Injuryboard Commentary - prescription drugs

Pharmaceutical Companies Use Rx Data Mining to Boost Sales Tactics, Patient Advocates Argue

David Mittleman — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:06:36 GMT

When your doctor prescribes you a medication you probably expect that the information stays between you, the doctor, and your insurance company. However, prescription data miners are changing that dynamic in scary ways: by spying on your prescription data they are able to provide pharmaceutical companies with information to entice doctors to prescribe their medications more frequently. In fact, pharmaceutical companies are able to learn how to “fine-tune” their messages so that when a sales-rep calls a doctor, they are able to give a good pitch. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies can entice doctors to prescribe their medications with free samples of drugs. While the individual identities of patients is not disclosed in data mining, government officials are concerned about doctors’ decision-making becoming distorted because of the new sales tactics of pharmaceutical companies with access to prescription information.

The process of prescription data mining begins with medical data firms. Medical data firms have access to billions of prescription records, which they purchase from pharmacies and health insurers who have physician data from the American Medical Association, as well as other sources. They then are able to sell this information to pharmaceutical companies. According to critics, the end result is that drug companies are able to sell their newest and costliest medications, not necessarily the most effective medications.

Patient advocates and government officials are also concerned about the interference in the patient-doctor relationship, as well as increased spending on expensive drugs. However, data miners argue that they are actually helping contain the cost of prescription medications by improving quality and by quickly providing doctors with information on which drugs work best.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

FDA Trying to Reduce Preventable Medical Error from Prescription and Over the Counter Drug Use

David Mittleman — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:39:08 GMT

Over 3 billion prescriptions are written annually in the United States, and tens of millions of people rely on prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to sustain their health. With such high numbers of drugs being used, the risk of preventable medical error from improper drug combination or the misuse of medication has led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start the Safe Use Initiative.

As my Virginia-based colleague Greg Webb noted, the initiative calls upon doctors, health care professionals, and even patients to help the FDA identify specific, preventable medication risks and develop interventions to such risks. The initiative has a goal to implement some interventions within the first 12 months of the Initiative's existence.

Among the target groups the Initiative seeks to protect is children. One study cited by the FDA found that over 9,000 children were exposed to prescription opioid drugs from 2003 to 2006. Just as startling was the fact that 60,000 emergency room visits occur annually as a result of unsupervised ingestion of medication by children under the age of 12.

Some of the changes consumers can expect will be better information of the prescription and OTC drugs they take, including the proper dosage to take along with calibrated spoons or cups that are easier to read and correspond with the product's packaging.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Drug Makers Raise Prices Despite Promises of Cost Reform

David Mittleman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:39:28 GMT

Drug makers pledged to help cut down healthcare costs by $8 billion a year, but now it doesn’t look like they are making good on that promise. Instead, in the last year alone, the pharmaceutical industry has raised their wholesale prescription drug prices by 9%. Instead of cutting down on costs, that raises the nation’s drug-related healthcare costs by $10 billion, and represents the highest annual rate of inflation on drug prices since 1992.

Originally, drug makers had touted their agreement with the White House and the Senate Finance Agreement chairman to trim $8 billion a year from the nation’s drug costs, or $80 billion over 10 years, by giving rebates to older Americans and the government. However, the recent increase in prices would essentially cancel out the savings for at least the first year of the plan, if not the entire 10 years.

Nevertheless, drug makers argue that there are valid business reasons for raising prices. Specifically, they argue that they are forced to raise their prices in order to invest in future research and development of new drugs, especially as patents expire on previous drugs. While drug makers claim their “reasons” for raising their prices, many Americans who do have drug insurance will be forced to pay out-of-pocket for the leftover cost of overpriced drugs that insurance won’t entirely cover.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Susan Galinis Warning to Other Women Taking Yaz Birth Control

Aileen Wu Viorel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:24:05 GMT

Take the time to watch the linked video below. Susan Galinis speaks out in efforts to warn other women who may be at risk due to taking Yaz birth control. Like many other cases that have recently surfaced, Susan suffered a stroke only a month after she started taking Yaz. Susan's life will never be the same. Susan's story is just one of many. Yaz is still on the market and many women taking this birth control are still at risk.

View Video

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Aileen Wu Viorel

FDA Addresses Medical Errors And $4 Billion Pricetag

Eddie Farah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:29:47 GMT

As we look at saving money on health care spending, Americans should consider drugs, specifically the huge cost of medical errors involving prescriptions.

Medication interactions, a mix-up in the pharmacy such as switching out the wrong prescription, an inability read a doctor’s handwriting, all can lead to drug dosage errors which cost us all about $4 billion a year, not to mention lives and injuries.

Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is trying to identify the most serious threats to better understand and get a handle on the problem. Consider this- errors with medication happen often - about 1.5 million errors every year according to a two- year-old study by the Institute of Medicine.

A recent Hearst Newspaper group investigation, "Dead By Mistake" profiles many who lost their lives through medication errors.

It so astonishing that even the new FDA commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, who is a doctor, was stunned by the numbers. She announced a new plan called “Safe Use Initiative” by saying it “doesn’t require a new scientific discovery or a budget appropriation.”

In holding public hearing and gathering information from the public about that problem, the FDA would be wise to speak with personal injury attorneys.

Every week we hear of the adverse events that can occur from drugs, even when they are used as directed of prescribed. Consider Tylenol that can cause liver damage when taken in excess, and the devastating outcomes of drugs when they are not.

Public Citizen is onboard with this scrutiny of package labels, and inserts, and instructions given to dispensing pharmacists. Dr. Sidney Wolfe says that about 99.5 percent of pamphlets are missing critical information.

While medication is supposed to make us feel better and perhaps save lives, patients and doctors forget almost every medication eventually has a side effect. The presumption of safety needs to be challenged.

Instead of relying on a “Pill for every Ill” Americans need to remember that “safe medication” is an oxymoron. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

FDA - Beware of Bogus Swine Flu Products Sold Online

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:21:00 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to be aware of the many bogus products that are being sold over the Internet that claim to prevent, treat or diagnose H1N1 influenza virus.

The warning comes after federal investigators purchased and tested five products and found one contained powdered talc and general Tylenol, but no Tamiflu (oseltamivir). The others contained some Tamiflu but weren't approved for sale in the United States, the AP reported.

The agency issued a warning about at least 140 fraudulent products, ranging from sprays and devices to dietary supplements claiming for strengthening the immune system and more.

"There is no way of knowing the conditions under which these products were manufactured. They could contain contaminated, counterfeit, impure or subpotent / superpotent ingredients," said Alyson Saben, the head of the FDA swine flu consumer fraud team.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Neocate Infant Specialized Formula Recalled

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:54:52 GMT

One lot of 14-ounce Neocate Infant Formula (about 3700 cans) is being voluntarily recalled by Nutricia North America Inc. because the formula does not contain as much protein as listed on their labels.

The limited formulation does not present an immediate risk of injury or other adverse effects. Although short-term consumption of product from the affected batch is very unlikely to cause any immediate nutritional issues, long term consumption may affect the growth of certain babies.

The recalled formula, lot P91877, was distributed between September 1 – 11. No other Neocate products are affected by the recall.

Consumers can contact the company helpline directly at 800-365-7354 with any questions.

For more information please visit www.nutricia-na.com or www.neocate.com.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Neocate Infant Formula Recalled

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:48:00 GMT

Nutricia North America Inc. announced a voluntary recall of Neocate Infant Formula because it doesn’t contain as much protein as listed on their labels.

The recalled formula -- lot number P91877 -- was sold in 14-ounce cans. They were distributed between September 1 and 11. About 3,700 cans of formula are affected by the recall. No other Neocate products are affected.

There is no immediate injury risk or other adverse effects associated with the recalled formula. While short-term consumption of the affect product is unlikely to cause any immediate nutritional issues, long-term consumption may affect the growth of certain infants.

Consumers can contact the company helpline directly at 800-365-7354 with any questions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Pharmaceutical Company Writing Good Stuff About Their Product

Mike Bryant — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:19:00 GMT

Usually when pharmaceutical companies are writing good stuff about themselves they are called advertisements. But, when they write it about themselves, except do so in ghostwritten "scientific papers", it should be called fraud. I guess it was a way to save money from just paying doctors to make up test results.

This past week, the New York Times reported the recently released court documents show that Wyeth Pharmaceuticals produced 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women. They hired a medical communications firm to publish their papers in medical journals between 1998 and 2005.

Addressing the hormone drugs Premarin (conjugated estrogens) and Prempro (conjugated estrogens/medroxyprogesterone acetate), the papers emphasized the benefits and de-emphasized the risks of taking hormones to protect against maladies like aging skin, heart disease and dementia. At the same time, Wyeth saw sales rise to nearly $2 billion in 2001.

These were companies that until recently were protected by federal preemption from many lawsuits. Companies that paid defense lawyers millions of dollars to question the honesty and integrity of injured plaintiffs. It's to bad none of this evidence was available before too uncover the lies so many of these cases were based on.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Antibiotic Levaquin Can Cause Ruptured Tendon

Alan Ripka — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:15:22 GMT

Imagine being prescribed the antibiotic, Levaquin for a chest or sinus infection, and ending up with a torn tendon or tendonitis. Believe it or not, the antibiotic Levaquin has been know to cause tendons to tear and/or rupture, all without any warning to those who were prescribed or took the antibiotic. The Food and Drug Administration has mandated that a Black Box warning be placed on the packaging of Levaquin so that consumers can make informed choices regarding the risks versus the benefits of the highly prescribed bacteria killer.

"Most people will believe that they tore or ruptured their tendon - or have tendonitis - because of an abrupt movement or an injury during an activity, like sports, without realizing the disability, and the pain and suffering were really caused by Levaquin. The injury was no fault of their own." claims Alan Ripka, Esquire. "One of the problems is that people go to their doctor complaining of pain without telling their doctor about their history of being on Levaquin. In these cases, the doctor inaccurately diagnoses the source of the injury as something other than the Levaquin. In these circumstances, people will never know they may have a legal action against the manufacturers of the antibiotic and may be entitled to compensation for their injuries, pain, discomfort, surgery, medical bills and lost earnings from being unable to work."

If you have taken Levaquin and have been or are injured, call Alan Ripka to discuss your claim. It makes no difference what city you live in or where you got or took Levaquin. You can finally get an answer to the mystery of why you had a torn or ruptured tendon, with nothing seeming to cause it. Napoli Bern Ripka, LLP has fought against large companies in other matters and will fight for you if we believe you have a potential case for medical malpractice, products liability, and/or personal injury, and is prepared to go to court and have a trial if necessary. Please contact our office and ask for Alan Ripka, one of our partners. Please specifically mention that you read the blog when contacting our office.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alan Ripka