2008. The data come from FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database, its only method for gathering safety and adverse effects about drugs approved for prescribing in the U.S. Adverse events are voluntarily reported by physicians who prescribe the medications. Two psychiatric medications made the list — Duloxetine (Cymbalta) for a serious risk of urinary retention, and Quetiapine (Seroquel) for overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion. This is the FDA’s first new public information alert system in years, identifying poten... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1768863 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:57:53 +0100 1768863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739149&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fcymalta-buzz-machine-is-at-full.html You got to hand it to the Lilly PR people and their minions for creating tremendous buzz about Cymbalta and back pain. Here are a few sample headlines:* "Cymbalta Found To Reduce Chronic Lower Back Pain"* "Patients Taking Cymbalta Experienced Reduced Chronic Low Back Pain in New Study"* "Anti-depressant drug shown to help people with low back pain"The buzz even confused veteran reporter/blogger Jim Edwards into thinking that Cymbalta had just been approved by the FDA for back pain! Jim's article on BNET ("What Lilly Learned From Steak n Shake: A Q&A on Cymbalta") originally started with this statement:"Eli Lilly’s Cymbalta is fast adding indications. Today the company announced it was approved for back pain and last week it was approved in Europe for generalized anxiety disorder." [M... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739149 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:10:00 +0100 1739149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1655450&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F345787833%2Fcymbalta-smacked-via-excellent-letter.html Eli Lilly/Boehringer Ingelheim published a study claiming that duloxetine (Cymbalta) was an effective treatment for pain in depressed patients. Nothing new – they’ve run several such studies. The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry in November 2007. Three wise readers (Jay Griffith, Joseph Hasley, and Daniel Severn) noted serious issues with the study and submitted a letter to the editor, which was then published in the June 2008 issue. It was noted that the patients were unclearly described: What kind of pain were they experiencing? The study also noted that patients weren’t taking pain-relieving medications for six months prior to the start of the study, at least not on a “regular basis,” a term that was not defined in the paper. Don't most patients who... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1655450 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:02:00 +0100 1655450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556309&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F323350226%2Fcymbalta-good-for-whatever-ails-you.html I don't have time to write much on the topic, suffice to say that John Russell of the Indianapolis Star raises some good questions about Cymbalta, Eli Lilly's antidepressant/antianxiety/analgesic/good for whatever ails you pill.  He calls it a Swiss Army Knife, which is ironic given that Lilly gave out Swiss Army Knives as part of its Viva Zyprexa campaign, likely as a reminder that Zyprexa (much like Cymbalta) was a broad spectrum psychotropic that could be used to treat, um, a lot of things.  Despite Cymbalta being touted as a cure for both depression and all sorts of different types of physical pain, once again it appears that the science has failed to live up to the marketing, at least for treating pain in depressed patients. Russell's article asks whether it is reasonable to expect ... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556309 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:08:00 +0100 1556309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556511&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F323194026%2F Take a close look at the many uses for Lilly’s Cymbalta and you could be excused for thinking the drug is a magic pill - the med is approved for treating depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia. In Europe, Cymbalta is taken for treating stress urinary incontinence. Lilly has asked the FDA to approve Cymbalta for chronic knee and low back pain, and is also testing the pill for combating chronic fatigue. Cymbalta is an example of how drugmakers are pushing hard to find every possible use for their existing meds, writes The Indianapolis Star, in an effort to shore up revenue at a time when successfully developing and winning approval to sell new meds has become harder. Lilly, in fact, hasn’t launched a new drug for humans in three years, the paper notes. Lilly, of course, argues its ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556511 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:03:43 +0100 1556511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1543344&cid=t_103199_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F319116896%2Ffda_approves_cymbalta_for_fibr.html Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY) announced that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for Cymbalta for the management of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder.Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) is the first serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that has proven effective in the treatment of pain associated with fibromyalgia. The new approved indication becomes the fourth FDA approved use of the drug.  Cymbalta has been previously approved for management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP), the treatment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. (Source: PharmaGazette) PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1543344 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:00:45 +0100 1543344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531886&cid=t_103199_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fcymbalta-approved-for-fibromyalgia%2F The anti-depressant Cymbalta (duloxetine), marketed by Lilly, has received FDA approval for the treatment of fibromyalgia. While certain anti-depressants are considered first-line therapy for fibromyalgia, most notably the tricyclic anti-depressants such as amitriptyline, none had been approved by the FDA for this use until now. Cymbalta belongs to a newer class of anti-depressants known collectively as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which are somewhat similar to the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), of which Prozac, also marketed by Lilly, is the most widely known. Cymbalta is already marketed for the treatment of depression, anxiety and for pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It was first approved for U.S. marketing in 2004. Cymbalta is no... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531886 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:43:51 +0100 1531886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1516784&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F311127357%2F File this under expanding indications, if not horizons. Lilly has just released some data suggesting its Cymbalta antidepressant can relieve knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Here’s the statement. Results from a study of 231 patients show “significant” pain improvement compared with placebo within the first week of treatment during a 13-week trial. The primary endpoint was reduction of severe pain measured by the weekly mean of 24-hour average pain scores. And so, Lilly says 59 percent of Cymbalta patients experienced a 30 percent improvement compared with 45 percent of patients on placebo. And 47 percent of Cymbalta patients experienced a 50 percent improvement in pain compared with 29 percent of placebo patients. A total of 22, or 9.5 percent, of patients discontinued... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516784 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:43:30 +0100 1516784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420437&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F283912792%2Fin-name-of-science-and-charity.html Philip Dawdy at Furious Seasons has noted that Eli Lilly released a short report in which they describe the funding they provided to a variety of organizations. All in the name of science and charity, of course. Beneficiaries of Lilly's largess include:The American Psychiatric Association Massachusetts General Hospital's Psychiatry Department National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Medscape American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Center for Medical Knowledge Continuing Medical Education, LLC Institute for Continuing Healthcare Education Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Postgraduate Institute for Medicine University of California -- Irvine These were just some of the big recipients. The report itself is well worth checking out. One will note that Lilly is kindly fundin... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420437 Mon, 05 May 2008 12:34:00 +0100 1420437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1334510&cid=t_103199_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F03%2F28%2Fnegligent-or-ignorant%2F   I’m talking about our doctors. I can’t decide if the majority are ignorant and don’t educate themselves in the drugs they give or or if they are negligent and don’t give a rat’s ass what they give us. A patient goes to a psych doc with bipolar,depression,anxiety, etc. The doctor writes a ’script for the latest drug on the market (or the drug that is sold by the best bribing drug rep). The patient thinks, “Hmmm…..he has studied medicine for a long time and has been in practice for X number of years. He must know what he’s doing. So, I’ll trust that he is doing the right thing for me”. Said patient goes home and dutifully pushed the orange/red/yellow/pink/white/blue/green/capsule/pill, etc. down their throat on a regu... bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1334510 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:28:09 +0100 1334510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1300324&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fcymbalta-spitzer-contextual-web.html It's not often we can get a drug brand name and a major political/prostitution ring scandal mentioned in the same headline!Take a look at this "contextual Web advertising" coup for Cymbalta:(Click on image for an enlarged view.)According to a Wikipedia entry:"Contextual advertising is the term applied to advertisements appearing on websites or other media, such as content displayed in mobile phones, where the advertisements are selected and served by automated systems based on the content displayed by the user."This might be better described as "contextual kismet advertising."Thanks, Robert for the tip! (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1300324 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:59:00 +0100 1300324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1208095&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F229782529%2F The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency upgraded the warnings on all antidepressants - not just SSRIs - after reviewing an FDA analysis of the drugs. As a result, the labeling on these meds should be updated to reflect an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior among young adults and the need to monitor patients closely. The list of drugs that will feature the upgraded warning includes Wellbutrin; Celexa; Paxil; Cymbalta; Lexapro; Prozac; Luvox; Remeron; Serzone, Zoloft and Effexor. “The Pharmacovigilance Working Party considered the review performed by the FDA was of high quality and although it did not provide evidence to suggest that the use of SSRIs and related depressants leads to an increased risk of suicidality in the general adult population, it found a clear ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1208095 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:38:46 +0100 1208095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1187239&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F225618605%2F And so another busy day winds down. We hope yours was as productive as ours. After all, something is always happening. We even had time to catch lunch with a couple of industry types (and, yes, we paid for ourselves). And now, on to the evening and some bedtime reading with one of the short people. Catch you in the morning… Hundreds of Florida residents who claim Vioxx caused their strokes or heart attacks were squeezed out the $4.85 billion settlement and have filed a motion to be included, the Associated Press reports. If the motion is successful, people in a half-dozen other states - which, like Florida, give residents more than three years to file personal injury lawsuits - might also be added to the deal. But a Merck lawyer and a plaintiffs’ lawyers say Florida residents w... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1187239 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:05:13 +0100 1187239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177695&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fwomen-need-more-love-less-drugs.html There seems to be a proliferation of "real" diseases that "primarily affect middle-aged women." That, for example, is how fibromyalgia is described (see "Drug Approved. Is Disease Real?"). The "real" adjective figures prominently in Pfizer's TV ad for Lyrica, which was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of fibromyalgia (see "Living with Fibromyalgia, First Drug Approved").You've probably seen the commercial -- if not, you can find it on the official Lyrica product site here.On the left/above is a frame from that video showing a woman in distress after reading from her diary about the pain she suffered "all over." (God, look at the signs of distress in her face and neck!)She also took the time to write in her diary "But until June 2007 there were no medicines approved by the FDA... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177695 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:53:00 +0100 1177695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1156838&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F217900295%2F How is this possible? A review of unpublished studies submitted to the FDA by drugmakers found many of the meds have little or no effect on patients, according to a new review of the previously unknown results, which was published in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine (subscription may be required). The upshot is that docs and patients are getting a distorted view of the effectivness of such drugs as Effexor, Zocor, Cymbalta and Paxil. The researchers looked at reviews from the FDA for trials between 1987 and 2004 on 12 widely used antidepressants involving 12,564 patients, and whether the research was published. Those studies that were published were then compared against FDA versions. The found that the results determined whether and how studies were published. Most of the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156838 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:12:05 +0100 1156838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1133857&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F212596349%2Finaccurate-advertising-hurts.html I'm late to the game on this post, and this material has been covered well on other sites. In case you've missed it, a recent meta-analysis indicated that the effect of Cymbalta on pain in depression relative to placebo was somewhere between nothing and minimal. This was noted on Furious Seasons, the WSJ Health Blog, and Pharmalot. According to the Pharmalot post, it also appears that Lilly has not fully disclosed all relevant data in Cymbalta's clinical trials, which contradicts Lilly's pledge to share all data openly.This is apparently another example of how we cannot trust that pharmaceutical advertising is any more accurate than advertising for quick weight-loss programs, exercise equipment, or get-rich-quick schemes. Caveat emptor.Props to John Mack for noting many months ago that the... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1133857 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:59:00 +0100 1133857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1128859&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F210528381%2F One night while watching TV, Glen Spielmans noticed a ‘Depression Hurts’ ad, which is part of the marketing campaign for Lilly’s Cymbalta, and was struck by what he saw. “I thought the claim that Cymbalta not only alleviated depression but also physical pain for depressed patients was a bit on the incredible side, so I thought I’d see if their claims were supported by data,” he tells us. And so the psychology professor at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota, conducted a meta-analysis of five published studies that examined Cymbalta and pain relief in depressed patients. What did he find? Overstated claims, he says, as well as incomplete reporting - Lilly, he argues, didn’t provide summaries of all relevant data in three of their tr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1128859 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:26:58 +0100 1128859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121710&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F29%2Fcymbalta-still-good-for-pain%2F In the past ten days, a few different blog entries > have been written calling our attention to a meta-analysis that suggests perhaps Cymbalta (duloxotine) — a newer antidepressant — isn’t as good as the company claims it is for the physical symptoms of pain associated with depression. But, as regular readers of World of Psychology know, a single study does not a conclusion make. Not even a meta-analysis. The new meta-analysis, conducted by Glen Spielmans, included only five of the published studies that have examined the question of pain, depression and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Why only five, when there have been dozens of studies that have been published examining depression and duloxetine with a pain measure in them? One key to a good meta-analysis is how is it cons... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121710 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 23:06:50 +0100 1121710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1062889&cid=t_103199_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F193074550%2Fcymbalta_gets_fda_approval_as.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for the maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults according to the drug manufacturer, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY).The efficacy and safety of Cymbalta, as a maintenance treatment, was established in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 533 patients with major depression. After 12 weeks, 278 patients met the criteria to continue in the trial and were randomly assigned Cymbalta or a placebo for the next six months. Those taking Cymbalta had a statistically longer period of time between relapses."Relapse, the re-emergence of depressive symptoms after a successful treatment of depression, is a significant clinical concern," says Doug Williamson, M.D., ... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1062889 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:00:59 +0100 1062889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=959857&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F171582475%2F The drugmaker reports that quarterly profits rose 6 percent, and thanks a 47 percent gain in sales of the Cymbalta antidepressant and a 27 percent increase in sales of Cialis, the erectile dysfunction pill. In the past, Lilly didn’t capture all Cialis sales, because the med belong to Icos, but the drugmaker bought Icos earlier this year. As a result, net income increased to $926.3 million, or 85 cents a share, from $873.6 million, or 80 cents, a year earlier. Revenue rose 19 percent to $4.6 billion partner. Cymbalta sales, by the way, reached $513.2 million and Cialis notched $311.4 million in revenue. Lilly’s biggest seller, the Zyprexa antipsychotic, posted an 8 percent increase in sales to $1.17 billion, but that reflected a price increase earlier this year. (See complete re... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=959857 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:38:15 +0100 959857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=925337&cid=t_103199_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F164885772%2Flilly_gets_hand_slap_from_fda.html In a cautionary letter released today the FDA warned Eli Lilly (Public, NYSE:LLY)and Company that they must cease to distribute specific advertising material as it is considered to contain false or misleading information.The FDA found that the advertising mailer in question in that it overstated the efficacy of Cymbalta and omitted some of the most serious risk information associated with its use. The FDA felt that the claim that Cymbalta will "Help your DPNP patients experience less pain interference with overall functioning" was overstated and suggested patients with DPN who are treated with Cymllata would experience significantly less pain. This claim has not been substantiated by any evidence.The company is working with the FDA "to gain a greater understanding ... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=925337 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:45:00 +0100 925337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=925278&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Flilly-cymbalta-marketers-are-not.html While Sidney Taurel, Lilly's chairman and chief executive officer, urged "the health-care industry, medical community and U.S. government to work more closely" to use information technology to eliminate the paper-based physician office (see "Lilly's Taurel: Go paperless, share records"), Lilly marketers were distributing Cymbalta promo mailers to physicians, offering them a black, simulated leather letter tray to more efficiently hold paper (see image below)."The paperless physician office is a myth," declares the mailer. "This tray will keep you prepared for the mountain of forms, files, and folders headed your way."But the story is more than the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. It's about drug safety and Lilly's lip service to drug safety.Taurel called for a paperless ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=925278 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:36:00 +0100 925278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=922076&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F164370632%2F That’s what the FDA had to say about a mailer concerning the Cymbalta antidepressant that Lilly sent to docs, according to a warning letter. The agency called the promotional material “false or misleading in that it overstates the efficacy of Cymbalta and omits some of the most serious and important risk information associated with its use.” (The mailer is right here). Here are a few excerpts: “These claims and presentations are false or misleading because they overstate the efficacy of Cymbalta by suggesting that patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy who are treated with the drug experience significantly less pain interference with overall functioning, when this has not been demonstrated by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience…Moreov... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=922076 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:34:06 +0100 922076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=836669&cid=t_103199_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fenkephalin-pain-killers.html The Furious Seasons blog has a few posts regarding pain management and Cymbalta written by a guest and friend of the blog author, Puckett.Puckett is not writing from a mental health perspective, it is from a pain management perspective, yet has been prescribed psychiatric medication to manage the pain. Read in detail at Furious Seasons regarding that topic.~This led me to do some reading on my own and take a look at where we began with pain killers and who was/is behind the studies, abstracts and you know what comes next: the Pharmaceutical company that gets it out there. Patent holders, authors of abstracts of thought, how can it possibly be these things always come up with beginning to end results?Note the abstract authors, patent applicant names and AstraZeneca all walking the path just... soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=836669 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 02:08:00 +0100 836669 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=821450&cid=t_103199_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fcymbalta-for-pain-relief-furious.html For a visual for Cymbalta that has been having much discussion over at Furious Seasons by patients who are telling their stories in comments,here is an image of the Cymbalta capsules that people are having a hard time opening, and measuring the tiny beads of medicine for proper slow titration when withdrawing from it.Read more about Cymbalta from a patient who it was prescribed for as a non-narcotic pain reliever in the Cymbalta-Puckett Series Begins. (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=821450 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:54:00 +0100 821450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=814345&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F146526542%2F The rain is still falling heavily this morning in the nation’s medicine chest. So what better way to enjoy the comfort of the indoors than to catch up on events? Alpharma To Market First Topical Pain Patch (Yahoo/AP) Bayers Shares Rise - Again - On Novartis Merger Speculation (Bloomberg News) Lilly Seeks Cymbalta Approval For Fibromyalagia (Yahoo/Reuters) Forest Labs And Daiichi Sankyo To Co-Promote Blood Pressure Med (Yahoo/AP) Watons Wins FDA Approval For Generic Duragesic (Yahoo/Reuters) Wyeth Spends $50M To Expand North Carolina Plant (bizjournals.com) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=814345 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:16:06 +0100 814345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=790630&cid=t_103199_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fdrug-interaction-tool.html This has been the main site I have used over the years that has a good drug interaction tool. Just click on 'drug interactions' at the top of the page. It allows a person to enter medications,vitamins herbs and more and check with food and alcohol interactions as well.Drug Digest Check Interaction Tool (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=790630 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:01:00 +0100 790630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=770837&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F139317621%2F After filing reports, answering e-mail, catching those phone calls and sitting through meetings, perhaps now is a good time to catch up on a few events…. The Branding Of A Blockbuster: Last year, Lilly spent $157 million on consumer advertising to push the message that Cymbalta can treat depression and the physical pain it causes. And that made Cymbalta the 6th-largest DTC ad campaign in the nation, an enormous leap from No. 92 the year before, according to Nielsen Monitor- Plus. Read more in The Indianapolis Star. Tysabri Is Effective Against Crohn’s, Elan Tells FDA Panel (Bloomberg News) Biota Raises Relenza Claim Against Glaxo (press release) NJ Court Bars Vioxx Lawsuits From The UK (Newsday/Associated Press) Novavax Begins Human Trials Of Flu Vaccine (Yahoo/bizjournals.com)... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=770837 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:39:33 +0100 770837 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=796066&cid=t_103199_134_f&fid=36012&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBattleDiabetes%2F%7E3%2F134419539%2F Cymbalta is an SSRI antidepressant which was being prescribed off label to diabetes patients who were suffering from diabetes nerve pain known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The FDA approved Cymbalta for treatment of diabetes neuropathy but does Cymbalta’s pros outweigh it’s cons? (more…) brain shivers, brain zaps, cymbalta, Diabetes Control, diabetes neuropathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, nerve painShare This (Source: Battle Diabetes Blog) Battle Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=796066 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:36:55 +0100 796066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675345&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F123215707%2Fastroturf-welcome-to-machine.html I welcomed y’all to the PR Machine yesterday, where I discussed the Drug Wonks blog and the general topic of how pro-industry speech is magnified while dissenting voices are generally muffled. I’m not the only blogger who has noticed this trend. Philip Dawdy at Furious Seasons noted recently that Lilly, maker of Doggie Prozac (aka Reconcile), is now supporting a patient support group (Support Partners) that touts the benefits of dog ownership for people with depression. Wonderful. I wonder if this new support group will ever discuss Reconcile? Nah, too obvious, you think? We’ll see. On the page that discusses treatment options for depression, it is stated… Some of your questions may include the different medications used to treat depression. If you want to learn more about a m... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675345 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:47:00 +0100 675345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=529656&cid=t_103199_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Ffda-drugs-february-2007.html 2007: Jan . . . 2006: Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep FDA Drugs: February 2007Warning Letter: Signature Genetics. Seryx is the company that markets an excellent (but expensive) pharmacogenetics program which will take your blood or cheek cells and analyze your DNA for various genotypes which affect how your body metabolizes certain drugs, many of which are psychotropic drugs. This information may be used to help a prescriber make decisions about starting dosages or drugs or combinations of drugs to use or avoid. This topic is a whole 'nother post I could do, but this type of testing can be used inappropriately (2002 Quackwatch page), as well. Anyway, this computer program is considered by the FDA to be a "device", and it has not applied for FDA approval, so the FDA is telling it to stop until approv... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=529656 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 19:31:00 +0100 529656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=728730&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=35781&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qdinformation.com%2Fqdisblog%2F2007%2F03%2F16%2Fdrugs-nearing-approval-for-fibromyalgia%2F Back in January, Reuters had this article on the mysterious pain condition referred to as fibromyalgia Drugs nearing approval for mysterious pain condition | Health | Reuters.com: The condition is controversial because it is not east to diagnose and there is no test for it. The diagnosis is made based on patient complaints and responses to subjective questions during an exam. It is estimated that the condition may affect as many as 12 million Americans mainly females. I’m not qualified to say wether or not it should be a recognized disease but it is interesting to note that several major pharma companies are looking at this as an area ripe for new drugs to target this. Among the companies actively developing drugs for fibromyalgia are Pfizer, Lilly, Forest Labs and Wyeth. There may b... QDIS Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=728730 Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:34:22 +0100 728730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479360&cid=t_103199_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fegad-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479360 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:25:00 +0100 479360