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 'gamble'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:05:35 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872483&cid=t_206225_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FHpjG0gbvcCY%2F Why Do I Keep Doing That? A recovery book that builds on overcoming the insanity of doing the same thing and expecting different results.Why We Do What We Don’t Want to Do–and How to StopWhy Do I Keep Doing That? Why Do I Keep Doing That? explains why we all experience the “compulsion to repeat” and discover the most successful ways to stop doing what we don’t want to do . . . whether we drink it, smoke it, snort it, pop it, spend it, gamble it, eat it, work it, feel it, or have sex or a relationship with it.As a recovering alcoholic, Dennis Wholey knows firsthand what it takes to break an addiction. In his New York Times bestseller The Courage to Change, Wholey brilliantly changed the way people viewed the negative pattern of substance addiction. Now, in this highly anticip... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872483 Sun, 08 May 2011 14:55:00 +0100 4872483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780482&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FglOPQaumNQs%2F Over the past nine months, GlaxoSmithKline has paid at least $120 million to resolve more than 100 lawsuits claiming some of its Poligrip products caused neurological disorders because the denture cream contains zinc, according to Bloomberg News. The lawsuits allege the drugmaker failed to warn consumers about zinc-related health risks. The disclosure comes just three months after Glaxo began warning consumers about denture creams that contain zinc, and took “voluntary, precautionary” steps to end manufacturing and supplying these denture adhesives due to “health risks associated with long-term excessive use.” Plaintiff attorneys have argued there was no warning for people who apply excessive denture cream to hold ill-fitting dentures, and this can cause problems as severe as ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780482 Tue, 03 May 2011 20:06:35 +0100 4780482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714693&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fthird-rail-that-no-one-wishes-to.html DiscussionWhile the data from this case-study were limited, they do suggest that major private foundations that support global health, and by extension, health care, services, and policy research may have institutional conflicts of interest, and their leaders may have personal conflicts of interest. It is possible that these conflicts have steered global health policy to favor vested interests, particularly towards approaches that depend on drugs and devices, perhaps instead of more effective ones using less technology.Furthermore, it is possible that that these conflicts of interest have helped create the anechoic effect.  Conflicts of interest could have pushed the foundations in directions that favored specific vested interests, and away from... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714693 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:11:00 +0100 4714693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464700&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FfOGdCiWoKCM%2F Three years ago, a study was published in the Neurology journal indicating that excessive use of denture adhesive creams containing zinc can cause serious neurologic disease and a deficiency of copper. However, the study was actually completed two years earlier, but publication was delayed thanks to a peer reviewer, who allegedly had ties to Procter & Gamble, which sells Fixodent, one of the widely used denture creams. In his review, Kenneth Shay, a dentist, called any link between excessive use of denture cream and neurological disease “little more than speculation,” and carped that the study authors “don’t understand the nature of the material they are writing about,” according to an ABC News report, which aired the other evening and noted that Shay was... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464700 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:07:45 +0100 4464700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225668&cid=t_206225_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fcompulsive-gambling%2F Image via Wikipedia Compulsive gambling is being unable to resist impulses to gamble, which can lead to severe personal or social consequences. Symptoms: People with Compulsive gambling often feel ashamed and try to avoid letting others know of their problem. Compulsive gambling is assed as having five or more of the following symptoms: Committing crimes to get money to gamble Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut back or quit gambling Gambling to escape problems or feelings of sadness or anxiety Gambling larger amounts of money to try to make back previous losses Having had many unsuccessful attempts to cut back or quit gambling Losing a job, relationship, or educational or career opportunity due to gambling Lying about the amount of time or money spent gambling Need... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225668 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:29:00 +0100 4225668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973116&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FilQMdSkMnlY%2F In a 15-to-9 vote, an FDA advisory committee late yesterday decided that popular over-the-counter cough syrups don’t need tighter distribution restrictions that would classify them as controlled substances, despite continuing signs that the meds are regularly abused. The FDA must now decided what if any steps to take, but for the moment, this is a reprieve for several big drugmakers - Pfizer sells Robitussin, Johnson & Johnson markets Tylenol and Vicks NyQuil is sold by Procter & Gamble. About 125 OTC cough and cold meds contain dextromethorphan, which can cause hallucinations and euphoria when taken in much larger doses than what is recommended for the average cough. But abuse is rampant, leading to nearly 8,000 emergency room visits in 2008, a 72 percent increase from 200... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973116 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:51:26 +0100 3973116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729841&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbad-hair-day-bad-work-day-does-your-mane-affect-your-job-performance%2F photo: Thinkstock It’s a little melodramatic to say that a bad hair day can ruin an entire 24 hours of your life. But, sometimes it does. Uncooperative hair sets us back in the morning and distracts us during the day, and research by Proctor and Gamble showed that women feel less hostile, ashamed, nervous, guilty, or jittery if they think their hair looks good. A full 25% of women say that they don’t want to leave the house on a bad hair day. Is anyone out there unfazed by a bad hair day? How do you, lovely readers, avoid bad hair days? (Especially today, when it’s 101 degrees outside where we are.) We’d love some tips. Let us know in the comments section, below. via The Juggle Post from: BlissTree Bad Hair Day, Bad Work Day: Does Your Mane Affect Job Performance? (... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729841 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:18:36 +0100 3729841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3433174&cid=t_206225_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fwhy-do-i-keep-doing-that%2F Why Do I Keep Doing That? Why We Do What We Don’t Want to Do–and How to Stop Why Do I Keep Doing That? Why Do I Keep Doing That? explains why we all experience the “compulsion to repeat” and discover the most successful ways to stop doing what we don’t want to do . . . whether we drink it, smoke it, snort it, pop it, spend it, gamble it, eat it, work it, feel it, or have sex or a relationship with it. As a recovering alcoholic, Dennis Wholey knows firsthand what it takes to break an addiction. In his New York Times bestseller The Courage to Change, Wholey brilliantly changed the way people viewed the negative pattern of substance addiction. Now, in this highly anticipated book, Why Do I Keep Doing That? Why Do I Keep Doing That?, Wholey expands the exploration of the compu... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3433174 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:55:00 +0100 3433174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3354580&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F0pFji5IXzRE%2F Two years after issuing warnings about a group of meds known as bisphosphonates, the FDA has determined there is no link between the drugs and thigh-bone fractures (see here). These meds include Merck’s Fosamax, Novartis’ Zometa and Reclast; Procter & Gamble’s Actonel, and Boniva, which is marketed by Glaxo and Roche. The matter, however, isn’t quite settled. The agency is continuing to work with outside experts, including the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture Task Force, to gather more info. And two new studies released this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found bones of some post-menopausal women who take the meds on a long-term basis to prevent osteoporosis can stop rejuvenating and ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3354580 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:42:45 +0100 3354580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290784&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fdeja-vu-all-over-again-sheffield.html It's deja vu all over again.  A case reported (so far only) in the UK Times Higher Education Supplement of a biomedical researcher apparently threatened because she tried to present data that did favor a particular commercial health care product. Here is the summary:An academic has risked the wrath of her university by submitting results to a forthcoming conference without permission.The University of Sheffield has claimed that the submission has been made in breach of a contract it has with a pharmaceutical company, which funds work in the scholar's field.Guirong Jiang, a research radiologist who has worked at Sheffield for 13 years, is due to face a disciplinary hearing over her actions this week.Her findings - submitted to a symposium of the European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS)... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290784 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:59:00 +0100 3290784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3288022&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5cXk1vHs6Sg%2F The drugmaker got a grip - on a problem that prompted lawsuits around the country. GlaxoSmithKline is now warning consumers about denture creams that contain zinc, and the drugmaker is taking “voluntary, precautionary” steps to end manufacturing and supplying denture adhesives that contain zinc due to “health risks associated with long-term excessive use,” according to a statement. Glaxo continues to maintain its products are safe if used as directed and so a recall isn’t under way. Attorneys for some of those who believe they have been harmed have argued there was no warning for people who apply excessive denture cream to hold ill-fitting dentures, and this can cause problems as severe as a loss of feeling in the limbs (background here). Lawsuits have also be... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3288022 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:37:58 +0100 3288022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3096808&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fbritish-medical-journal-interviews-dr.html About a year after we started Health Care Renewal, in late 2005, we wrote multiple posts about the complex and unfortunate case of Dr Aubrey Blumsohn's attempts to keep a research project honest.  Our most recent summary of the case was here.  The case involved suppression and manipulation of research, ghost-writing, institutional conflicts of interest, and attempts to silence a whistle blower. It provides lessons about the downsides of letting commercial firms sponsor and hence control human research designed to evaluate the products or services they sell; and of academic medicine becoming dependent on research money from such firms for such research.The case was just re-capped in some detail on the occaision of an interview of Dr Blumsohn published in the British Medical J... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3096808 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:54:00 +0100 3096808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3040019&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F6kJxEe755nQ%2F File this one under getting a grip. A Colorado woman is suing the drugmaker because she suffers from a copper deficiency her lawsuit claims is caused by an abundance of zinc found in the Poligrip she used to secure her dentures, The Denver Post writes. Zinc used in the denture cream is absorbed by the body and can cause copper depletion, which can cause neurological damage in extremities, the paper continues. The suit filed by Rae Ann Schmaltz, by the way, is actually one of dozens across the country against denture-cream makers, and is spawning such web sites as denturecreamlawsuitcenter.com. The manufacturers - Procter & Gamble sells Fixodent - have responded that denture cream is safe when used as directed. But attorneys for some of those who believe they have been harmed say there... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3040019 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:50:01 +0100 3040019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832110&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Freappearance-of-ghost-of-seasons-past.html About a year after we started Health Care Renewal, in late 2005, we wrote multiple posts about the complex and unfortunate case of Dr Aubrey Blumsohn's attempts to keep a research project honest. The early posts were here, here, here, and here. In this post, we summarized the case thus:Dr Aubrey Blumsohn, a senior lecturer at Sheffield University, and Professor Richard Eastell performed a research project on the effects of the drug risedronate (Actonel, made by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals [P&G]) under a contract between P&G and the University.Although the research contract designated Blumsohn and Eastell as "Investigators" under whose direction the project would be carried out, Blumsohn was not given access to the original data collected by the project.Despite numerous req... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832110 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:01:00 +0100 2832110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807819&cid=t_206225_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fnew-thoughts-on-health-and-design.html First off, let me say that being in Rochester, MN (aka Mayo town), was a very humbling experience.  By big city standards, it’s a tiny town made up mostly of oversized clinical buildings, but turns out to host 138 hotels and motels as well — because people fly in from all over the world to [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807819 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:00:12 +0100 2807819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645476&cid=t_206225_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FSHq0DHhi37g%2F It looks like Proctor & Gamble scientists have just discovered the secret to youthful skin: it’s in 1,500 genes. Using data from the Human Genome Project, P&G scientists identified some 1,500 genes that are responsible for how skin ages. Of those, up to 700 genes control how skin collects and retains moisture. Genomics has key to keeping skin healthy and young. According to an article in the Daily Mail, there are separate ways that skin ages, and each of these are controlled by their own set of genes: Collagen (the protein that gives skin its structure and strength) degrades. Skin loses its ability to keep it hydrated. Fewer skin cells are produced with time. Wrinkles are produced when the skin becomes more inflamed. Age weakens our skin’s natural defense against free-radicals... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645476 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:01:28 +0100 2645476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2553227&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fwhat-pharma-should-not-learn-from-p-and.html My fellow blogger Jonathan Richman suggested that pharmaceutical marketers should follow the lead of P&G to create banner ads similar to the award-winning Pringles ad that Jonathan's agency created (see "What Pharma Can Learn from Pringles").Jon, Congrats on the Pringle banner ad award! (See and play with the ad here.)Jon suggests this ad could be a model for pharma:"Imagine that Pringles was a pharma product for a minute. There’s no fair balance here, but it wouldn’t require it. The brand name is mentioned (if you click a few times), but nowhere does it include the 'indication:' potato crisps. I guess this makes this banner a reminder ad then."We pharma people love and hate reminder ads. We love them because we can promote the brand without the clutter of fair balance, but we hate... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2553227 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:14:00 +0100 2553227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513167&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fpharma-marketers-should-stop-blaming.html Last week I suggested that a Tweet supposedly made by diabetes patient/racecar driver Charlie Kimball was at best a "sleazy" reminder ad and, at worst, "spam' (meaning a product promotional message I never asked to receive). See "Novo Nordisk's Branded (Levemir) Tweet is Sleazy Twitter Spam!".In a comment made to that post, Ross Fetterolf, VP Digital Strategy at Ignite Health, said "Yes, the post itself is a bit awkward, but it's hard to stay colloquial when a regulatory cloud surrounds this kind of communication; inclusion of the generic name and link to the PI were necessary for the tweet to even be possible." See comments to the post cited above.Ross was not the first person to tell me how hard it is to create "colloquial" social media communications that aren't "awkward" because of FDA... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513167 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:41:00 +0100 2513167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513169&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fproctor-and-gambles-dysfunctional.html Lately, my Twitter friends have alerted me to all sorts of examples of pharmaceutical companies delving into social media for marketing and corporate communications. I'd like to focus on just one example here: the Asacol Community for UC Patients. UC stands for ulcerative colitis - a form of inflammatory bowel disease. Asacol is a product marketed by Procter & Gamble (P&G) for the treatment of UC."In the Asacol Community, consumers are encouraged to provide stories or to ask questions," notes Ellen Hoenig Carlson in the AdvanceMarketWorx Blog (see "Pharma Marketers: Think You Can't Do Moderated Chat?"). "Content is carefully moderated per the guidelines, but consumers can rate and vote on story content and answers."The Asacol Community reminds me of other efforts of pharmaceutical ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513169 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:03:00 +0100 2513169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033595&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F481886458%2F The consumer products giant could sell off some or all of its pharma brands as it shifts its portfolio toward what P&G execs say are faster-growing and more profitable product categories, The Business Courier of Cincinnati reports. At an analyst briefing today, ceo AG Lafley says P&G will halt research into new drugs and, instead, manage its four key pharma brands through their respective product lifecycles, and that P&G will “consider divestiture of some or all of these brands.” These include the Actonel osteoporosis med, the Intrinsa testosterone patch for female sexual dysfunction, the Enablex drug for overactive bladders and the Asacol treatment for Crohn’s disease. Lafley says the regulatory environment for pharmaceuticals has grown more difficult and tha... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033595 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:04:15 +0100 2033595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870957&cid=t_206225_85_f&fid=36194&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftesstermulo.com%2F2008%2F10%2F10%2Flet-them-gamble%2F Really, I’m getting tired of people telling me how much it is of a sin gambling is.  If rumors are true, churches do receive donations from the richest gambling lords.  So there goes hypocrisy… I think, first of all, it’s a matter of personal choice.  If I have money, it’s my right to choose where I’d decide to spend it on.  I could invest it in business, buy a luxury item, or buy myself a ticket to watch an opera show.  It’s mine to give.  I don’t like people telling me that I should just be giving it to others for more “charitable” purposes.  I don’t have to feel obliged.  If ever I do have to give to charity, it had to be voluntary, not some idiots forcing it down my throat, trying to appeal to my emotions.  And so I h... Prudence and Madness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870957 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:25:46 +0100 1870957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1863022&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F414020426%2F An industry trade group, which represents such drugmakers as Procter & Gamble, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson, unexpectedly declared that several very popular over-the-counter cough and cold meds for children younger than four years old should not be used because of the risk of rare complications associated with inappropriate use. The voluntary move comes just one week after an FDA meeting was held in which a group of doctors and consumer advocates cited ineffective and even dangerous meds for small children as justification for an all-out ban. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association maintains that dosing errots and accidental ingestions - not the safety of the meds - are to blame for serious adverse events. “We’re doing this out of an abundance of caution,&#8221... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1863022 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:04:50 +0100 1863022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1790484&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F390987933%2F Next Tuesday, the struggling biotech releases data about denosumab, an experimental osteoporosis drug, and the data could make the difference between a multi-billion-dollar med and an also-ran in a crowded field. No small moment for a company that has staggered from setback to setback with its existing meds. “Denosumab is a mega-blockbuster opportunity and will now emerge as the principal long-term value driver,” Morgan Stanley analyst Steven Harr wrote in a recent research note, Reuters reports. “We see a high probability of regulatory success given data to date.” Two months ago, Amgen reported denosumab significantly reduced the risk of spine fracture in a three-year trial of 7,800 post-menopausal women, but never disclosed exactly how much the risk was reduced. T... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1790484 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:02:46 +0100 1790484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1776104&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fplacebo-journal-and-accupringles.html The Placebo Journal continues to produce great material. Watch the latest Placebo TV broadcast on product-free pharmaceutical advertising. I was particularly struck by their promotion of Accupringles from our friends at P&J PharmaceuticalsAvailable inOriginalSour Cream and HydrochlorthiazideRanch and a Channel BlockerJalapeno and an ARBEarlier|Later|Main Page (Source: Scientific Misconduct Blog) Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1776104 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:19:00 +0100 1776104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730865&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fconflicts-of-interest-and-silence.html I'm a fan of Scott Adams and Dilbert. I like this 1996 strip. First, it features Procter and Gamble. Second it has something to say about conflicts of interest.Phil the Prince of Insufficient Light is the ruler of Lower Heck (and the brother of the pointy-haired boss). It pokes fun at P&G's logo controversy. In brief, P&G received undesired media publicity in the 1980s when an urban legend declared that their corporate logo was a Satanic symbol. This forced P&G to adopt a new logo. In 2007 a court ruled that P&G is not in league with his Satanic Majesty. P&G won a $19m lawsuit against rival Amway over the rumours. I'll have more to say of this controversy later."This is about protecting our reputation," said Jim Johnson, P&G's chief legal officer.The strip also has something interesting to... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730865 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:50:00 +0100 1730865 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1581892&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fmore-watchdogs-who-did-not-bark-ucu.html We posted first here in 2005, then here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here about the story of Dr Aubrey Blumsohn's dispute with Procter and Gamble (P&G) and the University of Sheffield in the UK. In summary, Blumsohn and Professor Richard Eastell had done clinical research on the risedronate (Actonel), sponsored by P&G, the drug's manufacturer. P&G refused Blumsohn access to the original data from the study he was ostensibly running, and hired a ghost-writer to write abstracts in his name. Some of the analyses done by P&G seemed biased in favor of the drug. Despite repeated attempts, P&G would not give Blumsohn access to the raw data of the project. Blumsohn protested to Eastell, who advised him not to make waves because P&G "is a good source of income" fo... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1581892 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:23:00 +0100 1581892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1455383&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fmaking-stuff-up.html Earlier|Later|Main Page (Source: Scientific Misconduct Blog) Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1455383 Mon, 19 May 2008 20:15:00 +0100 1455383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1440517&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fscience-morality-abu-ghraib-and-game.html Seed magazine has just posted the text of a conversation between filmmaker Errol Morris and evolutionary psychologist Marc Hauser about game theory, Stanley Milgram, Abu Ghraib, A Clockwork Orange, communication with dogs, and whether science can make us better people. It is quite relevant to general topic of this blog. I have always been intrigued by the odd combination of claimed due diligence and integrity with complete non transparency. For example, if Procter and Gamble have any residual faith in their "analysis" of Actonel data (welcome admissions of guilt apart) then why refuse to let everyone see it. They should be proud of their ultimate show of integrity. Likewise, if GlaxoSmithKline are proud of "science" on Seroxat/Paxil, and if the UK regulator the MHRA think that they conduct... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1440517 Tue, 13 May 2008 19:08:00 +0100 1440517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399626&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fcontract-procter-and-gamble.html In 2002 I signed a research agreement with Procter and Gamble Pharmaceuticals [1]. Research was to be carried out at the University of Sheffield by two named investigators (Dr Aubrey Blumsohn, Professor Richard Eastell).It is accepted that a University would be guilty of negligence in permitting investigators to sign a contract prohibiting or hindering release of information involving a drug [2,3]. Industry cannot buy the right to desired findings or the right to suppress undesired findings. The agreement signed[1] was however in accordance with good practice, and should have protected integrity:The agreement did not seek to impose restrictive limitations on the rights and obligation of investigators with regard to data [1 section 4.3]. It specified that the university clinical investigato... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399626 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:08:00 +0100 1399626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399627&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Ftelling-it-like-it-is-procter-and.html Not sure how I missed this one. From the Center for Media and Democracy (prwatch.org) 25 March 2008.The director of external relations for Procter & Gamble, Mark Chakravarty, recently told a UK healthcare PR conference that the drug industry is less than popular with the public. "There is a high suspicion of the pharma industry. Greed, dishonesty and fraud are some of its associations. The clinical trial press this week and an increased number of drug scandals add to this image," he said.Quite, Procter and Gamble.I'm less worried about the "greed". Commercial companies don't need to apologise for generating money from honest science and real innovation. Let's concentrate on the lies and the fraud, and more importantly on the collusion with government and "regulators" to hide evidence, to e... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399627 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:04:00 +0100 1399627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399628&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fthose-with-unbitten-hands.html Dont bite ..... the hand that feeds youAnd the corollary is .... if the hand is unbitten, look at who it feeds.Lick the hand.Earlier|Later|Main Page (Source: Scientific Misconduct Blog) Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399628 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:10:00 +0100 1399628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399629&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fmoney-and-accountability-procter-and.html My ex colleagues at Sheffield University are in receipt of a great deal of new grant money. That is good. I am pleased. However, with greatness comes the need for accountability and answering. One of those colleagues has a great number of questions to answer about research involving Procter and Gamble. Honest answering is particularly important for a scientist, a very senior doctor and a previous Research Dean of a Medical School. Such individuals are held to a higher standard. I am glad that Professor Eastell has had the good grace to admit to the false "findings" previously reported, the lie told to the Journal, and a little of the hidden data. The answering could however have been a little more straightforward, with less in the way of linguistic acrobatics. The scientific community has ... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399629 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:11:00 +0100 1399629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399630&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fmore-great-statistics-from-procter-and.html Advertising Standards Authority (UK): 26 March 2008, Adjudication over Cat Food Advertisement (Iams Cat Food). More worthwhile statistics from Procter and Gamble:The advertisements stated:"Vets know catering to all your cats' different needs isn't easy ... 8 out of 10 vets recommend IamsVoted No.1 recommended dry cat food brand available in supermarketsSmall print at the bottom of the ad stated "*Based on an independent survey of vets at the Congress of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association on complete dry cat foods available in supermarkets (April 2007)".The Advertising Standards Authority noted that:The survey asked vets if they would recommend any dry dog food, dry cat food or wet cat food brands. Only 31% of the participating vets (31% of 334) in fact recommended Iams.Further... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399630 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:19:00 +0100 1399630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399632&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fscientific-misconduct-wiki-procter-and.html Unlike static websites, the blogging paradigm allows a great deal of collaboration and interchange between people (witness the rallying of support for Bob Fiddaman over the legal threats he received from GSK). Investigative journalism through Blogs has becoming increasingly important. It is fair to say that the majority of concerns raised about the ENHANCE trial of Vytorin have been brought to light by investigative bloggers, Forbes magazine and the Wall Street Journal. The immediacy of blogs (and news reports) makes it hard to develop a body of systematic evidence, or to get keep historical perspecive. A Wiki provides a different model which allows both collaboration and systematic collection of information. I have therefore started the Scientific Misconduct Wiki to run in parallel with t... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399632 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:22:00 +0100 1399632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399636&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fgardasil-scandal-university-of.html Just after my last post on the role of a University I read this piece in today's British Medical Journal about an appalling episode at the University of Queensland that goes right to the heart of what a University is. The University of Queensland has broken its contract with the scientific community. This is an absolute disgrace. I am reminded of the letters to me stating that I needed University "authorisation" to discuss issues of scientific procedure. I recall the warning of "public dissociation" and that "public interest disclosure legislation" somehow applied to discussion of scientific methodology involving Procter and Gamble. From the University secretary and registrar at Queensland (Douglas Porter) this most absurd of comments:Douglas Porter, wrote to Dr Gunn, asking him to provide... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399636 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 18:53:00 +0100 1399636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399637&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fwhat-is-scientist.html Any discussion of academic or university malfunction has to begin with at least some mention of the nature of being an academic, and the raison d'être of a University. Universities exist for only one reason: to add to human knowledge and to disseminate that knowledge through publication and teaching. A scientist is an academic who uses the scientific method.Extreme cases are always useful. Assume we have a university employee who accepts money, in exchange for fronting scientific findings "produced" by others. Assume further that the employee is disabled from verifying those findings (which might have been falsified). Assume too that this person attempts to persuade others to do the same. Most sensible individuals would agree that such a person would not fulfil the minimal trade descripti... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399637 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:54:00 +0100 1399637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399638&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fits-time.html I haven't devoted much public effort over the past few months to Procter and Gamble, Actonel, the hidden data, and the three misleading publications. I felt it best to allow time for the excuses and regulatory hand-sitting to be finalized. To collude with dishonest science, and to protect powerful colleagues, all the regulators had to do was to do nothing of any relevance. There has been ample opportunity to do nothing very well. This is despite partial admissions that scientific conclusions were false, that statistical analyses were false, that lies had been told to a medical journal, and that every code of good scientific and medical conduct had been breached.There is nothing unusual about inaction or the protection of vested interests and friends. There is nothing unusual about the obse... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399638 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:59:00 +0100 1399638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1134007&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F212705996%2F The agency is urging doctors to be on the lookout for the “possibility of severe and sometimes incapacitating bone, joint, and/or muscle (musculoskeletal) pain” in patients taking a group of meds known as bisphosphonates. These include Merck’s Fosamax, Novartis’ Zometa and Reclast; Procter & Gamble’s Actonel and Boniva, which is marketed by Glaxo and Roche. Although severe musculoskeletal pain is included in the prescribing information for all bisphosphonates, the association between bisphosphonates and severe musculoskeletal pain may be overlooked by healthcare professionals, delaying diagnosis, prolonging pain and/or impairment, and necessitating the use of analgesics, the FDA cautions on its web site. The severe musculoskeletal pain may occur within da... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1134007 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:55:44 +0100 1134007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=947289&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fblogscan-journal-changes-policy-after.html On the PharmaLot blog, Ed Silverman posted about the latest developments in the case of Dr Aubrey Blumsohn, who lost his job after he tried to get the data from the study he lead of Actonel from the study's commercial sponsor, Procter & Gamble (see Dr Blumsohn's blog here.) The journal that published an allegedly ghost-written story whose data Blumsohn charged was analyzed in a questionable manner just announced a change in its policy seemingly meant to prevent such problems in the future. (Source: Health Care Renewal) Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=947289 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 20:46:00 +0100 947289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=947466&cid=t_206225_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F169012657%2F Over the past three years, a controversy raged concerning a study about Procter & Gamble’s Actonel osteoporosis med in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Although the tale was complicated and sordid, at its heart was the issue of corporate influence over study data and the responsibilities of a journal to act as a credible gatekeeper of information. For these reasons, the astonishing spat between the journal, P&G and a UK researcher, Aubrey Blumsohn, gained considerable media attention. Now, though, the journal promises to behave, well, differently. What caused this ruckus? To keep it simple, an Actonel study was conducted by Blumsohn and Richard Eastell, a Sheffield University colleague, and the results were favorable. However, they had divided the work. Blumsohn su... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=947466 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:46:20 +0100 947466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=674877&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fblogscan-link-between-actonel-and.html On the Scientific Misconduct Blog, Aubrey Blumsohn shows a surprising link between the case with which he was personally involved (which included allegations of suppression of medical research on the drug risedronate [Actonel], made by Procter & Gamble, and intimidation of a whistle-blower, Dr Blumsohn himself, see our most recent post on it here), and the evolving case of Avandia (which includes apparent past suppression of research on the drug, also known as rosiglitazone, made by GlaxoSmithKline, and intimidation of multiple whistle-blowers, see our most recent post here). (Source: Health Care Renewal) Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=674877 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:41:00 +0100 674877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675343&cid=t_206225_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F123922797%2Fscience-and-pr-declare-merger.html The firms Science and Public Relations will officially merge today. As Science has exponentially increased its contracts with Public Relations over the past 30 years, this comes as little surprise to investors. It is rumored that Universities will soon end their "independence" to create a megaconglomerate: Science-PR-University Inc.Billy Tauzin, CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, expressed optimism, saying, "Hey, when Science, PR, and Universities team up on a project, the results can be incredible. When the three firms aligned for the Paxil in Kids campaign, that was amazing. There was obvious synergy that was able to take what was, frankly, a mediocre product, and really slap some lipstick on that pig."Of what do I speak? In the parallel universe known as re... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675343 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:47:00 +0100 675343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687129&cid=t_206225_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fdisturbing-drugs.html In the most disgusting display of capitalism this side of the I don't know where Wired Blog posts about PharmaTV. Four companies, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis and Procter & Gamble are behind this disgusting "educational" television channel. The article can be found in the Guardian. I am deeply disturbed by this precedent. At least you can tell the difference between an ad and a show. True, even these days product placement, fake blogs, etc. continue to blur the lines. The Gene Sherpa Says: What's next? DTC Gene TV? Shame on all of you. (Source: Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You) Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687129 Tue, 22 May 2007 00:24:00 +0100 687129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=477986&cid=t_206225_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Factonel-procter-and-gamble-and-things.html We had posted a while back and again here and here about the story of Dr Aubrey Blumsohn's dispute with Procter and Gamble (P&G) and the University of Sheffield in the UK. In summary, Blumsohn and Professor Richard Eastell had done clinical research on the risedronate (Actonel), sponsored by P&G, the drug's manufacturer. P&G refused Blumsohn access to the original data from the study he was ostensibly running, and hired a ghost-writer to write abstracts in his name. Blumsohn protested to Eastell, who advised him not to make waves because P&G "is a good source of income" for the university. When protests to other university officials produced no results, Blumsohn told the story to the press, whereupon the university suspended him.This story, like those of other cases of research sup... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=477986 Fri, 16 Mar 2007 18:23:00 +0100 477986