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 'direct'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:57:21 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181801&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fapixaban-finally-showing-superiority-over-warfarin-in-clinical-trial%2F2011.09.01 With the publication of “Apixaban versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation” (the ARISTOTLE trial) in the New England Journal of Medicine, the third drug in a series of medications designed to attack thrombin in the clotting cascade. The study was announced with quite a fanfare in Europe as cardiologists, financial analysts and reporters gushed forth with ‘mega-blockbuster’ praise this past weekend. And for good reason. This is the first trial to conclude that (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181801 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5181801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5078037&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FzlP6m6NMZek%2F Last week, the Pfizer Facebook page was hacked by ScriptKiddies, setting off a flurry of chatter about not just hacking, but the extent to which this episode would affect the way drugmakers view the virtues of Facebook and, beyond that, social media (back story). This happened just as Facebook changes it rules so that drugmakers will no longer be allowed to disable comments, prompting some to consider walking away from Facebook (see this and this). We spoke with Rich Meyer, a former Eli Lilly marketer who worked on the Prozac and Cialis brand teams, and now runs Online Strategic Solutions and the World of DTC Marketing blog, for his thoughts on the implications… Pharmalot: How bad was the hacking incident? Meyer: For consumers and patients, I don’t think it was that bad. They know ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5078037 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:23:23 +0100 5078037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069818&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrIaNzGppPTA%2F Three years after making a proposal that would have allowed drugmakers to publish product information in consumer newspapers and magazines, the European Commission is going back to the proverbial drawing board and plans to issue a new proposal this fall, an EC spokesman writes us. The move comes after its initial effort was widely criticized and rejected by the European Parliament. “The European Commission will revise the proposals to clarify and harmonize the rules in what companies can and can’t say to patients,” Peter Arlett, who heads pharmacovigilance and risk management at the European Medicines Agency, tells Bloomberg News. The EMA, he adds, recently received a letter from the EC about its intention to revise its proposal. The original EC effort, which was unveiled in ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069818 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:04:00 +0100 5069818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069822&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F8WFD_ZbuCB4%2F Hello, everyone, and top of the morning to you. Another shiny day is unfolding on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we have much to do. You know, the drill - reading documents, making phone calls, finding interesting tidbits. To prepare, yes, we are downing that mandatory cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Wild Mountain Blueberry. So please join us. Meanwhile, here are some items from around the world. Hope your day goes well and stay in touch… Pfizer’s Zyvox and Antidepressants May Cause Fatal Reaction (Bloomberg News) Valeant Approaches Swedish Drugmaker Mada About A Takeover (Bloomberg News) Abortion Pill Given Via Telemedicine Is Safe And Effective (Reuters) Vertex Says Hepatitis C Drug Combo Works (Reuters) Naeja Pharmaceutical R&D Facility Catches Fire (Cal... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069822 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:41:22 +0100 5069822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968631&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FvWWzxxstVzo%2F It’s official, Google is in fact walking away from Google Health, the way overhyped, way underused personal health record platform. In a posting on the Google Blog today, Aaron Brown, Google Health’s senior product manager, said the company would “retire” Google Health Jan. 1, 2012. (Data will be available to download until Jan. 1, 2013.) Google also decided to wind down another experiment, Google PowerMeter. From the post: When we launched Google Health, our goal was to create a service that would give people access to their personal health and wellness information. We wanted to translate our successful consumer-centered approach from other domains to healthcare and have a real impact on the day-to-day health experiences of millions of our users. Now, with a few ye... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968631 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:59:23 +0100 4968631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893921&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FREZzViN0L2Q%2F The other day, the US Congressional Budget Office issued a brief that spelled out the upside and downside of a moratorium on direct-to-consumer advertising (see here). That bottom line message suggested that DTC does offer a public health benefit and that drugmakers would likely shift much of their promotional efforts to doctors. But a new survey suggests that DTC may have reached the proverbial point of diminishing returns, according to Cutting Edge Information, which queried 19 drugmakers and found that many, if given the opportunity, would spend additional promotional dollars in other ways. Drugmakers surveyed say they make 14 percent more money by using DTC than if the advertising was discontinued and spending remained static for other promotional efforts. But the return on DTC is als... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893921 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:26:28 +0100 4893921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883906&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F0AeYJTTYrjk%2F Over the past several years, Congress has regularly considered legislation to restrict direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs, perhaps for the first couple of years after a med has been approved by the FDA. The rationale has been that DTC ads encourage unnecessary use of some meds and lead to usage before risks are fully known. Nothing has passed yet, but the idea lives on. And so the US Congressional Budget Office has issued a brief and found drugmakers would probably expand marketing to docs in order to substitute for any banned ads; the number of prescriptions filled for some drugs would probably decline, but for others, scrips may not change, since there would be other forms of promotion, and any change in prices would depend on changes in demand. Moreover, a moratorium c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883906 Tue, 31 May 2011 13:57:51 +0100 4883906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813243&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1TVdBl_bmyM%2F By Sallie JamesMy friend Gawain Kripke at Oxfam posted a very good blog entry yesterday on the proposed cuts to agriculture subsidies. In it, Gawain elaborates on a point that I made briefly in a previous post about Rep. Paul Ryan’s 2012 budget plan: that cutting so-called direct payments—those that flow to farmers regardless of how much or even whether they produce—is only part of the picture. Here’s Gawain’s main point: Most farm subsidies are price-dependent, meaning they are bigger if prices are low and smaller if prices are high. Prices are hitting historic highs for many commodities, which means the bulk of these subsidies are not paying out very much money. Over time, the price-dependent subsidies have been the bulk of farm subsidies. They also distort agric... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813243 Wed, 11 May 2011 20:01:49 +0100 4813243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4797800&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fdo-you-need-a-mama-psychodrama%2F Grown don’t mean nothing to a mother.  A child is a child.  They get bigger, older, but grown?  What’s that suppose to mean?  In my heart it don’t mean a thing.  ~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987 The first relationship with another human being is with our mother.  We forge our sense of who we are, who we are going to love, and our needs based on the interactions and understandings derived from through thousands of encounters with mom.  For better or worse we are molded by an emotional dance with mom. Then we move on.  We deal with dad and siblings, develop friendships, find lovers, and then a spouse.  Throughout this journey mom serves as a role model and becomes a source of  encouragement, love, anxiety, frustration, avoidance, support and conflict. “It’s comp... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4797800 Sun, 08 May 2011 10:35:06 +0100 4797800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789143&cid=t_172022_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fdirect-indirect-inguinal-hernia%2F An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of parietal peritoneum and possibly pelvic and abdominal structures into the inguinal canal. They are classified as direct or indirect. An indirect inguinal hernia occurs when tissue protrudes the deep inguinal ring travels into the canal and then exits the superficial inguinal ring. It is described as lateral to the arteries and veins of the inguinal canal. A direct inguinal hernia occurs when tissue protrudes through the floor of the canal. It is described as lying medial to the vascular structures. Indirect hernias are more typical in young men and direct inguinal hernias are more typical in older males, although it can be difficult to discern on physicial exam. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789143 Thu, 05 May 2011 17:48:23 +0100 4789143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789380&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2011%2F05%2F01%2Fhealthcare-twitter-roundup%2F It’s that time again for a quick roundup of some interesting tweets happening out their in the wonderful twittersphere. #bbpBox_64113991093456896 a { text-decoration:none; color:#0084B4; }#bbpBox_64113991093456896 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; } (awkward moments on Twitter) RT @techguy: Is that a change? ;-) RT @Doctor_V I’m gonna turn 33 charts into a link-baiting content farm April 29, 2011 4:49 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite @Doctor_V Bryan Vartabedian This series of responses made me laugh. Mostly because my response was totally facetious (and just like me in real life). I wouldn’t have said it if it were true. 33 Charts is an amazing blog. Especially if you love social media and healthcare. #bbpBox_64864986551427072 a { text-decoration:none; col... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789380 Mon, 02 May 2011 06:14:30 +0100 4789380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775441&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2011%2F05%2F02%2Ftranscranial-direct-current-stimulation-an-update%2F It’s been a while since I posted a blog article on transcranial direct current stimulation. Probably not an exciting new therapy for psychiatric conditions but a exciting oportunity to study the actions of certain brain parts and a way of influencing these superficial parts of the brain. You can see the procedure in a video here: Video of Transcranial Dirrect Current Stimulation and Efficacy in Cognitive Neurorehabilitation. The first publication on memory and tDCS and it’s mechanism of action can be read here: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Brain Boost and Side-Effects. A recent publication shows that Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can improve working memory performance in both healthy and cl... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775441 Mon, 02 May 2011 06:08:51 +0100 4775441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4768119&cid=t_172022_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FB-OzoNkj7bM%2F This article by Greater Good Magazine discusses how med­i­tat­ing can increase the den­sity of gray mat­ter in brain regions asso­ci­ated with mem­ory, stress, and empa­thy.  The Benefits of a One-Time Cognitive Training Program: They last but wane over time as shown in the 3-month follow-up results of the IMPACT study. Can Direct Brain Stimulation Boost Performance? The answer seems to be yes, according to three studies using different types of electrical/magnetic brain stimulation. How the Brain of a Blind Person Rewires Itself: The brain areas devoted to vision in peo­ple with eye sight turn out to be respond­ing to speech in blind people. How are Young Brains Affected by Stress? An interesting article from the Dana Foundation on the consequences of early l... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4768119 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:00:18 +0100 4768119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4759038&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuO-4Fn87I3M%2F File this under ‘better late than never…sort of.’ Several years after the Internet took off and branded product web sites began appearing, the FDA is now getting ready to study the extent to which risk and benefit information is presented and digested. The details are expected to appear tomorrow in the Federal Register. “This research is relevant to current policy questions and debate and will complement qualitative research we plan to conduct on issues surrounding social media. The original regulations that presently determine FDA’s position on DTC promotion were written at a time when the available media for DTC promotion were print and broadcast, and the primary audience was health care professionals. This dynamic is shifting, and evidence is needed to support ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4759038 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:34:57 +0100 4759038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684435&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F25459290%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EGive-Big-Get-Bigger.htm Reciprocity is a common enough theme here at Neuromarketing. The concept of reciprocity suggests that giving someone something, or doing a favor for someone, establishes a subtle return obligation. An interesting study by German researcher Armin Falk showed that a bigger “gift” amplifies the reciprocity effect. Falk’s study involved mailing 10,000 requests for charitable donations, [...] CommentsReciprocity is a great influencer. However, I do not think ... by NawazNaomi and Stacey, I tend to react the same way. When I see ... by Roger DooleyPlus 3 more...Related StoriesGetting High Boosts CooperationFacial EMG: Muscles Don’t Lie?What Don Corleone Could Learn from Guy Kawasaki (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684435 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:41:20 +0100 4684435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605930&cid=t_172022_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FmomsnzcNFt4%2F Neurons in the brain transmit information by exchanging electrical and chemical signals. What would happen if these electrical signals were transformed by applying an external current? Could this help boost brain functions? In this article, Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is reported to help people solve brain-teasers. In the study weak currents altered the activity of neurons in the anterior temporal lobes through electrodes on the scalp. Read more In this other article another technique was used: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS works by generating a magnetic field that passes the scalp and the skull. In the study an exploratory use of TMS combined with cognitive training was tested for a few months on 8 Alzheimer’s patients. The results were promising. Read ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605930 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:39:52 +0100 4605930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592398&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-your-medication-list-makes-you-the-perfect-pharma-target%2F2011.03.14 Give me your medication list and I’ll tell you your health problems. It happens every day in emergency rooms across the country as confused elderly patients present for an acute problem unable to describe their past medical history, but equipped with a list of medications in their wallet: Metformin = Type-2 diabetes Synthroid = Hypothyroidism Lipitor + Altace + Lasix + Slo-K = Ischemic cardiomyopathy Lexapro = A little anxious or depressed Viagra = Well, you know… I bet I’d be right better than 90 percent of the time. Now, imagine you’re a pharmaceutical company wanting to target people with those chronic diseases. Where might you find them? No problem. Just pay the insurers to provide you patients’ drug lists. No names need be exchanged in keeping with HIPA... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592398 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4592398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560593&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fa3XeUYxmKn0%2F More than a decade has past since direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs has become a fixture of American culture. More recently, though, the so-called unbranded ad - which discusses diseases instead of specific meds - has become equally ubiquitous. But how do these resonate with consumers? A new study finds that non-branded ads compared favorably with conventional ads for specific branded meds. A total of 437 people were divided into two groups and then four subgroups, who were shown branded or non-branded ads for either allergy meds or oral contraceptives (drug and company names were fictitious in order to reduce bias). They were asked 16 questions to measure involvement and attitude toward the ads, the companies and the pharmaceutical industry. The upshot? Not surprisingl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560593 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:54:11 +0100 4560593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4545030&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FyENL-jmhHiI%2F The first Health Wonk Review since last week’s HIMSS conference is up, courtesy of Jared M. Rhoads of the Lucidicus Project. While I’m no fan of organization’s ideological bent (it seems to think CMS Administrator Don Berwick is more interested in socialism than in improving healthcare), I’m happy to say this roundup has more IT than normal. For one thing, Rhoads mentions my post detailing my injury at HIMSS and the consumerism and EMR use that played into the care I received at a walk-in clinic in Orlando, Fla. I’m happy to report that I got the stitches out on Tuesday and the deep laceration is healing well. There’s a good chance that the resulting scar might kind of blend into my eyebrow, so I’m hoping it won’t be too conspicuous. Four oth... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4545030 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:58:59 +0100 4545030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4507582&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fjhk8uLvM9QY%2F Call it congressional deja vu. Last week, a pair of bills that previously went nowhere were again introduced and both take aim at brand-name drugmakers. The first, called the Say No to Drug Ads Act, would eliminate tax breaks for direct-to-consumer advertising and was introduced by Jerry Nadler, a Democratic Congressman from New York who failed to enlist any co-sponsors. The rationale for his repeat effort is that DTC ads allow drugmakers to “keep prices artificially high, steering consumers – and physicians – away from generics…It’s bad enough that TV drug ads mislead consumers and tout benefits of high-priced drugs without properly conveying the risks, but the drug companies don’t need extra subsidies to do so,” he says in a statement. (You can read the bill her... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4507582 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:27:06 +0100 4507582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4507389&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FERi-Zb6kfGA%2F Hopefully none of you were expecting Meaningful Use Mondays. We’re taking the week off thanks to HIMSS, but there will certainly be some meaningful use discussion in my day 2 experience at HIMSS11. I must admit that my morning was a little disappointing. I’d wanted to see Reich speak, but it ended up being too early for me. So, I followed what he said on Twitter. I’m afraid to say that following it on Twitter might possibly have been better than being there. There’s something really cool about the Twitter back channel conversation at a conference. I was excited to go to the session Dr. No: The Response to HITECH, but it was a dud for me. Maybe it means I’m just too involved with the HITECH act that she didn’t offer me much to chew on. Plus, the presentat... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4507389 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:09:33 +0100 4507389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482846&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Fn_8NskSrwx4%2F There’s a pretty fierce battle going on right now between all the various stakeholders interested in exchanging patient data. The stakeholders range from very large companies to government initiatives to startup companies. One of the major problems that I see is that it’s not completely clear which model of patient data exchange will win out. In fact, let’s not be surprised if a number of different options take hold. With this said, I found it interesting that my favorite open source healthcare IT advocate, Fred Trotter, has chosen to get behind the Direct Project. In Fred’s post describing the challenges with the IHE-protocol HIE model approach is flawed and that the direct exchange of healthcare information is the way to go. In fact, he provides the following two ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482846 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:09:45 +0100 4482846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460181&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FwKUwtDU-Yns%2F The floodgates opened in 1997. That was when the FDA decided to allow direct-to-consumer advertising on television, initiating a great debate about the virtues of such DTC ads for prescription drugs between drugmakers, doctors and patients that, eventually, embroiled legislators, ad agencies and First Amendment lawyers. Why? Doctors have been angry that patients were incorrectly pressuring them for prescriptions. Other critic complained that ads minimized risks, steered patients toward expensive meds and promoted unnecessary usage. Pharma, meanwhile, has pointed out that ads successfully enlighten consumers and drive them to learn more about their health, sometimes having meaningful discussions with docs. Now, though, TV ads may have reached a watermark. Why? Writing in The New York Times,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460181 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:26:07 +0100 4460181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459961&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdo-it-yourself-lab-testing%2F2011.02.10 Traditionally, people get blood tests when their doctor recommends it, an event that usually occurs at the conclusion of an office visit. But nowadays, patients are deciding to get lab tests on their own. Their reasons vary. Some want to keep track of cholesterol or hemoglobin A1C levels. Others want to assure their blood will test negative prior to a job search, to test for the presence of a disease like hepatitis C or AIDS, or obtain a chemistry panel that provides a broad picture of their overall health. The biggest reason for consumer-directed lab testing however, is an economic one. Growing numbers of uninsured people, and those with high-deductible insurance plans find it cheaper to do-it-themselves, since it avoids the cost of an office visit. The savings can add up. A lipid pro... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459961 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:25 +0100 4459961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455265&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fclinically-proven-theres-no-such-thing%2F2011.02.09 I heard yet another commercial on the radio this morning for some menopausal cure-all that was “clinically proven” to reduce hot flashes, improve sleep, increase energy, help you lose weight, and probably cure bad breath to boot. Anyone who calls in the next ten minutes gets a month’s supply for free. “Hurry.” Don’t. At least they finally stopped running the one for the colon cleansing product that helped remove the “five to ten pounds of waste some experts* believe are spackled along the inside of the large intestine.” (*Emphasis mine. “Some experts” also believe the moon landing was a hoax, the Holocaust never happened, and homeopathy is effective medicine.) Somehow this colon cleansing stuff helps you preferentially lose belly fat. Not really sure what belly ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455265 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:00:02 +0100 4455265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386271&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-peddling-of-genetic-tests%2F2011.01.22 In a recent issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), journalist Ray Moynihan wrote: “Beware the fortune tellers peddling genetic tests.” (Subscription required for full access.) Excerpts: “For anyone concerned about the creeping medicalisation of life, the marketplace for genetic testing is surely one of the latest frontiers, where apparently harmless technology can help mutate healthy people into fearful patients, their personhood redefined by multiple genetic predispositions for disease and early death. … Again a tool that’s proved useful in the laboratory has escaped like a virus into the marketplace, incubated by entrepreneurs, lazy reporters, and the power of our collective dreams of technological salvation, this time in the form of personalised medici... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386271 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 23:00:22 +0100 4386271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377571&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpersonal-genetic-testing-psychological-and-behavioral-effects%2F2011.01.20 In conclusion, personal genetic testing does not seem to generate a lot of distress, although the study was clearly limited by a high dropout percentage of 44 percent and the self-selection of participants who opted to do the test. Article in New England Journal of Medicine: Effect of Direct-to-Consumer Genomewide Profiling to Assess Disease Risk Flashback: An Interview with Navigenics… *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377571 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:00:21 +0100 4377571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337911&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fy0cuASswcr4%2F By Sallie JamesLast year I wrote about the intriguing proposal by the North Dakota Farm Bureau to do away with federal farm subsidies. I expressed at the time my doubt that the proposal would find much traction with the national American Farm Bureau Federation and, indeed, the group voted yesterday (at their annual conference in Atlanta) against the milder proposition to cut direct payments — the approximately $5.2 billion per year of your money that flows to farmers regardless of what, or even whether, they farm. Those payments are becoming increasingly politically contentious at a time of growing unease about record deficits, and some farm groups had said defending (let alone receiving) them was a threat to farmers’ broader interests. Well, despite some discord among t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337911 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:37:32 +0100 4337911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337915&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCMMX1H-G8kY%2F By Chris EdwardsThe Obama administration is showing interest in reforming the U.S. corporate income tax. That’s good news because a lower corporate rate would boost domestic investment, which in turn would generate more jobs and higher wages and incomes. A lower corporate rate would also attract more inflows of direct investment from abroad—foreign-based businesses expanding their plants and building new plants in the United States. I updated this chart from our book, Global Tax Revolution. It shows that during the 1980s, the United States enjoyed higher inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) than outflows. But since then, the pattern has reversed—our companies are now investing more abroad than foreign-based companies are investing in the United States. (Data is from the BEA). ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337915 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:10:40 +0100 4337915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305101&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCNvylDI-Y7k%2F Concerned that many of its drugmakers may be taken over in a wave of mergers and acquisitions, the Indian government is considering a proposal that would place a 49 percent lid on foreign direct investment in its pharmaceutical companies. Officials from the ministry of commerce and industry and ministry of health have met several times in recent weeks, and more meetings are scheduled, according to LiveMint. The initiative stems from a paper floated last summer by the Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion in response to a growing wave of deals in which multi-national drugmakers have been acquiring Indian pharma companies. Global drugmakers have espoused the “emerging markets’ trend as they desperately seek to bolster their thinning pipelines. “Most of these companie... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305101 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:49:51 +0100 4305101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305102&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCxc41W3S1Z8%2F And so it has come to this: a direct-to-consumer ad for Rapaflo, which is used to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate, including urinary frequency and urgency, is being promoted in a magazine ad that shows a man peeing by the side of the road. Certainly, the sudden need to pee is a universal phenomenon and relieving oneself in unusual venues is hardly unique (although there can be consequences: three of The Rolling Stones were arrested for doing so on the wall of a London gas station in 1965). And given that the photo suggests there is no bathroom in the desert, the poor fellow can hardly be blamed for splashing the dusty roadside (perhaps he forgot to bring a handy-dandy bottle for such occasions?) In running the ad, Watson Pharmaceuticals, which markets Rapaflo, and its ad agency, mo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305102 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:57:40 +0100 4305102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258870&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-marketing-more-money-wasted%2F2010.12.13 There was a series of ads on the radio awhile back that went something like this: When Mrs. Willis had a stroke, her husband never slept alone. Her daughter never had to go dress shopping for the prom by herself. And her son didn’t have to sit out the Mother-Son dance at his wedding. Why? Because she came to Hospital A…and she didn’t die! There’s another ad for one of the big downtown hospital’s cancer center (sorry, “advanced cancer center”): Every cancer, every stage. Your life depends on it! Let’s see: No one ever dies at Hospital A. And the big downtown cancer center can cure any cancer. That’s certainly what those ads would have you believe. Even the little local suburban hospitals have taken to advertising: Billboards around the neighborhoods, kiosks at the outlet m... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258870 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:00:15 +0100 4258870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253464&cid=t_172022_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2010%2F12%2Fmcounty-medical-society-launches-direct-access-testing-web-site.html Direct access testing (DAT) has been a special interest of mine over the past many months. In general, it provides a way for healthcare consumers to obtain lab tests at a reasonable price by ordering them on the web. Mr. HIStalk alerts us to one such site launched by a physician in Ohio and using his county medical society web site as the test ordering vehicle (see: News 12/10/10). His goal was to provide such testing for uninsured patients but anyone can use it. Here's the initial report: An Ohio doctor, angry that his uninsured patients can’t afford the lab tests they need, strikes a deal with LabCorp and an online lab test marketer to offer his patients discounted tests (example: a $148 lipid panel costs his patients $18). The patients simply order their tests from the county medi... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253464 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:38:00 +0100 4253464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230156&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fan-interview-with-a-developmental-disability-nurse%2F2010.12.05 For my first interview, I thought I’d interview someone who would tolerate my novice interviewing abilities — my mother. Ginny, RN, BS, DDRN has been a nurse for over 30 years, most of that time in the Intensive Care Unit. (The apple did not fall far, did it?) She currently works as Developmental Disabilities Nurse and has done so for nine years. A developmental disability is defined by Wikipedia as “a term used in the United States and Canada to describe life-long disability attributable to mental and/or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18.” Ginny says that her clients have a range of mental and physical disabilities including cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, mental retardation, and autism, with autism being the most prevalent. Her clients live in normal houses a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230156 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 22:00:12 +0100 4230156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175767&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F22147271%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EWhats-in-a-Name-Lots.htm Dale Carnegie once said, “Remember that a man’s name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in the English language.” It’s a good bet that even Carnegie would be surprised at how true that statement is, even at the unconscious level. Let’s start with a quick experiment. Take the first letter of your [...] CommentsHi Roger Thanks for this. I'm involved with a magazine, which ... by Brendon B ClarkThat's a pretty surprising finding. I knew Carnegie's quote ... by Gabriele MaidecchiPlus 3 more...Related StoriesSix Selling Secrets From MagiciansSubliminal MotivationPaper Beats Digital For Emotion (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175767 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:37:57 +0100 4175767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4155385&cid=t_172022_149_f&fid=35790&url=http%3A%2F%2Forganometallics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fguanine-arylation-of-dna-by.html JACSPostsynthetic Guanine Arylation of DNA by Suzuki−Miyaura Cross-CouplingAlireza Omumi, Daniel G. Beach, Michael Baker, Wojciech Gabryelski, and Richard A. Manderville (Source: Organometallic Current) Organometallic Current blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4155385 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:47:00 +0100 4155385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4155386&cid=t_172022_149_f&fid=35790&url=http%3A%2F%2Forganometallics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fintramolecular-ortho-arylation.html TetPalladium-Mediated Intramolecular O-Arylation: A Simple Route for the Synthesis of Quino[2,3-c] and Quino[3,2-b]carbazoles  Devanga K. Sreenivas, Rajagopal Nagarajan (Source: Organometallic Current) Organometallic Current blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4155386 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:28:00 +0100 4155386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133677&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F46XbEB_1zfg%2F By Daniel J. MitchellLast week, I highlighted nine ballot initiatives that were worth watching because of their policy implications and/or their role is showing whether voters wanted more or less freedom. The results, by and large, are very encouraging. Let’s take a look at the results of those nine votes, as well as a few additional key initiatives. 1. The big spenders wanted to impose an income tax in the state of Washington, and they even had support from too-rich-to-care Bill Gates. The good news is that this initiative got slaughtered by a nearly two-to-one margin.  I was worried about this initiative since crazy  Oregon voters approved higher tax rates earlier this year. In a further bit of good news, Washington voters also approved a supermajority requirement for tax incre... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133677 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:58:40 +0100 4133677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105665&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnurse-anesthetists-allowed-to-work-without-doctor-supervision%2F2010.10.25 New Jersey’s state health department is considering a rule that would allow nurse anesthetists to work without a doctor’s supervision, as long as there’s a plan to reach one in case of an emergency. New Jersey would join the 30 states that allow nurse anesthetists to work without direct supervision. On the other end of the country, a California court upheld the state’s decision to opt out of a Medicare requirement that doctors be present while a nurse anesthetist works in order to be reimbursed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have allowed states to opt out of that requirement since 2001. Since then, there has been no evidence of increased inpatient deaths or complications, researchers reported in the August 2010 issue of Health Affairs. Earlier this ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105665 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4105665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105667&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-secret-sign-of-aging-international-disease-mongering%2F2010.10.25 Just five days ago we wrote about an American journalist’s observations of medicalization of one problem sometimes observed after menopause: Vaginal atrophy. Today we see that this disease-mongering trend has popped up in Australia as well. This should be no surprise. Such campaigns are usually led by multinational pharmaceutical companies and their advertising and public relations agencies. What caught our eye was an article on a women’s health foundation website — a foundation that posts a pretty thin excuse for why it won’t tell you its source of funding. Its article on vaginal atrophy uses classic disease-mongering language: “Ask a woman over the age of 50 about the ‘signs of ag[e]ing’ and she’ll most likely lament about grey hairs, wrin... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105667 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:00:43 +0100 4105667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077246&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdo-you-have-low-t%2F2010.10.17 If you google “low testosterone” you’ll see lots of ads for testosterone replacement. Some are from pharmaceutical companies that sell testosterone, others from obvious snake-oil salesmen. Both types of ads list vague sets of symptoms, encourage you to believe that they are pathologic, and want to sell you something to make you better. For example, the pharmaceutical company Solvay gives you a handy guide for speaking to your doctor, and a quiz to see if you have “low T.” The quiz asks some questions that may be useful, but also asks very general questions about your sense of well being. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077246 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:00:01 +0100 4077246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074068&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Funscientific-medicine-what%25e2%2580%2599s-the-harm%2F2010.10.14 Any promoter of science-based medicine often faces the question: “What’s the harm?” What is the harm if people try treatment modalities that are not based upon good science, that are anecdotal, or provide only a placebo benefit? There are generally two premises to this question. The first is that most “alternative” placebo interventions are directly harmless. The second is that direct harm is the only type worth considering. Both of these premises are wrong. The pages of Science Based Medicine (SBM) are filled with accounts of direct harm from unscientific treatments: Argyria from colloidal silver, death from chelation therapy, infection or other complications from acupuncture, burns from ear candleing, stroke from chiropractic neck manipulation — the list goes on. ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074068 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:00:50 +0100 4074068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031243&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmarketing-direct-to-e-patient%2F2010.10.04 Patients are the new darling of the medical-industrial complex. If you look around you will see patients advocating for one another. If you click a little closer you’ll find some with relationships to industry. It makes perfect sense that the manufacturer of a drug or medical device would want the blessings of our nascent cybercelebs. Some want genuine patient input.  Some, however, want to curry their favor. Chock up influence of the patient population as evidence of social health’s evolving maturity. A couple of questions: Will industry be required to publicly list monies used for sponsorship, travel and swag support of high profile patients in the social sphere? Should high visibility patients who serve as stewards and advocates disavow themselves of contact with pharma just as... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031243 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:00:52 +0100 4031243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031309&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F21147165%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EPaper-Beats-Digital-For-Emotion.htm Direct mail is so last millenium, right? Ultra-efficient digital marketing seems all but certain to supplant actual paper marketing delivered by humans. It might be a little too soon to shut down the paper mills, though, according to a study by branding agency Millward Brown. The research project used fMRI brain scans to show that [...] Comments[...] read an article (Paper Beats Digital for Emotion) that ... by Rock, Paper, Scissors…Digital?Roger, we sponsor events that directly support our practice ... by Chris ZdunichPlus 8 more...Related StoriesNeuromarketing Standards Battle Ahead?Holy Branding! Religion Gives Brand ImmunityThe Case FOR College Sports (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031309 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:57:32 +0100 4031309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023006&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=36694&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.crossoverhealth.com%2F2010%2F10%2F01%2Fcrossover-health-welcome-to-next-generation-health-care%2F FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Crossover Health Launches New Model of Primary Care in South Orange County Innovative membership service delivers Urgent, Primary, and Online Care Aliso Viejo, CA (PRWEB) October 1, 2010 Crossover Health Medical Group announced today the launch of their flagship membership-based, primary care practice in Aliso Viejo, California. The new clinic will offer urgent, primary, and online care services directly to individual members, families, and employer groups. Membership based health care is a new health care finance and delivery innovation that has gained widespread popularity as the cost of health insurance and ongoing service deficiencies have plagued the current health care delivery system. The Crossover membership model decouples health care from health insurance, a... Crossover Healthcare blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023006 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:46:58 +0100 4023006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023134&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkGRuStkhCj0%2F The European Parliament has rejected a controversial proposal by the European Commission that would have allowed drugmakers to publish product info in consumer newspapers and magazines. The effort was designed to provide more reliable medical advice at a time when the Internet allows widespread dissemination of questionable info, since drugmakers are prevented from circulating data. However, the proposal, which was first introduced nearly two years ago, was criticized for weakening existing EU restrictions on contacts between drugmakers and patients, including a strict ban on US-style direct-to-consumer advertising. Some critics argued the proposal, which was branded ‘advertising in disguise,’ would encourage the inappropriate use of medicines. A ban on DTC advertising on broad... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023134 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:12:03 +0100 4023134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942841&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F20032351%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EWe-Dont-Need-No-Stinkin-Marketing.htm The comments on "Revealed: How Steve Jobs Turns Customers into Fanatics" show that many Apple fans don't believe marketing has played a role in Apple's success. Other consumers also think they aren't influenced by ads. When a business owner or key executive doesn't believe in marketing, though, it's a different story. Comments@Brendon – you asked, “who will ever admit to buying a ... by AshleySteve Jobs knows marketing but one law if particular. The Law ... by Erik JohnsonPlus 8 more... (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942841 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:19:09 +0100 3942841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911866&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FhVsGkz31etk%2F For all the talk about embracing the Internet and social media, the amount of healthcare and pharma ad spending online will remain steady at about 4 percent of the total in 2014, even as the annual projected increases in such spending climb significantly. This year, for instance, online ad spending is expected to rise 10.6 percent, to $1 billion, and grow by 9.3 percent in 2014 to $1.52 billion. Why is the total online pharma and healthcare spending - which includes both direct-to-consumer ads for prescription meds and over-the-counter salves - not going to account for very much? There are several reasons, according to eMarketer, which issued the report. For one thing, the FDA has not yet issued clear guidelines for search and social media, although these may be released later this year. F... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911866 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:16:25 +0100 3911866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885345&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-dna-dilemma%2F2010.08.19 Mary Carmichael of Newsweek had a great series of articles focusing on direct-to-consumer genetic testing. An excerpt: I’ve been following DTC genetics since 2007, when wide scanning first became available to the public. Since then, a number of writers have gotten wide-scale genetic tests and expounded on the results. Indeed, I sometimes wonder if I’m the last science reporter on earth with virgin genes. (Technical virgin: My doctor gave me a cystic fibrosis carrier test when I was pregnant.) Initially, I put off getting a full-genome scan because I wasn’t sure how useful such a test would be. I had no particular reason to take one, save curiosity. I wouldn’t expect to find anything serious and potentially life-altering like the Huntington’s disease gene in my results, because ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885345 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:00:08 +0100 3885345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858159&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fleaving-the-organization-but-not-the-practice-of-medicine%2F2010.08.11 I confess ignorance. I know nothing about interviews with vampires. However, last week on my drive to a house call to see a sick patient, I experienced a sudden respect for author Anne Rice. I listened to a stranger completely off my radar screen being interviewed on NPR saying and making me feel the meaning of the phrase “Evil needs but one thing to grow. It is for good people to do nothing,” and reminding me that throughout history there have been numerous times where groups, organizations, and governments have acted even in ways that don’t represent our values or feel wrong minded or appear short sighted. This statement was her simple explanation for a recent blog posting announcing she was resigning from Christianity. She remained a believer in God and in Christ, but no long... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858159 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:30 +0100 3858159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813207&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFz0WG-kXkNc%2F Welcome back, everyone. We hope your weekend was relaxing and you had time to do something special. Now, though, the routine returns and this means gearing up for those meetings and deadlines. Please join us then as we brew the mandatory cup of stimulation to get started. And of course, there is the news of the world to rummage through. Good luck, today, and stay in touch… Watson May Bid For Sigma Pharmaceuticals (The Age) A Growing Use Of Direct To Pharmacy Distribution (PharmTech) Pills Under Way To Treat Non-Food Allergies (Los Angeles Times) Sanofi May Have To Raise Price For Genzyme (Bloomberg News) Isis Pharma To Release Data On Cholsterol Drug Trials (Reuters) Novo, Lilly And Novartis May Bid For Ascendis (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813207 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:36:05 +0100 3813207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976689&cid=t_172022_147_f&fid=39266&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCreationInteractive%2F%7E3%2FQdneAaeNFco%2F There has been considerable discussion in recent times about ‘local’ versus ‘global’ engagement strategy, or whether there is some kind of mystical balance of the two. Earlier this year Creation Healthcare was pleased to facilitate seminars in New York and London with leading global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, during which the constraints and opportunities of global healthcare engagement strategy were discussed. Creation Healthcare are long-time proponents of setting aside time to define an overarching global strategy; we are therefore sometimes asked by new clients, “Do you really think we should have a global engagement strategy?” This is a great question, to which we (almost) always answer “Yes”. Some may say, “What about the local nuances?”; “What abo... Creation Interactive blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976689 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:00:14 +0100 3976689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776381&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-%25e2%2580%259ci-get-it%25e2%2580%259d-moment-in-direct-pay-primary-care%2F2010.07.21 After seven years, my wife has finally stopped asking me for “The Power of DocTalker” story of the day. Now when I start with the details of the latest case report justifying the model, she stops me with “I get it, I get it! Go write the case report up and post it on your website for others to ‘get it,’ too.” Case reports center on the mission of our medical practice, with points regarding care that include quality, accessibility, convenience, affordability, empowerment, trust, and price transparency. Because our patients pay us directly for the service and don’t necessarily expect any insurance “reimbursement,” we are a very unique practice. We adhere to the points in our mission and also outperform all our local competition — i.e. medical ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776381 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:00:32 +0100 3776381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753827&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-canary-and-the-primary-care-physician%2F2010.07.14 The vexing problem with “truth” when it comes to healthcare is to understand its limits. Let’s start with two  popular notions. The first: canaries are harbingers for detecting chemical leaks. The second: primary care specialists claim higher salaries for their work will prevent their extinction. Both claims sound plausible, but then come the conditions, the nuances, the variables and empirical testing and observation — the so called threads of truth. Notion 1, The Canaries: In 1972 my brother passed through the military’s basic training and was Vietnam bound until a perfect score on a standardized test, his Phi Beta Kappa and a chemistry degree from college rerouted his destiny to a remote patch of the Utah desert. Instead of being a foot soldier, he gave back to his count... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753827 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:00:59 +0100 3753827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746741&cid=t_172022_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=3718696&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FoOozbSbd4XU%2F The FDA is always under the gun, and both critics and supporters often point to a lack of funding. So how much money might be headed its way in fiscal 2011? Yesterday, the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee did a mark up and suggested $2.57 billion in funding – $55 million above the budget request. This is discretionary spending. Overall, the agency would have $3.8 billion for oversight - roughly $214 million above last year’s bill - when including $1.2 billion in user fees, notes Rosa DeLauro, the Connecticut Democrat who chairs the subcommittee, who has been harping on drug safety lately. [EDITORS' NOTE: Yes, there was a math problem earlier and we have clarified the numbers]. So the proposal include... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718696 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:49:21 +0100 3718696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714443&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FmA4PGY91Dv4%2F Where is direct-to-consumer advertising headed this year? Which activities will garner a bigger share of the budget than others? Celebrity endorsements? Product placements? Patient education? To get a grip, Cegedim Dendrite surveyed 199 folks from drugmakers, ad agencies and consultants, and learned that 51 percent say DTC will be more effective this year, while 45 percent say it will be less effective. They also learned that… Overall, the DTC spending outlook is brighter - 41 percent believe spending will increase this year, which is up from 20 percent last year. However, 31 percent expect DTC spending will stay the same, while 54 percent of those who foresee lower spending say funds will be shifted to different programs. Such as? 19 percent say a shift to targeted direct-to-patient... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714443 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:52:11 +0100 3714443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699722&cid=t_172022_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2010%2F06%2Ffda-shelves-ivdmia-initiative-will-focus-on-laboratory-developed-tests.html I have posted a number of notes about IVDMIAs (in-vitro diagnostic multivariate index assays), a term that was coined by the FDA to refer to panels of biomarkers plus a computer algorithm that is used to analyze the set of test results. The agency is now dropping the idea of issuing a final guidance on IVDMIAs and focusing more broadly on the agency's role in ensuring the safety and efficacy of all laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) (see: FDA Shelves IVDMIA Final Guidelines in Order to Focus on Overall LDT Regulation). Below is an excerpt from this article:The FDA said in a Federal Register notice...that due to "public health concerns, … it is time to reconsider its policy of enforcement discretion over LDTs."....In a meeting scheduled for July 19-20 in Washington, DC, th... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699722 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:47:30 +0100 3699722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3658922&cid=t_172022_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F14%2Ffda-to-regulate-genetic-testing-by-dtc-companies-like-23andme%2F Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing refers to genetic tests that are marketed directly to consumers via television, print advertisements, or the Internet. This form of testing, which is also known as at-home genetic testing, provides access to a person’s genetic information without necessarily involving a doctor or insurance company in the process. [definition from NLM's Genetic Home [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3658922 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:25:05 +0100 3658922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655735&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fi-am-glad-we-can-all-put-this-behind-us.html As you now may be aware. DTCG is considered a medical diagnostic according to the FDA. I look forward working with companies who may now allow me to use their tests for medicine. The Sherpa Says: If we work together, we can deliver the best preventative and personalized care in the world! (Source: Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You) Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655735 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:46:00 +0100 3655735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652583&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fcellulite-on-your-bod-blame-your-genes.html Could I go on a huge rant about 23andMes mess up and how it was discovered by a customer rather than LabCorp or 23andMe?Yes. Would it be useful?No.Why?I need to save my rants, and any doctor will tell you, labs screw up all the time.It is something we are used to thinking.So much so, that a knee jerk answer for a lot of doctors is to repeat a test if the results are so far out there.......So, my rant today will be directly placed at the rocket scientists who dreamed up CelluliteDX"The CelluliteDX Genetic Test is only available for sale through participating physicians' offices. If you would like to learn more about the CelluliteDX Genetic Test and receive a Welcome Package to establish your office as a CelluliteDX Genetic Test provider, please contact us Monday through Friday between 8 a.... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652583 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:26:00 +0100 3652583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644764&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmusings-from-a-member-of-the-medical-class-of-2010%2F2010.06.09 As a medical student in his last year, I can attest that my classmates and I would like nothing less than a crystal ball. Always a daunting time in a future physician’s career path, the direction we point ourselves as we launch out of medical school this year seems as arbitrary as ever. As we examine the rolling seas of medicine and try to determine our individual paths, there seem to be more clouds than blue skies, and certainly more shadows than light. This may or may not be a feeling many prospective physicians feel, but for the class of 2010 it comes as a tough pill to swallow. In a profession at the heart of a national policy debate and with a storied history to examine, it’s extremely disconcerting to be faced with so many question marks. (more…) (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644764 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:00:36 +0100 3644764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3632382&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fdtc-genomics-adjusts-for-regulations.html In a blatantly obvious, why the hell werent they doing that in the first place? move.23andSerge acknolwedges, finally, that they ARE Providing clinically important work. Duh, Since the website won't let me copy the presser, I will quote, with my own translation through business BS speak."23andMe customers now have the option to speak with a board certified genetic counselor" -Translation, we realized that by testing BRCA mutations we put people at risk and needed some back up from someone who knows what the FCUK they are doing opposed to a VC billionaire babe and ruby on rails programmer kids.-Because, frankly, we don't want to get sued or go to jail......Like Liz Dragon...... "We chose Informed because they were the leading independent genetic counseling provider"-Translation, we alienate... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3632382 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:26:00 +0100 3632382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3618025&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2F5-days-after-quake-critique.html I want to know, when everyone got all upset with my review of the Quake paper and bashed me on this blog. Why?Why did no one post on the Viewpoint put out in The Lancet exactly 5 days after my review?What did my review say? You can read my analysis of the Quake Paper here.I will keep this brief, as I will be speaking precisely on this topic on Thursday at the Consumer Genomics Conference.Maybe no one read the viewpoint?Today I was able to read the "Challenges in the clinical application of whole genome sequencing" Viewpoint from Ormond et.al.It echoes every single thing I have been saying for the last 2 years. Not that any of this is news for those of us in "the know" But it is confirmation that people who include a DIRECT Advisor to 23andMe agree with my stance.However, there are some thi... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3618025 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:15:00 +0100 3618025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607791&cid=t_172022_147_f&fid=39202&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnicolaziady.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F27%2F10-steps-for-making-twitter-a-powerful-pr-tool%2F Twitter can be one of the best ways to engage with patients and the media. As Twitter has evolved into a real-time news tool, it’s time to stop wondering about its value and start developing a real strategy. I recently read a post from Sally Falkow, a seasoned PR professional who blogs at the Proactive Report. She gave 10 tips to use in making Twitter a legitimate PR tool: 1. Find your Tweeple. (Your target audience/community) 2. Follow people who are talking about you, your brand and your industry 3. Set goals for your Twitter activity 4. Provide valuable content 5. Don’t treat Twitter like another broadcast medium 6. Tweet every day 7. Use Hashtags 8. Take note of the latest trends and buzz on Twitter 9. Be helpful 10. Expand from Twitter It seems to me that some... Nicola Ziady blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607791 Fri, 28 May 2010 04:25:09 +0100 3607791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607626&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=36694&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.crossoverhealth.com%2F2010%2F05%2F27%2Fday-65-proof-is-in-the-passion-crossover-explained%2F Passion Tonight I attended an awesome charity event called Savannah’s Organic Ranch. Savannah was a beautiful girl stricken with cancer whose last wish was to pass along her love of organic farming. The spark that was her life and encapsulated in her last wish has fueled a community wide passion for spreading representative organic “ranches” at local schools and in our community. I was impressed with the passion of this young girl, and how it has inspired equally vibrant passion for those who wish to keep her memory alive for a great cause. I believe passion is an integral part of life and anyone’s life’s work. At several forks in my professional journey, I have chosen to pursue my passion instead of settling for a more secure road. It has been a defining char... Crossover Healthcare blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607626 Thu, 27 May 2010 10:15:37 +0100 3607626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585611&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcurious-about-your-dna-just-stop-by-walgreens%2F2010.05.20 I’ve been writing about personal genomics for years. The standard concept of it is that you can order such genetic tests online, send your saliva or buccal swab to the lab where they analyze your DNA, then you can check online what kind of diseases you have elevated or lowered risk for. That’s how Navigenics, 23andMe or Pathway Genomics works. Now Pathway had a major announcement: San Diego based startup Pathway Genomics announced [May 18th] that it will begin selling its DNA collection kits at Walgreens drugstores beginning in mid-May, for about $20 to $30. Unlike a pregnancy test, users won’t be able to get results immediately. They will have to send in their saliva sample and then go to Pathway’s website to select the particular test they want. Users choose from drug response ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585611 Thu, 20 May 2010 16:00:07 +0100 3585611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581610&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-team-approach-to-primary-care-why-some-doctors-may-resist%2F2010.05.19 What if some physicians actually like the way primary care is currently practiced? It’s hard to believe, considering the majority of studies suggest marked dissatisfaction among primary care doctors, and an increasing prevalence of physician burnout. The ACP’s Bob Doherty recently summarized an epic Health Affairs article devoted to fixing primary care. The bottom line was that paying primary care doctors better isn’t enough. The whole field needs to be re-invented. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581610 Wed, 19 May 2010 16:00:07 +0100 3581610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3570062&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLSXLDw7UnbA%2F If you enjoy discussions of price elasticity, do we have a paper for you. Economic simulations suggest that the expansion in broadcast DTC ads may have been responsible for 19 percent of the overall growth in prescription drug spending from 1994 to 2005, with over two-thirds driven by increased demand due to expanded advertising and the remainder due to higher prices. All this is according to a new paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (purchase required). But while DTC advertising was deemed significant, the authors conclude “it has not been the primary force driving the growth in overall prescription drug expenditures.” [UPDATE: Curiously, the conclusion seems to contradict the bottom-line findings.] The study examined the separate effects of broadcast a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3570062 Mon, 17 May 2010 12:53:54 +0100 3570062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556378&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FfAGgDJ3OVfM%2F If you’re a doctor, the FDA wants your help in identifying ‘bad’ advertisements for prescription drugs. Seriously. The agency is calling it’s new ‘Bad Ad’ program an educational outreach effort and, not surprisingly, it’s being run by DDMAC, the agency’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications, which issues all those warning letters and violations. The goal of the program is to “help health care providers recognize misleading prescription drug promotion and provide them with an easy way to report this activity to the agency,” DDMAC director Tom Abrams says in a statement. Usually, the FDA finds ‘bad ads’ by reviewing promotional materials submitted for agency review, fielding complaints (often one company s... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556378 Tue, 11 May 2010 17:26:52 +0100 3556378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538093&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-patient-complaints-affect-defensive-medicine%2F2010.05.05 Doctors often have a communication disconnect with their patients. A recent piece from the New York Times encapsulates the issue, citing a recent New England Journal of Medicine perspective. According to oncologist Ethan Basch, “Direct reports from patients are rarely used during drug approval or in clinical trials. If patients’ comments are sought at all, they are usually filtered through doctors and nurses, who write their own impressions of what the patients are feeling.” There are a variety of reasons for this. Some doctors feel they have a better sense of the patient’s symptoms than the patient himself. Biases can affect how doctors and nurses perceive symptoms. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538093 Wed, 05 May 2010 22:00:22 +0100 3538093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533840&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-much-does-a-heart-attack-cost%2F2010.05.04 How much would a heart attack cost you? Quite a bit, according to CBS MoneyWatch.com: According to an article from the National Business Group on Health, the average total [editor's note: lifetime] cost of a severe heart attack -– including direct and indirect costs -– is about $1 million. Direct [lifetime] costs include charges for hospitals, doctors and prescription drugs, while indirect costs include lost productivity and time away from work. The average [lifetime] cost of a less-severe heart attack is about $760,000. Amortized over 20 years, that’s $50,000 per year for a severe heart attack and $38,000 per year for a less-severe heart attack. I’m all for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but before we get all hot and bothered about performing more testing to “prevent&#... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533840 Tue, 04 May 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3533840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519622&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2F2c19-navigenics-and-clinical-reality.html Ok,I would like to welcome Navigenics to the world of Clinical Utility. Just yesterday they announced their pharmacogenomics panel available to both consumers and physicians. It is about time! However, the problem I see is threefold:1. Where is the price of the test? Anything more than 200 won't work.2. Is there a change in the terms of service, which allows me as the doctor to use it?3. Will insurance pay for it?Let's say that this is not intended for the doctor but instead just for the patient/consumer. Which Navigenics has agreed NOT To Do, At least in NY.What exactly do you expect the consumer to do with this information?? Stop Plavix? Don't you Dare!Write themselves a prescription? Ummmmm, OK. Oh No, these tests are specifically for medical use.Disagree? Merely the information itself ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519622 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:28:00 +0100 3519622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494390&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fnhin-direct-addressing-specification Every Tuesday, the NHIN Direct Implementation Group holds a teleconference to update the entire team on the progress of the technical workgroups. This week, we discussed the completed addressing specification.   As I've said many times in my blog, the most important standards implementation problem to solve right now is transport, not only the basics of transmitting data securely but also transaction orchestration and the constellation of supporting functions such as addressing the messages.   (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494390 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:03:44 +0100 3494390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519539&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=36694&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.crossoverhealth.com%2F2010%2F04%2F07%2Fday-84-taglines-for-a-new-business-model%2F Tagline (tăg’līn’) n. An ending line, as in a play or joke, that makes a point. An often repeated phrase associated with an individual, organization, or commercial product; a slogan. An exciting opportunity as part of our opening a clinic is the ability to communicate new messaging around what it is we do. I am passionate about the membership-based primary care model as the means to bring about major reform within our current health care system. However, convincing patients of the value of the membership model takes significant work particularly at this early stage of the introduction of the model. Early pioneers like QLiance and Current Health have been successful but it has been a long, tough slog. In fact, I would argue that the core competency to effectively convinc... Crossover Healthcare blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519539 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:20:51 +0100 3519539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3433163&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUA22jhwEpZQ%2F The FDA has proposed a new rule to amend its direct-to-consumer regulations covering broadcast ads and would require info about side effects and contraindications to be presented in a “clear, conspicuous and neutral manner.” The requirements are: The DTC ad must have “language that is readily understandable by consumers;” audio info must be understandable, referring to volume, articulation and pacing; text info must be placed appropriately and on a contrasting background long enough and in lettering that is easily read; and the ad shouldn’t include “distracting representations,” such as statements, text, images, sound or a combination that would detract from communicating the “major statement.” What, exactly, is language that is readily... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3433163 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:28:04 +0100 3433163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395383&cid=t_172022_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2010%2F03%2Fweb-genomic-testing-sites-fail-to-gain-paying-audience.html Web-based genomic testing sites such as 23andMe and Navigenics have faced a number of barriers in order to attract clients including a high test price and a complex information product. It should therefore come as no surprise, as detailed by a recent article, that these companies have had difficulty in attracting paying customers (see: Consumers Slow to Embrace the Age of Genomics). Below is an excerpt from it:Connected to Google by both love and money, 23andMe seems the epitome of a 21st-century company — a cutting-edge merging of biotechnology and the Internet, with a dash of celebrity thrown in. The scarce ingredient so far is customers. 23andMe is the most prominent of a trio of companies that in 2007 began using the Web to market personal genomics services. The companies scan people... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395383 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:47:53 +0100 3395383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383084&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbE0Kh-Z1OvI%2F And so another working week will soon draw to a close. Although several more hours of deadlines and meetings may lie ahead, the time has come to think dreamy thoughts about what you will do this weekend. We, for instance, will tidy up the Pharmalot corporate campus, take a long walk and happily watch one of our short people in a school performance. While you ponder your own possibilities, here are a few items to help speed things along. Whatever you do, have a great time… Pfizer CEO Kindler Named PhRMA Chairman (press release) Somaxon Wins FDA Approval For Insomnia Drug (Associated Press) Florida Limits Foster Care Reliance On Psychotropics (Tampa Bay Tribune) New Attack On EU Plan For Patient Drug Info (PharmaTimes) photo thx to tipiro on Flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383084 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:58:21 +0100 3383084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366292&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fonc-i-trust It's my nature to question authority. Whether it's religion, politics, or even my local administrative leadership, authority figures must earn my trust. Earning that trust is not easy. As folks who work closest with me know, I believe that much of Dilbert is based on true case studies. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366292 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:36:52 +0100 3366292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335568&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fe9WBBHCdL4Y%2F The pharmaceutical industry’s spending on consumer advertising rose 1.9 percent to $4.5 billion from 2008, according to Medical Marketing & Media, citing data from The Nielsen Company. DTC spending on the two biggest categories was largely unchanged - TV rose just 0.6 percent while spending in national magazines dropped 0.6 percent. Network TV spending fell 5.8 percent to $1.6 billion and syndicated TV spending slid 11.8 percent to $254 million, but cable advertising rose 17.1 percent to $861 million. “The spending (on cable) is half of what network is, but it’s growing at a significant rate year-over-year,” Nielsen senior vp Fariba Zamaniyan tells MM&M. One reason: longer ads due to FDA pressure to display more balanced risk and benefit info. Meanwhile, n... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335568 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:14:33 +0100 3335568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3294571&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyFANnnmATFg%2F By Neal McCluskeyIn a shocking development, U.S. Secretary of Arne Duncan embraced the ideas of Milton Friedman today, championing the funding of students instead of schools! Unfortunately, it was in the context of higher education — Duncan and his boss have done all they can to destroy school choice elsewhere — and he completely misrepresented what Friedman said about higher ed, suggesting that the Nobel Laureate somehow endorsed the federal Direct Loan Program: We will end the loans under the Federal Family Education Program and make them directly to students — just as economist Milton Friedman proposed 50 years ago, and just as the Department of Education has been doing since 1993 through the Direct Loan Program. Were Milton Friedman still with us, I think he w... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3294571 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:44:13 +0100 3294571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259294&cid=t_172022_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2010%2F02%2Fththe-use-of-irony-in-appealing-to-young-male-adults-for-std-testing.html It can be a challenge to reach young adults with public health messages, particularly adult males (see: The Mind of the Young Adult Male and On-Line Health Education; More on Reaching Young Males with Public Health Education Messages). Hold that thought while I briefly discuss web-based direct access testing (DAT). These are web sites that enable the ordering of lab tests at a reasonable price, paid for with a credit card, and without the intermediation of a physician. Some state laws prohibit this practice. A niche market of direct access testing are those web sites that offer only lab tests to diagnose sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).I blogged about this topic in November three years ago (see: Direct Access Testing for STDs). Michelle Sobel of Analyte Media is an expert at cra... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259294 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:14:34 +0100 3259294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3236013&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fholy-crap-medco-follows-in-cvs.html By December 21st the writing was on the wall. It was pretty obvious CVS/Caremark had jumped over the number one PBM in the field MedCo..... How so?Well, the increased ownership in Generation Health that CVS/Caremark laid down was the way.....The newest of the benefits management companies.....this time the focus was on genetic testing benefits. Personally, this type of company should have been formed in 2005 when Insurers were hemorrhaging cash from those BRCA tests........But, slow and deliberate do Insurers move.... On the 21st it of December it was all but decided for MedCo. Ummm, Ummmmm, who looks like this Generation Health company????? I knew back then and now everyone knows today. MedCo buys DNADirect.....In 2005 when My Partner at the time Leslie Manace went out to "see" Ryan......... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3236013 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:19:00 +0100 3236013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197885&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F_5l-Xitz6Rs%2F For those wondering about the reactions that some consumers have to DTC television ads, some decide to search for more info online. So which ads are prompting the most activity and which product sites are visited? NuvaRing and Latisse had the highest percentage of overall product website traffic driven by their DTC TV ads, according to Manhattan Research. NuvaRing, which is a contraceptive made by Merck, jumped five spots from last year to take the top ranking. And as you can see, Allergan’s new eyelash enhancement treatment, Latisse, grabbed the No. 2 spot. Unfortunately, there was no corresponding info to contrast the amount of ad spending with web traffic. In any event, here is the list of the ten brands for which DTC ads drove the most web traffic… 1. NuvaRing 2. Latisse ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197885 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:19:09 +0100 3197885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283623&cid=t_172022_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F5445223%2F13mxrd%2Fneuromarketing%7EYour-Brain-on-Stories.htm “They laughed when I sat down at the piano…” “On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. They were very much alike, these two young men. Both had been better than average students…” Advertising buffs will instantly recognize these two opening lines. The first is from an [...] CommentsI like the piano ad… The serif font wouldn't work ... by Ben JovenThis is great. I have known about the power of storytelling for ... by James FreyPlus 8 more... (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283623 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:38:11 +0100 3283623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089259&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpOuftlmZ4MI%2F By Chris EdwardsPrompted by my blog on Senator Kent Conrad’s Task Force to reduce the federal deficit, my assistant Amy Mandler dug up some interesting information on the good senator. Conrad has nurtured his image as a “deficit hawk” for decades, but when it comes to subsidies for millionaire farmers he demands that the federal gravy keep flowing. Earlier this year, for example, President Obama proposed cutting one type of farm subsidy (”direct payments”) for farmers earning over $500,000 a year. I suspect that about 95 percent of Americans would support that tiny nod toward fiscal sanity and deficit reduction. But not Senator Conrad, who helped shoot the proposal down. See here and here. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089259 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:52:52 +0100 3089259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067310&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-x7gV8k38Yw%2F Direct-to-consumer spending was declining for the last few quarters, but came bounding back in the recently ended third quarter - rising 15 percent to $1.16 billion, according to DTC Perspectives, a consulting firm, which cited data from TNS Media Intelligence. The increase apparently marks the first quarterly gain in DTC spending in nearly two years and, interestingly, contrasts significantly with the spending trend earlier this year, when DTC advertising slumped 6.4 percent between January and June, compared with the same period a year ago. Not surprisingly, spending on the Internet rose the most, the firm reports, more than tripling between January and September to $221 million (display ads only). And more ads were placed in newspapers, which showed a 25 percent gain to $104 million d... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067310 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:09:09 +0100 3067310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056885&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLdYhC8jK_Cg%2F A new report from the Congressional Budget Office examines promotional spending by drugmakers, including an analysis of direct-to-consumer advertising in recent years. For those in the know, there are probably few surprises. Nonetheless, the summary is interesting and worth noting. Here are some highlights… - In 2008, spending on DTC ads totaled $4.7 billion, nearly one-fourth of industry spending for all promotional activities. Promotional spending, which includes detailing, ad journals, meetings and DTC ads, was $20.5 billion last year, or 10.8 percent of US sales last year. The CBO, which says spending was typically between 10 percent and 12 percent since the early 1990’s, cited sales data reported by PhRMA, which presumably relies on annual reports. DTC advertising has decl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056885 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:57:10 +0100 3056885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023411&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fx7OkCwU8iGw%2F The price Medicaid paid for the bloodthinner rose 12 percent “immediately” after direct-to-consumer ads began in 2001, and those higher costs added $207 million to Medicaid spending in 27 states during the next four years, even as prescriptions rose at a constant rate, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Pharmacy data from Medicaid programs in 27 states revealed that Plavix sales rose steadily since it was launched and the trend remained constant between 1999 and 2005. But the cost to Medicaid rose by $207 million after ads started running in 2002. And guess what? The price of Plavix was hiked price 12 percent, or 40 cents a pill, when a $350 million ad campaign began. “Payers and policy makers should be very concerned about the potential for drug advertising ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023411 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:25:01 +0100 3023411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3017230&cid=t_172022_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fremember-1969-1st-moonwalk-seniors.html Seniors remember watching the historic 1969 first moonwalk on TV. Update your moon knowledge with this recent video (embedded at the caregiversbeacon.com for you to watch here) "Direct from the Moon" from the Expedition Channel on http://hulu.com, which provides free educational documentaries. Presenting this video is part of an ongoing effort by the CaregiversBeacon.com to encourage and provide mentally stimulating activities for seniors. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3017230 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:41:00 +0100 3017230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977569&cid=t_172022_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=3111606&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fgood-enough-science-apparently-so-at_6680.html "A total of 61 individuals involved in five norovirus outbreaks in Denmark were genotyped at nucleotides 428 and 571 of the FUT2 gene, determining secretor status, i.e., the presence of ABH antigens in secretions and on mucosa. A strong correlation (P 0.003) was found between the secretor phenotype and symptomatic disease, extending previous knowledge and confirming that nonsense mutations in the FUT2 gene provide protection against symptomatic norovirus (GGII.4) infections." This from a report at 23andSerge's "Norovirus Resistance" report.I don't know what I would do with a Norovirus resistance report........Go on more cruises? Work in a daycare? Have more kids?I bring this up because I begin to wonder what level of science is good science.Is highlighting every article as useful as highli... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111606 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:34:00 +0100 3111606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772484&cid=t_172022_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F07%2Fguidance-on-direct-payments-for-community-care-services-for-carers-and-childrens-services-england-2009%2F Title: Guidance on direct payments for community care, services for carers and children’s services: England 2009 The Skinny: Guidance to assist local councils in making direct payments. Together with the Annexes, it also provides guidance on how local councils might manage and administer direct payments. It has been updated to reflect recent legislative changes that extend direct payments to previously excluded groups. Publisher: DH Size of Publication: 116p Published: 04/09/2009 Posted in Decision Making, Disabilities, Financial Management, Grey Literature, Local Authorities, Social Services Tagged: Direct payments, Disabilities, Financial Management, Grey Literature, Local Authorities (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772484 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:10:13 +0100 2772484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772485&cid=t_172022_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F07%2Fa-guide-to-receiving-direct-payments-from-your-local-council%2F Title: A guide to receiving direct payments from your local council The Skinny: Updated guidance offering advice to people who are thinking about or who are already getting direct payments from their local council social services department. Publisher: DH Size of Publication: 76p Published: 04/09/2009 Posted in Disabilities, Grey Literature, Local Authorities, Social Services Tagged: Direct payments, Disabilities, Financial Management, Grey Literature, Local Authorities, Patient Information (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772485 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:03:56 +0100 2772485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2752087&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FkDNsa2XdrJs%2F Testing for one’s genetic risk has become increasingly popular in recent years with the mapping of the human genome. Now, you have the opportunity to know if you carry the BRCA genes, or know your risk for Alzheimer’s, other cancers, heart diseases and other diseases and traits, and even one’s genetic ancestry, based on the presence of certain DNA segments in your genome. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) DNA testing, also known as personal genome services, allows a person to get his genetic profile just simply by swabbing one’s cheeks or spitting into a test tube and sending the sample back to the genetic testing company. In a few weeks you have your results back in print and at a password-controlled website. Pretty nifty, right? Actor Ernie Hudson swabs cheek for African Ancestry DNA ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2752087 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:59:12 +0100 2752087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2637951&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fgo-see-gastro-doc.html I am so blown away at the desperation (def: recklessness arising from despair) of the DTC companies. Recently my iPhone has been flooded with all sorts of clinically inaccurate information designed to make people think that something miraculously has changed with DTC genomics tests. A change so impressive that it now appears as if you can actually do something about the results. The best is a video now on Navi's website2 sisters on the site taking about their results......likely plants...... The transcript includes these misleading words.......Sister 1: We both tested "High" For Colon Cancer! Sister 1: But the Crohn's disease was "really high" on my results. Which is interesting because, I didn't know we had that disease in our family...... Sister 2: It is a disease that is 75% genetic but... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2637951 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:32:00 +0100 2637951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602214&cid=t_172022_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fnew-era-of-pharma-marketing-direct-to.html Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and Direct-to-Physician (DTP) marketing have been the two staples of pharmaceutical marketing for many years. Now there is another kind of pharma marketing emerging: Direct to Journalist (DTJ)!I have written previously about Pfizer's new strategy to "woo" journalists (see "Chantix 'Roundtable' Apparently Not Round and Not a Table" and "Pfizer's PR Chief: 'How in the hell do we have such a bad reputation?'"). This is a followup with a new twist to the story.With regard to journalists, "our core strategy," said Pfizer's global PR chief, Ray Kerins, is "engage and educate," which, IMHO, can be loosely translated to "free lunch and schmooze," the same strategy that has worked so well in marketing to physicians.Unable to send physicians on all-expenses paid junkets due ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602214 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:32:00 +0100 2602214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584238&cid=t_172022_113_f&fid=36694&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.crossoverhealth.com%2F2009%2F07%2F08%2Fcpt-codes-why-physicians-always-get-screwed-thanks-ama%2F CPT Codes Set of health care procedure codes based on the American Medical Association’s Current Procedural Terminology Established in 1978 to provide a standardized coding system for describing specific items and services provided in delivering health care. Daniel Palestrant comes right back from his opening salvo of last week to continue his crusade against the AMA. In another hard hitting email blast sent out to his 100,000 physician community he lays out the case of how the CPT system, maintained and propagated by the AMA, actually holds physicians hostage to the insurance cycle of care. He also lays the groundwork for the new retail health care economy where CASH will be king, relationship with the provider will be DIRECT, and physicians and patients will once again re-establ... Crossover Healthcare blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584238 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:32:57 +0100 2584238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580503&cid=t_172022_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fbioethicists-assess-risks-of-sharing-genetic-information-on-the-web.html Consumer genomics offered on the web is a burgeoning enterprise. Genomic testing web sites fall roughly into two categories: those with a medical/scientific orientation such as DNADirect. Sites such as these use a vocabulary such as genomic medicine to indicate an interest in the diagnosis of genetic diseases in the population being tested and provide professional genetic counseling. Other web sites such as 23andMe provide disease discovery by genetic testing but use a vocabulary including words like ancestry, sharing, and community to indicate that one of their missions is to provide networking with other individuals who may be blood relatives. These latter sites have a social/networking orientation. It goes without saying that the business model of these latter sites raises some privacy ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580503 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:28:07 +0100 2580503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584331&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fviva-la-revolucion-dtc-genomics.html Ok,I am not late to the party here on this one. I have been talking about this for quite some time with posts which include"We have No use for YOUR laws""Who Needs Institutional Review Boards""Steal Your Baby's Genome"I could go on and on here, but this is a natural move here.......23andSergey have decided to move the company into a space which is less likely to get them into hot water with the federal government and in fact may win them a few points with the Federales....Why? Everyone knows the end game here. A huge database of millions of phenotypes paired with millions of genotypes and millions of metabolomes and millions of demographics........With that you create the greatest query machine for human health, generate hypotheses from this and cure mankind of illness. That being said, wh... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584331 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:01:00 +0100 2584331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2571003&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fsmoke-or-ht-gets-in-your-eye.html This study interested me for several reasons, the first of these was that it involved a hotly debated environmental detoxification gene which has been tested for by numerous nutrigenetics companies for years now. The second reason it interested me is because it dealt with a population who knows that there family can get cancer when exposed to smoking. I have always wondered for years why there are these families out there who have multiple members with lung cancer, yet everyone in the family seems to keep on puffing. Are these families full of ignorant people who can't put 2 and 2 together despite years of public health campaigns? Are the genetically or environmentally predisposed to smoking? Does the family have some weird death wish set of genes?I have always wondered why they do what th... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2571003 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:46:00 +0100 2571003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561483&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fno-gene-is-island.html This is a saying I have been using for about 4 years now.When someone asked about testing for HFE and why we don't do it as the first screening step anymore..... They often looked at me confused.....I then bring up the case of sickle cell disease.Most doctors have seen a sickle cell patient in the hospital.......They may have even seen a family in the hospital, brother and sister, Son and Mother......but what most don't know is that the majority of sicklers never go into the hospital..... That's when I ask, what is the mutation that the son and mother have? The answer Sickle-cell anemia is caused by a point mutation in the β-globin chain of hemoglobin, causing the amino acid glutamic acid to be replaced with the hydrophobic amino acid valine at the sixth position. Now what about the patie... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561483 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:08:00 +0100 2561483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556391&cid=t_172022_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F06%2Fparticipatory-medicne-and-clinical-lab-testing.html We should encourage healthcare consumers to actively participate in their own healthcare. The web will be a very important factor in this process by providing access by consumers to sophisticated healthcare information. Web-based personal heath records (PHRs) constitute another key element in consumer self-care by providing them ready access to their electronic health records. Web sites that enable consumers to order lab tests for themselves (the so-called direct access testing or DAT sites) are another facet of this approach to healthcare. One can use Health 2.0 (see: Introduction to Health 2.0) to refer to consumer-directed healthcare but Kevin Kelly make reference to what may be a better term -- participatory medicine. Below is an excerpt from his web site describing his involvement in ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556391 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:13:42 +0100 2556391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517362&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2F23andmx-looking-to-cook-books-in-ca.html Daniel MacArthur and I have been noticing something and he decided to cover it today, which is why I have decided to provide a counterpoint here....Also GenomeWeb published on this. SB 482 is a bill I glossed over in a post in the past and was recently interviewed for in the San Jose Mercury News....... Daniel leads this as 23andMx leading the regulatory push.....but this is more insidious than that. This is 23andMx trying to cook the books and create laws which exempt them from the stringent regulation which they should receive...... I told this to the newsies over at San Jose on Sunday, so I am going to post this today...... It turns out that this bill SB 482 essentially exempts DTC companies from facing the harshest regulations that medical providers/labs have to face From Daniel"In oth... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517362 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:56:00 +0100 2517362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512315&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Ffactor-v-leiden-testing-not-useful.html I was at morning report about 6 months ago after hearing a talk from the Leiden people. It turns out they had never intended the testing to be used the way it has in the US.In fact, it seems for the last few years, everywhere you turned, every doctor was doing genetic testing......this time not for Hemochromatosis, which, again is not particularly useful as a screening test for disease state. This given the low penetrence and of the disease in those who have the mutations (Which is once again why DTC HFE testing is silly)This time it was for Prothrombotic state with Factor V Leiden and GP20210A mutations/polymorphisms.Why did we do this? Well, we ere taught that having these mutations put these patients at risk of having Deep Vein Thrombosis. Even perhaps that we give aspirin or blood thin... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512315 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:45:00 +0100 2512315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512316&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Flove-my-readers.html The other day I was flooded with emails from my readers about my post about the whole genome scan dirty little secret. Some agreed with me others vociferously defended the need for "further study" But the best was an email from someone who worked for one of the big scan companies, can't say which one, can't say who.I Quote"The speculative questions that you ask about interpreting whole genome sequencing indirectly relates to exactly what the cyclical problem is with an industry of genomic researchers who don’t practice science. Instead, they practice following the recommendations and protocols developed by instrumentation vendors, as if Mike Hunkapillar, Sue Siegel, and Jay Flatley had once parted the Red Sea"I tend to agree that this comes down to a question of thought leaders in the fi... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512316 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:07:00 +0100 2512316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464095&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpjPfPUU8O18%2F Earlier today, Doug Bandow weighed in with some commentary on the problems that Buy American provisions are creating for both Canadian and American businesses. Let me reinforce his view that such rules are anachronistic and self-defeating with some thoughts from a forthcoming paper of mine about the incongruity between modern commercial reality and trade policies that have failed to keep pace. Even though President Obama implored, “If you are considering buying a car, I hope it will be an American car,” it is nearly impossible to determine objectively what makes an American car. The auto industry provides a famous example, but is really just one of many that transcends national boundaries and renders obsolete the notion of international competition as a contest between “our” pro... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464095 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:34:17 +0100 2464095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464330&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fprior-authorization-for-medically.html As if this couldn't get any worse for genetic counselors, who BTW get paid next to nothing by insurers........ United Healthcare is now requiring Prior Authorization for BRCA testing. In their policy bulletin from May, Volume 31.......The coverage determination made regarding BRCA testing for your patient will be based on the UnitedHealthcare medical policy for BRCA testing, which is based on the clinical evidence and is closely aligned with the criteria developed by the organizations listed above. This coverage determination will be conveyed to you promptly by either phone, or letter or both. Of course, adverse determinations are subject to all applicable appeal rights.Add that to the list of scut work which the counselor will get stuck doing.... So much for same day testing in a timely f... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464330 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:58:00 +0100 2464330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463191&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Frs2200733-ok-now-what.html I am busy pouring through all sorts of association studies which I had let sort of slip through my fingers. I have been cue'ing a lot of these and only in the last few days have been able to get to them. Most of the SNP that the press put out there now seems to be dying off pretty nicely.Although there are bits of useful data out there, most is just noise......but one of the SNPs which caught my eye was rs2200733 studied in Icelandic, Italian and other Caucasian populations with a small replication in an Asian population as well......What does rs2200733 predispose to? Atrial Fibrillation. A condition that can lead to unannounced strokes, syncope, and heart failure (at times) Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in the United States. About 2.3 million Americans have atrial fib... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463191 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:05:00 +0100 2463191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452969&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fgappnet-hacked-records-and-icob.html Happy Donut Day Everyone!"Wha?"That's what I said as I walked into my Dunkin Donuts across the street from our new HQ. The guy saw me coming in, prepped my coffee, Large Blueberry, Milk and Sugar......As I went to pay, he said, "Happy Donut Day" I barely understood what he said when the manager said "Pick your donut, FREE"OMG, as if I wasn't fat enough. How many other of my readers took the free Donut today. I looked around in my DD and it seemed everyone took the donut.People certainly are game for free......... Speaking of FREE, the Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative is in essence a Navi/23andM- scan for FREE. I just got some more results this week. I don't have Hemochromatosis HFE type, Hooray! This can be yours as well.....That is if you are willing to participate in the study... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452969 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:44:00 +0100 2452969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447962&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fwonderful-weekend-consumer-genomics.html First, a little personal info. I am the proud father of yet another Murphy Daughter! This weekend has been amazing for me. Even better, as we went into the hospital I received an email. Normally the only people emailing at this time are my patients or I am getting results from lab tests I ordered.So, I felt obligated to look when the iPhone buzzed. It was an email from John Boyce....... Who is John Boyce? From his website: John recently served as Head of Business Development for Helicos BioSciences, where he was responsible for identifying new market opportunities in which the company was able to develop new applications that gave it a substantial competitive advantage. John founded Delphi Bio a strategic consulting group for genomic start ups....... So about a week after I got done trashi... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447962 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:15:00 +0100 2447962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447509&cid=t_172022_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Falli-orlistat-fast-buck-pharmacists-are.html In the USA, advertisers are allowed to compare one product with another. Knocking copy is definitely the order of the day, and five minutes Alli & Orlistat research on YouTube produces some hilarious results, as seen above. What fun. I wish we had adverts like this in the UK.The advert is, I now learn, monstrously unfair. An NHS BLOG DOCTOR reader writes in to tell me that Orlistat & Alli do work, and do not cause shitty knickers (or, as they prefer to say in the land of the free, poopy pants)As a fat person who's tried Orlistat I would like to state the following:Orlistat does not cause "shitty pant" syndrome. What it does cause is flatulence which is impossible to hold in. The stuff that comes out isa) runny b) very fattyc) bright oranged) stinks to high heavene) impossible to r... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447509 Sun, 31 May 2009 09:03:00 +0100 2447509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442245&cid=t_172022_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Flong-weekend-lots-to-cover.html First, I want to thank reporter Devon Lash at the Stamford Advocate, who wrote a very nice piece about the CT State Dept. of Health asking seniors to speak up about diseases in their family. So many people didn't speak of these things just a few decades ago, but they need to. The article misstates what I said, which is nearly over 40% of women were reclassified when using the Reynolds Risk score in comparison with the Framingham. But I think you get the idea. Public Health Departments are now pushing Family Histories......NOT SNP SCANS..... Often I am presented with a patient who says "They never spoke about it". I tell that patient to go to their family member and "Make them speak about it" What they tell you may just save YOUR life. In Detroit they are doing the same thingI am glad we... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442245 Tue, 26 May 2009 12:41:00 +0100 2442245