Everyone knows that people buy Viagra over the internet, but the FDA says that people are buying commonly prescribed drugs with cheap generic equivalents from foreign pharmacies.
pharma
There Are No Safe And Effective Cold Medicines For Small Children
By 10.23.07
Dr. Benjamin Brewer, who writes “The Doctor’s Office” column in the Wall Street Journal, addresses the issue of giving cough and cold medicines to children.
Free $5 Tylenol Coupons
By 10.17.07
Because of recent recalls of useless and potentially deadly children’s cold medicines, Tylenol is giving out $5 coupons. Be advised though that you have to install a special coupon printing program to take advantage of the offer. Turn on your printer, disable popup blocks, hit the red button, install the program, and a $5 coupon good for TYLENOL, MOTRIN, PediaCare, Benadryl, SUDAFED, St. Joseph, or Immodium pops out.
14 Children's Cold Meds Withdrawn From the Market
By 10.11.07
Johnson & Johnson today recalled several infant cough and cold medicines, citing “rare instances of misuse leading to overdose, particularly in infants under two years of age.”
By 10.11.07
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Medicare’s prescription drug plan finder was updated with 2008 information today. [Medicare]
Medicare Companies Use Sick Marketing Practices, Federal Audit Finds
By 10.9.07
A federal audit of Medicare coverage by brand-name insurance companies found a pattern of wrongly denied claims and deceptive marketing practices, NYT reports. In some cases, salesmen would show up at elderly folk’s doors and say the President sent them, or that they’re from Medicare. In others, telemarketers call and say they’re from Medicare and the person will lose their benefits if they don’t enroll in the telemarketer’s plan. Our country’s healthcare system is on life support and we’re not sure what will fix it. Perhaps an appetite for more oversight, audits and fines for misbehaving companies would do the trick.
Target Matches Walmart's $9 Birth Control Pill Program
By 9.29.07
Attention women who like the idea of $9 birth control: Target has announced that they will be matching Walmart’s program. Target will also be matching the additions to the $4 generic program.
Safety Experts Urge FDA To Ban OTC Cough And Cold Meds For Kids Under 6
By 9.29.07
The New York Times is reporting that safety experts are urging the FDA to consider a ban of all “over-the-counter, multisymptom cough and cold medicines for children under 6.”
Drug Company Fined MoreThan $500 Million For Inflating Drug Prices, Inappropriate Marketing
By 9.29.07
Given all the recent attention to industry money and off-label uses of atypical antipsychotics, we were particularly struck by the Abilify issue. The drug is approved only for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in adults, but the Department of Justice accused the company of promoting its use for children and for elderly patients with dementia.
According to the Department of Justice, BMS created a special sales force specifically to target nursing homes. It’s unfortunate for those patients that the drug carries a warning of increased death among elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis who are treated with atypical antipsychotics.
FDA Issues Public Health Warning About Cancer Pain Drug Fentora
By 9.27.07
The FDA would like to let you know that a medicine meant to be used to control pain in patients who have become tolerant to morphine and other similar drugs is being used incorrectly and some patients have died as a result.
Walmart Adds More Drugs To The $4 Program, You Can Now Control Your Fungus For Cheap
By 9.27.07
The New York Times is reporting that Walmart has decided to expand their $4 generic drug program. The program will now include generics of “widely used heart medication Coreg and the anti-fungal drug Lamisil.”
How To Find Lower Priced Generic Drugs
By 9.21.07
Here’s two sites which will help you find cheaper generic alternatives to brand-name prescriptions:
FDA Plans To Study Effects of Direct-To-Consumer Prescription Drug Ads
By 8.23.07
Direct-to-consumer drug ads show pretty pictures of people laughing while running through fields of flowers and enjoying romantic dinners and such while a monotone voice speaks about side-effects like diarrhea, blot clots, and death. You’re watching, but are you really listening?
FDA Says No Cough Syrup For Toddlers Without Doctor Approval
By 8.17.07
“Questions have been raised about the safety of these products and whether the benefits justify any potential risks from the use of these products in children, especially in children under 2 years of age,” the agency said.
How Do Drug Companies Know What Your Doctor Is Prescribing?
By 8.13.07
The AMA sells information about what your doctor is prescribing says an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Publix Stops Price-Matching Walmart's $4 Drug Plan
By 8.10.07
Bad news for people who were enjoying Publix’s policy of price-matching Walmart’s $4 generic drug plan—they’ve discontinued it, opting instead of offer free antibiotics.
Publix Offers 7 Types Of Antibiotics For Free
By 8.7.07
Fourteen-day supplies of the seven drugs, among the most commonly prescribed, will be available at all 684 of the chain’s pharmacies in five states. Publix said it is not limiting the number of prescriptions that customers may fill for free.
Ritalin Stunts Growth, Study Finds
By 7.24.07
Kids taking ADHD drug Ritalin are about an inch shorter and 4.4 pounds lighter than their friends, according to new study. It won’t be clear until two years from now whether the children’s growth is permanently affected.
