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Pepin’s Pharmaceutical Prattle for 09-22-2008
Quote of the day: The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)
Good morning ! Back to the 50”s Nostalgia is the art of remembering the good (or how we would have liked things to have been) while forgetting the bad. The 1950”s seem to be the decade that conjures all sorts of romantic ideas. It is usually the music and the fashions that we remember the most. The greaser look for guys and the bobby sox look for girls are both readily identified with the 50”s. Through in saddle shoes, poodle skirts, a leather jacket or a pack of Luck Strikes rolled in a sleeve to complete the picture. Cars played a big role: Chevy, Buick or Caddy if you were a GM guy or Ford, Mercury or Lincoln. Others were available but pretty much all American made. How else would you drive to a drive-in movie or go to the A&W or pizza joint? Diseases of the 50’s that we see less of today were polio, measles, mumps, whooping cought (but on the rise) and influenza. VD was of a simpler form(gonorrhea and syphilis) and the antibiotic available were able to treat most cases effectively. With the onset of vaccinations many fade into the background so that we can enjoy the positive side of the 50’s. The music. No discussion of the 50”s would be complete without the special place that the music played in the 50’s experience. This Saturday, Sept 27, Cradle of Hope, a non-profit group who help women in troubled pregnancies (sounds like the 50’s too?) is hosting three of Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater favorites: Bobby Vee, Fabian and The Chiffons at O’Shaugnessy Auditorium at 7:30. Dig out your leather jacket or poodle skirt (or just wear your usual Polo and Kakis) and call for tickets. 651-690-6700 (between 10A and 2PM Tues-Friday) or go online to www.ticketmaster.com (651-888-5151) and get your tickets. It proves to be a good time for a good cause. (Hint: the $50 tickets are great and will provide you with a partial tax break). If you do make it... PLEASE stop to say HI! to the old bald pharmacist that can no longer comb his hair in a pompadore. ================================================= ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Fantastico!"
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1) FDA halts Indian firm’s drug sales in USA Deficiencies in good manufacturing practices lead to the seizure orders, Thirty generics are involved. Ganciclovir only is available through Ranbaxy so it is being allowed into the country at present, http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01886.html
2) Enough with global warming… global intoxication? Narcotic regulations encourage hospitals and nursing homes to flush narcotics into the sanitary sewer system. While the amount stated in the article seems large the concentrations in waste water poses no threat. Dilute 50 gallons by the waste water output of a large hospital over a year and you can see why the concentration are miniscule. (It does make a pretty sensational headline though). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/14/AR2008091400922.html
3) Ipratropium inhalation inappropriate Elderly who take iprotropium by itself or as a combination product called Combivent or Duonebs are 34% more likely to die than those using rescue inhalers (albuterol) alone. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69319.html
4) Faster FDA Chemo Approvals? NCI group breaks the process of approval into 6 steps in a flow diagram structure. If everything goes fine then the approval time can be shortened. If researchers answer any questions in the negative then they are encouraged to find other therapeutic entities. Sounds like evidence-based research direction. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091901084.html
5) FDA approved anti-nausea patch Kytril (granisetron) is used orally or by injection to prevent and/or treat nausea and vomiting, The active ingredient will be available as a transdermal patch called Sancuso. This will give patients a non oral option. A Scotch company developed the patch which is ironic noting how many times scotch has been responsible for N&V. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/15/AR2008091501914.html
6) Real connections between certain antibiotic use during pregnancy and cerebral palsy. Women who took erythromycin and/or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in an attempt to halt preterm labor had higher number of children with cerebral palsy (4.4% vs 1.6% for placebo), If women do develop infections pre-term then they should not hesitate to use prescribed antibiotics. It is yet unknown whether other antibiotics do the same. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/14/AR2008091400922.html
7) Obama and McCain reconsider their positions on “reimportation” While “reimportation” is a popularist approach to lowering patient costs of pharmaceuticals, a few recent events such as the heparin and infant formula adulterations may be changing minds. It is sad that it took these drastic events to refocus the candidates. http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idCAN1842642120080918?rpc=44
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 1998-2009 PHARMWORKS, LLC all rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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