ppp 05-22-06

Quote of the day: "It does not matter what they are saying as long as they are talking about you."

Liz Taylor (actress)

Old Liz had her strategy down….just get your name in the paper and it will add to your fame. Brown used the same techniques in promoting his book, The Da Vinci Code, He claimed it to be well researched and true on one hand but claimed it to be fiction in other interviews. My new phone came with a “talking book” chapter from the book. The prose was hideous and the story line dubious. (French protector of an ancient secret is mortally wounded in an art gallery and develops and hides clues (in English) within famous paintings in the 20 minutes before his death.) While some find this story interesting, others find it an affront to their religious beliefs. The book contains no references at all. (We in the medical professions would not let any colleague get away with that!) Books refuting Brown’s claims have recently been published by scholars with impeccable credentials in an exquisitely detailed, referenced and documented manner. (My favorite is The Da Vinci Hoax by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel) The trouble with “The Da Vinci Code” is that it purposefully tries to lead others from Christian belief. I liken it to charlatans who discount any valid pharmacologic properties of proven drugs in order to sell their useless snake-oil potions. You can believe whatever you wish, but for my money I’d side with the evidence based people as I do with drug therapy.

ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Smarter" (a recent graduate.)

pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience.

New drug approved for parkinson’s disease. This has some potentially serious side effects and cautions (including dietary restrictions) but it will be nice to have another alternative to use against this disease.

This article speaks to all of the "good stuff" that pharmacists do for patients. Let's hope that we don't (again) fall into the trap of GIVING AWAY this valuable service or tying "knowledge work" to pharmaceutical product reimbursement. Of course this view is self-serving because I provide ONLY "knowledge work" but the entire pharmaceutical community suffers if product is all that is valued.

Whoever concocted the "late fee" did stir up discussion about Part-D. I'm sure it was a way to force enough seniors into the program to make it worthwhile. I'll be the first to say "Get rid of the penalty altogether!". If the program benefits seniors (and it appears to be doing so) then it will fly. Administration of the penalty will only be another detail to track and a sorespot for anyone hit with the penalty.

Rozerem was approved for sleep disorders about one year ago. (http://www.pharmworks.com/ppp_08_29_2005.htm ) The company will finally get around to promoting it this summer. Let hope that the "sleeper wars" replace the "erectile dysfunction wars"!

Expect the Fed to join in or initiate more legal action against pharmaceutical companies as it assumes more and more of the burden of paying for prescription drugs. While big PHARMA will never be nationalized, it will be bludgeoned into submission. (… but what do I REALLY think?)

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