Tony F

Dendreon's Provenge: Government Agencies Play Hide and Seek With Facts

Jose... hope you don't get PCa... you have 2 options currently... do nothing and die or take chemotherapy, suffer horrendous side effects including a 2% chance the chemo will kill you, have a very poor Quality of life and then you'll die... at least, Provenge has been adjudged safe (17-0) and effective (13-4) by the FDA's Advisory Committee.

And, remember, part of the medical treatment for terminal prostate cancer victims includes castration and administration of female hormones because the cancer feeds off androgen.. i.e. testerone.. at least for a while.

As to Dr. Cohen's article, another documented and concise report on the continuing stone-walling by our FDA and, in this case, stone-walling against terminal prostate cancer victims. These men are dying at the rate of 83 per day (or some 30,000 per year)--an unconscieneable action.

Regarding Dr. Howard Isadore Scher of Sloan Kettering in NYC and his involvement in the denial of Provenge to terminal cancer patients, he certified to the FDA--in order to sit in judgment of Provenge at the FDA Advisory Committee meeting--that he had only 3 Conflict of Interests.

Internet research has found 17 possible COI for Scher. These 17 COI have been reported to the FDA Investigative Office and the Health and Human Services Investigation division without having any investigation done by either department to date.

Note, in particular, items #1 and #17 in the list of Scher's alleged COI!

1. NOVACEA:
… Grants & Research support;
… STUDY CHAIR of DN-101, Asentar-since HALTED as ineffective
… a Direct competitor to Provenge

2. GPB BIOTECH: Financial conflict of interest per Scher in MedPage

3. PHARMION: Financial conflict of interest per Scher in MedPage

4. SANOFI-AVENTIS: Grants & Research support

5. BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB: Consultant, Grants & Research

6. MILLENNIUM PHARMCEUTICALS: grant of Research support

7. COUGAR BIOTECHNOLOGY: Principal Investigator; Advisory Board;

8. INNOVIVE PHARMACEUTICALS: Principal Investigator, Scientific Advisory Board

9. INFINITY PHARMACEUTICALS: Principal Investigator

10. BIOGEN-IDEC: jointly held stock with spouse

11. PFIZER: jointly held stock with spouse

12. GENTA: Scientific Advisory Board (March 6, 2007; since removed , but cached)

13. CONFOMA THERAPEUTICS: Scientific Advisory Board

14. DEPARTMENT of DEFENSE: Principal Investigator PC Clinical Trials-P1 and P2

15. AMBRILIA BIOPHARMA INC: Principal Investigator PCK3145, Phase I/II

16. MEDIVATION, INC: Principal Investigator MDV3100

17. PROQUEST INVESTMENTS:
… Consultant;
… Scientific Advisory Board;
… Limited Partner FINANCIAL interest.


Thank You, Dr. Cohen, for your well-spoken article!