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Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle for 12-11-2006
Quote of the day: The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value. Charles Dudley Warner (1829 - 1900), 'Eleventh Study,' Backlog Studies, 1873
Good morning ! Look a Gift Card in the Mouth I just read about the latest form of gift giving…. a bank gift card. This form of card is a VISA card and can be used in just about any store. From gas to gnomes; gardenias to gardening they all fit on one little card. One little thoughtless card. This idea is the final step in the evolution of gift giving. In years past people made gifts for one another: clothes, toys, furniture, etc. It took thought, effort and skill. Then came the "store bought" gifts. The thought remained the same but skill and effort were replaced by "shopping". In the third age of "gifting" the thought too was diminished and giving a gift certificate or gift card for a particular store (the only thought) freed the giver of the responsibility of selecting an appropriate gift. This final period, Universal Gift cards has now eliminated the thinking and shopping entirely! It also wrings all of the joy out of giving…all of the anticipation of the look of surprise on the face of the recipient… and also ruins the feeling that the recipient used to receive when the thoughtfulness and intimate knowledge was revealed in the opening. Which would you rather receive: a book by your favorite author or a gift card ("so I'm a $20 friend am I …") With only a few more days of shopping left, buying individual gifts with the appropriate amount of thought and time may be too great a task. Go ahead with your plans for this year but think about what you will do for your loved ones next year, Pay attention during the gift opening and see the reactions to gift cards and compare them to "real" gifts. =================================================== ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Stupendous!" pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience. ------------
1) A gift for the heart Patients with drug eluting stents in their hearts need to take clopidogrel for an extended period ( 24 months after stent implantation) to avoid blood clots. The ama statement on the issue is linked below. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3043941
2) Merry Christmas… you're fired. Biavail just laid off a bunch of sales people while paying off debt and tripling their dividend. If I were a betting man, I'd say that management were not going to reach their critical goals and loose their stock options. While this is not stock manipulation, I can only wonder what the stock price will do. http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Symbol=US:BVF&Feed=BW&Date=20061206&ID=6252665
3) A HIT this year? Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia is a big problem and can develop over time rather than precipitously. The non-heparin alternatives are VERY VERY expensive. FDA will add a warning to all heparin products. Testing is possible but expensive. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2006/safety06.htm#heparin
4) Von Eschenbach confirmed as FDA chief Not a big surprise after more that a year at the post… expect more controversy with Ketek at the core until the next big thing.. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/07/AR2006120701420.html
5) Visit the grandparents in Florida and pick up a "little" something for yourself Drug dealers and addicts are visiting Florida due to less stringent prescription drug oversight. Buy retail and sell black market and pay for your trouble…. if your don't get caught. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-drugs4dec04,1,5060410.story
6) Not available in Tuttie-fruite? Latest contraceptive now available in chewable tablets. You don’t think that they are going after the Flintstone Vitamin crowd do you? http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061207/chewable_contraception.html?.v=3
7) Congress looking for Santa under the pharmaceutical company tree Epogen, Aranesp, and Procrit pricing under scrutiny. Very expensive drugs used in dialysis and biking (sorry Lance!)
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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