ppp 08-28-06

Quote of the day: If you live to be one hundred, you've got it made.

Very few people die past that age. George Burns (1896 - 1996)

My grandfather was a cement worker. He professed that there were only two kinds of concrete; the kind that is cracked and the kind that hasn't cracked yet. Just so, there are 2 kinds of drugs; those whose patents have expired and those who still haven't expired yet. Drugs are granted patents for 20 years. The FDA has to approve the marketing of the drug after that time. Drug manufacturers know these time limits from the start but many act surprised or shocked when a successful drug reaches the end of its brand exclusively. This has also been the time that the lawyers seem to slither out from under the rocks and invent reasons why exclusivity should be extended. Recent events have now limited the extensions. If pharma companies perform research on pediatric patients then they can be granted an additional 6 months... but that`s about it. With the government funding the purchase of more and more drugs, it was just a matter of time before the way to generic approval was greased.

There are two kinds of people...the ones that are dead and the ones who are not dead yet. A man's years are numbered four score and seven...and maybe a few more with healthy living. Medications can help you reach your potential... if you take them. Hopefully the movement to generic availability and Medicare Part D will remove cost as a barrier to compliance. If you have a chronic illness (heart disease, diabetes. or asthma) then please comply with your physician's prescription and live to your potential.

ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Happier than a pig in mud!" (Minnesota State Fair started last Thursday)

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

Regular telephone conversations with a pharmacist reduced the mortality of a population of patients talking multiple drugs. Compliance, drug interactions and other monitoring helps assure optimal drug therapy and enhanced health… what a concept!

Study only done on 30 patients but resulted in hair growth! I’ll bet a bigger study will have to be done.

Pharmacist will be put in the position of not just filling prescriptions for Plan B but now will have to decide who gets it and who does not. Behind the counter sale of Plan B approved under pressure from Hillary.

FDA proposes to require PHARM to do more work to keep up the FDA drug database. (ok… who didn’t see this one coming?) To their credit, it only took the FDA one week to act on this.

If MEDICARE can’t stop the activity it can at least reduce funding. Raed about respiratory “compounding”.

Eli Lilly has been synonymous with diabetes care since insulin was first available. One adverse effect of diabetes is on the eye and Lilly bought the rights to a drug that may reduce diabetic eye problems, The FDA has asked for more data. Stock falls.

Medicare sent checks to recipients in error(for Medicare Part D). Now they want their money back. I’m sure that none of this will be confusing for the quarter million citizens involved.

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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