Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle for 06-09-2003
	Quote of the day: Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. John Howard Payne (1791 - 1852)

Good morning! No place like home if it has screens! According to … http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/mosfaq.htm Click here for reference. there are about 3000 different species of mosquito in the world. About 150 are found in North America (which are the ones that could bite me, and thus of more immediate concern). They have been responsible for about half of the deaths since human life began on Earth. …Click here. ,,,,,,,,,,,,, Over the years I have developed a Love-Hate relationship with the little suckers…they LOVE to bite me and I HATE them for it. If there were 50 people in the back yard for a picnic, I would attract the first and most bites. They are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide...maybe if I wasn't so full of hot air they would leave me alone! In any event I have confronted my fear and recorded my thoughts of revenge. Be aware that no mosquitoes were harmed in the writing of this book (darn!).

1) "I vant to bite your neck….and the arm…and the leg…."

Mosquito season has come to Minnesota (and I trust, much of the rest of the States). CDC is recommending the use of repellants with 30% DEET in children over the age of 2 years. Article mentions different species and diseases. There is even a "biteline" number to call for information on neighborhood spraying. …Click here for full text of story. http://www.msnbc.com/local/strib/sket06.asp?vts=6620031303

2) Canadians take a bite out of the US wallet through
	Facilitators who are not medically trained are acting as "middlemen" in illegal effort to have US residents receive illegal prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. Better watch out or we'll start sending our mosquitoes North of the border! …Click here for full text of story. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/04/business/04DRUG.html?th=&pagewanted=print&position=

3) Blood sucking Mass legislature thwarted.
	Massachusetts "fee" on prescriptions filled for private pay patients judged a tax and thus repealed. But just like mosquitoes, they'll keep buzzing around until they can extract blood. …Click here for full text of story. http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-prescription-tax,0,7145132.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

4) There may be something abuzz about a Medicare prescription drug plan.
	Dems and Repubs are actually taking. …Click here for full text of story. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2885147

5) "statins" may work to reduce certain cancers.

Not the first report of its kind. I saw this particular reference initially in the USA Today early last week. It appears that those types of cancers which increase in patients with extra fat and reduced in incidence when lipid (fat) lowering drugs are taken. I would expect lower rates of breast and colon cancer to be "found" sometime soon as well. (Or you could limit your fat intake….just a crazy thought.) …Click here for full text of story. http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.asp?Feed=RTR&Date=20030602&ID=2599898&Symbol=US:MRK

6) While I would prefer the FDA fast-track any mosquito repelling drugs…

FDA elects to act against the recent "epidemics" of diabetes and obesity. Formerly, just anti cancer or anti HIV drugs were given quick FDA attention to bring them to market sooner. The less important drugs, like another ACE inhibitor or ED drug, will get "coach cabin" service. …Click here for full text of story. http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/155/nation/FDA_chief_looks_to_speed_diabetes_obesity_drugs+.shtml

7) Now that SARS appears to be waning …. we always have WEST NILE to think about.
	This goes into some detail about why this will be with us for quite awhile when SARS may be a relative blip. Birds are the key….they carry it and bring it with them on migration. (Are all of these article bugging you?) …Click here for full text of story. http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/06/06/west.nile.preview/index.html

8) Are all of these articles bugging you? Backlash from a mosquito hater (me) in book form. I will have 2 years worth of these if I dole them out once a week. One more way I can vent on the little rascals who bring pain and disease upon mankind. If you get restless for the whole load at once you will be among the first to be able to order the book when it is ready…. "101 Things to Do with a Dead Mosquito" by Steve Pepin. (not available yet)

Have a super-Fantastic week (without bites!) Steve

Disclaimer: "Pepin's Pharmaceutical Prattle" (AKA "The Prattle") is the property of PHARMWORKS, LLC and Steven M. Pepin, Pharm. D, BCPS. The opinions expressed are those of the bald-headed author. To start or stop any drug without the advice a supervision of you physician would be stupid. So don't do anything based upon what you read here without professional advice. To be added to or removed from the distribution list please e-mail your request to pharmworks@pharmworks.com . All insightful comments from readers are thoughtfully considered (the rest are callously discarded). Copyright 2003 PHARMWORKS,LLC all rights reserved.