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 'ezetimibe'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:22:38 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629904&cid=t_158389_167_f&fid=38576&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drbriffa.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2F03%2Fstudy-linking-regular-tooth-brushing-with-reduced-risk-of-heart-disease-should-remind-us-of-why-cholesterol-is-unlikely-to-be-the-killer-its-made-out-to-be%2F A study published last week in the British Medical Journal has linked irregular toothbrushing with an increased risk of heart disease: individuals who rarely or never brushed their teeth were found to be at a 70 per cent increased risk of ‘cardiovascular events’ (e.g. heart attacks and strokes) compared to regular brushers [1]. Why? Well, [...] (Source: Dr John Biffa's Blog) Dr John Biffa's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629904 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:03:43 +0100 3629904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494548&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNjOizagn2Ew%2F Merck just lost some patent protection on its Zetia cholesterol drug. A federal judge in Newark, New Jersey, invalidated several items that were added in 2002, when Schering-Plough (now owned by Merck) obtained a reissued patent. But US District Court Judge Jose Linares ruled the patent shouldn’t have been reissued because a valid and enforceable one already exists, The New Jersey Law Journal reports. The ruling is a boost to Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, which is fighting a patent infringement lawsuit and wants FDA permission to sell a generic version of Zetia, which is one of Merck’s biggest-selling pills. As the legal newspaper points out, the financial stakes are high. Combined sales last year for Zetia and Vytorin, which includes Zetia and simvastatin, reached $4.3 billion. An... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494548 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:44:41 +0100 3494548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996018&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fwatch-aha-highlights-arbiter-6-halts.html http://directnews.americanheart.org/ (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996018 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:39:00 +0100 2996018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996023&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fmore-zetia-quotes.html Zetia "has been on the market for about seven years and we still haven't proven that it improves clinical outcomes," said Dr. Roger Blumenthal, preventive cardiology chief at Johns Hopkins University."It should be better for the arteries and it wasn't," Dr. Allen Taylor said of Zetia. "The drug wasn't operating as you otherwise would expect it to," raising concern that its effects are not fully understood, he said.Dr. Anthony DeMaria, a past president of the American College of Cardiology from the University of California at San Diego, said the study "doesn't quite put the nail in the coffin" for Zetia, but pushes it way down on the list of things to try.http://www.kcra.com/health/21622992/detail.html? (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996023 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:02:00 +0100 2996023 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996025&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fanother-vytorin-mess-for-merck-matt.html via forbes.com "How is it possible for a drug to have $4 billion in sales without any evidence of benefit?" says Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at Yale University. He said that the small size of the two imaging studies mean they couldn't render a clear verdict on Zetia. "But they don't instill any confidence in it either. " Posted via web from Jack's posterous (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996025 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:10:00 +0100 2996025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2989397&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fmerck-vytorin-blue-monday.html “If you’re going to go to the expense, risk and trouble to take a pill every day to improve your longevity, don’t you really want to know if it works?” said Dr. Allen J. Taylor, a cardiologist at Washington Hospital Center, in Washington, who led the study. He said he could not talk about the results until Monday.NYT (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2989397 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:10:00 +0100 2989397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2881331&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fget-yer-free-vytorin-info-here.html For a limited time, http://www.worstpills.org/ is providing you with information about Vytorin at no charge. Full statement: Drug companies, FDA lagged in warning public about Zetia, Vytorin Our article warning consumers not to take Zetia (Ezetimibe) and Vytorin (Ezetimibe with Simvastatin) Summaries of all of our work on high cholesterol, including information available to subscribers only (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2881331 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:45:00 +0100 2881331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1933194&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fmerck-schering-plough-vytorin-doj.html The U.S. Department of Justice has begun investigating the conduct of Merck and Schering-Plough in the marketing of the cholesterol drug Vytorin, according to a regulatory filing.Lawsuits against the companies related to Vytorin marketing also are piling up, Merck said in a filing late Monday to the Securities and Exchange Commission.The Justice Department's Civil Division notified Merck in a Sept. 10 letter that the agency was investigating whether the drugmakers' promotion of Vytorin resulted in false claims to federal health-care programs, Merck noted. If so, federal health programs could seek to recover money they have spent on the drug.Thirty-five state attorneys general are jointly investigating whether the partners violated state consumer-protection laws in marketing Vytorin, Merck ... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1933194 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:03:00 +0100 1933194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802687&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fschering-plough-enhance-confidential.html Let's hope Carrie Cox is sitting down! (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802687 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:21:00 +0100 1802687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802690&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fschering-plough-enhance-dear-oh-dear-oh.html I do hope Fred Hassan is sitting down! 258. To reduce the possibility of the results being biased, clinical trials are often “double-blinded,” meaning that neither the patient nor the doctor (nor, with most trials, the pharmaceutical company sponsor) knows whether the patient is in the experimental group (i.e., the group taking the drug under study) or the control group (i.e., the group taking placebo or another drug with known effects in the study population). Despite the obvious (and intended) limitations of blinding a clinical trial, if certain data about the population in the trial are made available, it is possible to discern useful information about the trial’s results, even while the treatment assignments remain blinded. Recognizing this, on February 11, 2008, in the Second Se... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802690 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:47:00 +0100 1802690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1754673&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fnew-vytorin-seas-data-today.html An update on SEAS will be presented during a press conference in London at 1 p.m. EST. Click here for the Webcast of the event. A "select group" of cardiologists will be briefed about the study an hour earlier. (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1754673 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:42:00 +0100 1754673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750106&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fezetimibe-and-cancer-who-to-trust.html "I am quite concerned," Heinz Drexel, professor of medicine at the University of Innsbruck in Austria and spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology told Reuters. "At the moment, I would not take ezetimibe myself."Source (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750106 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:18:00 +0100 1750106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750108&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Falex-berenson-on-evidence-gap-for.html Nice job Alex. The lack of data about ezetimibe highlights an aspect of the drug approval system that even sophisticated patients may not understand. Many medicines are approved on the basis of what scientists call surrogate endpoints, like proof that they lower cholesterol, rather than because they have been shown to reduce the risk of death or disease.“The only place people should be taking (ezetimibe) is in a clinical trial,” Dr. Allen J. Taylor of the Walter Reed Army Medical CenterMore (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750108 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:09:00 +0100 1750108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674818&cid=t_158389_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fshut-up-they-explained-to-ezetimibe.html One of our scouts alerted me to a remarkable editorial just published by Harrison, Brown and Raggi on the ezetimibe controversy [Harrison DG, Brown WV, Raggi P. Enhanced hype. Am J Cardiol 2008; 102: 368-369. Link here, requires subscription.]We have posted before (as have many others,) about problems with the ENHANCE trial of ezetimibe (Zetia, by Schering-Plough, and one component of Vytorin, by Merck), and how the trial seemed to be designed and implemented so as to increase the likelihood of a favorable result for the sponsors' interests. Particularly controversial was the sponsors' decision to change the definition of the trial's outcome variable after the data was collected, (later reversed after it was publicized.) It also turned out that the supposedly "independent" panel responsibl... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674818 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:33:00 +0100 1674818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399631&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fprincess-zetia-and-pea.html Is it a nugget for Zetia? Or a pebble? Or a pea?Here is a bit of junk sounding research. Or at least junk inferences drawn. 85 patients perhaps taking Zetia who improved compared to a "control" group with different blood pressure control, on (perhaps) a surrogate endpoint in an underpowered study. The study enrolled 499 Native American diabetics, half of whom were assigned to achieve LDL or bad cholesterol levels of 70 or lower while the others aimed for 100 or below.The aggressive treatment group also aimed for systolic blood pressure readings of 115 compared to 130 for those assigned to standard of care.About a third (perhaps) of the aggressively treated patients took Zetia (maybe 85 or so), but no one knows which. Some got thick carotid artery walls and flabby ventricles. No clinical en... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399631 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:09:00 +0100 1399631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399641&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fmore-on-vytorin-confusion-will-be-my.html There is a worthwhile report in the Wall Street Journal today on the apparent manipulation of the Enhance trial of the drug Vytorin (zetia ezetimibe/simvastatin-combination). The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct. It is going to take more than a "duck and cover" approach to restore trust.Despite their recidivism, one would hope that Schering Plough and Merck realize that they have not chosen an appropriate path yet again. Albert Einstein defined insanity as:Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.If everything is against you, bully your critics. If critics aren't fooled, argue "data quality". I'll discuss the discreditable "data quality" defence and the statistics of data quality in clinical trials later. I ... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399641 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:49:00 +0100 1399641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399647&cid=t_158389_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fzetia-something-brewing-on-cafe-pharma.html Cafe Pharma, the anonymous bulletin board for Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives, is always amusing and insightful. The mud flows freely. From these anonymous comments today on the Schering Plough board [Link, Link], one wonders what innovations are brewing with Zetia and a "49 day plan". Some great science I suspect. Yesterday, 06:33 PM Zetia 49 StrategyWondered what everyone thinks about this Zetia 49 plan??I hate having extra $$ that I have to spend on Drs that I can barely see. I have a hard time spending all my lunch/dinner $$ now. Can't get docs out to dinner anyway - especially the ones they've targeted for me...... This instruction that we are to have a lunch or dinner EVERY DAY - come on!! Like all the Drs offices aren't booked already for the year - or have stopped doing lunche... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399647 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:31:00 +0100 1399647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177657&cid=t_158389_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Ffull-page-ads-in-major-newspapers-does.html At this post ("Merck and Vytorin ... Who, Exactly, is Confused?") I commented on a full page ad (actually it's a two page ad, where page 2 includes prescribing information) being run by Merck and Schering Plough in the Philadelphia Inquirer to defend drugs Ezetimibe and Vytorin. I predict it is running in other papers in other major markets as well.I first saw the ad on Tuesday, Jan. 22. It has appeared in the Inquirer every day since, today included. That's at least four days; I don't know when the ad started.The cost for the ad must be significant. It certainly gives life to the findings that pharma spends twice on marketing what it spends on R&D.-- SSAddendum: readers mentioned it also appeared in The Akron Beacon Journal, Boston Globe as well as The Wall Street Journal. I venture i... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177657 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:11:00 +0100 1177657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1169621&cid=t_158389_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fmerck-and-vytorin-who-exactly-is.html In today's Philadelphia Inquirer and probably a number of other papers, a full page ad appeared with the following in a huge, Victory-in-Europe-WW2-is-Over!! font:Are you taking Zetia (ezetimibe) or Vytorin(ezetimibe/simvastatin)?Then the following statement is made in a large bold font, smaller than the headline's but still very large (ellipsis in the original, but bolded emphasis mine):If so, you may be worried about recent news stories questioning the benefit of these medicines ... on the basis of a single study that has generated a lot of confusion.The font size goes down another notch with this:In fact, ZETIA and VYTORIN have been proven to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol along with diet in multiple clinical studies involving thousands of patients. Both the American College of Cardiology ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1169621 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:56:00 +0100 1169621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1160974&cid=t_158389_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fblogscan-sorts-of-people-who-get-to-run.html Back blogging on BrandweekNRX, Dr Peter Rost just posted about the sort of people who now run Schering-Plough, the company that, with Merck Inc, just got a lot of unfavorable publicity after it was involved in delaying the release of results from the ENHANCE trial of ezeimibe (see our last related post here.) According to Rost, "Sean McNicholas is now Schering-Plough's Senior Vice President, responsible for ZETIA and VYTORIN, reporting directly to [Schering-Plough President] Carrie Cox, who dumped $28 million SGP stock last year." Previously, "Sean McNicholas was Vice President Marketing, Endocrine Care, Pharmacia, responsible for Genotropin marketing until the year 2001." But, "Pharmacia entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Government for its illegal promotion of Genotro... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1160974 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:55:00 +0100 1160974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1156749&cid=t_158389_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fwhy-should-patients-continue-to-take.html We have posted before (as have many others, see below) about problems with the ENHANCE trial of ezetimibe (Zetia, by Schering-Plough, and one component of Vytorin, by Merck), and how the trial was designed and implemented seemed meant to increase the likelihood of a favorable result for the sponsors' interests. Particularly controversial was the sponsors' decision to change the definition of the trial's outcome variable after the data was collected. That decision was then reversed. Later, it turned out that this decision was at the behest of a supposedly "independent" panel, but one which included a majority of members who had previous financial ties to Merck and/or Schering-Plough.Under intense media pressure, the results of this study were just released. As summarized by theHeart.org, th... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156749 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:31:00 +0100 1156749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1115056&cid=t_158389_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Fdata-about-ezetimibe-adverse-effects.html Here we go again. Last week, an article by Alex Berenson in the New York Times reported that Merck and Schering-Plough conducted trials of ezetimibe (Zetia, by Schering-Plough, and a component of Vytorin, by Merck) "that raise questions about its risks to the liver," but never publicly reported their results.Partial results of the studies, alluded to in documents on the Food and Drug Administration’s Web site, raise questions about whether Zetia can cause liver damage when used long term with other cholesterol drugs called statins.A Schering executive, when asked by a reporter about the unpublished studies, confirmed their existence. But the executive, Dr. Robert J. Spiegel, said the companies had not considered the studies scientifically important enough to publish their findings. Some ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1115056 Mon, 24 Dec 2007 21:30:00 +0100 1115056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1055601&cid=t_158389_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F11%2F28%2Fnice-isnt-just-a-place-in-the-south-of-france%2F Alcohol and schools intervention Asthma (in children) - corticosteroids Hypercholesterolemia - ezetimibe Asthma (for severe persistant allergic) - omalizumab Grenz rays therapy for inflammatory skin conditions Percutaneous Pulmonary valve implantation for right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction Mini/Micro screw implantation for orthodontic anchora ge Laparoscopic techniques for hysterectomy Soft palate implants for simple snoring Soft palate implants for obstructive sleep apnoea Transcranial magnetic stimulation for severe depression (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1055601 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:26:40 +0100 1055601