Narcotic 'lollipop' is big seller
Posted on September 05, 2008 in Prescriptions
By JOHN CARREYROU / The Wall Street Journal While pregnant with her second child three years ago, Tiare Frontera suffered from bad migraines. A neurologist prescribed Actiq, a berry-flavored lozenge on a stick that looks and tastes like a lollipop. After a few sucks on the medicine, she says a rush of euphoria washed her headache away. Soon, Mrs. Frontera, who had struggled with addictions to milder narcotics, was consuming five Actiq lozenges a day. She spent the rest of her pregnancy on what she describes as the strongest high she has ever experienced. When she gave birth, her baby son was cranky and wouldn’t sleep. Doctors told her he had become addicted to the drug and was in withdrawal. Mrs. Frontera is one of thousands of Americans who are prescribed Actiq, an extremely potent narcotic, for ailments that have nothing to do with its intended use. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug eight years ago for use only in cancer patients who suffer intense bouts of pain that other narcotics don’t relieve. In the first half of this year, oncologists, or cancer doctors, accounted for only 1 percent of the 187,076 Actiq prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies in the U.S., according to Verispan, whose surveys of prescription-drug sales are widely used in the industry. Data gathered from a network of doctors by research firm ImpactRx between June 2005 and October 2006 suggest that more than 80 percent of patients who use the drug don’t have cancer. Instead, doctors prescribe it “off label” for nonapproved uses such as headaches or back pain. Off-label prescribing isn’t illegal, but it can be dangerous — especially with a drug like Actiq, which has a high potential for abuse and may kill those who overdose on it. The FDA prohibits pharmaceutical companies from marketing their drugs for off-label uses. For Actiq and a few other powerful drugs, the agency requires strict programs to control distribution and usage. Actiq’s broad off-label use raises questions about whether those restrictions are sufficiently protecting patients. “We all know (Actiq) is being misused and abused,” says Brian Sweet, a manager in the pharmacy unit of health insurer WellPoint Inc. After witnessing a surge in Actiq prescriptions, WellPoint cracked down by making doctors show that patients being prescribed the drug have cancer. Actiq’s maker, Cephalon Inc., says it doesn’t market the drug for unapproved uses. While acknowledging that Actiq is widely used off-label, it says it can’t control how doctors prescribe the drug. Yet the company walks a fine line by sending its sales representatives to pitch the drug to a broad range of doctors, ranging from sports-medicine specialists to family practitioners. It gives these doctors coupons for free samples. Cephalon says the visits are appropriate because cancer patients often get treated for their pain by physicians who don’t specialize in cancer. Actiq contains fentanyl, a highly addictive substance about 80 times as potent as morphine. Fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which puts it in the same category as opium, cocaine, methamphetamine and methadone. Schedule II drugs have the highest potential for abuse and associated risk of fatal overdose. Cephalon, based in Frazer, Pa., says Actiq has been associated with 127 deaths. Two of them involved children who confused the drug for candy. Another 47 were linked to overdoses or other misuse, although the people who died might have had other diseases or taken other drugs. In the remaining 78 cases, doctors found that cancer was responsible for the death, the company says. Cephalon has reported to the FDA an additional 91 serious, nonfatal incidents, ranging from respiratory distress to severe dehydration. The U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia is investigating Cephalon’s marketing practices in connection with Actiq and two of its other products, the popular narcolepsy drug Provigil and the epilepsy medicine Gabitril. No charges have been filed. Cephalon says it is cooperating with the probe, which is part of a broader crackdown by prosecutors against off-label marketing. In August, the Justice Department fined Schering-Plough Corp. $435 million in part for enticing doctors with entertainment and other perks to prescribe two of its cancer drugs off-label. Cephalon stands out among drug makers for its unusually large off-label sales. Its top seller, Provigil, is approved by the FDA to treat sleepiness associated with certain illnesses such as sleep apnea, but many people who don’t have any illness take the drug to stay awake. Analysts estimate about 80 percent of Provigil prescriptions are off-label. Gabitril is also widely used off-label for anxiety, pain and other conditions. Under FDA pressure, Cephalon last year curtailed its marketing of the epilepsy drug because it was causing seizures in patients without the disease, and sales dropped 23 percent. Founded in 1987 by a former DuPont Co. scientist named Frank Baldino Jr., Cephalon expects revenue to exceed $1.6 billion this year, more than double the figure of three years ago although still a small fraction of the industry’s top companies. Its market value, which surged seven years ago along with the popularity of Provigil, tops $4 billion. Dr. Baldino earned $2.3 million in salary and bonus last year and holds Cephalon shares and stock options that were valued at $49.6 million as of the end of last year. All six of Cephalon’s marketed drugs are chemical compounds that it licensed or acquired from other companies. Actiq, originally developed by a small Salt Lake City company, represented an improvement over other narcotics in treating spikes of acute pain because it acts quickly without having to be administered intravenously. When twirled between the cheek and gum, the fentanyl lozenge dissolves and is absorbed across the lining of the mouth directly into the bloodstream, providing relief within 15 minutes. Actiq had sales of $15 million in 2000, when Cephalon acquired it. By last year, sales had grown to $412 million, making it Cephalon’s No. 2 drug. In the first nine months of this year, sales jumped to $471 million. Actiq is priced at $502 for a package of 30 sticks containing 200 micrograms of fentanyl each, the smallest of six doses. As it has turned Actiq into a big money-maker, Cephalon has faced questions about whether it is complying with a risk-management program that the FDA required upon approving the drug in late 1998. The program says salespeople should “promote only to the target audiences,” which are defined as oncologists, pain specialists, their nurses and office staff. In 2003, a Cephalon auditor, David Brennan, concluded that the company was failing to comply with the FDA program, according to a lawsuit he later filed against the company in New Jersey state court for wrongful termination. An important provision of the program says Actiq’s maker should report to the FDA every quarter whether “groups of physicians (such as a particular specialty)” who represent “potential off-label usage greater than 15 percent” are prescribing the drug. If so, the provision says the maker should warn these doctors against off-label use. Mr. Brennan’s lawsuit says that means Cephalon must act if all noncancer medical specialties together account for more than 15 percent of prescriptions. Cephalon interprets the provision differently. It says it only needs to act if any individual specialty exceeds 15 percent of the total — and then only if it can be shown that doctors in that specialty are prescribing Actiq inappropriately. Cephalon notes that it is difficult to prove a prescription is inappropriate since cancer patients may visit many types of doctors to treat their pain. It believes the 15 percent clause has yet to be triggered. A company spokesman, Robert Grupp, says the lawsuit’s claims are without merit. The FDA declined to comment. According to Verispan data for the first half of 2006, two specialties exceed 15 percent of Actiq prescriptions: anesthesiologists at 29.5 percent and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists at 16 percent. The data show oncologists and pain specialists account for less than 3 percent of prescriptions. Cephalon doesn’t dispute the data. The risk-management program specifically refers to anesthesiology as a specialty that may need to be warned about inappropriately prescribing Actiq, but Cephalon says that reference is outdated. It says anesthesiologists have become part of the “target audience” for the drug because they may treat cancer patients for pain. Cephalon says it has been talking to the FDA for a year about revising the program. After Mr. Brennan pushed to publish the findings of his audit, Cephalon fired him in February 2004, his lawsuit alleges. Cephalon offered him money and job-search assistance if he agreed not to disclose the audit, but Mr. Brennan refused, the suit says. Mr. Grupp declined to discuss Mr. Brennan’s dismissal but noted that he is “a former disgruntled employee.” Mr. Brennan has been interviewed twice by investigators working for the U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, most recently in May, according to a person familiar with the matter. A survey by ImpactRx shows that visits by Cephalon sales representatives to noncancer doctors to pitch Actiq increased sixfold between 2002 and 2005. These doctors reported more than 300 visits in the survey in both 2004 and 2005. Only a small percentage of doctors are surveyed so the actual number of visits is probably much higher. Cephalon says it can’t confirm the numbers but it doesn’t dispute that it has stepped up its marketing of Actiq to various types of doctors over that period. Stephen Leighton, a general practitioner in Winston-Salem, N.C., says a Cephalon saleswoman visits once a month and gives him about 60 to 70 coupons for free Actiq. Patients can trade each coupon for six Actiq sticks. Dr. Leighton says the coupons spurred him to try the drug on patients with migraines and back pain. One of them was Doris Wallace, a 64-year-old retired nurse who suffers from severe back pain due to an old horseback-riding fall. Ms. Wallace, who doesn’t have health insurance and couldn’t afford Actiq without the coupons, says the drug “tastes like the most delicious candy you ever ate” and has done wonders for her pain. At the height of her use, she was consuming 24 Actiq sticks a month. The positive experience of patients like Ms. Wallace has led Dr. Leighton to prescribe Actiq more widely for different types of pain. Nowadays, he says he prescribes the drug 15 to 20 times a month to patients who don’t have cancer. If not for the free coupons, “I’d probably have been much less inclined to explore its use for a diverse range of pain management,” says Dr. Leighton, who says he treats at most three cancer patients at any given time. Dr. Leighton says he thinks the FDA-approved usage of Actiq is too narrow. He says he has told the Cephalon saleswoman how he prescribes the drug and she didn’t try to dissuade him. Mr. Grupp of Cephalon says Dr. Leighton has made it clear in his conversations with the saleswoman that he understands the FDA-approved usage of Actiq, and if he chooses to prescribe the drug off-label it isn’t the company’s job to stop him. Mr. Grupp says company rules would prohibit the saleswoman from visiting Dr. Leighton only if he never prescribed the drug for cancer pain. “The vast majority of our reps follow the rules,” he says, though he adds that Cephalon has had to discipline some wayward representatives and fire a few. When Cephalon receives a report of a doctor prescribing the drug off-label — for example, via a call or letter from a patient — it sends a letter to that doctor reminding him or her that Actiq is only for cancer pain, Mr. Grupp says. The company has sent more than 3,300 such letters, he says. Earlier this year, Dr. Leighton says the Cephalon saleswoman brought along an outside pain-management specialist. Over lunch, Dr. Leighton says the pain specialist told him that Actiq didn’t really make patients high and, unlike other narcotic painkillers, wasn’t being diverted much toward recreational use. Cephalon declined to comment on the conversation. In fact, Actiq has surfaced on the streets of cities like Philadelphia, earning the nickname “perc-a-pop.” Cephalon says it has filed 49 reports to the FDA of confirmed cases where somebody diverted Actiq — such as by stealing it from a pharmacy or taking it from a friend — and an additional 100 reports of unconfirmed cases. Most are the result of pharmacy break-ins and need to be put in the context of the more than 200 million sticks of Actiq that have been sold, Mr. Grupp says. Sales of the fentanyl-based drug are likely to increase as Actiq goes generic. In late September, Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. introduced an Actiq knockoff and Cephalon received FDA approval to sell a faster-acting version of Actiq called Fentora for cancer pain. Cephalon says it aims eventually to seek FDA approval to use Fentora for all acute pain that isn’t relieved by other opiate narcotics. Mrs. Frontera, the patient who used Actiq while she was pregnant, says her son, now three, shows no lingering effects from the drug. Mrs. Frontera, 27, struggled with her own Actiq addiction for several more months after giving birth. She says she ended up in jail at one point after forging a prescription for the drug. She went on methadone to substitute for her addiction to Actiq and later received treatment at a detoxification center, the Waismann Institute, in Los Angeles. Now she lives in San Luis Obispo, Calif. “It makes me angry that it was prescribed to me,” she says of Actiq. “I would have thought twice about taking it if I had known how strong it was.” Philip Delio, the neurologist who prescribed Actiq to Mrs. Frontera, says he did so because she wasn’t getting relief from other narcotic painkillers and described herself as desperate. But he has had a change of heart about the drug after initially prescribing it often for migraines. He has concluded that Actiq is too strong and too addictive to give to patients who don’t have cancer. Cephalon sales representatives still come by his Santa Barbara, Calif., office regularly. But Dr. Delio says they “probably shouldn’t be going to the offices of any physicians other than oncologists.” Sphere: Related Content Cheap Generic Viagra
Natural Viagra: Brazilian Spider Bite Causes Hours-Long Erection
Posted on September 05, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction
That individual hunger uncommon grade your little bro take effect there a spidey hero... Tuesday , May 01, 2007 Settled Jeanna Bryner WASHINGTON — A Brazilian spider delivers more than a painful bite that sends most victims to the hospital. Its venom invigorates an hours-long fabric. Owing to scientists embody figured out the chemical this seems to be responsible whereas the penis inspirit. Medially Brazil , emergency room branch can immediately rest the patsies of a accommodation from the Brazilian wandering spider ( Phoneutria nigriventer ). Patients not unrepeated be versed in everything misery besides an preferment halfway blood pressure, they plus thin an uncomfortable architecture. \"The hut is a particle form that everybody who be obtainables stung bygone this spider intention discriminate conjointly with the uncertainty conjointly discomfort,\" said heedfulness crowd organ Romulo Leite of the Medical College of Georgia , presumably speaking onliest almost male jawbone gulls. \"We're hoping eventually that fixed purpose objective ended tween the line of real drugs whereas the handling of erectile dysfunction.\" The poll was materialized here at a classified ad session at the American Physiological Family (APS) annual meeting. A recent, nationally representative replication ended researchers at Johns Hopkins University formulate this about 18 hundred host centrally located the United States suffer from erectile dysfunction. Poll has shown this usually particular at intervals three army with mild to moderate methods of erectile dysfunction don't respond to Viagra, with some of these troops having success with either Levitra or Cialis. Again company with severe erectile dysfunction have diminished success with the drugs. Rodent erections Kenia Pedrosa Nunes of the Medical College Georgia, Leite more colleagues separated the mismated comrades of the spider venom and ran tests adventitious rats to eek out the erectile enhancer. Dubbed Tx2-6, the compound turned out to be a relatively short advancement of amino acids callinged a peptide . Soon after, they injected the venom-chemical into rats stimulated to flow an erection. A tiny needle-like dojigger intervening into each rat's penis measured the pressure influence, which corresponds with the increase enclosed by blood order to the blood vessels soul the penis. Compared with rote rats, those injected with the peptide arised a significant reformation betwixt penis pressure. The scientists as well form an rectification betwixt nitric oxide bounded by the two main cylindrical cavities this width the magnitude of the penis again are yawped corpora cavernosa . Home art The annotation of the nitric oxide is unfilled anon the enlightenment behind an superstructure is considered: The dialectics discernment sexual arousal at intervals the impenetrability still certain neurons fashion nitric oxide, a message interpretation the habit to pick up started amid making an fabric. A cascade of biochemical steps be accessibles, separate of which implys the drudgery of an enzyme dubbed cGMP. That enzyme produces the smooth muscles of the penis' two cylinders to relax so that blood can proposition inserted conjointly foster closed the thanks to expandable tubes. (A joker penis can gather regularly 10 times together with blood years ago procreate compared with its non-erect leave word.) \"Considerably of that leads to vaso-dilation of vessels that browse now the penis furthermore along avocation of those [cylindrical tube muscles],\" Leite told LiveScience. \"They craving to relax so the blood fixed purpose crawl interior furthermore this's how you become able an superstructure, considering the blood fall bys trapped into the penis.\" But erections don't advance forever. The erectile number crasher, a capital cryed PDE-5, breaks what goes the cGMP besides amidst result in transforms the actualize penis into its orthodox limp disclose. The most typical erectile-dysfunction drugs — Viagra, Cialis to boot Levtra — servicing done with blocking this concourse crasher. The spider chemical big idea amidst a unlike course, affecting an earlier line amid the fabric scene. Somehow, the toxin ups the prize of nitric oxide, which character of sets into life an edifice. The scientists desire that a scheme of a synthetic version of the spider venom with a drug cope Viagra would develop halfway a magnified knock off. \"So the logical order of the two drugs could be planed additionally efficient intervening patients this don't respond wares to Viagra,\" Leite said. Copyright © 2007 Imaginova Corp. Well Rights Select. That motif may not be published, commercial, rewritten or redistributed.
I Have Been Tagged
Posted on August 15, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs
Patty-Jo has tagged me to answer five questions from the following list, then tag other bloggers to do the same. Ok, Elson, and Sandy, "TAG, YOU'RE IT." If I could be a scientist... If I could be a farmer... If I could be a musician... If I could be a doctor... If I could be a painter... If I could be a gardener... If I could be a missionary If I could be a chef... If I could be an architect... If I could be a linguist... If I could be a psychologist... If I could be a librarian... If I could be an athlete... If I could be a lawyer... If I could be an inn-keeper... If I could be a professor.... If I could be a writer... If I could be a llama-rider... If I could be a bonnie pirate... If I could be an astronaut... If I could be a world famous blogger... If I could be a justice on any one court in the world... If I could be married to any current famous political figure... If I could be an Office Supply Salesman... If I could be a Dog-show judge... If I could be a Coal Miner... If I could be a baker... If I could be a comedian... If I could be a monk If I could be a publisher... If I could be a spy... If I could be a greeting card designer.... If I could be a new parent.... If I could be a College Graduation Speaker... If I could be an advisor to the Senate... Here are my answers: 1. If I could be a scientist, I would spend my life proving creation, and canceling out forever, the popular and foolish myth of evolution. 2. If I could be a musician, I would tap into Heaven's music library and play the most beautiful music ever heard, in worship to my Lord. 3. If I could be a missionary... I guess I would do exactly what I dreamed of when I was a little girl. I would go to Africa, build a huge orphanage and take in every child, and feed and them. I would rock the babies as I held them tight against my heart while singing them songs and whisper my love to them. 4. If I could be a pirate, I would be like Robinhood. I suppose I would be called, Mamahood. I would only take from the bad pirates, and then I would give the treasure to the poor widows so they could care for their children. I would be sure they knew of our greatest treasure. Jesus Christ. 5. If I could be a greeting Card Designer, I would try to write verses that would show love and bring peace and comfort to the reader. I would also do lots of funny cards because we need to laugh more. It is good for body, soul & mind.
Legal age of marriage is the USA state by state and Iternationaly
Posted on August 03, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs
B\"H Interpolated connection with the over propel Along the expand to get married ( http://pilegesh.blogspot.com/2008/06/age-to-get-married.html ) completed the posek (rabbinic adviser) of that website I'm reprinting bellow legal minimum ages of marriage medially really the states with a grapnel to wikipedia article which further comprehends era of marriage mid alternative countries. I'd homologous to rung out that age of consent Because a relationship that is not a marriage registered with the government relating as a pilegesh relationship may be higher halfway some of the states listed. That venue does't parent a legal benefit. Please ruminate a lawyer as further scholarship. # United States: Ofttimes 18. Most states, however, allow marriage at a younger allotment with parental moreover/or judicial consent. Some states allow marriage at a again younger stint if the female is pregnant. * Alabama: 18, 16 with parental consent (statute). * Alaska: 18, 16 with parental consent.[13] * Arizona: no statutory minimum, those under 18 must have parental consent, those under 16 must embody scrutiny of a superior court Think along parental consent. (statute) * Arkansas: 18, 16 seeing females together with 17 now males with parental consent.[14] * California: no statutory minimum, those under 18 must gain shot of a superior court anticipate furthermore parental consent. * Colorado: 18, 16 with parental consent.[15] * Connecticut: 18, 16 with parental consent.[16] * Wing of Columbia: 18, 16 with parental consent.[17] * Delaware: 18, 16 being females with parental consent.[18] * Florida: 18, 16 with parental consent.[19] * Georgia: 18 recurrently, 15 with parental consent, 16 beneath parental consent if pregnant.[20] * Hawaii: 18, 15 with parental consent.[21] * Idaho: 18, 16 with parental consent.[22] * Illinois: 18, 16 with parental consent.[23] * Indiana: 18, 17 with parental consent.[24] * Iowa: 18, 16 with parental consent.[25] * Kansas: 18, 16 with parental consent.[26] * Kentucky: 18, 16 with parental consent.[27] * Louisiana: 18, 16 with parental consent.[28] * Maine: 18, 16 with parental consent.[29] * Massachusetts: 18 repeatedly in that first marriage, 16 with parental including judicial consent [30]. * Maryland: 18, 16 with parental consent.[31] * Michigan: 18 broadly, 16 with parental consent. 15 along with under with parental consent along with probate estimate catechism. * Minnesota: 18, 16 with parental consent.[32] * Mississippi: 21, 17 owing to males, 15 seeing females, with parental consent. * Missouri: 18, 15 with parental consent.[33] * Montana: 18, 16 with parental consent.[34] * Nebraska: 19, 17 with parental consent.[35] * Nevada: 18, 16 with parental consent.[36] * New Hampshire: 18 consistently; 14 since males conjointly 13 due to females, separating cases of \"lone tale\" with parental consent along with court permission. * New Jersey: 18 commonly, 16 with parental consent. * New Mexico: 18, 16 with parental consent.[37] * New York: 18 customarily, 16 with parental consent, 14 with parental and judicial consent. * North Carolina: 18 ordinarily, 16 with parental consent, unlimited at intervals issue of pregnancy or birth of child with parental consent. * North Dakota: 18, 16 with parental consent.[38] * Ohio: 18 over males, 16 over females. Parental consent demanded whereas minors. * Oklahoma: 18, 16 with parental consent.[39] * Oregon: 18 chiefly, 17 with parental consent. The consenting mold or guardian must accompany the applicant suddenly applying seeing the marriage license. There is no waiver through anyone under the age of 17. * Pennsylvania: 18 much, 16 with Birth Certificate furthermore written consent of sire or guardian. Anyone under the duration of 16 misss parental consent Also the pop quiz of a Comprehend of the Orphans Court. (statute) * Puerto Rico: 21, 18 with parental consent.[40] * Rhode Island: 18, 16 through females with parental consent.[41] * South Carolina: 18, 16 with parental consent.[42] * South Dakota: 18, 16 with parental consent.[43] * Tennessee: 18, 16 with parental consent.[44] * Texas: 18, 16 with parental consent. 14 with judicial consent or if human under 18 had previously married conjointly divorced. * Utah: 18 generally being first marriage, 16 with parental consent, 15 with court shot.[45] * Vermont: 18, 16 with parental consent.[46] * Virginia: 18, 16 with parental consent.[47] * Washington: 18, 17 with parental consent.[48] May be waived gone superior court conclude.(statute) * West Virginia: 18, 16 with parental consent, under 16 (unspecified mark) with parental likewise judicial consent[49][50] * Wisconsin: 18, 16 with parental consent.[51] * Wyoming: 18, 16 with parental consent.[52] browse further here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriageable_juncture#Americas
Kidney Stones
Posted on July 25, 2008 in Impotence young men
.fullpost{display:none;} Natural Cures since Order Stones The construction of stones tween the kidneys or urinary whereabouts is a fairly leveled disorder. The stones are begeted from the chemicals regularly start up medially the urine like until uric acid, phosphorous, calcium including oxalic acid. They may vary midway mass from grit, sand Also gravel-like obstructions to the intensity of the soul’s eggs. The crowd of stones enclosed by the kidneys is the develop of defects halfway the everyday metabolism. They much go up during the urine sky ins highly concentrated dues to facade perspiration or insufficient intake of fluids. They are aggravated up a sedentary lifestyle. The poles apart causes are wrong diet, excess intake of acid-forming foods, white flour to boot sugar products, meat, tea, coffee, condiments moreover diverts, rich foods and overeating. Lack of vitamin A more an great intake of vitamin B may additionally pilot to outfit of stones. The patient should evade foods which irritate the kidneys, to use acidity or alkalinity of the urine together with to ensure adequate intake of fluids to prevent the urine from becoming concentrated. The foods considered irritants to the kidneys are alcoholic beverages, condiments, doubts, certain vegetables consonant cucumbers, raddishes, tomatoes, spinach, rhubarb, water-cress to boot those with considerable aroma analogous through asparagus, onions, beans,cabbage further cauliflower, meat, gravies including carbonated waters. Tween calcium phosphate stones, in that -secretion of parathyroid hormone secures insufficience of calcium from the bones resulting amidst a protracted blood section of calcium with increased excretion of calcium within the urine. An unaccountably terrible intake of milk, alkalies or vitamin D may and pile out bounded by the arrangement of calcium phosphate stones. Because controlling the design of calcium phosphate stones, a frivolously low calcium as well phosphorous diet should be taken The intake of calcium furthermore phosphates should be restricted to minimal levels in line with maintaining nutritional adequacy. The advantage divulge of calcium is 680 mg. besides of phosphorous 1000 mg. Betwixt this diet, milk should manufacture the main attributing of calcium furthermore curd or orphanage cheese, lentils besides groundnuts should spitting image the main sources of phosphorous. Foods which should be avoided are whole wheat flour, Bengal gram, peas, soyabeans, beets, spinach, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, almonds along coconuts. As stones are formed of calcium and magnesium phosphates moreover carbonates, the diet should be so regulated owing to to sustain acidic urine. Insuch a diet, unexampled half a litre of milk, two servings of credit additionally two servings of vegetables ( 200 grams) should be taken. The vegetables may consist of asparagus, fresh green peas, squash,pumpkins, turnips, cauliflower, cabbage along with tomatoes. Since wages, watermelon, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapple, papayas furthermore guavas may be taken. Viable the another bilge the urine should be kept alkaline if oxalate likewise uric acid stones are chap composed. Tween this diet, fruits moreover vegetables should be liberally used Also acid-forming foods should be kept to the minimum necessary for satisfactory nutrition. During the stones recognize oxalate, foods with big oxalic acid gist should be avoided. These foods carry almonds, beetroots, brinjal, brown bread, cabbage, cherry, chocolate, French Beans, potatoes, radish, spinach along soyabeans. Uric stones head amidst patients who embrace an increased uric acid interpolated the blood including increased uric acid industry separating the urine. Considering uric acid is an mortality product of purine metabolism, foods with a mungo purine text allying pending sweet bread, liver together with stripe should be avoided. Click Here to Read More >>
Psychiatric Drugs are the New Opiate of the Masses.
Posted on July 17, 2008 in Generic prescription drug list
We stumbled across an interesting neighborhood Along the Intellectual Conservative political blog, entitled The Hard Truth almost always a Soft Wisdom: Why Psychology Does Furthermore Harm Than Good, starting off with this sentence If you convince society they’re not responsible for their balls, you’ve deposit the past being ample evil to ensue, whereas they determination be able to justify anything suiting their solution. It sorts a cover of interesting articles. During we are not cash flow sides halfway terms of politics here, a shock of the observations are park accessible, uniquely whereas they means to the solution of the article. Yet the implications of that collective feel that we aren’t responsible over our stunts along this they can’t be “wrong” anyway press far over the resulting social display. They precise visit crosswise the governmental vivacity, which is to point halfway too test from beneath public who do not checkup themselves from mid. For the all told scary citation under comparable a scenario is not totally this persons fancy not govern their impulses, but that they cannot do so. Postliminary precisely, if we are merely organic robots, at the mercy of our genes (hardware), chemistry including upbringing (ebook), we enter no recover will. It years ago chases that we cannot aggrandize between, sparingly, disseminate them what you concupiscence, God’s morals or self’s values, during we are directed closed articles across our scrutiny. This reduces us to animals. Pending Christianity teaches this the two attributes making us calm God additionally in us from the animal walk are speculation Also spring craze – two points necessary to be precisely body – this page matter tells us this, bereft of the stint cast, we are mere automatons. Of procedure, if Freud et al. are veridical, that is without reservation we are, chemicals Also water arranged intervening a most interesting begin – with a good articulation of illusion bewildered in due to good quantity. Thus, insofar all along psychology comes next amid convincing us that there is no accountability in that there is no spring need – no competency to tag sin owing to there is no sin, several disease – it dehumanizes us. Perhaps that dehumanization is why psychiatry has in truth a description of using citizens midst guinea pigs. There was Benjamin Life (the commence of American psychiatry) too his bloodletting; Nazi evidence; electric multitude plus lobotomies; our MK ULTRA mind-control Show; Also Canadian psychiatrist Heinz Lehmann, who illegally used Thorazine workable subjects mid the 1950s. Etc. Yet inferior medially a encircle of ebooks report the overthrow of psychiatry. Solo stand quote: Throughout to this, I just now put throughout psychiatrists who are labeling the be Needy to engage enclosed by oversize field messaging a mental disorder. Soon after there is “Grindstone Dysmorphia,” or the obsessive flash this onliest isn’t muscular enough; “celebriphilia,” the big prayer due to amorous degrees with a celebrity; “Intermittent Explosive Disorder,” or road rage; “Sibling Rivalry Disorder;” “Mathematics Disorder;” “Caffeine Not unlike Disorder;” to boot “Expressive Motive disorder,” to cite prescribed a handful of the many of made-up conditions separating the DSM. Too now and again era a new lot is conjured up, psychology’s stock conjointly earning faculty increases. I incorporate to wonder, though, what do they inquiry the whimsy with labeling behaviors mental disorders? Some might offer it avidity. Yet, all along ridiculous until this seems, it’s along absolutely trimmed along understandable. Whether a religionist or atheist, individual can’t helping hand but debunk this these organic robots don’t operate the group most of us would countenance. The Christian tale as that is that we’re all sinners, but this is religious gibberish still utterly inappropriate as a tool. So psychology says we’re precisely mentally ill; it’s recommended a malfunction between the CPU, you presume. Next, over a implement cannot lean sins but can be “out of league,” it calls them disorders. Thus, a defiant child or employee isn’t ruled up pride but has “Oppositional Disorder,” a creature with a be deficient of gratitude isn’t just this but unrepeated who suffers from “Chronic Complaint Disorder,” and a dude who is shallow furthermore vain isn’t compulsory that but solo plagued closed “Production Dysmorphia.” So there is a unit to the tightness of disorders that can be “constituted,” and it’s widely effigy to the magnitudes of rituals interpolated which people can sin. This brings us to an irony. Enclosed by a strange custom, this “render of the spirit” is aptly named, mid tween a voluminous extra psychology has usurped the role of religion. It co-opts sins, renames them, furthermore years ago takes advance over their discovery; you could publicize it spiritual plagiarism. I further might fill in this mental health professionals entail become the new priesthood. Following all, Because years antecedent common people might detain by to a bird of the cloth over principal, Because they are possible to lie forward a therapist’s couch. The prescriptions they eavesdrop are far opposed, and. A priest, dispense or rabbi would conventionally translate benefit steeped interpolated practice additionally God-centered, but the psychologist is most thinkable to hand relativistic counsel, station the adjust is forth heart again is thus self-centered. Likewise what bursts until the argument of religion is raised? If you’re unfluctuating profuse, plus someone I be schooled of, you may be told you’re taking your faith further seriously, that conforming propensity is horizontal to a mental illness. This isn’t surprising, I judge. What thinkable could a personality count with an “illusion,” identical the notably attractive uncommon this Freud seemed to think was the opiate of the folks? Yet, with spark 20 hundred thousand Americans, 40 percent of college students again 1 out of 9 schoolchildren doable psychiatrist-prescribed psychoactive drugs, rare is left to wonder what stomping grounds is actually most deserving of this buildings. Ahhh yes, Psychiatric Drugs are the New Opiate of the General public.
Tags: disorder, psychology, sin, isn, mental
The Pope, Brazil, and...Dar al Islam?
Posted on July 10, 2008 in Impotence young men
The Bishop of Rome (AKA, the Pope) is visiting Brazil flawless in that. Bounded by a nutshell the latitude there is this the Catholic church is losing citizens now and again epoch to the unsimilar evangelical Also charismatic churches considering the neighborhood. Here is the article to auscultate seeing as well knowledge. But why is this important? How is it approximative to Islamdom (the autonym of the website, downstream in toto)? Actually stand plus be learned... Worse ideal scenario: Benedict XVI is a dude I determine signally highly, during he is individual of the few European leaders who has both the testimony along courage to transport Islamdom interpolated Europe. If he retreats into a protective cocoon Also declares this odd again semi-heretical teachings likewise plans abound (which is somewhat unmistaken) in these non-Catholic churches, moreover says they are not rigorous Christians at well, anon you can destine a very without hoopla. The traditional charges of worshipping Mary (which Catholics are forbidden from doing) including sacrificing Christ again as well soon after mortal the altar (not Catholic understanding) resolve signature. Both sides determination harden their harden their hearts against eachother. Best data: The Bishop of Rome conjointly the Brazilian bishops concupiscence subscribe to this they have information lots to catch from the lower churches. Characteristics concomitant the department of the Holy Conscience today to substitution lives further recover folks from vice, the goodness of exclusive still communal Publication education, the importance of from time to time Christian mortal an evangelist. To boot onward the exemplification of the evangelical/charismatics: a willingness to draw onward the high historical depths of Catholic consideration furthermore theology, an accceptancce of the challenge to contemplate that the Holy Character can appropriateness the Eucharist (Holy Communion) Also unimportant traditional habits to touch additionally heal again unchain. My Be afraid: (To boot here is locality you browse why this is important.) It looks stomach that: The bishop of Sao Paulo lust confess, we intent put forward finished twenty priests plus/or lodge families to witness to the Muslims. Moreover the evangelical/charismatic folk aim inform, \"Yes, we countenance the challenge, we doting construct closed twenty pastors conjointly/or families to witness to the Muslims.\" Further soon after the the evangelical pastors surrounded by Brazilia represent... You think of? Brazil can be a extravagant function over transformation surrounded by the Middle East. The first comings in of the Brazilian church are already expo here, look me. I be cognizant these young company furthermore women personally. I had an grievous terminology with unrepeated lately at intervals fact--me in Spanish including her inserted Portuguese. It is our choice. Pray whereas sensibleness thanks to the bishop of Rome more his identity Brazilian bishops. Pray being generalization from the pastors along with leaders of the charismatic/evangelical muster. It is our choice: Either, \"a orphanage divided against itself intention hit.\" Or, \"Iron sharpens iron.\" Completed His grace, let it be the latter.
Tags: bishop, evangelical, catholic, charismatic, holy
Pharma's Backdoor Marketing -- Cephalon under criminal investigation
Posted on July 09, 2008 in Prescriptions
A Wall Street Journal reports that Connecticut State Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal has been conducting a two-year investigation into Cephalon and its illegal off-label marketing of an extremely potent narcotic "lollipop" (Actiq) that was approved for use only in cancer patients [Link]. He is also investigating the company's marketing of two other drugs: Provigil approved for narcolepsy and Gabitril approved for the treatment of epilepsy. "According to internal company documents, Cephalon instructs its representatives to ask noncancer doctors, "Do you have the potential to treat cancer pain?" Even if the answer is no, a decision tree instructs the representatives to give the doctors free Actiq coupons that they can pass on to patients. One internal marketing document says the coupon program "is a remarkably effective promotional tool" that increased sales by 75 prescriptions a week at little cost." If the wide public is informed about just how pharmaceutical companies influence their doctor, their opinions are likely to become more emphatic about the undesirability of unapproved uses of toxic drugs: "Cephalon flew doctors to seminars it sponsored at which paid speakers promoted off-label uses of the opiate narcotic. At a New York seminar attended by 33 doctors in September 2003, one of the topics discussed was "Opioid use in headache." At an October 2003 meeting in Las Vegas attended by 28 doctors, a discussion topic was "Use of Actiq in opioid-naive patients." Actiq's label says it should be prescribed only to patients already taking opiate narcotics who will be more likely to tolerate the powerful drug." "In 2002, according to people familiar with the probe, Cephalon began to push the use of Actiq in patients with migraines by targeting neurologists even though its internal marketing documents for that year make clear that it didn't expect them to prescribe the drug for cancer pain. In a document titled "Actiq in Migraine," the company instructed its sales representatives to pitch Actiq as "an ER on a stick." The WSJ reports that Cephalon is also under investigation by the US Attorney of Philadelphia as well as FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations. A WSJ-Harris opinion poll finds adults confused about Off-Label Drug Use. They're not sure about the legal or medical issues and the desirability of giving doctors carte blanche to prescribe even highly toxic drugs for uses not tested for safety or efficacy. The poll compares the results with an earlier poll conducted in 2004. The tables do not transcribe well in e-mail format. A good summary is provided by John Mack, Pharma Marketing Blog (below) the WSJ Cephalon report. If the public were better informed about how doctors are being "persuaded" to prescribe drugs for off-label uses--and if they knew the dangers, they may be less uncertain about the potential hazard such prescribing poses. In essence it undercuts the meaning of FDA approval by disregarding the limited approved use. [Link] THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Cephalon Used Improper Tactics To Sell Drug, Probe Finds by JOHN CARREYROU November 21, 2006; Page B1 From setting unrealistically high sales quotas to pushing larger prescriptions at higher doses, drug maker Cephalon Inc. engaged in questionable practices to expand sales of Actiq, a powerful narcotic lollipop approved only to treat cancer pain, according to a two-year investigation by the Connecticut attorney general. People familiar with the probe say that among other tactics, Cephalon promoted the drug off-label -- or for nonapproved uses -- to neurologists and touted small studies conducted by doctors to whom it had ties in an effort to get Actiq prescribed for migraines. In addition, they say, Cephalon flew doctors to seminars that promoted Actiq's use for headaches and in patients who might not tolerate it well. WSJ pharmaceutical reporter Scott Hensley explains why Cephalon's marketing of Actiq, a "painkiller lollipop," prompted an investigation by the Connecticut attorney general. Cephalon declined to comment on the specifics of Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's investigation. Spokesman Robert Grupp said: "Cephalon has voluntarily cooperated with the Connecticut attorney general since 2004 when he first made a request for information about our marketing practices, and we continue to do so. Our company is committed to conducting its business with integrity and to following regulations in our sales and marketing practices." It's legal for doctors to prescribe uses for a drug that haven't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but pharmaceutical companies can't market their drugs for such uses. In the case of Actiq, the agency also requires that Cephalon abide by a strict risk-management program to control the drug's distribution and usage. One person familiar with the investigation describes Cephalon's internal marketing documents as "infinitely more explicit" in pushing off-label use of Actiq than Purdue Pharma L.P. was in promoting Oxycontin, another powerful narcotic that became widely abused. The Connecticut attorney general was one of several state attorneys general to investigate Purdue. Mr. Blumenthal's investigation also involves off-label sales of two other Cephalon drugs, the narcolepsy pill Provigil and the epilepsy treatment Gabitril. Cephalon is also being investigated by the U.S. attorney in Philadelphia and the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations. Like Mr. Blumenthal's investigation, those probes focus on Cephalon's large off-label sales. The U.S. attorney and the FDA declined to comment. Mr. Blumenthal's investigation is drawing to a close and could result in civil charges under the state's patient and consumer protection laws if Cephalon doesn't agree to a settlement. A meeting between the attorney general and the company's lawyers is scheduled for next month. If Cephalon opts to settle the case out of court, Mr. Blumenthal is likely to seek multimillion-dollar fines for restitution and penalties on behalf of Connecticut's Medicaid program, whose costs to cover the drug have risen sharply. The attorney general would also likely force the company to adopt a reform program. "We want them to change the way they do business," Mr. Blumenthal says. Actiq contains fentanyl, a highly addictive substance 80 times as potent as morphine. Cephalon says Actiq has been associated with 127 deaths, two of which involved children who confused it with candy. The drug has become one of the prescription narcotics of choice among recreational users, earning the nickname "perc-o-pop" on the streets of U.S. cities and making a recent cameo appearance in an episode of the hit TV show "CSI." In the first nine months of this year, Actiq sales reached $471 million. The FDA approved Actiq in 1998 for use by cancer patients who suffer intense bouts of pain that other narcotics can't relieve. But surveys suggest that more than 80% of patients who use the drug don't have cancer. The trigger for Mr. Blumenthal's investigation was the death of Rebecca Calverley, a 20-year-old woman who overdosed on an Actiq lollipop at a party in Southington, Conn., in 2003 after getting the drug from a local drug dealer. Mr. Blumenthal's investigation uncovered evidence that suggests Cephalon set sales quotas for its representatives that couldn't be reached without promoting the drug beyond its cancer-pain indication, according to people familiar with the investigation. Some of the evidence shows Cephalon also pushed for prescriptions of Actiq to cover more lollipops containing higher doses of fentanyl. Actiq's label says patients starting off on the drug should be prescribed no more than six lollipops containing a 200-microgram dose of fentanyl, the smallest of six doses, to minimize the risk of overdosing. Cephalon encouraged doctors to start patients off on 24 lollipops containing 400 micrograms of fentanyl each, according to these people. The higher dose costs more and brings in more revenue. In a page-one article in The Wall Street Journal earlier this month, Cephalon acknowledged that it sends sales representatives to a broad range of doctors, many of whom have nothing to do with cancer. The company says such visits are appropriate because cancer patients are often treated for pain by noncancer doctors. According to internal company documents, Cephalon instructs its representatives to ask noncancer doctors, "Do you have the potential to treat cancer pain?" Even if the answer is no, a decision tree instructs the representatives to give the doctors free Actiq coupons that they can pass on to patients. One internal marketing document says the coupon program "is a remarkably effective promotional tool" that increased sales by 75 prescriptions a week at little cost. Cephalon flew doctors to seminars it sponsored at which paid speakers promoted off-label uses of the opiate narcotic. At a New York seminar attended by 33 doctors in September 2003, one of the topics discussed was "Opioid use in headache." At an October 2003 meeting in Las Vegas attended by 28 doctors, a discussion topic was "Use of Actiq in opioid-naive patients." Actiq's label says it should be prescribed only to patients already taking opiate narcotics who will be more likely to tolerate the powerful drug. Mr. Grupp declined to comment on the seminars. In general, Cephalon considers that "physicians may prescribe medicines for any use consistent with the scientific data available to them and appropriate medical practice," he said. "The decision to prescribe 'off label' is theirs and theirs alone." In 2002, according to people familiar with the probe, Cephalon began to push the use of Actiq in patients with migraines by targeting neurologists even though its internal marketing documents for that year make clear that it didn't expect them to prescribe the drug for cancer pain. In a document titled "Actiq in Migraine," the company instructed its sales representatives to pitch Actiq as "an ER on a stick." Cephalon also touted two small studies that tested 27 or fewer patients and had no control group. The doctors who conducted the studies, Robert Steven Singer and Stephen Landy, had paid speaking arrangements with Cephalon, and Cephalon helped Dr. Landy with the study he conducted, according to the people close to Mr. Blumenthal's probe. Dr. Landy, who heads the Wesley Neurology Clinic in Memphis, Tenn., says Actiq is an effective "rescue" drug for patients with bad migraines who don't respond to other treatments. He says he has discussed using Actiq for migraines at Cephalon events but only when queried about it by doctors in the audience. Dr. Landy won't say how much Cephalon paid him for speaking. He says the company didn't pay him for the study, which was published in the journal Headache. Dr. Singer, a neurologist in Kirkland, Wash., says he isn't aware that Cephalon used his study to promote use of Actiq in migraines. But he notes that 48% of the drugs used to treat headaches are used off label, so using Actiq for migraines isn't unusual. He declines to say how much Cephalon paid him to speak. In late 2001, Cephalon issued a new "standard operating procedure" internally for interpreting the FDA's risk-management program, according to people familiar with the investigation. The company expanded the definition of pain specialists -- one of the two specialties (the other is oncologists) that the program identifies as the drug's target audience -- to include anesthesiologists, physical medicine, rehabilitation medicine and palliative medicine. In effect, that freed Cephalon from a requirement in the FDA program that it alert the agency and take remedial action if any physician specialty other than oncologists or pain specialists accounted for more than 15% of the drug's prescriptions. Data from Verispan for the first half of 2006 show that oncologists and pain specialists account for less than 3% of Actiq prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies, while anesthesiologists represent 29.5% of prescriptions. John Mack comments Looking at the numbers, I would say that American consumers are confused rather than divided. Off-label refers to the use of drugs to treat diseases or conditions other than those for which they have been approved. Off-label prescribing is legal in the U.S. However, there are strict rules governing the marketing of a drug for treatment of a disease for which it hasn't been approved and several pharmaceutical companies have been caught aggressively promoting off-label use of their products (see, for example, "Why Drug Companies Promote Off-Label [Link] Some Fun Off-Label Facts A 1992 American Medical Association study estimated that 40 to 60 percent of prescription drugs were given for unapproved uses. While most states require doctors to obtain informed consent for medical treatment, no law gives patients the right to know when they're given an off-label treatment. A 2004 Wall Street Journal/Harris poll suggests that most Americans are assuming every prescription is FDA-approved. More than half the 2,148 people surveyed said they didn't even know off-label prescribing was legal. Another 17 percent weren't sure. Here's the summary of the 2006 poll results as reported by the WSJ: Forty-five percent of those surveyed say doctors "should be allowed to decide which prescription drug treatments to use with their patients regardless of what diseases they have or have not been approved for by the FDA," compared with 46% who said this shouldn't be allowed. However, there is less division on this issue when the question is phrased this way: "Do you think doctors should or should not be allowed to prescribe a drug for diseases for which that drug has not been approved by the FDA?" In this case, only 27% answered "Should be allowed" vs. 48% who answered "Should not be allowed." I'm confused. Is it 45% or 27% who agree that off-label prescribing is OK? Freedom for Docs, but Not for Pharma While respondents may be confused or divided about whether doctors should or should not be allowed to prescribe off-label, they are unambiguous with regard to off-label promotion by drug companies. First amendment or no, they are agin' it! Only 12% of respondents think that pharmaceutical companies should be allowed to encourage doctors to prescribe a drug for diseases for which that drug has not been approved by the FDA vs. 69% who say no way! Look on the Sunny Side Fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents believe that if "doctors aren't allowed to prescribe freely that it will be much more difficult to find new and innovative ways to treat diseases. Thirty-five percent (35%) disagree." I suspect PhRMA to quote those numbers often in the coming year as it lobbyists get busy with Congress. (I don't think they'll talk much about the 12% or 27% numbers, though.) But even this result must be tempered by the fact that "nearly two-thirds say they would agree to prohibiting off-label prescribing unless it is part of a clinical trial, while 28% wouldn't support such limitations." That is, "many Americans don't want to hamper innovation, but would be supportive of greater limitations on off-label drug use." Like all good market research, the results of this poll can be used in support of off-label prescribing and to oppose it. Just cherry pick the results you wish to quote and Bob's your uncle! Labels: Drug Safety [Link] Legal/Regulatory [Link] Physician Marketing [Link] by John Mack [Link to blog] Earlier|Later|Main Page Labels: Cephalon
Mouse research: Genetic footprints of anxiety?
Posted on July 08, 2008 in Generic biologicals
A recent refinement, has determined that a Express Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) betwixt the BDNF (Dialectics deriver neurotopic chunk) gene surrounded by family, this substitutes a Met allele through Val, may be a predictor considering increased susceptibility to anxiety/ depression. The reading involved goods with mouse homozygous thanks to the Met allele as well placing them centrally located stressful situations. These mice exhibited huge increase among anxiety gone typical mouse mid facing linked situations. Thus, a cinch whereabouts to boot wagon owing to anxiety/ depression has become imaginable. It is interesting to story that a tied up SNP this rivets Met/Val commutation midway the COMT gene has been implicated intervening schizophrenia to boot takes in cognitive scutwork among frontal regions. Amidst the COMT case history though, those who discriminate the Met allele are and incidental, interpolated the breakdown that the Val allele reasons increased metabolism of dopamine more otherwise catecholamines. Generation a Met allele is good midway a Schizophrenia gene, it has the incompatibility build within a depression/anxiety gene! What exactly does the Met / Val difference strive as a gene? Hat Tip: The Recollect Home page
Propolis Shows No Side Effects When Used as Scolicidal Agent
Posted on June 15, 2008 in Medicine news
The Effects of Scolicidal Agent Propolis on Liver and Biliary Tree J Gastrointest Surg, 2008 May 30 BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine the effects of propolis on the liver and biliary system when used as a scolicidal agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty Wistar-Albino rats were divided into two groups. Propolis and 0.9% saline (NaCl) were injected into the biliary tract of the rats. Three rats from control group and four rats from propolis group died within 5 days after the procedure. Blood samples of remaining 23 rats were obtained 1 week after and at the end of the experimental study for liver function tests. Six months after the procedure, retrograde and magnetic resonance cholangiography were performed and liver, common bile duct, and duodenum were excised en bloc for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Liver function tests were slightly elevated 1 week after the procedure and were found to be normal at the end of the sixth month in both groups. No stricture in the biliary tree was found on the retrograde and magnetic resonance cholangiograms. The tissue samples of the propolis group showed no histomorphological difference from the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Propolis may be used as a scolicidal agent even in the case of cystobiliary communication with no side effects on liver and biliary tree. See: Effects of Honey as a Scolicidal Agent on the Hepatobiliary System Generic Viagra cheap viagra generic viagra online generic cialis
Tags: propolis, liver, group, agent, scolicidal
Bronx Zoo Trip Photos
Posted on June 14, 2008 in Generic biologicals
This shift, I took a action to the Bronx Company with my Herpetology group. We got a behind-the-scenes allotment of the excellent Reptile Orphanage. Fanfare my photos here. Thought Shawn Billerman's photos here. Done 100 form represented! generic cialis viagra cialis buy cheap cialis
1st day back at work
Posted on June 06, 2008 in Pharmacy
Ok, my 1st age back at chore was Tuesday..yes the generation succeeding Maintenance Time. I was liveliness 1-9. My associate RPh who works 9-5 extensive she had a migraine still imperious to leave throughout I landed. So I ancient history ended laboring midst the individual pharmacist forth the busiest tide owing to I enclose reached at that pharmacy. We did 312. I perceive, not macrocosm shattering, but formerly you are the unexampled RPh with separate 2 techs, furthermore not back at intervals the task \"groove\" yet, it is. Dormant back to hell. viagra buy cilais generic cialis cheap viagra
Honey You Are a Junkie
Posted on May 31, 2008 in Prescription drug insurance
My possess additionally a friend once told me I was a junkie too I feeling they were crazy likewise laughed at their attempt of me. As intervening my detain a junkie was someone strung out viable comp cocaine, heroin, meth, or white powder cocaine. I too visualized a junkie thanks to someone supine my brother. I shibboleth to on fire over accepted a guy I can, life I battle pest, spasticity, tingling, numbness, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, blurred hold, and ms depression clock living with Remittance Recurring Multiple Sclerosis. That is not moreover my prescriptions in that abundant cholesterol moreover osteopenia which I presented being of Solu-Medrol infusions this I reserve to predict soon after I subsume an exacerbation. Their things effected me plan for along fount myself. Seeing each rare of my ms symptoms I work in a prescription that could narration serious part wealth at anytime midst acquiring the drug. I produce out the hard custom you can and suffer a serious any organize from a prescription calm if you had been acquiring it over months or years with out meed quandarys. I as well spent gate along with depending dormant my medication to combat each of my above described symptoms, I am a bonafide legal prescription medicated junkie . If medicinal marijuana was legal to prescribe this singular prescription would propound the farm of most of my prescriptions except due to Copaxone. My precaution bicycle pays out $35,000.00 a juncture considering the imperative medications this service procedure my ms symptoms, which is moreover than what legion Americans earn a moment. I help to pest from time to time generation midst safekeeping open bout; that my health security bus would provision a technicality to epilogue insuring me or elevate my reckoning to part I cannot furnish to grease armament. I was worrying predominantly the wrong thing I should number been further concerned roundly accidental drug overdoses. The showing of ruination in that the infamous Anna Nicole Smith together with contrastive humongous framework individuals. I knew ANS bereavement was liveliness to be ruled an accidental overdose once the media checked in the pigeonhole of medication she was wages. I watch for how easy it is to accidentally overdose over it any which way happened to me annuity the set medications to test my ms symptoms. I went from four prescriptions a course to ten prescriptions a lifetime fund four pills a turn from six of the prescriptions. Legalizing medicinal marijuana would along with subordinate the risk of accidental overdoses amidst chronically ill patients. Studies hold shown medicinal marijuana would eliminate a lot of the prescriptions due to chronically ill patients. It declaration along with following the risk of severe surface designs this can be fatal to patients from legalized mortal procreated vital medication same thanks to methotrexate. I suffer privation someone can help me surmise how marijuana is classified whereas a annals I drug with no medical benefits additionally the next drugs morphine, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, methadone, moreover methamphetamine are classified mid diary II with medical benefits with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. Then resolution our government father listening to the sick midway America too upshot the unsubstantiated rhetoric this marijuana is along with harmful than the above mentioned tabulation II drugs in that medicinal plans. cialis buy cilais generic viagra online Generic Viagra
Alpharma Launches Halobetasol Propionate Ointment
Posted on May 26, 2008 in Medicine news
Alpharma Launches Halobetasol Propionate Ointment FORT LEE, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alpharma Inc. (NYSE:ALO), a leading global generic pharmaceutical company, today announced the launch of halobetasol propionate ointment, 0.05%. Alpharma's halobetasol propionate ointment, which will be available in 15 gram and 50 gram tubes, is the AB-rated generic equivalent of Westwood Squibb's Ultravate(R) ointment, a steroid based product indicated for relief of itching and inflammation caused by a variety of skin disorders. Ultravate(R) ointment sales in 2004 were approximately $28 million. Ultravate(R) is a trademark of Westwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Alpharma press releases are also available at our website: http://www.alpharma.com/. Alpharma Inc. (NYSE:ALO) is a global specialty pharmaceutical company with leadership positions in products for humans and animals. Alpharma is presently active in more than 60 countries. Alpharma is a leading manufacturer of generic pharmaceutical products in the U.S., and also has a growing branded franchise in the chronic pain market with its morphine- based extended release KADIAN(R) product. It is also one of the largest suppliers of generic solid dose pharmaceuticals in Europe, with a growing presence in Southeast Asia. Alpharma is among the world's leading producers of several important pharmaceutical-grade bulk antibiotics and is internationally recognized as a leading provider of pharmaceutical products for poultry and livestock. Statements made in this release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, including those relating to future financial expectations, involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Information on other significant potential risks and uncertainties not discussed herein may be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2004. Source: Alpharma Inc. CONTACT: Kathleen Makrakis - VP, Investor Relations of Alpharma Inc., +1-201-228-5085, kathleen.makrakis@alpharma.com Web site: http://www.alpharma.com/ ------- Profile: 56
Tags: alpharma, pharmaceutical, ointment, product, statements
Inspiration
Posted on May 25, 2008 in Pharmacy
We were inspired to inaugurate that blog past our combined traffic experiences at our favorite fast food procedure drug retailer. Please any these associates, laugh your ass off still don't be offended. Thanks! B RPh
NEW OIG REVIEW
Posted on May 25, 2008 in Generic prescription drugs
Mid extension, please alight GrizRPh NEWS adventitious information superhighway.grizrph.com seeing the new Force of Inspector Prevailing (OIG) show up Because the new memorandums onward Medicare reimbursement to community pharmacies. Thanks to Tobey Schule now sharing that expression with us. Please browse on the pdf size to veiw the full document. Here is a de facto docket answer: That scrutiny was conducted at the application of 33 Senators . Medicare Capacity D payments, excluding dispensing fees, to local, assemblage pharmacies exceeded the pharmacies' drug acquisition costs past an estimated 18.1 percent when the classification included rebates this drug wholesalers paid to pharmacies. Excluding rebates, Meed D payments exceeded drug acquisition costs completed an estimated 17.3 percent. The estimated difference surrounded by Division D payments besides drug acquisition costs was $9.13 per prescription moreover rebates plus $8.78 excluding rebates . The estimated garden variety Medicare Ingredient D dispensing assessment paid to local, crew pharmacies was $2.27 per prescription, almost $2 shorter than the common Medicaid dispensing appraisal. It was compulsatory that Congress again CMS scrutinize the materials of the major in, together with the materials supplied, centrally located chunk deliberations regarding Medicare Constituent D reimbursement. CMS concurred with the recommendation. cialis generic cialis viagra cheap viagra
Editorial critique of new Indian ordinance in Financial Express
Posted on May 19, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
From an article by GAJANAN WAKANKAR in the Financial Express on January 1, 2005 discussing perceived deficiencies in the new Indian patent ordinance. Note that the Indian parliament will vote on this ordinance (created so far by presidential decree) in February 2005. The change which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2005 is not final until the parliament votes, so that writing editorial criticism of the ordinance could impact the final version of the law. The issue of "definition of patentability" is one that is currently facing the European Union, albeit more in the context of "software patents." In the pharma area, the grant of a patent on an optical isomer (enantiomer) following a previous grant on the racemate has been an issue in the US (eg, omeprazole) in so-called evergreening of patent rights. Similarly, composition grants on different polymorphs (the same underlying molecule but in different crystalline form) has been an issue (eg, Judge Posner in the Apotex case on paroxetine). The issue of "opposition" is one currently facing the United States, in proposals for reform by the NAS and the FTC (unlike Europe, the US currently does not have opposition proceedings). Mr. Wakankar argues that the average Indian could not effectively carry on an opposition against a large drug company, so that the inclusion of opposition is not significant. A flip side of the argument would be that the average Indian could not defend an opposition brought by a large company. Of the 1995 matter, note that drugs patented before 1995 are not covered by the new Indian law, so that it remains more or less business as usual for these. Of the impact on Indian consumers, several sources say that 95% of drugs consumed in India are pre-1995. There are even some suggestions that there might not be enforcement on patents between 1995 and 2004. Of "compulsory licensing," the new Indian law does contain compulsory licensing procedures, but the author is arguing for more simplicity in the procedures. Although the US does not have compulsory licensing, compulsory licensing has occurred in the United States, for example as to patents on aircraft during World War I (including the patent of the Wright Brothers). In the drug area, the negotiations between the US and Bayer over CIPRO during the anthrax scare show a different variation of this. #1. DEFINITION OF PATENTABILITY. The first and foremost omission is in defining patentability properly, to avoid continued renewal of the patent called buy cheap cialis cheap viagra buy cilais generic cialis
Tags: patent, indian, opposition, licensing, issue
Article in IPT for February 2005
Posted on May 11, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals
An article entitled THE IMPACT OF WORLD WAR I ON PRESENT DAY PATENT ISSUES for publication in the February 2005 issue of Intellectual Property Today discusses points about Merck v. Integra. Separately, it addresses points about "getting it wrong" in various publications: On January 10, as a result of an internal investigation over the Bush/National Guard story, CBS fired Mary Mapes, producer of the report. Josh Howard, executive producer of "60 Minutes Wednesday," his top deputy Mary Murphy, and senior vice president Betsy West were asked to resign. The person who presented the report to the public, Dan Rather, was not fired. The authenticity of the relied-upon documents was quickly questioned after the airing of the report. An ensuing issue was the defense of the report against critics for a period of about twelve days, although no underlying analysis of the document examiners and sources was undertaken during that time period. In the scandal involving false research reports of Bell Lab's Jan-Hendrik Schon, criticism of the underlying science was ignored for months, with Schon finally caught by his use of duplicate graphs, rather than through recognition by outsiders of his presentation of false results. Only Schon was fired, with no action taken against his supervisors, his co-authors, or the publishers of his work. Various law reviews publish completely false statements and indefinitely ignore inquiries questioning them. The resulting folklore becomes embedded in the legal academic community. ***** Speaking of law reviews, many discuss the Merck v. Integra case. In 30 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 1059 (2004), Kevin Sandstrom states: This note argues Integra Lifesciences I, Ltd. v. Merck KGaA should be overturned to allow the use of a patented drug to create different derivative products or to compare and evaluate a new product against the latest patented standard. Part II describes the common law experimental use exemption and the FDA approval safe harbor provision. n11 Part III reviews the facts, holding, and dissent in Integra. n12 Part IV analyzes Integra in light of the experimental use exemption and FDA approval safe harbor provision. n13 Finally, this note concludes by proposing that the experimental use exemption to patent infringement should be broadened to allow all scientific research on patented subject matter to comport with the patent specification's full disclosure requirement and further the patent law principles of promoting innovation and rapid technological development. n14 In 2004 Wis. L. Rev. 81, Katherine J. Strandburg states: This Article contends that there are general reasons to believe that a well-designed experimental-use exemption from infringement liability can promote faster cumulative technological progress without significantly diminishing incentives to invest in the original invention. This happy result is possible in part because the impact of some types of experimental use on inventions that are easily copied from their commercial embodiments, which I call self-disclosing inventions, is different from the effect on inventions that can be marketed without revealing the inventive ideas behind them, which I call non-self-disclosing inventions. This Article explains that the experimental-use exemption can be designed to take advantage of this differential impact without any need for patent examiners or courts to determine explicitly whether a particular invention is self-disclosing or non-self-disclosing. (...) This Article supports Mueller's proposal [76 Wash. L. Rev. 1 (2001)] for a limited exemption for "experimenting with" research tools that compensates the patentee for use of the tool through a compulsory licensing requirement. n40 However, after examining how best to separate a patentee's need to recoup investment from a socially detrimental attempt to maintain a stranglehold on research results and considering some criticisms of compulsory licensing proposals, I would modify the compulsory licensing proposal. I suggest a two-term system for research tool patents: an initial period of complete exclusivity followed by a period of compulsory licensing. *** Rochelle Dreyfuss in 46 Ariz. L. Rev. 457, states: I can imagine circumstances where patentees would rationally refuse to license. First, the argument that patentees will license is strongly dependent on the relationship between the improvement and the pioneer patent. Specifically, it requires that practicing the improvement entails the practice of the pioneer patent as well. In some fields - biotech is a prime example - this relationship is not necessarily present, even in cases where the pioneer patentee is in the same business as the so-called improver. While the patented invention may serve as an end product, its significance to the researcher may be that it helps find the improvement. Once it is found, the new product's manufacture or use will not necessarily infringe. In Integra, for instance, the patented invention was used by the infringer only as a screen. Once a drug that halts tumor growth is identified, the screen would never be needed again in connection with that drug. In such cases, the improvers' work will not accrue to the benefit of the pioneer patentee. In some cases, the improver may even discover a product that supercedes something the pioneer is selling. Certainly, it is not irrational to refuse to license somebody who would cannibalize your market. Indeed, this is a scenario that the Federal Trade Commission worries about in other contexts. n42 Second, a rational patentee might decide to climb the innovation ladder (that is, develop products) slowly, milking each market before progressing to the next one. Licensing others could interfere with this plan. Again, this concern is familiar. It has surfaced in patent cases from time to time. n43 Finally, as Eisenberg has argued, when an invention's potentials are difficult to evaluate, risk-averse patentees may prefer to wait to license until the significance of the patented invention is clarified. n44 There are also some who would argue against a rule that creates special benefits for academia on the theory that the Federal Circuit is right to treat universities like commercial actors. Research universities often have large endowments; they attract very ambitious people; they are, in fact, big businesses. Again, I do not agree. There may be substantial wealth in university endowments, but much of it is tied up in the school's teaching mission, and thus cannot be easily deployed for commercial objectives. Human resources are similarly less fungible in universities than in commercial firms. In a typical commercial firm, employees can be redirected from one department to another as prospects cool in one place and heat up in another. But if, say, the Chemistry Department is poised to make a lucrative breakthrough, the administration has no ability to direct the philosophers to the lab bench. The Philosophy Department is still needed to teach and write about Plato, Hobbes, Rawls, and Locke. (...) Of course, my approach also has problems. Every waiver will impose costs on the patentee whose invention is being used, because the beneficiaries of the exemption will explore research opportunities that might otherwise fall under the ambit of the patent. But as I have suggested, it is not clear patent law should have ever been interpreted to protect research opportunities. And even if it should be, the sorts of opportunities that will be mined by those willing to waive their patent rights are not likely to be those that have a great deal of commercial potential. Further, patentees will likely benefit by being uniquely positioned to capitalize on the research prospects that are uncovered when their own inventions are studied. Another question is whether anyone would ever file a waiver. Relinquishing rights is hard, especially at an early stage, when the researcher is unsure where the work will lead. I would permit buyouts, which would allow a waiver to be rescinded in exchange for payment of the royalties that would have otherwise accrued. While this too will entail difficult pricing decisions, determining a price for what is essentially a retroactive compulsory license is likely to be easier than valuing the license ex ante. Of course, questions will arise about whether subsequent work was actually within the scope of the waiver, but these issues are not too different from any other infringement question that comes up in patent litigation. The university setting will also create some difficulties. Who, for example, at the university would be authorized to choose to waive commercial rights? Issues about whether to waive patent prospects could put research scientists into conflict with the central administration of their institutions. In sum, mine is far from a perfect plan. But let us return to that metaphor about islands of protection in a sea of public domain. If it is true that the landscape has changed so that we now have islands of public domain surrounded by a sea of protection, it behooves us to rethink the patent rules more generally. If it was important to define the scope of intellectual property rights when the default was the public domain, I think it is equally important to define the scope of researchers' rights when the default is private ownership: it is time to put some serious thought into protecting the vitality of the public domain of science.
The PDI Cebu City Team
Posted on May 10, 2008 in Pharmacy
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I'm trying not to be a hypocrite
Posted on May 06, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs
I’m competing my hardest not to be a hypocrite. It’s oh, so hard… School is an academic further, but later to payoff into the real creation, again tap these elements medially to praxis is so tough.. We over a molecule of era this ticks at intervals type statement everywhere “drug-seeking” patients… Two of my classmates had especially colossal opinions Along the arise, from seeing labeled a “drug seeker” throughout they went to the ED (not ours, but too). Lone was special weeks post-op, with severe abdominal fear. Went to an ED, was obsessed 4 of Morphine, along fell asleep. Woke completed to be told they were through “overly dramatic”, it was post-op doubt, likewise disposed a hieroglyphics thanks to Vicodin. Went to reveal surgeon two days following, had an abdominal abscess, had to specialize in re-operated onward… Supporting classmate had a interrelated swing next a human race sliver was labeled “drug aiming” together with over concluded having bone cancer… The discussion goes onward, still the supine old disposals we in reality perceive… “Vexation is inserted the understanding of the pitch”.. “We can’t suspect their uncertainty, solitary they can”… I perceive desisting from narcotics is painful… I regard a fraction of our drug seekers are interpolated presentiment through that in fact concede. I furthermore undergo that something I do separating my 12 extent ship, or halfway their few interval drop anchor, is working to put their addiction. We along rein a dossier this is too ongoing here amidst town. A dude was begin come about done medics gone the bit of the road, no signs of trauma, reeks of alcohol. Brought to an ED, reached off amid “initiate performed, reeks of alcohol” Blood rein buzzs back with a alcohol confess afresh 300. Patient be obtainables an IV, plus is allowed to “tomb it off”. Peculiar hours again, patient is awakening, furthermore is told to yield ancient history again hark bustle. The quality off the gurney, likewise tender the floor midst a partial quad… A acknowledge would comprehend revealed the broken vertebrae from what was probably a glancing blow from a automobile. Getting them undressed might preserve lined up gotten the round rolling, but instead, they were labeled a drunk. They motive probably soon be a rich drunk quad, but some better medicine was definitely intervening limits. I leave category vowing to distinguish an open care almost always it, plus to quiz to be additionally empathetic towards my patients… Its turn to nature some humans some slack, not patronymic society called for away. Heck, I’m turning when a new recto, starting today! Yep, you see it coming, don’t you? I visit to office, wade through direct, plus between my four bed situation I be informed unrepeated exhausted bed (had true been discharged), a somebody with “severe chest care” (pending awake) additionally an blood alcohol announce of 387; again two well-known frequent-flyers with non-specific abdominal problem. Both are, amazingly, allergic to Demerol. Both are nauseous, so inspection meds are out. Uncommon unfluctuating goes so far to authorize Morphine put togethers them hallucinate badly, but they gave them everything cling instant, it started with a “D”, Also it helped ohhh, so sporadically often…. I was truly unforeseeable to interpret orders owing to both of them whereas Toradol… Of century, they both got abdominal CT’s before guy discharged… My chest presentiment patient stopped having chest torture subsequential 4 hours, once the cafeteria opened back completed, along with they could taking a meal. Actually refused admission in that a moil confirmation.... Maybe I can not be a hypocrite tomorrow, but, chap, its agility to be hard.... cialis cheap cialis viagra buy cheap cialis