Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle for 04-11-2005

 Good morning !

Chairman of the Board

 The Chairman of the Board of the Catholic Church needs to be replaced.  The new chairman (Pope) will be a present member of the board of directors (College of Cardinals). The mission statement will remain the same and the shareholders (Catholics) will remain interested in the outcome.

 Some in the media (and elsewhere) are pushing for changes in the Church’s mission statement, especially on social issues. They remind me of the people who buy one share of stock in a public corporation so that they can go to the annual meeting and raise a ruckus over a pet issue. They are not really invested in the corporation or its mission but have their own view of the world. As I see it, there are many other corporations in which to invest that already are in line with non-traditional thinking. These coporate gadflies should simply invest in those institutions that reflect their thinking.  Likewise, the social reformers are free to find a faith community which reflects their beliefs and into which they may pour their religious capital.

Whatever the outcome of the selection of the new Pope, the CEO will remain unchanged as He has since all time. Like Abe Lincoln said, "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right"

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ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Top of the heap!"  

1) Bextra…Bextra…read all about it!

FDA asks Pfizer to withdraw the drug from the market. This leaves Celebrex as the ONLY COXII still marketed. This may not bode well for the return of Vioxx. I am through making predictions in this area. Politics seems to trump science too often lately.

http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/safety05.htm#Bextra

 2) Vaccine against cervical cancer?

Gardisil is the name… protectin’ against HPV and genital warts is the game. Not approved yet but look for an arms race with GSK who is trying to get their own approved.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--cancervaccine0406apr06,0,7930015.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey

 3) Just one mometasone!

FDA approves Asmanex as a once-daily inhaler for asthma. Will not be available in the US until about September (about 40 other countries already have approved it). If the active ingredient sounds familiar it is because it is available in Elocon Ointment and Nasonex for different uses.

http://www.ptcommunity.com/Daily/DailyDetail.cfm?chosen=63991

 4) No statistics on the effect of being ugly.

 Smoking adds 10 years to a women’s “fertility age” (a 30 yo smoker has the same likelihood of conceiving as a 40 yo non-smoker). Being fat DECREASES your chance of success by about another 33%. Just another reason to diet, exercise, and quit smoking.

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Articles/News/0,10141,524974,00.html

5) “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever know” Three Dog Night

CMS just let the contract to assign numbers to participants. No longer is the Social Security number to be used…. (but I sure hope that “they” keep a cross reference list so that participants can find out their unique number again if they forget it or lose it.) I’d tell you if this was related to the HIPPA regulations but I’d have to see some ID first!

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/media/press/release.asp?Counter=1415

6) “She looks so natural….dead….but natural”

Article on beauty aids (Lipstick, nail polish through hair dye, shampoo). It appears that MOST of the ingredients have not been tested to see if they can cause cancer or birth defects, (quick/free registration for the Pioneer Press required) Appears that the FDA will seek warning labels if not future research.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/11345983.htm

7) What would the Professor and Mary Ann think?

Ginger may be the best treatment for “morning sickness” associated with pregnancy.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=8080127&src=eDialog/GetContent

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