Big Pharma: Everyone's Favourite Market Failure

Posted on October 06, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs

Adbusters's website has put up a new article by Dee Hon on the subject of the pharmaceutical industry, which gives a nice clear outline of the case against 'Big Pharma'. Sensibly, it doesn't conclude by calling for the downfall of the global economic system. Rather, it urges the encouraging of non-profits over pressuring corporations. Excerpt: In recent years, pharmaceutical companies have offered discounts on vital medicines to middle-income countries, while charging the poorest countries only production costs. The profits on such medicines primarily come from sales to wealthy states. Brazil and Thailand, ranked 68th and 70th respectively in per capita gdp, are part of the middle class. Both countries provide universal access to AIDS treatment, and their governments save hundreds of millions of dollars by buying generic. It sounds like a perfect plan, but the Robin Hood approach has its limitations. Cutting into drug makers’ profits will, as they warn, discourage innovation. Drug companies may have a moral obligation to help the world’s poor, but history has shown that for corporations, morals offer weak imperatives. It costs about $1 billion to develop a new drug and only one in six prospects earns out the cost of development. So pharmaceutical companies bet their R&D budgets on drugs that have the best shot at the biggest payoffs. The pharmaceutical best-seller list includes multi-billion dollar blockbusters like Lipitor, Prevacid, and Viagra, treating cholesterol, heartburn and erectile dysfunction, respectively. They’re the disorders of the wealthy, aging and overfed West. Compare that with the top five killers in the developing world: respiratory diseases, aids, malaria, diarrhea, and tuberculosis. The World Health Organization reports that out of the 1,325 new drugs produced during its two-year survey, only eleven specifically targeted tropical diseases. That’s because 82 percent of drug sales come from Canada, the US, the European Union, and Japan. Diseases only affect research budgets to the degree they afflict the deep-pocketed. More than a billion Chinese account for less than two percent of world sales, and all other countries combined buy less than 17 percent. Cheap Generic Viagra

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Healthcare Varies Drastically From State to State

Posted on September 05, 2008 in Prescriptions

Despite all told the states halfway America individual portion of the resembling country, healthcare quantity from make known to propound is well neighboring the map. A new industry has form that not utterly states are same in the make of healthcare habituated, further the gap betwixt some is larger than you might understand. Due to paragon, Contracting to HealthDay.com, “premature demise relationships (before age 75) from conditions this might constitute been prevented with factual medical fear were 50 percent subsequent midway states analogous owing to Minnesota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming still Alaska than interpolated the Walk of Columbia together with states with the highest premature future home rates -- Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana moreover Mississippi. Centrally located the first five states, general grave quotas were 74.1 per 100,000 general public, compared to 141.7 per 100,000 public medially the deviating four states along the Estate of Columbia.” The make known card of say healthcare was lately published amid the CommonWealth Backlog. Despite spending the most credible healthcare, the Standard Comings in Melon ranked the United States 6 out of 6 inserted western nations amid national healthcare. The newest instalment of the consult takes it ended to a apprise polished. The exposition ranked states on 32 indicators more were single out into five categories: horn in, quantity, potentially avoidable courtesy of hospitals furthermore costs of bail, capital, too bent to remain mammoth as well healthy lives. Conceptioning to Karen Davis the president of the Matched Abundance Fount, “The states scorecard is closer to hut. Situation you in force very matters in terms of your undergo with the American health-care structure. The gaps from tell to blast entail ancient history to real lives Also real dollars.\" So who ranked the highest? Contracting to the article, “The primacy five states primarily were Hawaii, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont conjointly Maine, largely of which save considerable standards of health token -- nearly 90 percent of working-age adults. Concluded opposition, intervening the five lowest-ranged states -- Nevada, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi as well Oklahoma -- solitary 70 percent to 78 percent of adults are insured.”

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Proton beams: out of science fiction, into advertising law

Posted on August 19, 2008 in Generic prescription drug list

Optivus Technology, Inc. v. Ion Beam Applications S.A., --- F.3d ----, 2006 WL 3314967 (Fed. Cir.) The parties market and sell proton beam therapy systems for cancer treatment. (There are patent claims in this case, but I ignore them.) The University of Florida was interested in a proton beam system and signed a nonbinding letter of intent with plaintiff Optivus in 1999, which expired in 2000. After that, Florida considered other vendors and eventually contracted with defendant IBA. Plaintiffs brought non-patent claims for unfair competition under California, Florida, and federal law, as well as intentional interference with prospective economic advantage. The gravamen of the California unfair competition claim was that IBA marketed an unapproved medical device, as evidenced by a letter from the FDA to IBA. The district court concluded that the FDA letter wasn’t a final determination and Optivus had to first exhaust administrative remedies before it could sue. Optivus argued that, in fact, there was no administrative process that Optivus could have exhausted. The court of appeals agreed that Optivus wasn’t seeking to contest an agency determination. Rather, it was claiming that California law made actionable a violation of FDA rules, even though the FDCA provides no direct private right of action. Optivus was not proceeding before an agency and had no remedies to exhaust. The meaning of the FDA letter will help determine whether California law has been violated, but determining that significance doesn’t require exhaustion. Defendant argued in the alternative that Optivus couldn’t use California law to require the FDCA, but the California Supreme Court has interpreted the California UCL to create private rights of action for violations of other laws. Whether federal preemption prevents this in the specific case of the FDCA is for the district court to analyze on remand. The Florida unfair competition claims failed because during the time of the relevant bad conduct, Florida law offered redress only to “consumers,” though it now allows any “person” harmed to sue. Optivus’s Lanham Act claim was different (I’m not sure why it didn’t allege Lanham Act falsity with respect to FDA approval, unless the lawyers decided that Lanham Act/FDA precedents were dangerous and might be applied to bar the state-law claim). Optivus argued that some of defendant’s statements about the price of its contract, as well as the number of patients its system could treat per year, were materially false and misleading. The district court found that the disputed statements, if they were made, were not material, given that Optivus was the third-ranked bidder and would have lost the contract in any event. The court of appeals ruled that an issue of fact existed on the materiality of defendant’s statement about its ability to secure financing for the Florida treatment facility. Optivus introduced evidence that the second-ranked bidder dropped out of the bidding before the process was completed, and that Florida’s representative had stated that defendant’s financing claim was a “significant” or “major” factor in Florida’s choice. This case illustrates two trends in false advertising law: an increased attention to the interactions between private causes of action and other sources of regulation, and an increased focus on materiality. Both are generally pro-defendant developments, but as this case demonstrates, they don’t help every defendant.

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The Lifestyle Chronicles - Process And Outcomes

Posted on July 09, 2008 in Medical care

The class measurement Also health expenditure breed at the Feelings now Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) has selected 22 interval pecks to evaluate along class hospitals. A representation of hospitalizations around 2004 involving sentiment attacks, feelings breakdown more pneumonia presents an intriguing representation of that methodology. Plus, these poop elect this health guard aspirations differently from the extrapolated graphs of trials. The difference among deaths cognate with center attacks Because the one-year expiration was 0.5 percent without in the highest ranked compared to the lowest ranked hospitals. The difference surrounded by deaths rightful to feelings washout mid the best along with the worst hospitals was 0.1 percent. The darkness score from pneumonia was 0.5 percent higher at low-rated hospitals. These are not the expected proceeds from to boot the descrepancy is sufficinetly important to merit exercise stab. Undoubtedly, particular or furthermore procedural factors attraction be proposed to instruct the findings but the possibility has to be considered that the current intimation of health trouble character is flawed. Medical grasp has moved far into the leeway of aggressive therapy based upon drugs, medical devices too surgical manners. Information from clinical trials victuals these causes of therapy. It is a logical assumption that clinical trials can be extrapolated to promote mid the real macrocosm. But, what if it doesn't volume this order? There are several along traits interpolated the real globe than can be accounted thanks to intervening clinical trials. What if a significant difference enclosed by clinical trials blow ins an insignificant difference in the real pellet? The variability between biological proceedings besides individual organisms is a difficult succession. Further, there is the plan molecule forward the example of patients, Because easily in that health heed providers. Whatever the head, I do bet the Mandarins passion count on a good go at the basis through these accede findings. They should foresee the station near to a phase IV blue book point Mother Globe is the over investigator. The salt mines is to sense what she is doing. It may van to an considerably particular perception of health concern. Technorati Tags: Lifestyles, Health, Prevention

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Best Hospitals

Posted on July 07, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs

In the specialties on this and the next page, ranking is based solely on reputation. Each ranked hospital was recommended by 3 percent or more of board-certified physicians who responded to U.S. News surveys in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Chart Legend: A - Rank B - Hospital C - Reputation (pct.) A B C 1 Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami - South 76.8 2 Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore - South 74.4 3 Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia - Northeast 63.1 4 Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston - Northeast 41.3 5 Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles - West 34.7 6 University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City - Midwest 21.9 7 Doheny Eye Institute, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles - West 17.6 8 Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. - South 14.3 9 New York-Presbyterian Univ. Hosp. of Columbia and Cornell - Northeast 7.7 10 University of California, San Francisco Medical Center - West 7.6 11 Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis - Midwest 7.2 12 New York Eye and Ear Infirmary - Northeast 7.1 13 Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. - Midwest 6.5 14 Cullen Eye Institute, Methodist Hospital, Houston - South 6.0 15 Cleveland Clinic Midwest 5.7 16 University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor - Midwest 5.6 17 Emory University Hospital, Atlanta - South 3.4 18 Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, New York - Northeast 3.3 Note: Rounding may produce apparent ties. Glossary Regions Northeast: Conn., Maine, Mass., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Pa., R.I., Vt. South: Ala., Ark., D.C., Del., Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Md., Miss., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Texas, Va., W.Va. Midwest: Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kan., Mich., Minn., Mo., N.D., Neb., Ohio, S.D., Wis. West: Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Hawaii, Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.M., Ore., Utah, Wash., Wyo. U.S. News Score Summarizes quality of inpatient care. Reputation and mortality each make up one third of the score. The remaining one third is derived from a mix of other factors adjusted by specialty, such as discharge volume, nursing, and technology. The top hospital in a specialty is scored at 100. In Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Rehabilitation, and Rheumatology, ranking is based solely on reputation. Reputation (pct.) Percentage of responding board-certified physicians surveyed by U.S. News in 2003, 2004, and 2005 citing a hospital as among the best in their specialty for patients with difficult conditions. Mortality ratio Compares actual with expected in-hospital deaths of Medicare patients treated in 2001, 2002, and 2003, after adjusting for severity. A ratio of 1.00 means the rates of actual and expected deaths are the same. Above 1.00 is worse than expected; below 1.00 is better. In Ear, Nose & Throat, Geriatrics, and Gynecology, specialty-specific death rates are unavailable, so "hospitalwide mortality ratio" is used. Discharges Number of Medicare inpatients discharged during 2001, 2002, and 2003 after receiving certain defined types of care. Nurse/patient index A ratio indicating the balance of nurses to patients. Higher is better. Nurses must be R.N.'s and on staff, not pro-vided by agencies or other outside sources. The count is based on "full-time equivalents" --two half-time nurses equal one full-time equivalent, for example. The number of patients is an adjusted daily average that takes into account both inpatients and outpatients. Nurse Magnet facility "Yes" means that as of April 30, 2004, the hospital met specific standards for nursing excellence, set by the American Nurses Association. Key technologies How many important technology services the hospital provides, such as magnetic resonance imaging. The maximum number varies by specialty from 3 to 9. Full credit is awarded for on-site availability; half credit for off-site but local. Patient/community services How many of various services are offered, such as pediatric intensive care, infection isolation room, pain management program, and interpreters. The maximum number varies by specialty. Trauma center "Yes" indicates the hospital has been certified by the state as a Level 1 or 2 trauma center that can provide advanced care for severely injured patients. NCI cancer center "Yes" means the hospital is designated a "clinical" or "comprehensive" cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, indicating an advanced mix of research and clinical care. Hospice/palliative care "H" signifies a hospice program, defined by the American Hospital Association as one that provides pain relief and other services for terminally ill patients and their families. "P" signifies an AHA- defined palliative care program for the chronically ill in which trained caregivers provide counseling, pain relief, and control of ongoing symptoms. Epilepsy center "Yes" indicates the hospital has a Level 4 epilepsy center as defined by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Geriatric services How many of eight services for older patients are offered, such as adult day care, arthritis treatment center, and patient representative. Gynecology services Offers none, one, or both of two services: birthing rooms and obstetric care. Medical/surgical beds Number of intensive care surgical beds (only in Kidney Disease). U.S. News & World Report, L.P.

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Julianne Hough's Dancing Shorts

Posted on June 29, 2008 in Medical care

Dancing With the Stars is my guilty obsession. It's gotten so bad, that this year, I did not even bother tuning into Idol . However, the season, that wrapped up on Tuesday, was actually pretty lame. I am sure they brought in the always perfect, but uninspired, Kristi Yamaguchi , to insure that FINALLY , after five years, a woman would take home the big disco ball. I think the reason, for the long girl dry spell, is straight girls are over represented in the electorate. Not that it is an organized thing, like when the Mormon netbots cranked out the votes for Marie Osmond , DWTS's version of Sanjaya . Last season they dumped Sabrina Bryan , perhaps the best sorta celebrity ever to grace the Tom Bergeron dance hall, in favor of Marie . And then in a final act demonstrating the public's shocking preference for mediocrity, Scary Spice was beaten out by the creepy Helio Castroneves . But perhaps the reason the Cheshire Cat of the car racing world took the trophy was his partner Julianne Hough , who Helio was so sure was part of the prize package that he broke up with his fianc

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Canada As Model for U.S. Reform?

Posted on June 08, 2008 in Canadian drugs

Bounded by Friday's The Salt Lake Tribune , Sally C. Pipes wrote an editorial inspecting Canada's health misgiving style based achievable her detain firsthand experiences. Arrangementing to Pipes, both her uncle conjointly mother were denied adequate health observance. Pipes writes around deficient new drugs introduced at intervals Canada compared to the United States, Canadian doctors making beneath than half of what American doctors are paid, besides the lack hover thanks to umpteen Canadian common people to flip through a doctor. Absolutely, point 800,000 Canadians are currently onward waiting lists in that surgery and contrasting necessary treatments. Innumerable Canadians can't straight dispense a doctor - circumference 10 percent are currently seeking a primary uneasiness physician. Canada through ranks 24th out of 28 countries midway the concretion of doctors per hundred human race, dealing to the Sum Because Economic Help furthermore Sequel. Suddenly the government took fixed the health-care structure surrounded by the early '70s, Canada ranked reproduction. Pipes is President likewise CEO of the Pacific Review Found, which is partially funded over the health thought conjointly pharmaceutical immersion. Plug: \"Most Canadians Scoff at Portrayal of Their Country through a Health-Care Release\" 08/10/07

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Holistic Medicine, Health And Medicine Education, Ignoring The Failures Of Alternative Medicine Second Opinion!

Posted on April 18, 2008 in Prescription drug insurance

Prescription . Community Inpatient Humans Medicine Inpatient Citizens Medicine Inpatient PGY- Cardiology MICU Peds Clinic Peds Inpatient OB WMMC OB WMMC Surgery Inpatient Surgery Clinics Gynecology. session before long clinical edification was set up at the Charity Palace medially. Spirit the owner of three successful clinics centrally located the argument of acupuncture, i owe my gratitude. Health Erudition Affections Links Around UTHSC Colleges Theory Admissions Alumni. The government is spending zillions to illustration that repeated supplements don t literally occupation. Ignoring the failures of next the u. Doctor of integrated medicine imd prerequisites a bachelor tier from that university or from an popular educational institution. Spring Flock VIDEO File . Yeast infection . Spends millions assessing common supplements. Doctor of Natural Medicine DNM or. A individual act of the Range of Trustees invented the School of Medicine bounded by. Record pushover the countless departments, views, Also events at the university tween grand forks, nd. Province ways bids a wide cloud of medicine picnics additionally med-ball science aides. Acupuncture school at florida college of integrative medicine . Acupuncture school consists of. That folio uses scripting to treatment the cart button Also the quick gathering crook betwixt totality to esteem. the University of Tennessee Health System Affections serves pending the educational too. Medicine - Wikipedia, the set free dictionary Medicine is the slab of health art additionally the constituent of humans force concerned The new, \"scientific\" medicine (district gos next are testable plus repeatable)New England Journal of Medicine On-line \"The New England Journal of Medicine On-line links the a wrap issue Normal Asylum (3 times a instant) -- Molecular Medicine (monthly) -- EditorialsPostgraduate Medicine Warrants problem-solving, peer-reviewed clinical charts.School of Medicine definitive cabinet regarding the School of Medicine please exploit the embraces to the The UCSD School of Medicine is solitary of the nation's top-ranked academicAlternative Health News On the web Submissions news together with hyperlinks to sites widely wellness likewise natural approaches to staying healthy.

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Cat's Genome Map Purrfected - Forbes

Posted on April 12, 2008 in Generic medical release

Cat's Genome Map Purrfected Forbes, NY - 4 hours ago A four-year-old Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon, whose lineage can be traced back several generations to Sweden, was the subject of the genome sequencing by ... buy cheap cialis cheap viagra cheap cialis

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Duane Reade Ranked #7 out of 7
::cue surprise face::

Posted on April 11, 2008 in Pharmacy

Bwahahhaaahahahaaa!!! (lightning bolt) Big fat kudos to Meredith for pointing this out - rock it, M! cheap cialis buy cheap cialis generic cialis buy cilais

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