Consumerist
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chinese poison train
Counterfeit Drugs Made In China Relabeled "Made In India"
The Chinese poison train makes plenty of stops outside of the United States. When those stops are in developing countries, bad things can happen. Even worse things happen when dangerous products from China are intentionally mislabeled as being from another country. Say, India. More »
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Vermont Gets Tough On Doctor/Pharma Relationships The new law "bans drug companies-and manufacturers of medical devices and biological products, such as vaccines-from paying for gifts, including meals and travel, to physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacists, and health plan administrators. Any allowable payments drug companies make to doctors, such as those for legitimate educational purposes, will be posted in a database on a public website maintained by the Vermont Attorney General." [Consumer Reports Health]
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comparative effectiveness
Older Drugs Can Be Just As Good And Cheaper
Newfangled doesn't necessarily mean that much better, especially when it comes to taking medicine. Getting prescribed the latest and greatest pill could mean you're paying more when there's a perfectly good drug out there that can do the same job, minus the jacked-up new drug patent cost. Vanguard says: More » -
elil lilly
Effient: FDA May Approve Blood Thinner That Causes Internal Bleeding
The Food and Drug Administration may be on the verge of approving an ELil Lilly blood thinner a consumer group says causes internal bleeding. More » -
lawsuits
Recent Class Action Lawsuits: Are You Eligible?
We've heard about quite a few recent class-action settlements that you just might be eligible for, as well as cute little baby suits still looking for claimants. Products included: energy drinks, name-brand prescription drugs, and zombie microwaves. More » -
health insurance
Ask The Consumerists: Should Everyone Take Advantage Of $4 Generics?
Back in April, reader B. e-mailed the Consumerist tipline about a change to his health insurance plan's prescription drug schedule. It raised a drug that he's taken for years, the generic version of Prozac, to a different schedule—more than tripling B.'s co-pay, from $8 to $25. More » -
drug pushers
Pfizer Offers Free Medication To Unemployed Or Uninsured Patients
It's hard for journalists (and bloggers) to resist a story that they can entitle "Free Viagra," and pharmaceutical company Pfizer knows it. This recent publicity stunt is still newsworthy even without that headline, because of its purpose, and the problem for drug companies that it illustrates. More » -
side effects
9 Legal Drugs With Extremely Disturbing Side Effects
We asked for it and you sent them in, a smorgasbord of drugs with extremely disturbing side effects. Here's nine of the most disturbing we found. Jeez! Sometimes the cure really can be worse than the disease... More »
8:22 PM on Wed Apr 15 2009
By Ben Popken
0 views, 410 commentsMost discussed summerbee: Um, can I add Paxil to the list here? The list of side effects is typical of any given more »
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Consumer Reports Health says: Getting free samples of prescription drugs from your doctor might sound like a great deal, but they can end up costing you more in the long run. Manufacturers typically use free samples to promote the newest, least-tested drugs. Such gifts might lead doctors to prescribe them when other drugs might be better. [Consumer Reports Health]
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zencore plus
Zencore Plus Recalled Because You Might Die
Activate descending slide whistle: Bodee LLC is recalling boner pill Zencore Plus because if you use it and take organic nitrates you might die. The interaction between the benzamidenafil and the organic nitrates can cause a "life-threatening" risk of a sudden and large drop in blood pressure, the FDA said in a press release, while noting that the probability of such an interaction occurring is unknown.
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pharma
Giant Pills Exercising In Train Station
There's some human-sized pills working out at Union Station in DC. It seems the mad scientists at Consumers Union have trapped them and forced them to undergo fiendish exercise experiments in front of commuters and passersby to see which drugs work best. Their findings are documented in the new publication "Best Drugs for Less" which is being handed out for free in front of these not jagged, not little, pills. Video here.
(Photo: nseaver)
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rumors on the internets
Help! This Email Says Various Cold Medicines Will Kill Me!
A friend of ours recently got an email forward about the cold medicine ingredient phenylpropanolamine (and its unpleasant tendency to increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke in women), so she sent it to us for a little "mythbusting." The email (and its accompanying list of cold medicines and weight loss aids) is alarming, but outdated. More » -
side effects
Glaucoma Drug Might Grow Lashes, Or Turn Your Blue Eyes Brown
Latisse, a new drug that promises longer, fuller lashes, started out as Lumigan, a glaucoma drug. Now's been approved by the FDA to treat "inadequate" eyelashes, but there are some pretty crazy possible side effects. Like permanent changes to your eye color. More » -
ranbaxy
Generic Drug Maker Ranbaxy Found Falsifying Data To FDA
The FDA has suspended all new drug applications from one of Ranbaxy's plants in India—the Paonta Sahib plant—after "determining the facility was falsifying scientific data." You may recall that last September the FDA banned the import of 30 popular generic meds made by Ranbaxy due in part to quality control issues from this very same plant. What do they think they are, a peanut butter factory? More » -
badvertising
Why Do These Commercials For Chantix Not Mention The Drug? At All?
Our sister publication Consumer Reports Health has posted a new video in their AdWatch series, which examines direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising. This time they're examining some "stealth" advertising for the quit-smoking drug Chantix. More » -
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Lipitor-shilling drug maker Pfizer has announced that they will be buying rival Wyeth for $68 billion. [WSJ Health Blog]
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free stuff
Giant, Stop & Shop And Wegmans To Offer Free Antibiotics
The grocery store chains Giant and Stop & Shop have announced a plan to offer free prescription antibiotics in their pharmacies. The program will last through March 21st, and will cover amoxicillin, penicillin and ciprofloxacin among others. The program is similar to one offered by Midwestern superstore Meijer. More »
