The Airborne dietary supplement, which claims to help ward off the cold and flu, has reached a tentative settlement in a class action lawsuit that the company misrepresented its product. You can file online or by mail here. Boxes of Airborne used to cite a study by “GNG Pharmaceutical Services Inc” that said it tested 120 people and 47% showed little or no cold flu symptoms, versus 23% of a placebo. However, an ABC news investigation revealed that GNG was a two-man operation started up just to make the Airborne study, and had no clinic, scientists or doctors. Following the negative publicity, Knight-McDowell Labs removed references to the GNG study from its packages. Maybe people just weren’t reading the box carefully and failed to apply directly to the forehead.
pharma
Say Goodbye To Dr. Jarvik As He and His Stunt Double Row Into The Sunset
Weary of all the “fake rowing” controversy, Pfizer has canned Dr. Robert Jarvik (the inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart) as a spokesperson for their blockbuster cholesterol drug, Lipitor.
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A new meta-analysis showed that popular anemia drugs Aranesp and Procrit increase the risk of death in cancer patients by 10 percent, a statistically significant number. [NYT]
This Is Your Brain On Chantix?
NY Magazine has published a interesting personal account from a patient who was taking the smoking-cessation drug Chantix. The FDA has reported 37 suicides and more than 400 reports of suicidal behavior in connection with Chantix, a pleasure blocking drug that sits in the nicotine receptors and prevents the smoker from properly experiencing their nicotine high. The FDA recently issued a patient advisory about the drug, requesting that patients carefully monitor their moods. The possible side-effects of Chantix now include “anxiety, nervousness, tension, depressed mood, unusual behaviors and thinking about or attempting suicide.”
Humana Delays 93 Year Old's Medicine For 3 Weeks
John writes:
Had a problem with my Mom’s Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plan with Humana. Their mail order pharmacy (RightSource) advertises a two-week turnaround from date of sending-in an order to receipt of medications. However after three weeks, RightSource had not acknowledged receipt of the order. A RightSource phone rep said the logging-in of orders was being delayed by two to three weeks due to heavy volume. This delay — in the case of meds for a 93 year-old lady — was unacceptable.
Congress Asks Pfizer: Why Did You Have A Stunt Double Row For Dr. Jarvik ?
Congress has been asking some tough questions while wearing their serious faces about why Dr. Robert Jarvik (inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart) is shilling Lipitor when he’s not actually licensed to practice medicine.
Health Group Asks Congress To Create National Drug Data Resource
The U.S. Institute of Medicine called on Congress today to “establish a single national resource of health information.” The resource would collect all available data on every drug in the marketplace, and be available to consumers to educate themselves about any and all possible treatments in order to make better-informed decisions with their doctors.
One Third Of Antidepressant Studies Never Published
A new study—”the most thorough to date,” writes the New York Times—shows that about a third of the studies for some of the market’s most successful antidepressants (Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor) were never published because they didn’t have favorable results. “While 94 percent of the positive studies found their way into print, just 14 percent of those with disappointing or uncertain results did.” The implication is that the makers of these drugs intentionally misled consumers and the federal government on their effectiveness.
If You Can't Read Your Prescription, How Can Your Pharmacist?
As much as we’d like to believe that pharmacists have an X-man-style power that allows them to correctly read the worst handwriting imaginable… they don’t.
40 Million Americans Cannot Afford Needed Heath Care Says CDC
The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention have issued a report saying that 1 in 5 U.S. adults, about 40 million people, cannot afford to get the health care they need.
9 Common Ailments And The Cheaper Generic Drugs To Treat Them
It’s not just for the cereal aisle anymore, generic over name brand saves behind the pharmacy counter too. Generic drugs work just as well as name-brands, often at a fraction of the cost. One-size does not fit all and only your doctor can tell you if switching to a cheaper option is right for you.
Explosions: Whatever You Do, Don't Ask Montel Williams About Big Pharma
Montel Williams is a paid spokesperson for the pharmaceutical industry, but if you’re a high school intern for Savannah Morning News, you probably shouldn’t ask him any tough questions.
Walgreens Drops Some CVS Prescription Plans
Negotiations have broken down between Walgreens and rival CVS Caremark, and Walgreens has withdrawn as a provider from four of their prescription plans.
Customers affected include members of prescription benefit plans managed by CVS Caremark for ArcelorMittal, Johnson Controls, Inc., Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. and Wisconsin Education Association Trust, the company said.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cracks Down On Drug Reps
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is cracking down on drug reps, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Details are still sketchy, but the general idea is that drug reps will no longer have direct access to doctors, but will instead drop off samples via a central office that will then distribute them to the staff.
Drug Reps Descend On Doctors Like A Plague Of Pen And Coffee Mug Bearing Locusts
Tomorrow, CNBC will be airing a story on the program Business Nation about the swarms of drug reps who buzz around your doctor’s office trying to convince her to give you Lipitor or Requip or whatever.
Medicare Prescription Plans Set To Rise 21%
Seniors need to start comparison shopping now for their Medicare benefits. Enrollment begins November 15 and researchers say that beneficiaries in the most popular plans could see their monthly premiums lurch up 21%. Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, recommends,
Consumer Reports Dissects Ad For Restless Leg Syndrome Drug Requip
Consumer Reports deconstructs the ad for “restless leg syndrome” drug Requip in this amusing video. Restless Leg Syndrome, while a real condition, affects less than 3% of adults, but the ad offers a vague enough definition that it could apply to anyone. The ad does warn against some of the side effects, like nausea, diarrhea, drowsiness while driving and increased gambling and sexual urges. Consumer Reports tells us that in one Mayo clinic study, two people with no previous gambling history took it and subsequently went to lose over $100,000 in gambling. But, hey, at least their legs weren’t restless underneath the roulette table.
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Medicare is confusing, but you should understand it a lot better after you peruse all the manuals and training materials the outsourced 1-800-MEDICARE call center has posted online for their phone reps! [CMS]
