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Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle for 01-21-2008
Quote of the day: The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter
his life by altering his attitudes of mind.
Good morning ! Care Package My daughter started her new job this week. I felt that she needed a little something special to get started on the right foot so I sent her a “care package”. The box contained: a new pen with lighting design to help her write fast, scissors, a BIOHAZARD sticker to place on her lunch in the refrigerator to avoid having it stolen, 2 packets of soda crackers for the time that her lunch is stolen, quarters for the pop machine, chapstick for cracked lips from long phone conversations, a red Swingline stapler (a la the movie Office Space), skin lotion for the times she gets burned, and ibuprofen for those administrative headaches. While some items might actually be useful I was really trying to send her some love and encouragement. You don’t have to go to all of this effort to encourage those around you. Sincere encouragement can take the form of a kind word or the effort to learn a little about your coworkers. One of the greatest gifts that you can give to everyone is a positive attitude. That attitude will make the work environment more pleasant and also act as indirect encouragement. If all else fails you could pass out BIOHAZARD stickers. ================================================== ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Working!" pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience. ------------
1) Vytorin verdict Expensive combination product against high cholesterol fares no better than inexpensive generic statin when carotid arteries were evaluated. Most pundits are sending invitations to the Vytorin funeral. I expect that the stake will be removed and Vytorin to rise again... maybe just not as high. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=avr2FaVgFQw4
2) Bisphosphonate benefits bogus? Evaluation in British Journal of Medicine finds osteoporosis drug claims are overblown. Need to treat 270 women for 3 years each to prevent ONE vertebral fracture. With the government paying for medication, expect more scrutiny and future denial of these claims. http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/536960/
3) Patch poorer than pills. FDA requires stronger warning on contraceptive patch. Birth control pills cause blood clots. The contraceptive patches cause them even more frequently. Do you really want to subject someone you love to the risks from these hormones? http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01781.html
4) Novo Nordisk nixes nasal insulin Exubra, other inhaled insulin, went down in flames not all that long ago. Novo Nordisk decided that the market was not there. http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN1443991020080114?rpc=44
5) FDA approves Etravirine against HIV Rapid review by the FDA results in a quick approval of this drug for NNRTI –resistant patients whose infections are not responding to currently available HIV drugs. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01783.html
6) Be careful what you wish for…you may get it Express Scripts wanted CVS but the bid failed. ESI stock has since doubled. It also helps to have a better bottom line. http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=7&issue=20080111
7) Company with combo drug for single race to go belly up The combination antihypertensive showed results in blacks and was, thus, narrowly approved. Either the market or the marketing were insuffivient. http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080116/racial_pill.html?.v=1
Have a SUPER-FANTASTIC week. Steve
Disclaimer: "Pepin's Pharmaceutical Prattle" (AKA "The Prattle") is the property of PHARMWORKS, LLC and Steven M. Pepin, Pharm. D. The opinions expressed are those of the bald-headed author. To start or stop any drug without the advice and supervision of your physician would be stupid. So don't do anything based upon what you read here without professional advice. To be added to or removed from the distribution list please e-mail your request to spepin@pharmworks.com . All insightful comments from readers are thoughtfully considered (the rest are callously discarded). Copyright 1998-2008 PHARMWORKS, LLC all rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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