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 'drug companies'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:00:00 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130713&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fis-pharma-ready-for-a-conversation-on-facebook Jonathan at Dose of Digital talks about pharma’s fear of Facebook pages centering around 2 issues that pharma thinks require 24/7 monitoring: Adverse Events and negative publicity. I hear the same excuse on why pharma companies are so scared to look at patient comments on blogs: adverse events. I’m sorry, but adverse events are happening [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130713 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:28:26 +0100 5130713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057746&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2011%2F07%2F22%2Fthe-history-of-medicine%2F THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE 2000 B.C. - "Here, eat this root." 1000 B.C. - "That root is heathen, say this prayer." 20 A.D. - "That prayer is good, but you have to pray in my name me to get through to Dad." 1850 A.D. - "That prayer is a superstitious chant, drink this potion." 1940 A.D. - "That potion is merely snake oil, swallow this pill." 1970 A.D. - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic four times a day." 1980 A.D. - "Bacteria aren't the problem. Viruses are enemy number 1! Get this vaccination, but you still better take our pills too!" 1990 A.D. - "Taking pills four times a day? That's ARCHAIC! Take this tablet once-a-day." 1999 A.D. - "That once-a-day tablet is cost prohibitive. Take this cheaper generic. It's the same thing." 1999 A.D. - "Their generic once-a-day tablet isn't ... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057746 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 05:46:34 +0100 5057746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872044&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fstop-pretending-you-dont-know-pharma-companies I remembered years ago I was speaking to a Forest employee who told me how proud she was to be working at Forest because of how ethical the company and the CEO was. That same employee was critical of me for talking to the WSJ about some of the less ethical practices that pharma companies [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872044 Fri, 27 May 2011 17:24:42 +0100 4872044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862484&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fpharma-and-social-media-its-not-about-controlling-the-conversation-but-finding-the-right-venues-for-engagement Now that Facebook Pages is to Marketing what LinkedIn Profiles is to Job Seeking – pharma companies are in pickle: Facebook is going to open up comments no matter what. This means pharma companies can no longer restrict people from commenting on their Facebook pages. Er…. DUH! Why is this big news? People get on [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862484 Wed, 25 May 2011 17:33:14 +0100 4862484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789188&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fwould-you-cancel-a-surgery-if-your-surgeon-is-getting-a-kick-back The specific question is about getting kickbacks as a surgeon using a medical device, and was originally asked on Quora. The explanation to the question (posted by the asker) said, “The department of justice has investigated conflicts of interest, and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette has published on the topic. To quote from the gazette: Payments [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789188 Wed, 04 May 2011 21:55:06 +0100 4789188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789189&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fwhy-i-chose-not-to-be-a-doctor I was once a premed. I chose not to become a doctor because I wasn’t truly interested in the profession, it was something I felt I “had” to do or “should” do because I happened to major in biology. And being a first generation Asian-American there was also pressure from being a “Tiger Cub”: we [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789189 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:45:25 +0100 4789189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610887&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Finept-trials-tainted-studies-living-disease-waiting-cure%2F According to statistics, 1500 people die every day in the United States from cancer. Shocking statistic? Sure. But how long have these people lived with the disease, how long did they know about it? What kind of treatment did they receive? What kind of treatment could they have received if it was not held up in one study after another? A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted perhaps the most amazing point (1) How long will someone have to wait for a drug to be approved? How many treatments are there that are being held up by inefficient trials while you or a loved one are dying of cancer. Here’s where a holistic doctor like myself just doesn’t understand. Why should we trust clinical studies? Well, there are years and years of various testing done before a product is ap... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610887 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:38:31 +0100 4610887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565902&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fniche-science-and-targeted-medicines-vs-magic-bullets%2F2011.03.09 Maybe you read the other day in The New York Times that the pharmaceutical industry has a problem. Big blockbuster drugs like Lipitor are going off patent and the industry leaders don’t have new blockbusters showing promise to replace them. So the big companies search for little companies with new discoveries and they consider buying them. Industry observers think the days of $5 billion-a-year drugs to lower cholesterol or control diabetes may be past for awhile, and the companies will have smaller hits with new compounds for autoimmune conditions and cancer. When I saw my oncologist for a checkup yesterday — the news was good — we chatted about the article and the trend toward “niche science.” We welcomed it. We didn’t think — from our perspective — the wor... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565902 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:30:58 +0100 4565902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4554625&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2011%2F03%2F06%2Fdoes-anyone-fix-inhalers%2F var addthis_product = 'wpp-252'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};I had a guy come in today with a broken Ventolin HFA. He had OBVIOUSLY broken it. As you know, you can remove the cannister from the plastic delivery device. At the bottom of this cannister is a little white piece of plastic. When this piece is pressed, the aerosol is given an exit from the cannister. Usually, this is directed out of the plasic device. Well, this old man had broken the white piece off, somehow, to where it cannot be pressed in at all. Obviously, this is my fault. Additionally, he had the plastic device jammed into a Aerochamber in reverse -- so if you somehow were able to dispense a dose, it would spray upwards rather than into the chamber. Now, I can see how one could say that this is mere... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4554625 Sun, 06 Mar 2011 07:48:58 +0100 4554625 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527748&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2011%2F02%2F27%2Fwe-are-the-side-the-profession-wishes-to-shun%2F CONCLUSION: A search using Internet search engines, blog aggregators, and blog rolls identified 117 blogs, 44 of which met the study criteria for designation as pharmacist blogs. The majority of pharmacist blogs included some type of discussion of pharmacologic therapies. Pharmacists most commonly used positive language to describe the profession, other health care professionals, and patients. The highest rates of critical language were found in descriptions of patients and other health care professionals. PMID: 21098377 [PubMed - in process] -------------------------- I really would like the full text of this article if at all possible (meaning if a current student emails it to me I'd love them forever)....I really would like to see what they studied, who they studied, and their goals. I... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527748 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:21:03 +0100 4527748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455240&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Ffda-has-to-slow-down-to-keep-up-with-drug-companies Steve Woodruff is hopping mad with the apparent gross inefficiency and indecision of the “guidance process” for pharma company promotional practices when it comes to social media, and I can’t blame him! But I’m on the FDA’s side this time. Let me say up front that I never liked how the FDA remains vague and [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455240 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:53:09 +0100 4455240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450263&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fbig-pharma-shilling-and-webmd-com-mayoclinic-com-smack-down New York Times Online is likening WebMD’s “information” as “using the meretricious voice of a pharmaceutical rep”. I don’t know… I never found WebMD’s interface “apparently attractive” but I suppose some people like all the flashy stuff. I mean, I find the ads on NakedMedicine.com mildly annoying, but these only go toward keeping the site [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4450263 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:42:06 +0100 4450263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405798&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2011%2F01%2F26%2Fpharmacy-class-of-trade%2F I got the following message from Steve Moore, an independent Pharmacy owner. I wasn't sure what to do with it or how to share it with the world. Therefore, I'm just going to post it here for all to see. I'm not going to post his contact info, but he's welcome to post that in the comments section (as well as links and references). --------------- My name is Steve Moore and I am an independent pharmacy owner from New York.  I am wondering if you would consider sharing your thoughts on the following topic, one I think that most pharmacists would be interested in. When it comes to business side of our profession, most pharmacists don't have a clue as to what is going on.  As an owner, it affects me more than most, and I don't comprehend all of the complexities.  After speaking to some other... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405798 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 04:53:20 +0100 4405798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355713&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fjohnsonjohnson-dont-just-cite-your-credo-apply-it When I used to consult in the pharma world, I notice that J&J employers love their company credo. It makes a deep impression on them. They believe truly that they’re joining a company that takes pride in their history and reputation. There’s this feeling of “pedigree” for being part of the Johnson & Johnson family. [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355713 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:24:59 +0100 4355713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4207339&cid=t_103189_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F22441660%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7ENeuromarketing-Pharma-Threat.htm Some people find drug company marketing reprehensible, and apparently nobody more so than these four organizations: the Center for Digital Democracy, U.S. PIRG, Consumer Watchdog, and the World Privacy Forum. They have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission accusing drug companies of everything except kidnapping and insider trading. The complaint runs to 144-pages, [...] CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesLove BrandingSubliminal MotivationAvoid the Corner of Death! (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4207339 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:01:32 +0100 4207339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105666&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-looking-at-long-term-impossible-in-our-healthcare-system%2F2010.10.25 I spent last week in Gothenburg, Sweden covering the European Committee for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting. Lots of good science, lots of excitement over the new oral and targeted therapies coming on the market to treat this awful disease. But what I want to write about isn’t the science, but about how it will play out in the brave new world of healthcare in which we all live in today. For instance, consider the first oral therapy to hit the market: Gilenya (fingolimod), which the FDA approved in September. Last month Novartis announced the price: $48,000 a year. This is not a rant against the high cost of drugs, however. It is a rant against the inability of our healthcare system to take the long view of the impact of such drugs, a view that is particularly im... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105666 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:00:00 +0100 4105666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086241&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fteva-canadian-ms-community-no-win-for-the-company Teva is closing its community forum from its Canadian multiple sclerosis education website because of Canadian healthcare regulations around dissemination of information relating to prescription drugs. You’ll read the explanation if you visit the Teva MS website, but keep reading for the crux of the situation: I have to agree with Teva’s decision because it [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086241 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:12:19 +0100 4086241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082087&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdollars-for-doctors-investigative-public-service-journalism%2F2010.10.19 An historic piece of journalism was published today. Six news organizations partnered on the “Dollars for Docs” project — ProPublica, NPR, PBS’s Nightly Business Report, the Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and Consumer Reports. They examined $258 million in payments by seven drug companies in 2009 and 2010 to about 18,000 healthcare practitioners nationwide for speaking, consulting, and other tasks. This webpage can be your gateway to the project, with links to a database searchable by doctor’s name or by state, and links to the journalism partners’ efforts: Boston Globe “Prescription for Prestige” The Harvard brand, unrivaled in education, is also prized by the pharmaceutical industry as a powerful tool in promoting drugs. Its allure is evid... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082087 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:00:21 +0100 4082087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074006&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fadvil-pm-v-tylenol-pm-ad-is-misleading This has been bugging me for a long time, but recently I saw another one of these “advil PM versus tylenol PM” commercials, so I am going to finally write about it! First of all, the commercial is basically a “why Advil PM is so much better” ad. It talks about how the person taking [...] (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074006 Sat, 16 Oct 2010 03:13:24 +0100 4074006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031439&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fdoin-the-happy-dance.html After a lot of traveling and record gathering and anxiety and just general hassle: I GOT IT! I got the first dose of T-DM1 today, in Highland, and I will get it every three weeks hereafter.  Here's the funny part: My blood draw on Friday was the only thing I was worried about, and Dr. Ibrahim, the oncologist who heads up the trial,  doesn't work Fridays, it turns out, so he didn't get the results until this morning. When I arrived, Tricia, the trials coordinator, said we had to draw my blood again because the platelets were 90-something-thousand on Friday. And they needed to be 100,000, because the drug causes platelets to drop.  So we went down to the blood draw lab, escorted and expedited all the way by The Amazing Tricia, and they sent the blood out STAT an... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031439 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 01:42:15 +0100 4031439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025741&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fi-wasnt-going-to-break-this-news-until-next-week-.html In this study, known as TDM4370g or EMILIA, patients are randomized to receive either a control regimen or T-DM1; there is no cross-over to T-DM1 for patients in the control arm. "It is felt that continuing enrollment in T-PAS could interfere with the conduct of this study by potentially providing access to T-DM1 in the control arm, which could unfavorably impact the survival results of EMILIA. "Roche/Genentech's priority is the conduct of rigorous clinical trials to obtain full FDA approval of T-DM1 to ultimately provide T-DM1 access to more women in the future. Enrollment is not being discontinued for safety or efficacy reasons. Roche/Genentech remains committed to the ongoing development program for T-DM1." OK, but I am one of those women who has run out of options. ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025741 Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:48:31 +0100 4025741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025743&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fcontinuing-saga-.html It's Friday, six o'clock, and I'm waiting to see if Dr. Ibrahim will e-mail today to tell me if I am in the trial, or if I am going to have to wait till Monday to find out. I would, of course, so much rather get the results of all the tests today, because then I will know if I'm getting the first dose of T-DM1 on Monday, or not. "Not" will be reason for a major meltdown, as you can imagine. Today, Megan drove me to get an ECHO (which shows how well my heart is doing). All my past ECHOs in Seattle have shown a heart that is in surprisingly good shape for a woman who has had as much chemo, and as much Herceptin, as I have. So I'm not too worried about that one.  I also had blood drawn today to check a number of things, and I am a bit worried about that bec... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025743 Sat, 02 Oct 2010 01:11:12 +0100 4025743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965412&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdo-drug-companies-pay-attention-to-herbal-medicine%2F2010.09.13 I’m only a monthly contributor here, but between being a Science Based Medicine (SBM) reader and having my own blogs, I often grow weary of the blind criticism that researchers and drug companies couldn’t care less about traditional folk medicines as drug products. My laboratory spends every single day working on natural product extracts in the search for compounds that may have selective effectiveness against cancer. So this is a bit of a sore spot for me. Two [recent] papers from Cancer Prevention Research on the potential anticancer effects of a diabetes drug (see Nathan Seppa’s story here) remind me to tell the story of a Middle Ages European herbal medicine used to treat polyuria that gave rise to one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, metformin (Glucophage ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965412 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:00:21 +0100 3965412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3958031&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ft-dm1-going-to-la.html I have an appointment in Highland, California (an L.A. suburb), on September 22 for a consult with the doctor who is heading up the T-DM1 clinical trial there. I've already jumped through a lot of hoops to qualify for this trial, so once I have the consult and sign all the consent documents, then we'll schedule me for another visit to get a bunch of tests and scans, and then after that I will start getting the drug, once every three weeks, by IV.I had been hoping to enroll in a branch of the trial at the University of Washington, which is right down the street from my house, but that trial has been delayed, delayed, delayed. I can't wait any longer--I have tumors growing all over my body, and we need to get them under control. So it looks like I will be The Co... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3958031 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:37:47 +0100 3958031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3915242&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fmore-in-t-dm1.html Well, as a woman with advanced breast cancer who HAS RUN OUT OF TREATMENT OPTIONS, I have to disagree with Breast Cancer Action on this one. See the letter re: T-DM1: T-DM1 Breast Cancer Action Letter I understand the arguments the group advances, I even agree with them up to a point. But the whole approval process is incredibly long and cumbersome, and getting drugs outside that process--despite what you might think when you hear the term "compassionate use"--is almost impossible, in my experience. As I said in an earlier post, I don't think this will hurt my ability to get the drug in a Phase II trial. There is a trial opening here in Seattle soon, unless this news somehow makes the folks at the UW less enthusiastic about getting the trial through their ow... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3915242 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:28:48 +0100 3915242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3913263&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F08%2Ft-dm1-news-.html I'm not sure what this news item about T-DM1 means for me, if anything. T-DM1 is the new drug that I plan to get in a clinical trial once I've finished my current cyberknife treatments. I think it's the right drug for me--pretty much the only drug, really--and there is a trial opening at the UW/SCCA soon (although THAT is held up in a committee, I'm told). In any case, the drug maker failed to win "accelerated approval" for T-DM1, "because all available treatment choices for metastatic breast cancer ... had not been exhausted."Well, here is one woman for whom all options HAVE been exhausted. But I'm not going to panic, because I don't think this news affects the clinical trial, but it might affect how soon the drug is available outsid... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3913263 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:29:57 +0100 3913263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876846&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fcancer-expensive-theyre-kidding-right.html Here's another one of those "duh" headlines. Or at least it's a big duh to those of us living with the disease of the crab.  Or should we call it "the crabby disease"? The "deadly crabby disease"? See: Cancer Is the World's Costliest Disease Doesn't that make me feel special? If I had a little more time this morning, I'd slide into a rant on The Cancer Industry and where the money really goes. I don't have all the hard numbers that I'd like to have, like how much money goes directly to cancer patients to help them deal with their illness, and how much goes to marketing the various competing cancer centers, and how much it costs to put on one teeny tiny clinical trial ...  Consider it ranted and carry on.&#016... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876846 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:11:19 +0100 3876846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761591&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fthe-best-cure-.html No, I haven't discovered a cure for cancer, sorry. But I do know the best cure for the state I've been in for the past few days, ever since Dr. Lee told me in a phone call on Tuesday that my cancer is progressing pretty much everywhere. At least, this is the best cure for me: And it is to TAKE ACTION.As I wrote yesterday, Dr. Lee's staff refused to get me in to see him so that I could get answers to my questions about the four tumors in my spine that are moving toward (or possibly pressing on) my spinal cord (you know, where all the nerves are). I also needed more info about the tumor in my sacrum that is causing the numbness and tingling down my left leg, and I wanted to tell him that I wanted to move ahead with all possible speed on getting into the T-DM1 tr... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761591 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:46:36 +0100 3761591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729875&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Findustry-sponsored-medical-education-should-big-pharma-buy-doctors-lunch%2F2010.07.06 “Appetite for Instruction: Why Big Pharma should buy your doctor lunch sometimes” is the headline of an article on Slate.com that has upset many readers. I’m not terribly upset about it because it just seems too naive and misinformed to get upset about. The final line of the piece tells you all you need to know about the tone of the column: “Ousting commercial support is creating a huge chasm in medical education, leaving doctors not only hungry but also starved for knowledge.” A number of online comments were posted in reaction to the piece. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729875 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:00:39 +0100 3729875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706675&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsgr-tired-of-congress-hitting-the-6-month-snooze-button%2F2010.06.28 I have not a single thing I want to write about today. I am weary of the obvious topic: the “passage” of the 6-month extension on the SGR, but do feel I need to comment. I am tired of this. I am tired of being jerked around by congress. I am tired of congress hitting the 6-month snooze button and somehow feeling that they are doing something good. This is procrastination, not a solution. Reassurances that something will be done are starting to be irrelevant. The problem is becoming the frustration, anger, and exhaustion that congress is thrusting upon doctors and patients, not the pay cut itself. The idea of no longer having to deal with the passive-aggressive tactics of congress is becoming increasingly appealing –- and if it’s this way for me, I’m sure it’s the s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706675 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:00:17 +0100 3706675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607770&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fthe-tdm1-road-trip-comes-to-seattle.html So, I've been on the phone with folks at Genentech the past couple of days. First with their clinical trials hotline, and then with a study coordinator in Highland, California, which is supposed to be the second site opening to give T-DM1 on expanded access. Now, Southern California is not as difficult a place for me to travel back and forth to as Florida, but I still had some reservations that I would be able to fly down there every three weeks for treatment and so on. I was pursuing it, however, and it looks like I made it through all the hoops (and there are a LOT of hoops), with the possible exception of my cancer progressing on my present regimen. I certainly thought it was progressing, but Dr. Lee apparently told the study coordinator, Tricia is her  name, that ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607770 Thu, 27 May 2010 17:18:12 +0100 3607770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595838&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fdialing-for-tdm1.html When I saw Dr. Lee last week, we talked some more about T-DM1, the new breast cancer drug now beginning to be available on an expanded access (or compassionate use) basis from Genentech.I told him that I couldn't go to Florida to get the drug, for all sorts of reasons, including the financial costs associated with flying there every three weeks, but also the costs in energy, emotional and physical. For where I'm at right now, the cross-country flight is a real barrier. We agreed to watch for a location on the West Coast--I was thinking if not Seattle, then San Francisco, because that is only a two-hour flight and I have friends in the Bay Area I can stay with. And I pledged myself to call the Genentech clinical trials hotline once a week for updates. So that is on my li... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595838 Mon, 24 May 2010 16:29:41 +0100 3595838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3569802&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-doctors-and-patients-dont-care-who-pays-for-it%2F2010.05.17 The essence of the moral hazard experience through a nice neighborly conversation: Neighbor: These allergies are killing me. Happy:  That’s terrible. I hope you feel better. Neighbor:  I tried Zyrtec but it wasn’t doing anything for me, so my doctor prescribed ’x.’ (inaudible drug name ) Happy:  Does it start with an ‘x?’ (The drugs name is Xyzal.) Neighbor:  Yes, it does. Happy: Oh, that drug (Xyzal) is nothing more than Zyrtec, which the company slightly changed the formula of and now they get to sell it as a patented medication at 10 times the price for the next 10 years. Neighbor: Oh, I didn’t know that. But you’re right. It was  $110.  Happy:  Did it help you with your allergies? Neighbor: Nope. Happy: I guess you just... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3569802 Mon, 17 May 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3569802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3542601&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-moonlighting-how-about-doctor-derby%2F2010.05.07 Medical moonlighting. That’s what you’d better be thinking about as the healthcare finance reform trap continues its destined pursuit of bankrupting America. The only possible outcome to all of this mess is the biggest man-made healthcare recession of all time that will make the current economic implosion look like a walk in the park. What are some possible second jobs for doctors? Every week I get offers to respond to surveys and telephone conferences by private industry asking for my opinions on up-and-coming pharmaceuticals. Just the other day I was offered $500 for a 90-minute interview. (That reminds me, I had better call them back!) Other second jobs for doctors? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist* (Source: Better Heal... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3542601 Fri, 07 May 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3542601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403892&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2010%2F03%2F24%2Fstupid-rules-written-by-stupid-people-to-punish-the-intelligent%2F In case you haven’t been f.ed in the ass by this one by your state’s controlled drug agency on this one yet, go ahead and get out the vaseline and bend over. My state’s “DEA” has announced their intentions of a new way to throw a wrench in pharmacy operations once again. As of April 1st, pharmacies can no longer add, edit, modify, change, or even WRITE on the face of a C-II prescription in my state. THE HELL YOU SAY! In the past, pharmacies could modify a few things, even on a C-II prescription. The way I remembered it was, “NAME-NAME-NAME.” We could NOT change (or add) the NAME of the patient, NAME of the drug, or NAME of the doctor. All other things could be added of omitted or edited of incorrect. This, in my opinion, is the best policy. It give... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403892 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:53:49 +0100 3403892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395247&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=37824&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.doctorkalitenko.com%2Fblog%2Fgeneral-health%2Fcan-you-really-trust-the-fda-and-pharmaceutical-companies Drugs that give us a quick fix, medications from the drug companies, could be giving us more than we bargained for, as we are learning in the many examples where drug companies are not telling the truth: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/26/another-drug-company-accused-of-hiding-negative-study-results/?mod=djemHL The Department of Justice’s complaint against the lab that markets Celexa and Lexapro has once again brought to the forefront that drug companies may be hiding bad results of their medications, while only releasing the better data. I don’t argue that we need drugs sometimes for a quick fix, but in the long run, natural solutions are the only thing that we can trust with our lives. www.clinicaltrials.gov was created to encourage drug companies to be open about their trials, m... Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395247 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:28:17 +0100 3395247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3354257&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fhealth-police-are-back-cholesterol.html Yet another mendacious headline from the biased BBC, this time slagging off GPs for "failing to give correct cholesterol targets".  It's the usual nonsense that results when medically untrained journalists misunderstand a bit of research, and want a cheap headline. And it does not come cheaper than the daily knee-jerk knocking of GPs in which a certain sort of journalist revels.Few journalists are medically trained and so, when they come across a health problem, they have to research it. Because they did not about it before, they automatically assume that that the main cause of the problem is that British family doctors did not know about it either. Medical journalists do not expect GPs to know about anything, because they think that the 40,000 + GPs in the UK are all incompetent. Hos... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3354257 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:15:00 +0100 3354257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3275811&cid=t_103189_93_f&fid=35707&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FHemodynamics%2F%7E3%2F20y7kywO9Jc%2Fblack-tar-heroin-coming-to-white-people.html Graph: Black tar heroin vs powder heroin, and HIV among injection drug users vs HIV among men who have sex with men, in a map of the US and Canada from Ciccarone and Bourgois 2003--click on the graph for a full-size picture.Black tar heroin is moving east, says the LA Times, in this first part of a three part article I'll be reading over the next days, being moved by folks from Xalisco, Mexico. The strategy described in the LA Times article involves low-profile low-weaponry low-volume operations targeting white people who've been using prescription opiates, and moving small cheap quantities of black tar heroin as an alternative to Oxycontin and Percocet. What will this mean for clinicians on the East Coast if the Xalisco teams and their ilk manage to continue moving black tar heroin eastwa... hemodynamics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3275811 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:08:00 +0100 3275811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254467&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2010%2F02%2F07%2Fyou-stupid-paper-card-is-just-that%2F Happy Super Bowl Day! I don’t watch much football. I’m a BASEBALL fan, myself, but I will get drunk and scre eat some wings with my wife. I know you’ve seen these stupid ass little paper cards floating around in magazines and periodicals. They are laid out like your standard insurance card, and they do a great job at tricking stupid people into thinking they are insurance cards. What I don’t understand is how someone could be so dense as to think that, “I bought a magazine / insurance policy last Tuesday. On Wednesday, I went to the pharmacy and got all my ’scripshuns filled up for free….that insurance I bought for $3.99 was awesome! Celebrex for free? DAAAYYYUUUMMM!” [You now hear and see me beating myself about the head with my stack of bat... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254467 Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:04:34 +0100 3254467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3248544&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2010%2F02%2F07%2Fyou-stupid-paper-card-is-just-that%2F Happy Super Bowl Day! I don’t watch much football. I’m a BASEBALL fan, myself, but I will get drunk and scre eat some wings with my wife. I know you’ve seen these stupid ass little paper cards floating around in magazines and periodicals. They are laid out like your standard insurance card, and they do a great job at tricking stupid people into thinking they are insurance cards. What I don’t understand is how someone could be so dense as to think that, “I bought a magazine / insurance policy last Tuesday. On Wednesday, I went to the pharmacy and got all my ’scripshuns filled up for free….that insurance I bought for $3.99 was awesome! Celebrex for free? DAAAYYYUUUMMM!” [You now hear and see me beating myself about the head with my stack of bat... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3248544 Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:04:34 +0100 3248544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172161&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fback-home-on-the-couch.html Just a quick post, because I'm tired, I'm in pain, and I had a long and complicated day of medical appointments. The good news is my cyberknife treatments finished today, and I have the four-color certificate to prove it! I could have done without that bit of levity, but maybe other patients feel differently. I also got a hug and a nice goodbye (with a handful of chocolates) from one of my technicians, and that was appreciated. He took good care of me, and made things easy for me, and I will never stop noticing the many people around me who behave like this.He did ask me if I was planning to celebrate tonight, and that hadn't even crossed my mind. When you have metastatic disease, the treatment never really stops, and in fact I have three weeks more of radiation sta... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172161 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:04 +0100 3172161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3115250&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fa-footnote-on-neratinib-and-russian-livers.html My favorite medical librarian sent me the link to a clinical trial that Wyeth is doing (or may have completed) on liver damage with neratinib. The thing that caught my eye is that the trial was conducted in RUSSIA. And one group of study participants (patients) were people with chronic liver disease and the other group were healthy people. (I sure hope these folks were compensated for putting their livers at risk!)It's a Phase I trial, so they are only testing the toxicity. I'll try to get newer info on the results of this trial, which was supposed to finish in March of this year. Here's the link: Neratinib Clinical Trial Liver Damage @ Jeanne Sather 2009.  (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient) The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3115250 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:24:25 +0100 3115250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3115251&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fresearching-neratinib.html I have an appointment with Dr. Lee this afternoon to discuss neratinib further. He is just back from the breast oncology meeting in San Antonio, and he should have information to share about neratinib from that meeting. I've spent the morning reading through some of the info that readers had forwarded to me, and I got some useful information from the breastcancer.org neratinib discussion board. All of these women are getting neratinib in a clinical trial, and some are getting a placebo--that would be a drag. Here's that link: Neratinib Clinical Trials Several women taking neratinib have had serious problems with diarrhea, which is the Number One issue with the drug. Some 85 percent of women who take it get diarrhea. Some of them were able to bring this under contr... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3115251 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:10:34 +0100 3115251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3105017&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F12%2F13%2Fall-things-being-equal%2F Prereading for this post:   Walgreens has POWER (80 COMMENTS!) I was going through some server logs and discovered something. This tid bit of information was shocking to me. The above post/link was and is being heavily monitored by Walgreens themselves. As you know, the bottom of each post I type has two links these days. One allows you to email a post to a friend using my server’s resources. The other link opens a printable copy of the post along with links and annotations. The email function is heavily used across the entire site — very heavily used…and it is also logged for security purposes. Today is the first day I’ve looked at said log since implementing the function and verifying it worked eons ago. It’s been used by a plethora of people. From student... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3105017 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:00:47 +0100 3105017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3004047&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fneratinib-something-may-be-happening-.html During all the drama of the past couple of weeks--my getting sick while out of town, ending up in the hospital, and then having to make a decision about radiating the new tumor in my head--my battle to get the drug neratinib on compassionate use grounds kind of fell by the wayside. I didn't forget about it, especially since the new tumor in my skull means my cancer progressed--once again--while I was on chemo, but I couldn't DO much about it until I was home and feeling better, which I am. And in any case, the next move was Dr. Lee's: He was supposed to call the oncologist at Wyeth/Pfizer, Dr. Anna Berkenbilt, to see if the drug company was willing to give me neratinib on compassionate use grounds. (I don't qualify for any of the clinical trials of this drug, be... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3004047 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:20:20 +0100 3004047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995989&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fgloomy-sunday.html I've been home from the hospital since Tuesday, but it doesn't seem like I've done much during that time. I spent a couple of days mostly in bed, and I really haven't had much appetite, which is not good. Still haven't unpacked my suitcase from my Omaha trip, and I have a stack of bills to pay and paperwork to sort out. Emotionally, I'm as strong as ever, but physically I'm kind of wobbly. I think the first two things I need to address are my diet and getting some moderate exercise. My friend Laurie took me to the grocery store yesterday, so I am stocked up on extra-healthy food. This is a time for great nutrition. As I write this, I am eating a bowl of made-from-real-oats oatmeal, with brown sugar and half and half. (I forgot to get raisins, a... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995989 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:41:15 +0100 2995989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954742&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F11%2Flung-cancer-headlines.html Remember, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among U.S. women. About 85 to 90 percent of lung cancer cases are among smokers, or people who smoked in the past. Hormone replacement therapy substantially increases the risk of lung cancer among post-menopausal women, especially women who smoke.More Scottish Women Dying of Lung Cancer The BBC has reported an increase in lung cancer deaths among women in Scotland. Over a 10-year period ending in 2008, lung cancer deaths among Scottish men declined by 21 percent, according to the BBC, but increased among women by 11 percent.Read: Rise in Female Lung Cancer Deaths Who Gets Treated Promptly? This kind of story always fries me, even though the results are just what I would expect: The time lapsed between a lung canc... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954742 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:25:46 +0100 2954742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2950959&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fthe-assertive-cancer-patient-joins-twitter.html I've resisted Facebook and other similar time-sucks, but Teri, The Cheeky Librarian, persuaded me that Twitter would be a good way to post updates on my upcoming battle to get neratinib on compassionate use grounds from Wyeth/Pfizer.Because Twitter posts, called "tweets," are so short, most of the time my tweets will be linking readers to the latest post on my blog about The Battle for Neratinib. I'm not sure yet if I can fit into the Twitter culture. When you go to the site, up pops a box that asks what you are doing, and you must answer in 140 CHARACTERS or less. Not 140 words, 140 characters, including any links you want to put in there. That's not much space, although the site does automatically compress links for you, which helps. The part of Tw... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2950959 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:12:43 +0100 2950959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2924934&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fthe-answer-from-wyethpfizer-is-no-sort-of.html I spent three days or so this past week researching the whole "compassionate use/expanded access" issue for neratinib, the new breast cancer targeted therapy that is now in clinical trials. And then I wrote a memo summarizing my findings and the steps my oncologist and I would have to take to get the drug ... most of this from the FDA's Web site and from e-mail exchanges with various people. Step One was for Dr. Lee, my oncologist, to talk to an oncologist at Wyeth (now part of Pfizer) to see if the drug company was willing to give me neratinib on compassionate use grounds since I do not qualify for a clinical trial. Dr. Lee called the Wyeth oncologist, Dr. Anna Berkenbilt, yesterday morning. And, not to drag this out, the answer was NO. Even tho... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2924934 Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:19:04 +0100 2924934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920442&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fneratinib-yet-one-more-hoop-.html You know, I think it's taking all the skills I learned in journalism school to manage this application to get neratinib on compassionate use/expanded access grounds. Another cancer patient who is working on getting neratinib for the same reason, a young (32) woman who lives in San Francisco, gave me the name of her contact at the FDA. So I e-mailed him this afternoon and told him what I had done so far, and then I asked for his input. He pointed out something that I hadn't known: "Any use of an investigational drug must be cleared through a local institutional review board (in addition to the FDA). If Dr. Lee does not practice through an institution with an IRB, it would be necessary to find an IRB through which he can seek clearance. Some of these IRBs are for-pro... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920442 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:00:43 +0100 2920442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920443&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fcompassionate-use-moving-right-along-.html I've been spending the morning reading through the FDA's new rules for getting a cancer drug on compassionate use grounds. The other term for this is "expanded access," and that seems to be the term the FDA prefers. As far as I can tell, they are the same thing. Here's the definition, from the FDA Web site: "Sometimes patients who have run out of options for treating their serious illness can get access to an unapproved, investigational drug, for the purpose of treatment, outside of the clinical trial. These are patients with a serious or life-threatening disease and no reasonable treatment alternatives, who, consulting with their health-care provider, believe that a specific investigational drug might help them. Under certain circumstances, FDA has t... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920443 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:01:30 +0100 2920443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916399&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fcompassionate-use-new-fda-rules.html Just two months ago, The FDA issued some new rules to help people like me gain access to "investigational drugs" that may help them. "Investigational drugs," in case you aren't up on the jargon, are drugs--like neratinib--that are somewhere in the clinical trial approval process, but have not yet been approved for general use. The "people like me" part is that I don't qualify to take part in a clinical trial, because I have had too much chemo in the past. The other "people like me" part is that I have a life-threatening illness, metastatic breast cancer. Last time we checked, the cancer that was first diagnosed in my right breast in 1998 and then spread to my bones two years later, is now in my right lung, lymph nodes in two... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916399 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:31:03 +0100 2916399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916400&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fneratinib-a-reply-from-wyeth-now-pfizer.html I had e-mailed some questions to the PR people at Wyeth, which makes neratinib, a couple of weeks ago, and re-sent the e-mail two days ago when I hadn't heard back. I finally received a reply yesterday, from a PR person, Danielle Halstrom, who apologized for not getting back to me sooner. She mentioned that Wyeth has been acquired by Pfizer, which someone else had told me, but I don't know what implications that will have for my getting neratinib from Wyeth on compassionate use grounds. (You can read the company's announcement of the acquisition here: Merger)I had asked when neratinib was expected to be approved, and Halstrom replied: "Neratinib has just entered Phase III development, so we cannot predict when it will be approved for use by patients... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916400 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:39:11 +0100 2916400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2894726&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fneratinib-compassionate-use-application.html My good friend Teri found the link to Wyeth's patient assistance Web page for doctors. Here's that link: Information for HCP "HCP," in case you aren't up on the jargon, means "health care professional."According to the Web site, these are the steps required to enroll a patient:1. Obtain an application and privacy authorization form (link provided).2. Complete the form with the patient.3. Write a prescription for up to a three-month supply of the medication, and specify up to three refills.4. Have the patient sign the privacy authorization form.5. Mail the application and the prescription to the address on the form. All things considered, this isn't too bad. (Of course, I haven't read through the application yet.)I would add this: Keep a c... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2894726 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:21:07 +0100 2894726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890888&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fneratinib-my-new-pen-pal.html My recent posts on neratinib have brought me a new pen pal, a Canadian woman who has breast cancer and is getting neratinib in a clinical trial. This is great for both of us, because we will have someone to compare notes with going forward. I haven't started on the drug yet. In fact, my next task is to find out how to get it on compassionate use grounds, because I don't qualify for any of the clinical trials, and I don't think I can wait until it is approved. If you have this info, please send it to me: jeanne.sather@gmail.comI'm feeling pretty wrung out: Older Son's birthday on Sunday was great, but by dinner time I was so tired that I couldn't really eat. And I felt like I was getting a cold. I spent all day yesterday in bed, and feel slightly be... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890888 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:54:04 +0100 2890888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807838&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35294&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.psa-rising.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F09%2Furologists-huddle-with-drug-companies-in-montreal-canada-meeting%2F the 4th C2 Academic Retreat (C2R) being organized jointly by the Canadian Urologic Oncology Group (CUOG) and the Canadian Urology Research Consortium (CURC) is scheduled for the weekend of September 25 to 27, 2009 at the fashionable hotel called W in Montreal. According to UroToday, “this three-day educational event will include provocative ‘Town Hall’ sessions [...] (Source: psa-rising.com/blog) psa-rising.com/blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807838 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:55:30 +0100 2807838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3105025&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F09%2F01%2Fwhat-a-putz%2F Yup…sure would hate to see that… To be completely honest, while I have my issues with them, Medicare and Medicaid are well-run programs. They allow their money to be spent all helter-skelter, they are the most efficient programs in the entire government. The overhead of CMS is abysmal compared to your other big players like BCBS, Paid, Anthem, and Caremark. I’m not sure why the post office is always busy. I’m not sure why the DMV is slow as hell — these are subcontracted out anyway, so blaming the government is stupid. It’s like blaming Dr.Reddy’s for having to wait too long for your Glimepiride in my pharmacy. You can see the video or the original comments in its entirety here. In all honesty, it was probably just a slip of the tongue. But, callin... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3105025 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:23:16 +0100 3105025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719686&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fwhich-side-are-you-really-on-jane-chin I received what is probably the most passionate email from a reader of this blog that I’ve ever gotten since creating NakedMedicine.com in 2006. The email concludes with this: I can’t figure out what your agenda is Ms Chin. Are siding with the poor hard working physicians who are fighting a losing battle with their idiot patient’s lifestyles? Are you siding with the tirelessly industrious pharmaceutical scientists who are selflessly dedicating their efforts to cure our ills? Are you siding with the poor neglected suffering individuals who are bravely pushing onward in their lives, struggling with disease, possible disease, possible pandemics, or just plain plainness requiring cosmetic medicine? Doctors, business, persons, for whom are you advocating? I was shocked by the ... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719686 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:42:29 +0100 2719686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660928&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fnot-sure-who-the-bad-guy-is-.html I went by the pharmacy at Northwest Hospital today to pick up a prescription for oral etoposide, one of two new cancer drugs that I'm adding to my regimen starting two weeks from today. At least I think I'm adding them ... When we pulled up at the pharmacy window, a staff person came over to explain that the pharmacy had not ordered the drug because the Medicare reimbursement was not sufficient to cover the cost. She said the pharmacy was not willing to eat the difference between the price of the drug and what Medicare would pay. I was supposed to get 14 pills of 50 mg. etoposide, and the cost was about $600. Medicare would pay less than $500, I was told. So I asked if I could pay the difference with my credit card, and was told no. The only alternativ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660928 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:46:22 +0100 2660928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634634&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fcollecting-data-have-you-ever-received-a-chemo-drug-for-free.html One of the ways pharmaceutical companies answer the criticism that cancer drugs are too expensive is to say that they will give the drug for free to anyone who can't afford it. That reply is disingenuous, at best. As we cancer patients know all too well, the path to getting a needed drug for free is a long and tortuous one, and many, if not most, cancer patients give up before they reach the goal. Drug companies also refuse to say how many cancer patients they have helped with free drugs, so I'm starting my own research project. If you are a cancer patient living in the United States and have ever received a cancer drug for free through a drug company patient assistance program, please get in touch. I want to hear from you. E-mail me: jeanne.sather@gma... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634634 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:02:47 +0100 2634634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2601977&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fpharma-offering-lifestyle-drugs-power-will-shift-to-patient-customers You’ve probably seen it coming – smelled hints of it on TV – pharmaceutical companies are getting into what we call “lifestyle drugs”; products that focus on “enhancing” your life rather than “extending” it. Yes, there is a big difference, and you may think that “extending” life pays big, “enhancing” life may pay even BIGGER. (just ask the Botox people.) It’s only a matter of time before pharmaceutical companies shift their focus from “therapeutic intervention” to “lifestyle / recreation” because they now deal with a ready-and-willing customer base who are willing to pay. This also creates a more dramatic shift: one of bargaining power from the physicians to the patients. Eventually,... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2601977 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:20:51 +0100 2601977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2550211&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fpharma-industrys-job-is-not-disease-prevention-thats-your-job I’ve heard the argument, so have you. “Those evil pharma companies aren’t interested in prevention! They want people to get sick and stay sick because that’s how they make their money! On the drugs!” Recently I had railed against the pharma companies that are capitalizing on increasing trends of people using certain prescription drugs as “lifestyle drugs” – not to mention appearing on the Wall Street Journal this past Friday to rail against pharma companies that abuse the role of medical science liaisons, so I have my own pet peeves and criticisms with pharma. What irks me is when a criticism about any industry is not based on a fundamental flaw in that industry, but is simply born of politicking sensationalizing this-is-how-I-get-more-reader... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2550211 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:12:57 +0100 2550211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512257&cid=t_103189_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fnot-all-drug-pushers-are-standing-on-the-corner%2F Many of you, our friends who visit us frequently, have expressed concern and exasperation over all the ads on TV and in magazines from the pharmaceutical companies. They have the pretty girls, the singing birds, the sunshine and very robust individuals extolling the virtues of a particular new drug. Our families and friends seem to be more taken in by the ads than we are. It reminds me of all the candy they sell beside the gossip magazines at the supermarket checkout. The candies are for the kiddies to beg off Mommy and the magazines, well, they’re just trash for the brain. Since the drug companies in this country are the largest lobby group in Washington, they have a lot to sell. When their main line drugs reach the termination age and are allowed to become generic, they lose money.... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512257 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:11:49 +0100 2512257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441451&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F05%2F30%2Ftheres-a-kick-me-sign-on-pharmacys-back%2F I guess we’re the flavor of the month as the douchbags and assholes are coming out of the woodwork to take a cheap shot at our lovely profession. A loyal reader, known only as Bond, sent me the link to an article titled, “The Great Drug Switcheroo.” This piece of shit article published by “Prevention Magazine” (which has been around since the 50’s). The tagline is, “Your pharmacist may be changing your medication without your knowledge–and what you don’t know could hurt you. Here’s how to stay safe.” Once again, the man behind the counter in the white coat is trying to KILL you — not trying to help you achieve optimal results from your drug therapy. It begins with a story of a lady diagnosed with epilepsy who had troub... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441451 Sat, 30 May 2009 05:46:57 +0100 2441451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441253&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Frare-disease-research-gets-nih-funding%2F Drug companies are always keen to get on the bandwagon when it comes to diseases that affect millions. Makes sense, I guess. After all, when you running a business, you want to create product that will be used by the masses. Unfortunately, that leaves a lot of rare and neglected diseases (around 6,000 according to the NIH) under researched and under treated because they only occur in a small percentage of the population. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is hoping to change this with a influx of funds - to the tune of $120 million over five years - through a new program called Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) This program has been set up to support and encourage researchers in government, academic, and companies to focus on the often called ‘orphan diseases.’ Bu... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441253 Thu, 28 May 2009 01:47:49 +0100 2441253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414761&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Ffemale-sexual-dysfunction-pharmas-next-lifestyle-market I’m posting this from one of Steve Woodruff’s blog posts that I shared via my Facebook profile, which turned into a full blown debate between me, Dmitriy Kruglyak, and Yvette - one of my FB friends. Jane Chin’s Profile Jane Chin I’m pro-pharma, but I’m NOT happy w/ female sexual dysfunction disease mongering I expect to see from pharmacos! http://ow.ly/4xQH Dmitriy Kruglyak at 8:18am April 30 Where do you draw the line between “disease mongering” and “disease awareness”? Jane Chin at 8:21am April 30 When the ‘awareness” generated makes patients who otherwise are not candidates for the drug pressure docs to write the Rx. Dmitriy Kruglyak at 8:23am April 30 Ah, but who gets to decide “who are the candidates” and wh... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414761 Sun, 17 May 2009 04:56:10 +0100 2414761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405245&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F05%2F14%2F7-to-10-of-the-10-things-your-pharmacist-wont-tell-you%2F The first part of this post containing number 1 to 6 can be found at: http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2009/05/12/1-to-6-of-10-things-your-pharmacist-wont-tell-you/ Let’s get back to ripping this bitch up… [The Article was originally published in "Smartmoney Magazine" on April 28th, 2009. No primary author was identified -- that was smart...otherwise I would be CALLING him/her.] Update: Their main source for information is a man named Larry Sasich of Pennsylvania. I visited the PA Board of Pharmacy and he is NOT a registered pharmacist in the state of PA. Way to verify your sources there Smartmoney.com — BTW, I’m sure he’s a nice man and very smart. You can’t be an idiot and make it to his position at what seems to be a very innovative, accredited  ... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405245 Thu, 14 May 2009 09:23:50 +0100 2405245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375906&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fhow-to-see-through-pharma-ad-bs Like all marketing campaigns, the aim of any pharma advertisement is to get you to think that you need a certain product or a service. I understand that all pharma companies will say that they want to educate patients on the condition first and foremost, but I guarantee that when pharma companies are forking over multimillion dollar checks to ad agencies, they’re looking for more product sales as a return on investment (ROI). This is not a “bad” thing - this is business. Let’s say you’re an inventor and you created a program that would improve the amount of sassing teenagers give to their parents. Would you pay an agency half of your annual paycheck so that parents can be educated about the prevalence of sassing by teenagers? NO! You want parents to buy your ... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375906 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:49:26 +0100 2375906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349564&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fgood-story-in-the-ny-times.html Yesterday's New York Times had a good story about cancer patients struggling to pay for chemo drugs that come in pill form. I've been living that story ever since I went on Medicare, because Medicare Part B won't pay for Tykerb--which is a pill--as it does for my Herceptin, gemcitabine, and other cancer drugs. The monthly copay for Tykerb is $1,600, more than my monthly income of $1,000 from Social Security Disability. One twist to the whole thing, which the NYT missed in its story, is that Medicare Part B WILL pay for the oral form of drugs that come in both pill and IV form, because the pill form is cheaper. But if the drug comes only in pill form, as does Tykerb, the patient is out of luck. One piece of good news in the story that I hadn't k... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349564 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:55:23 +0100 2349564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306849&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fwe-already-have-been-personalizing-medicine By Jane Chin, Ph.D. Let’s take the trend of “personalized medicine” to start. Yes, gene-based and protein-based medicines sound alluring. We talk about targeted therapies like they’re silver bullets against deadly diseases, when we still don’t know of the long term effects of many small molecule and biologics as medicines. All that talk about personalized medicine and how wonderful it would be if we were to have drugs tailored for us? We’ve been doing that for years! Yet pharma has been providing a level of “personalized” medicine for years, which has created its reputation as a greedy industry with “mediocre” innovation as perceived by its critics. Critics ask why we need yet another statin? Do we really need to have that many an... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306849 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:05:25 +0100 2306849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285063&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F03%2F20%2Fdrug-companies-corrupt-no%2F By NO, I mean yes… DRUG COMPANY CORRUPT We all know my thoughts on this, and recently Zyprexa paid out some BIG BUCKS because they pushed off label uses. It is now mega illegal for a drug rep to even utter the words off-label to a physician. Thanks to WILL for sending this to me… -=+=- BONUS: A lady bitch pissed me off today for standing at the register after I told her 15 minutes. After about 2 minutes of standing at the register I said, “Ma’am, it’s gonna be a while. If you wanna have a seat, I’ll hollar at you when we’re done.” Her response? “I don’t have time for that. If I walk away from this counter you all will just lolligag around, and it will never get done. I have to keep my eye on you.” In her honor, we now have t... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285063 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:03:35 +0100 2285063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222375&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fdrug-repositories-a-question.html While I was in Hawaii, I had an assignment to write a short article about drug repositories, which is one of my hot topics. But as I was researching and writing the story, I realized that I have never--make that NEVER--known a cancer patient who got a drug he or she needed from a drug repository. That startled me, because I've heard from many cancer patients who were struggling to find a way to pay for the drugs they needed. But never from one who said, "I got what I needed from a drug repository."Nevermind that 37 states, and Oregon may soon be Number 38, have passed legislation creating drug repositories. Only about one-third of these states actually have them up and running, and most of the cancer patients who read my blog have never heard of them. So, if... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222375 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:23:24 +0100 2222375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182898&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F02%2F12%2Fi-sold-a-toddler-shirt-today%2F …this kid’s mom and I are BOTH going to hell… Who am I kidding? We all know DADDY bought this shirt! http://www.zazzle.com/daddy_sells_drugs_to_buy_me_diapers_tshirt-235134855981866590 (Source: The Angriest Pharmacist) The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182898 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:20:18 +0100 2182898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182899&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F02%2F11%2Fresponse-to-my-obama-letter%2F Below is a response to the popular OBAMA DREAM LETTER that had some very intriguing thoughts and points I wanted to share. Hey, Im messaging you directly cos this will be far too long for a reply to the blog, and Im prone to rambling. Number one, please please send your letter to Obama. Its a brilliant and well thought out letter, and worst case, it gets ignored, you lose nothing. But you never know, stranger things happen than someone somewhere up high reading it and at least considering things. It may well get directed on to someone and cause pause for thought. I know the odds are small but hey.. I sent the LINK to the letter through their contact form. Anyone else is welcome to print it (via the print icon) and send it in — that way the comments are included as well. I wondered if... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182899 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:04:10 +0100 2182899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160288&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Flobbying-in-olympia.html I always thought that my prescription drug information was private, kind of like my medical records, but it turns out that it's not. Marketers of prescription drugs have been buying patient information from pharmacies--your name, address, and the names of the meds you take--and using them to market their products directly to you. I've gotten phone calls and letters of this kind, from the Tykerb folks, actually.  There is a loophole in HIPAA that allows this. So when I heard that legislation had been introduced in Washington state to ban this practice, I decided it was worth my time to lobby in favor of the bill. Yesterday I went to Olympia, the state capital, to testify before a House committee, and ended up doing an interview with KING5 News as well. ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160288 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:59:37 +0100 2160288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2156329&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Flobbying-in-olympia.html I'll write more about this tomorrow, but right now I'm tired. Luckily, KING-5 News did a piece about what we did today, so I don't have to.Here's the link: Bill Would Close Loophole (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient) The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2156329 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:59:37 +0100 2156329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2132560&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F01%2F25%2Fanother-rule-or-two-to-circumvent%2F I’m excited. We’ve got more rules to break or circumvent. Are you? http://tinyurl.com/NoMorePens — News Article http://tinyurl.com/BigPharma — Members of PhRMA As you all may have heard, certain pharmaceutical companies have recently adopted a new “ETHICS POLICY” banning all gift-giving to prescribers. They are still allowed, however, to disperse “EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL” as well as meals for “office-based lessons.” [I read this as "LOTION" for "HANDJOBS" or "BREASTS" for "GAWKING' AT" -- with the lotion being slapped with a FORTAMET sticker, of course!] We all know that this is horseshit (what Pharma said — what I said is right on the money). While they cannot give away pens, clocks, stress balls, calendars, scissors, stapler... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2132560 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:00:29 +0100 2132560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2125221&cid=t_103189_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fdrug-marketers-invading-our-privacy.html I get so much cancer-related mail (bills, explanations of benefits, notices that I've been sent to collections for bills I don't owe, etc.) that I'm tempted to weigh this mail and see how much paper my cancer generates in a year. And that's just to my home, of course. My files with my doctors are in multiple volumes, at three or four different cancer centers. That's a lot of paper.I try to sort and file this paper once a month, pulling out the problem issues (like EOB that say I owe money), to be dealt with all in a batch on a day when I have good energy and can get up a head of steam. So it's not surprising that I didn't realize what some of these letters (and, occasionally, phone calls) really were. It took another cancer patient advocate to ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2125221 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:25:04 +0100 2125221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2104687&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F01%2F15%2Fdrugs-are-expensive-call-the-wambulance%2F This post is a rebuttal to a post located HERE. I think the post is well written, and I think the blog author is probably a nice person (And I love the concept of her blog). S/he just doesn’t know some things about the pharmaceutical industry, and I am going to fill in the blanks…I’d like to thank ‘Odublar’ for sending me the link. I am going to respond to each paragraph/thought individually and my comments are, of course, in bold as they are the most important… -=+=- With prescription drugs, sometimes it’s a choice between going into debt or staying sick. I’m sure this is not new news: Prescription drug costs are out of control. We are at the mercy of the pharmaceutical industry, insurance companies, physicians and druggists in the care of our own h... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2104687 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:34:45 +0100 2104687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074630&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2008%2F12%2F29%2Fzolpi-whaaaat%2F I got a note from The Ole Apothecary about a new drug he got wind of after reading my old post, Removing the Wool. TaestP, I can’t remember if you were the one who was blogging about ripoff prescription drugs such as Treximet or Solodyn. How about adding Zolpimist to the list? http://www.novadel.com/pipeline/zolpimist.htm I’ll just let you ponder this one. I’m glad he brought this to my attention. This is yet another product that serves no purpose other than to milk the public dry. It’s ridiculous how a company could do this and continue to remain a respected corporate citizen. It just doesn’t make any sense. “Faster absorption - quicker to reach steady state.” What a crock a shit! So, you take an Ambien - you fall asleep in 45 minutes. You spray s... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074630 Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:00:06 +0100 2074630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1981117&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2008%2F11%2F22%2Fthe-longer-i-typed-on-this-the-more-i-raged%2F Imitrex (Sumatriptan) 100mg Tablets #9  —- $250.84 -Exclusivity Patent runs out Feb 6, 2009 Treximet (Sumatriptan/NAPROXEN) 85/500mg Tablets #9 —- $222.72 -Approved April 15, 2008 - Exclusive for 3 more years on combo. Well, Imitrex is going off patent, and Dr. Reddy’s is itching to get into that generic migraine therapy market that is currently absolutely DOMINATED by ridiculously expensive name brand medications. As you can see above, these fucking things are $27 PER TABLET. As you might have expected, now that Imitrex is going to have an AB-rated generic equivalent, it is complete junk and no longer efficacious for migraine headaches (with or without aura). So, what comes to mind when you see what GlaxoSmithKline is doing here? To me, I think of the assraping of Ameri... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1981117 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:30:38 +0100 1981117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1868615&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2008%2F10%2F10%2Fnon-drowsy-claritin%2F “My husband has been sick for the last month. He’s had a really bad congestion, headache, sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, and been unable to sleep. We’ve tried a bunch of stuff. Does he need to try that Mucinex stuff I’ve been seeing ads for?” “No, no…absolutely not. Mucinex is for chest congestion, and based on what you told me, your husband is not having that problem. First, is he taking any prescription medicines? [NO]. Okay then. What have you tried?” “Well, we’ve tried the Tylenol cold stuff [There's no telling which product they got], and he’s been taking 24-hour Wal-Phed.” “I think he’s probably having some allergy problems — It’s not a cold since it’s been going on for a month. I&#8... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1868615 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:00:51 +0100 1868615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700995&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Fwe-got-a-hotshot-here%2F So this guy flew off at the mouth in the comments on Circle of Spite by my former accomplice, Lil Laura. Here’s his comment and below that is my rebuttal. Hey, I think it is important that patients be given the same brand that they have been taking. Its not the same, no matter what you learn in pharmachology school. Studies show that two brands of the same drug can vary as much as 20% in concentration. That is a big deal if your epilepsy dosage is a carefull balance of seizure control and side effects, or if you are taking psychiatric medications whereby flucutating concentrations can lead to mental instability. 20% can be a big deal and patients diserve reliabaility. Taking the same brand may at least lessen the likelyhood of dosage differences or drug release patterns in the case o... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700995 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:02:41 +0100 1700995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1502618&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fmost-doctors-dont-recommend-their-own-profession Dan Abshear Lately in the media, others have said and expressed concern about the apparent shortage of primary care doctors, most notably. Typically, the main reason stated for this shortage is lack of pay of this particular specialty compared with others chosen by potential physicians. Yet considering the additional attention of shortages of students in some medical schools, one may ask the question as to whether or not people want to be any type of doctor in the first place in the United States. About one third of their lives are spent achieving the requirements of this profession. Reasons for not choosing to enter this profession are several and valid. There is the issue of long hours- with primary care in particular because of the apparent lack of doctors of this specialty. Such doctor... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1502618 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:39:56 +0100 1502618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1492125&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fprovenge-and-fda By Dan Abshear Terminal patients are those who are not expected to live due to usually illness such as advanced prostate cancer (cT3). If the patient has 6 months or less to live, those patients are considered terminally ill. Regardless, if a patient is terminal, they are without a cure or tolerable treatment for their illness. Since such patients will likely die in a short period of time, treatment options, even if unproven, are often desired by such patients. This is understandable, because at such a severe stage of illness, such as prostate cancer, possible extension of their lives with comfort is worth it to them, regardless of lack of evidence of proof of whatever treatment that may be advantageous to them regarding these issues. The FDA, however, claims authority on the treatment opt... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492125 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:44:47 +0100 1492125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1356503&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fprescription-drug-costs-cause-problems%2F Results of a poll released in March showed that many Americans have trouble paying for their medicines and that they sometimes don’t take them as prescribed because of their cost. The poll, conducted by USA Today newspaper, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, found that 50 percent of Americans take at least one prescription medication daily and that 19 percent are taking four or more prescription drugs. But four out of ten people said that it’s at least somewhat of a problem to pay for the medicines with 16 percent saying it’s a serious problem. Moreover, three in 10 didn’t fill at least one prescription during the two years prior to the survey because of cost and 23 percent said that they have cut pills in half or skipped doses in order to make th... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1356503 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:09:14 +0100 1356503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1187113&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F1%2F30%2Fin-praise-of-the-old-fashioned-diuretics-are-still-the-best.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.DWhen I was a (relatively) young resident training in Internal Medicine we, the hot shot residents in an elite medical school, used to indulgingly sneer at our attending physicians when they would recommend some passé treatment, like the quaint diuretics ( for heaven’s sake!) for hypertension. Haven’t they heard of ACE inhibitors, or calcium channel inhibitors, or at the very least an old fashioned beta blocker? In fact, today’s hypertensives, especially those who also have the metabolic syndrome, are a walking pharmacopea-they take all of the above. Now, I am not arguing here that the other drug groups should not be used in the management of hypertension, especially the ones refractive to diuretics. But a study in the latest Archive of Inter... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1187113 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:00:04 +0100 1187113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1076626&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2007%2F12%2F06%2Fmedicare-part-d-wtf%2F I received this email through the pharmacist-grape vine. -=+=- From:[Contact TheAngriestPharmacist for Sender’s Email] To: rick.larsen@mail.house.gov Subject: Medicare Part D Merry Go Round 2008 Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:57:54 -0800 11/28/2007 Representative Rick Larsen United States House of Representatives 1529 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Rick: From time to time you have been able to stop in our pharmacy when on Lopez Island and I always felt you listened to our concerns about health care. I thought I’d share with you what I call the Medicare Part D Merry-Go-Round. Each year the Medicare patient must reevaluate their respective Medicare Part D drug plan, only because the coverage that they had during the current year can and does ... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1076626 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:38:59 +0100 1076626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1081601&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fdevice-company-payouts-mostly-royalties Regarding, “Device Companies Post How Much They Paid Orthopedic Surgeons” today’s Health Blog revealed that the millions of dollars paid to orthopedic surgeons are mostly in the form of royalty payments (74% of total payouts), at least, for Zimmer: Zimmer’s CFO broke down his company’s payments during a talk today at a Piper Jaffray health-care conference. According to a slide in the CFO’s presentation, 74% of the outlays were for royalties, 11% for consulting, 10% for “research & clinical” work, 4% for “education & other” and 1% for travel and expenses, Dow Jones reports. Source: Health Blog If the docs did indeed own the intellectual property that device companies are licensing to use, then royalty payments make perfect sense. Still, from the bl... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1081601 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:42:25 +0100 1081601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1033453&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F11%2F17%2Fvaccines-vs-antibiotics-which-is-better.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D In 1796 Dr. Edward Jenner performed an experiment that today would have got him expelled from his Medical Society, and maybe even landed them in jail. He vaccinated a boy against smallpox by pricking his arms with pus taken from the sores of a milkmaid with cowpox, a closely related but milder disease. He based this audacious experiment on his astute observation that milkmaids, who had been exposed to cowpox, never contracted smallpox. Let’s not forget what smallpox meant in those days—it meant an almost 100% chance of death. Could anybody have guessed that this observation would become the first harbinger of the field of Immunology? It took over 200 years before another vaccine was created; in 1914 a vaccine against whooping cough was introduced. But t... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1033453 Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:17:29 +0100 1033453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1081602&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Frls-anti-ad-video-is-as-bad-as-drug-company-dtc A Consumer Reports video of the Requip DTC ad (another drug used to treat RLS, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline) has been published. Let me first state that I’ve seen the Requip ad in question many times when I watch TV, and each time I have the same negative reaction to the ad. This means I have some negative personal bias against the ad itself and the way the company is marketing this to consumers en masse. That said, I decided not to go to the drug company’s “defense video”, which may predispose me to additional bias, and I present my analysis of the anti-ad video by Consumer Reports. A young woman is seen in the ad to go through the drug company’s ads line by line. She comments on the statements made by the drug company ad. She doesn’t really “... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1081602 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:01:40 +0100 1081602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1081603&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2Fstronger-warnings-on-heart-failure-risk-for-avandia-and-actos-type-drugs Update: “FDA Adds Boxed Warning for Heart Attacks to Anti-Diabetes Drug Avandia. Agency says drug to remain on market, while safety assessment continues” The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring some Type 2 diabetes drugs to change its product label to include a heart failure risk warning. This “boxed” warning emphasizes that the class of thiazolidinedione drugs may cause or worsen heart failure in certain patients. Drugs in this class included Avandia (rosiglitazone), Actos (pioglitazone) Avandaryl (rosiglitazone and glimepiride), Avandamet (rosiglitazone and metformin), and Duetact (pioglitazone and glimepride). These drugs are currently approved in the US for treating type 2 diabetes in combination with diet and exercise. Postmarketing surveillance ... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1081603 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:27:24 +0100 1081603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=928758&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F10%2F5%2Fthe-age-of-individual-medicine-is-dawning.html  By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.DHere is some exciting news from the Biotech world: the time is fast approaching when your personal DNA sequence will be readily available. So what’s the big deal? Read on.The human genome projectIn 2003, the first complete genetic blueprint was published with great fanfare (President Bush, believe it or not, was present at the announcement). At the time, scientific pundits, journalists, and self-appointed crystal ball-gazers, fell over each other proclaiming the benefits of this scientific feat. Indeed, the possibilities were, and still are, simply huge. People expected the advances to come tumbling down almost immediately; it did not happen. Why? Money! It cost about 3 billion dollars to complete the first sequencing in 2003. At that price, it would hav... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=928758 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:10:13 +0100 928758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=809996&cid=t_103189_107_f&fid=36045&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbayblab.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fdrug-marketing-regulations.html Bayman previously touched upon advertizing regulation in his comments here. The Globe and Mail has an article about the history of pharmaceutical advertizing laws and some of the surrounding issues (sorry, subscription required). Believe it or not, ads for prescription drugs are illegal in Canada (over-the-counter meds can still be marketed). Since 1954, the Food and Drugs Act has banned the advertizing of prescription drugs "to protect the purchasing consumer against injury to health, and against deception." CanWest Global is currently launching an assault on these laws in the courts, claiming they violate free speech. So why do we see so many horny elderly couples on TV, sneaking away for some afternoon delight under the shadow of a Cialis or Viagra logo?The answer lies in a loophole bui... Bayblab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=809996 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:52:00 +0100 809996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=803697&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D67 New England Journal of Medicine recently published a paper looking at “A Decade of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs”, where the study authors looked at pharma company spending on DTC advertising and physician promotion in the past 10 years (1996-2006). The authors also looked at the FDA regulation of drug advertising during this time. While drug companies’ promotional spending went from $11.4 billion (1996) to $29.9 billion (2005) where DTC ad expenditures grew by 330%, this made up “only” 14% of the almost $30 billion in drug companies’ promotional spend. On the other hand, FDA’s warning letters fell from 142 in 1997 to 21 in 2006. The authors speculate this could either be due to drug companies becoming better behaved and play... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=803697 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:00:26 +0100 803697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=799274&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D66 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring some Type 2 diabetes drugs to change its product label to include a heart failure risk warning. This “boxed” warning emphasizes that the class of thiazolidinedione drugs may cause or worsen heart failure in certain patients. Drugs in this class included Avandia (rosiglitazone), Actos (pioglitazone) Avandaryl (rosiglitazone and glimepiride), Avandamet (rosiglitazone and metformin), and Duetact (pioglitazone and glimepride). These drugs are currently approved in the US for treating type 2 diabetes in combination with diet and exercise. Postmarketing surveillance of these drugs is required by the FDA as a condition of approving these drugs and making them available on market. Postmarketing reports have shown cases of warning s... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=799274 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:27:24 +0100 799274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=794249&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2007%2F08%2F12%2Fpseudoephedrine-sucks-big-floppy-donkey-dick%2F I absolutely hate PSE. If I could fake a study and say it causes cancer and heart attacks, I wouldn’t hesitate a second. Here’s the most enlightening thing you’ll hear all day, I know how to fix the problem. PSE cannot be sold anymore in it’s pure salt form. Done. Combo drugs are okay. People cooking meth will have a hell of a time trying to extract loratadine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or a -pheniramine from the pseudoephedrine. I would doubt it could be done…if it’s possible, it wouldn’t be easy or cost-effective. You want pure PSE? Get a script. Make it a legend drug…it doesn’t need to be controlled - then all the NP and FNPs wouldn’t be able to prescribe it. Seriously - how hard is that solution? Why isn’t it done yet? ... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=794249 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 21:47:29 +0100 794249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=767598&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D58 I’ve been tracking the various developments and commentaries on the controversy surrounding diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline). For those of you interested in background information and commentaries relating to the use of Avandia and increased risk for heart disease, as well as the affordability of chronic medications like diabetes drugs, I’ve compiled a short reading list including abstracts to the original research articles to help you get started. Please read my conflict of interest disclosure at the end of this article. (more…) (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=767598 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:11:53 +0100 767598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=763039&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D57 … And as the geniuses at Pfizer’s marketing department go with this latest “Viva Viagra” ad, I don’t blame the doctors. thanks to Vincent for the link. (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=763039 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:42:24 +0100 763039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=742622&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D55 First it’s zapping bad memories (see previous article) and now - monthly periods for women. Gents, you may think of this post as “for ladies only” but keep reading: this has general biological implications for either gender. Did you know that a small percentage - 8% according to this NYT report - of women have such painful periods that the condition qualifies as a disorder? Enter Wyeth - a company manufacturing a pill that will zap debilitating periods - “forever”. (more…) (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=742622 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:41:39 +0100 742622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=737539&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F16%2Fsfda-official-executed-for-accepting-bribes%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Daily News, Opinion, SupportFormer head of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), was executed for taking bribes in return for approving the use of certain medicines. No, you didn't miss anything. The SFDA to which the news story refers is in China. At ease, boys- you're all safe (for now). Mike Adams of NewsTarget explains in his cartoon that the FDA is a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the American people. The agency is so deeply entangled in protecting drug company profits and corporate interests that it has utterly abandoned its mission of protecting the people. In fact, bribery is routine in the United States drug approval process. A policy exists that allows FDA decision panel experts -- the people who ... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=737539 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 737539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=707389&cid=t_103189_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fhappy-birthday-to-this-blog.html It's been a year since I started this blog and almost exactly a year to the day after I started this blog, it got chosen as a Diabetes Information "Top Ten" site by healthcenteral.com. Gotta love that!The other major development has been that, for some reason beyond human understanding, the Wall Street Journal has been featuring a link to this blog on all its health-related articles, even when they have nothing to do with the subject of the blog. This, of course, means that I'm getting a lot of traffic from people whose only interest in health is financial, and that investors, like those who participate on the discussion board, "Investors Village," regularly denounce me for what has to be the delusional belief that my blog postings are sending the value of their Amylin or Pfizer stocks low... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=707389 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 12:51:00 +0100 707389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=700734&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D51 Gardiner Harris of New York Times wrote about Vermont’s disclosure of the amount of funds that the states doctors received from drug companies. While the focus was on psychiatrists, because they received top total dollars, I was particularly intrigued that endocrinologists as a specialty followed a close second. Those of you familiar with the field (I briefly worked in the field when I was a pharma employee) know that compared to psychiatrists, endocrinologists are a much smaller group as a specialty. Still, I was concerned that psychiatrists earn so much money from drug companies because in general, doctors can earn money from drug companies mainly through consulting fees (including speaking fees) or from participating in clinical trials. In neuroscience, clinical trials tend to be... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=700734 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:10:33 +0100 700734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=698179&cid=t_103189_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2007%2F06%2F26%2Fomacormaybe-its-not-a-bad-idea%2F For the first time in my life, I am rather glad I listened to a drug rep today. She was pushing Omacor (which is being renamed Lovaza in the coming weeks/months). She was telling my how it’s $20 on BCBS, $30 on this plan, etc etc. I butted in with, “Why should my customers pay $115 a month for this when it’s on the OTC shelf for $20?” — She had dealt with my kind before. She offered to go grab a few off the shelf for comparison. I’d never really cared enough to compare the various Omega-3’s. Omacor is about 3.5 times as potent as most brands on the shelf per dose (OTC’s require 2 capsules per dose) - So, 1 Omacor = 3 or 4 OTC. The OTC bottles only say to take 2, BTW. So, essentially, you’d have to take up to 12 caps a day to equal 3 Oma... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=698179 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 03:24:01 +0100 698179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=683228&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D49 I was wondering about the rash of recent television ads for a product called “Alli”. It was obviously a diet product, but I wasn’t sure if it was an herbal supplement or prescription drug. The tone of the ad sounded more like an herbal supplement, and the multi-colored lettering on the bottle looked gimmicky. Turns out that Alli is the over the counter (OTC) version of an old drug called Xenical. Some side effects associated with Xenical: Oily Spotting, Flatus with Discharge, Fecal Urgency, Fatty/Oily Stool, Oily Evacuation, Increased Defecation, Fecal Incontinence. In layman’s terms: your butt “leaks” oil, you may expect to have sh*tty farts, you may expect to have the sh*ts (and when you do you’d better pray you’re near a bathroom because y... NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=683228 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:32:04 +0100 683228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=674821&cid=t_103189_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F6%2F14%2Fthe-cognitive-dissonance-of-conflicted-care.html Here is the first post of new TDWI writer, Brian Klepper, PhD -- a different kind of doctor, true, but one who knows the health care industry inside and out.  Dr. Klepper is the Founding Director of the Center for Practical Health Reform, a broad-based non-partisan effort to re-establish stability and sustainability to American health care.  He is also an independent health care analyst. Here you go:  The cognitive dissonance of conflicted careA few days ago the New York Times ran yet another article exploring the deep financial conflicts in oncology drug prescribing. This one described two facts.First, even though Medicare has limited the profits of oncologists who prescribe drugs, Medicare’s total cancer care expenditures keep rising because oncologists have fou... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=674821 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:11:47 +0100 674821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=645239&cid=t_103189_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fcorrupt-drug-regulator-sentenced-to.html Zheng Xiaoyu, who served as director of China’s Food & Drug Administration from its founding in 1998 until mid 2005, was sentenced to death after investigation showed that he had accepted bribes to allow the selling of what he knew to be dangerous drugs that killed at least 10 people.Our media treats this like it was another example of Chinese excess.But you have to ask yourself: why does our legal system land so heavily on the person who shoots a gun or drives a getaway car, while giving a pass to the executive who approves the fraudulent study used to approve the dangerous drug or who decides to hide the in-house data that shows his company's drug is causing people to die unnecessarily?The person who has a heart attack after taking Arcoxia is just as dead as the person shot by a dr... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=645239 Tue, 29 May 2007 13:33:00 +0100 645239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=602481&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fdollars-for-docs-more-scrutiny-needed.html My fellow blogger Peter Rost over at Question Authority continues to milk an Astrazeneca internal newsletter for stories. First it was the Zubillaga Affair, then the Missy Moran's MUMS Miasma, followed by The Pink Cupcake Caper. Now it's the Doctor Freedland Fee Fest! (Sorry, doc, your name will forever be linked to this issue in Google searches.)"Medical Bags of Money"The Astrazeneca newsletter reports that Dr. Stephen Freedland -- faculty member of the Duke University School of Medicine -- was number one among the "Top 3" Casodex (a prostate cancer drug) speakers in 2006, speaking 68 times on behalf of Astrazeneca. Number 2 spoke only 21 time! Freedland is set to best that record in 2007, having "moderated 21 programs" at the time of publication of the newsletter.Rost calculates that at ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=602481 Wed, 09 May 2007 11:07:00 +0100 602481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=569661&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fpfizers-erection-hardness-meter.html According to Jude Selvaraj, Pfizer's medical adviser in Singapore and Malaysia, "an estimated 20 percent of Asian men suffer from erectile dysfunction," whereas on the viagra.com US Web site, Pfizer claims "ED is more common than you might think. More than half of all men over 40 have some difficulty getting and maintaining an erection. The fact is, guys at any age can experience ED." Since this is a US site, I assume Pfizer is talking about US men.The context of Mr. Selvaraj's remarks, which were published The China Post, aka AFP, was the launch of a new diagnostic kit to help men deal with erectile dysfunction. (Hat tip to Pharmalot for digging this up.)"It is a prevalent issue," Jude Selvaraj, Pfizer's medical adviser in Singapore and Malaysia, told AFP at the launch of Pfizer's new dia... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=569661 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:28:00 +0100 569661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=556893&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fnew-twist-to-pharma-chatchke-marketing.html Author of the book "The Well-timed Period" and blogger of the blog of the same name, Diana Kroi, wonders if the popular TV show Scrubs is engaging in pharma product placement advertising.She cites the image on the left as evidence (note the Nuvaring logo on the wall behind Turk). This image also appears on the show's web site according to Diana, who says:"Interesting example of stealth pharma marketing, but I'm not sure what the point is. It's not product placement, since the product's name isn't actually shown. As such, unless you're already familiar with this birth control method and its packaging, you wouldn't know it's a Nuvaring ad, and you wouldn't be able to investigate further to learn more about a method that might be beneficial for you." (see "Stealth Pharma Marketing").First, le... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=556893 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:06:00 +0100 556893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=539097&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F12%2Fhotlines-are-open-call-now%2F Filed under: Type 1, Childhood, Adult Onset, Drugs, Research, Events, Opinion, Support"Cure. Care. Commitment. These are the words we live by at the American Diabetes Association." Blah, blah, blah......Those are the words you will hear when you call the ADA hotline and tell them their indifference and apathetic resolve to push for C-peptide trials is atrocious. (If you choose to do so, of course -- details to follow.) After I blogged yesterday about the ADA colossal let-down -- I neglected to tell you how we can lend guidance to the ADA mission. It is apparent they do not know how to make good use of their 501(c)3 for the sake of cure, care and commitment to diabetes. No worries, ADA - millions of diabetics are here to help you understand our needs. Contact the American Diabetes Associat... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=539097 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 539097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479358&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fare-you-happy-to-see-me-or-is-that-just.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479358 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:53:00 +0100 479358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479361&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fmercks-refreshing-director-of-global.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479361 Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:44:00 +0100 479361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479362&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fno-oscar-for-centocor-pr-effort.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479362 Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:00:00 +0100 479362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479364&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fwhos-easier-to-buy-physician-or.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479364 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:48:00 +0100 479364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479365&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fmerck-quits-lobbying-for-mandatory.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479365 Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:01:00 +0100 479365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479366&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fmarketing-drugs-to-teens-online-so.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479366 Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:24:00 +0100 479366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479367&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fgod-bless-r-but-marketers-may-go-to.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479367 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:10:00 +0100 479367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=486641&cid=t_103189_87_f&fid=35049&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedmedicine.com%2F%3Fp%3D39 This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed 2 of 3 approved indications for the semi-synthetic macrolide antibiotic telithromycin (Ketek, manufactured by sanofi-aventis). Ketek loses its indication for (1) acute bacterial sinusitis and (2) acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, often abbreviated as “ABECB”. Ketek remains approved for community acquired pneumonia of mild to moderate severity that is acquired outside of hospitals or long-term care facilities. (more…) (Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM) NAKEDMEDICINE.COM blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=486641 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:09:00 +0100 486641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479350&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Frozerem-dtc-emperor-still-has-no.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479350 Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:05:00 +0100 479350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479349&cid=t_103189_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F01%2Ftilting-again-at-phrma-windmill.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479349 Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:37:00 +0100 479349