Pepin't Pharmaceutical Prattle for 08-26-2002
	Quote of the Day: ...the safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death. Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

Good morning! Ethics….everyone has SOME KIND of ETHICS. What defines GOOD ethics from bad.? How can we get to basic good ethics….a set of unwritten rules that helps us do the "RIGHT" thing? Herein lies the quandary. I contend that we ALL do what is in our own PERCEIVED best interest. For those CEOs who "cooked the books" their interest was money and their egos got in the way of believing that they would be caught. Look for remorse of a self serving kind….they are sorry…but only sorry that they were caught….not sorry that they ruined pension funds and 401K plans or the very companies that were supporting them. For a firefighter to run into a burning building seems contrary to this belief…..until you realize that the firefighter knows that THIS is the job required and that it would be difficult to live with oneself by not attempting a reasonable rescue. It is why mothers and fathers will risk serious health danger by donating a kidney in order to save their children…they value the child more than themselves…hence, it may not be in their own best physical interest but in their own BEST moral and psychological interest to know that they did all that they could to save the child (the pain of loss would be greater than any physical pain).

Giving in on smaller things such as cheating on exams or taxes, copying music illegally from the internet, pirating software, accepting a vacation in return for brand loyalty just weakens the moral fibers that bind our ethics. It deadens the conscience. If you want to test the "rightness" of an action you may wish to examine the winners and losers….if you are the only one to benefit and society (read patients, members, companies) loses ….you may have reason to question the action. When looking to your own interests, also think of the interests of the groups to which you belong; family, profession, company, citizen. You "know" what is right. It comes from a well formed conscience that is exercised daily to keep it strong. Some of the articles deal with right and wrong….(maybe all)... enjoy!

1) So who wants to smoke a light anyway?

Light smokers still at risk especially if you are a woman even if you don't inhale! Who do smokers hurt besides themselves?…family (loss), employers (higher health costs), society (lower productivity and use of health care resources)…The enlightened self interest fed by smoking is relief from the pain of withdrawal….(We have drugs for THAT!) http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/1689.53771

2) I have heard of histamine blockers before but now Antihistamine blockers?!!

Antihistamines to be blocked by Wellpoint…..With Claritin going OTC in the foreseeable future. Wellpoint is taking the aggressive stance of BLOCKING Claritin, Clarinex, Allegra prescriptions. (Now WHERE did I see that suggestion before….Oh yeah... the 8-12-02 Prattle….2 weeks ago!). The plan's enlightedned self interst...more money to spend on serious diseases and the ability to survive by keeping premiums competitive. http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/020820/health_wellpoint_generics_2.html http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/020820/health_wellpoint_generics_2.html

3) Not good news, Herb….

Internet sites giving Cancer advice found to be dangerous. Cancer patients are often desperate to hear the assurance that everything will be fine…and can be taken advantage of by people selling "quack" remedies. If it walks, like a duck, talks like a duck…. The only self interest involved here is greed at the expense of the lives of the victims….(You DID see this ethical problem didn't you?) http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/bjc/journal/v85/n5/full/6691989a.html&filetype=PDF

4) It might actually be good if it WAS habit forming…

If Paxil was addictive then we would not have a problem with compliance! Paxil ads on the air, off the air, on the air due to legal tug of war over whether or not it is habit forming….. There are other drugs that should not be rapidly discontinued…such as beta-blockers….I suspect that Glaxo will win the case. SO what do you think about the ethics of this case? http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020822/hl_nm/health_paxil_dc_2

5) FDA moves quickly to study effects of alpha interferon to fight WEST NILE
	The drug is used in other viral diseases and worth a try. I still think that a vaccine is the best long-term solution. The countries best interest is to find a short term solution, relieve citizen anxieties, and promote the general welfare. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=541&ncid=751&e=10&u=/ap/20020821/ap_on_he_me/west_nile_11

6) You do have a great smile…but don't be so sensitive.

At home teeth whitening study shows increase dental sensitivity. Maybe you should let a dentist do it in the office? (Of course if you quit smoking and drinking coffee and tea it would help.) This one is interesting because the self interest of looking good is matched against the side effects... by the way, my youngest boy just had his braces off on Monday...fort time I have seen him smile showing his teeth in 3 years! http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=571&ncid=751&e=2&u=/nm/20020820/hl_nm/dental_whitening_dc_1

7) Just say no to golf….

AMA condemns charging pharmaceutical representatives for an office visit as unethical. (the new code of conduct should go a long way in curbing abuses…on both sides). As so we come to the medical/pharmaceutical ethics…. I think that you know who benefits from the activity in question…the docs and pharma sales….who loses are the patient (higher copay, different side effects), the employer (higher drug costs), and society (waste of resources). http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/18/business/yourmoney/18ETHI.html

Have a GREAT and ETHICAL week…(come again NEXT week…no sermons!)
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