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Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle
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01-30-2006 Quote of the day: Let the fear of danger be a spur to prevent it; he that fears not, gives advantage to the danger. Francis Quarles (1592 - 1644)
Do! A cleaver little ad is running now that shows people “doing” the little things we do each day but dumbbells have been substituted for the everyday objects. The point being made is that exercise does not have to involve a membership at a gymnasium… we burn calories and build strength just by moving. Same thing happens when we volunteer. Scouts, sports, church or just helping a neighbor burns calories but more importantly builds character strength. Kids do what they see their parents do. If you do not presently volunteer for anything then get involved in something and let your kids be a part of it or at least know what you are doing. You will stretch and grow (in the right way). Many organizations are suffering from a dearth of volunteers so finding one should not be hard. Things will get harder for charities if children follow the ways of non-volunteer parents. Donating your time will help others in the short term, you in the long term and your children for years (maybe generations) to come. =================================================== ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Excellent... and getting better!"
pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience.
==================================================== 1) What's that sucking sound? Inhaled insulin! The FDA has finally approved inhaled insulin. Exubra must be exuberantly inhaled using a huge (luggable) apparatus. Unlike the initial expectations, patients still have to be on injectable insulin. The inhaled form supplements during the day. (read the instructions for yourself and tell me if you think it might just be easier to take the insulin by injection.) http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2006/021868mg.pdf 2) Stutent (not misspelled "Student") New GI and kidney cancer drug, Stutent(sunitinib), approved by the FDA. This is remarkable because it is the first time that the FDA has approved any anti-cancer drug for TWO INDICATIONS at the same time. Usually a drug gets one indication, physicians use it for another, studies are completed and a second indication is approved. Maybe the FDA is learning… like a good "stutent"? http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2006/NEW01302.html 3) Minnesota feels a little like Florida. Not the weather… I called the "election" a bit too soon. Last week I was lead to believe that the J&J bid for Guidant took the prize. Now that the "fat lady has sung" it appears that Boston Scientific is the winner. Because this is a largely debt financed deal I expect the "bean counters" will be counting paperclips and tightening belts…. some around "surplus" human resources. (I like my "crow" well-done please) http://www.forbes.com/2006/01/25/guidant-boston-scientific_cz_mh_0125guidant.html?partner=daily_newsletter 4) JAMA has enough pens Group promoting the elimination of promotions to physicians gets some space in JAMA. The oppose research grants, Expect researchers to lash back. (Does any reasonable person think that a pen will change a physician's mind about which drug to prescribe?) http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/295/4/429?lookupType=volpage&vol=295&fp=429&view=short
5) Are you yellow? FDA warns of potential liver problems from Ketek. It is a super potent erythromycin-like antibiotic. Only 3 reports so far. Patients taking it with no problems are encouraged to continue the drug. Anyone with jaundice should stop taking it immediately and call the prescribing physician. http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/telithromycin.htm 6) Still about 14 million short! Few people have signed up for the Medicare Part-D prescription Drug plan than originally hoped? Get the latest stats from this site. If you know any of the 14 million people who haven't enrolled direct them to www.electRx.com for assistance. http://www.kff.org/medicare/upload/7453.pdf 7) Why give it away when you can sell it? Some drug companies are eliminating patient assistance programs, often used by low income seniors, because the drugs are covered under Part-D. http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/nation/13681520.htm 8) If I called these cartoons average would I be considered mean? Some shops at the big, slow moving targets we know and love as pharmaceutical companies. (I am not endorsing anything you find here….I haven't looked through them all!) http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?topicid=20&image=0 ------------ Have a SUPER-FANTASTIC week. 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 and supervision of your 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 spepin@pharmworks.com . All insightful comments from readers are thoughtfully considered (the rest are callously discarded). Copyright 1998-2006 PHARMWORKS, LLC all rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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