User 199851

6 Comments

    • ON: Thu Jun 5th 01:11 AM
      Commented on:
      Pharmaceutical Facts Investors Should Know
      Sounds like you had a bad day,Doc. As with every element in society, there are good and bad guys in every business and industry. If you lived where I'm living (Central OR) where MDs have zero CME requirements, own (along with developers) ALL of the hospitals and clinics East of the Cascades. Commit insurance fraud with impunity and continue to harm patients (the highest orthopedic surgery rates in Western Region )& the citizens of OR having to pay for malpractice suits because of their lack of supervision.
      I'd take a few of those reps (with free meds that help your pts and donations worldwide, even starting up long-closed manufacturing plants to make and donate meds to treat plague,and other 3rd world diseases.The lawyers representing Pharma are more likely fording off imitation drugs by 2nd/3rd world intellectual property thieves OR fighting endless trial-lawyer generated lawsuits (seen the TV ads? "Did you take xyz and suffer efg? Have you ever had a hangnail as a result of taking aspirin? etc.


      On May 30 08:16 AM DB, MD wrote:

      > I find it humorous how many of the posts above consider big pharma
      > to be the low profit, risky businesses. This is an industry that
      > spends collectively 12% on R&D and 30% on marketing. It is an industry
      > that pushes out drug after drug for hypertension when there are already
      > over 50 drugs that accomplish the task well, because even capturing
      > 1% of the market will pay off on the low R&D required for a "me-too"
      > drug.
      >
      > You have drug reps flooding physician offices pushing one "me-too"
      > after another. This is a recipe for disaster when the industry chooses
      > to reinvest into marketing crap and into being the largest lobby
      > in Washington rather than on truly innovating. More money is likely
      > spent on lawyers fighting expiration of patents than on problem-solving,
      > as this adds more to the bottom line.
      View article »
    • ON: Wed Jun 4th 18:17 PM
      Commented on:
      Pharmaceutical Facts Investors Should Know
      RE:All the comments on "Pharm. Facts Investors..."
      *The patent time for Pharma discoveries STARTS ticking the
      moment the active molecular discovery has demonstrated a
      possibility for further investigation (and only a # is listed.)
      By the time all 3 Phases of clinical investigation are completed (years--try finding 'virgin' pts these days--no chronic meds on board for other conditions that would confound testing results);the private and institutional docs,patients,data and study supervisors must all be paid and free meds given; THEN the FDA (NOT 'OWNED' BY PHARMA!) and specialty panels (MDs) review all info.
      *The number of years in the approval process varies, but it's years. If drug is approved, the package insert/dosing,indicati... effects,etc. has to be written, submitted to the FDA, which can ask for more studies (back to phase 3), more data, changes in indications,etc,etc (and the patent time-to-expiration is ticking).
      *By the time a new drug is approved, there may be 10-12 years for the Co. to earn a profit.Meanwhile, lawyers/patients look at the side effect section and start claiming product injury or blaming the drug for anything. Also, the thieves of intellectual property start churning out imitations. In the case of generic manufacturers, YEARS before a patent expires, are attempting to get their versions on the market. (Without having to do any testing other than prove that in 20-50 young,healthy volunteers had a blood level--not even in therapeutic range--and generics don't have to be tested in people who actually have the disease). *In the case of Pfizer, the novel drugs
      approved in the 1990's caused paradigm shifts in disease treatment...and took several years to educate doctors in the new pharmacokinetics!!!
      *Viagra changed Pfizer's fortunes and, this was the beginning of
      future performance across Pharma (and other sectors) where sucess is governed by investors/analysts/the market. Expectations of investors became unrealistic and every drug was expected to be a blockbuster.
      Sorry to be so wordy, but once again, the ignorance of some people brings out the educator in me. I'm also passionate about Public Health Policy! From, 'bigpicture'


      On May 29 06:39 AM Neers87 wrote:

      > Pharma has long operated profitably under these premise. The trick
      > these days is to reduce time from discovery to market, extending
      > time on the market with exclusive patent protection. Eliminate candidates
      > as earily in the process as possible for a reduction in cost. New
      > technologies make this possible, drug modeling software is a much
      > larger aspect of R & D. Your article looks at the situation as if
      > it were static. Dynamic changes are in the industry beyound what
      > is mentioned here.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon May 26th 17:26 PM
      Commented on:
      Industries to Avoid, Industries to Buy
      Your comments re: Medicare Part D...
      The majority of meds will be generic. The 'takers' with no risks taken, no path to production factories, no indication of what's in their product other than a USP # to 'claim' it's the drug without the brand name.
      Kaiser's used generics for years. Mom complained that her generic vicodin was hurting her stomach (can't tolerate aspirin). I had product analyzed: contained aspirin, acetominophen, caffeine; NO narcotic. How many will die, have adverse reactions, lose disease control (seizure disorders, diabetes, hypertension, angina, etc) because NO ONE is monitoring generics or factories.
      Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN did story on this last fall, 2007.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon May 26th 17:12 PM
      Commented on:
      Chantix Side-Effects May Halt Rare Pfizer Success Story
      This report illustrates my opinion (and experience) that most Americans are ignorant about science, health, medicine...if you just assume that sitting in a doctor's office for a 'physical',etc. while not taking responsibility for your OWN behavior (the diseases caused by smoking/2nd hand smoke) have been well researched and documented/publicized!
      A blocked artery, malignant hypertension, do not occur suddenly, but have been developing for years. Lifestyle choices are #1 in causation!


      On May 26 03:53 AM no guinea pig wrote:

      > My husband took this drug for about 1 month and ended up in the hospital.
      > He had extremely high blood pressure, couldn't remember the names
      > of his mother, children, or siblings, and thought I was his nurse
      > (we've been married 22 yrs.). Seems he had a mini-stroke. He had
      > to have surgery a week later for a blocked artery. He'd never had
      > any health problems before. So, your guess is as good as mine. Was
      > it the Chantix? I'm suspicious. Maybe all new comers should have
      > a complete heart check up before taking this drug. Then if problems
      > suddenly occur, you'll have a better idea who and what is to blame.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon May 26th 16:54 PM
      Commented on:
      Chantix Side-Effects May Halt Rare Pfizer Success Story
      Your attitude and the trial lawyer-generated law suits are one of the reasons medicines in the US cost more...who do you think pays for greed?


      On May 26 10:31 AM BlueOkie wrote:

      > no guinea pig,
      > Maybe you should change doctors if your doctor prescribed a drug
      > without having done a complete checkup on your husband. If your
      > husband was in great health before, I see a big lawsuit in your favor.
      >
      >
      View article »
    • ON: Mon May 26th 16:52 PM
      Commented on:
      General Discussion on PFE
      I'm so tired of hearing media,politicians,ins.... etc blame 'big pharma' for the increase in the cost of medical care! Have you looked at a hospital bill lately? Seen 'gen'l services' or other fees,the cost of anything billed? 20 min. in an outpt OR at Stanford U Hosp in 2005 cost me $8000...for the room! Dr's fees, meds, etc were extra. It's called cost shifting and someone has to pay for what's not being provided because of the US system. Does anyone remember when, prior to the 1970's, the cost to educate doctors,nurses,dentist... hygienists, etc. was partially paid for by Fed'l $ as 'capitation fees'. The feds aren't returning the money to states as was required in past, states don't have $$ to reimburse counties, etc.
      No public health system remains. I've watched Cspan hearings as over the last 8 yrs in particular, NIH,FDA,CDC etc budgets have been axed by this admin.
      On the "rich big pharma" theme: educate yourself on what it takes (money,time,risk) to bring 1 drug to market (only 24 were approved last year). Big pharma reinvests in research (yes, they make profits...this is capitalism and profit is allowed), these companies also help support med school budgets, provide education on the rapidly changing developments in science/disease cause and tx to both med.professionals and the public, and provide free meds...for newer drugs so pts and docs can try without cost to pt. (and free drugs and funding for US citizens and around the world for epidemics or after disasters).
      I watched Cspan last month as Congress (apparently having no pressing nat'l business more important) held hearings on Direct to Consumer advertising....I'd like to know WHO/WHAT US group is pushing this? Generic co's? ?? One witness (using gov't funds to conduct the research) testified on the speed and order of info presentation contained in a 30 sec TV ad and implied it was yet another way 'big pharma' takes advantage of citizens to push sales!
      Do you know how much money pharma has generated for the US economy as EXPORT product? Not many US companies have continued to do this. Look at our export/import figures.
      Do you have faith that the already science-ignorant US pop. would know about disease states, symptoms to ask docs about, info on treatments available?
      How up-to-date is your own 'health provider'? If you live in an area near a medical school, your MD is better prepared to tx you than someone living in Central Oregon: a state that doesn't req. MDs/DOs to have any con't med.ed. once they are licensed by the state. In an area of the State where doctors and private investors own every clinic,lab,outpt surgery, and hospital; where most docs aren't board cert. and last attended a medical lecture in med school; where employees (and pts) who experience malpractice are blackballed. (Recovery rooms reuse single use equipment contaminated by body fluids and children and other pts have been exposed to Hep C and HIV +++++++++? Where the hospitals, to save money, dump red bag contaminates in the community land fill). Nothing is done to correct.
      Please think before reacting to the big bad big pharma message. These ethical companies (for the most part) have greatly improved health for the world, and actually reduced morbidity/mortality in the US. Costs in medicine have increased for many reasons. Do your part by reviewing bills from docs, hospitals, meds. Generic companies have large profit margins for zero risk, are not monitored, and are NOT the same as branded meds.
      I could go on.....30 years in medicine, including public health...I'm tired of 1 sided blame games.
      "big picture"
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