http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22847409/
FDA can spend all the time and resources to review anything. They wont get anything right. FDA is the gold Standard which a drug company has to meet. Once they meet the drug is in market, they flood the doctors with their reps who start prescribing irrespective of cost benefit analysis. The concept of indications, patents and generics has caused PHARMA to push limits of ethics and sell their drug. If this study was released 6 months ago , thats 6 months of revenue lost. I can understand why they didnot release the study. If they can drop the pretense of these unbiased studies and let market forces compete.
In terms of benefit, most average people do not need VYTORIN or aggresive lowering of LDL " bad cholesterol " . High risk patients may benefit from aggresive lowering of LDL. Crestor alone can beat Vytorin results in most cases.
VYTORIN is sort of like IPHONE. It's a luxury you probably dont need and may cause accidents since it has more bells and whistles. Probably generic Zocor is enough for most people. If there was free market in medicine, you would see makers of Crestor, Lipitor and Vytorin compete for Individual's health care dollars instead of this convoluted drug companies putting out favorable studies only and providing selective information and cutting deals with third-party insurers to get their drug on Formulary or lower tier and offer coupons for co-pays.
In the meantime, we have these reviews by FDA and Pharma lawyers telling us whats good for us and what drug should be pulled off the market and what warning on drug labels and we will pay insurance premiums and fight with Insurers to pay for drugs based on Corporate deals.
Let organizations like AHA, ACC and AACE review every study and put out opinions or recommendations like Consumer reports or CNET and consumers can make choices with help of physicians.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
How to fix: Health care ?
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/HomeMortgageSavings/HowToFixHealthCare.aspx
If Experts like these are offering Health Care Solution. Health care cost will continue to SPIRAL out of control. Biggest problem is no one seems to be concerned about Quality of Health Care and using terms like Health Care and Health Insurance interchangibly.
Create more choice. I think we need to come up with Private Individual Insurance which people will buy on their own and customize the kind of coverage, deductible and networks on their own. Individuals will need to take responsiblity so that competition for their dollars can lower cost.
Stop fixating on how to cut benefits. Stop treating Health care like a Benefit but more like a service like Car Purchases/repairs or Cell Phone plans. Insurers can add benefits mostly unnecessary and frivolous stuff which raises premium usually paid by Employers or in turn raising employee costs fo benefits which most of them dont need or want.
Pay for performance. This guy doesnt think that patients can find a good doctor who controls their diabetes. Let a patient and his doctor controls his Diabetes and which should lower his risk as well as Insurance Premiums.
Make health insurance more portable: Will give it to the Author. I had Blue Cross PPO plan for a couple for $ 300 in WA and same plan in NJ is $ 3000 . GO figure.
Cut some patient co-pays -- but boost others : Make patients go for treatment which Insurer thinks is right. Co-pays are patient responsbility. Dont limit patient responsibilty in decisions. They should be responsible for their decisions. If cost of care is high , patient decides if its worth it. If they have a deductible, they pay deductible and rest is Insurer's responsibilty.
Lets get rid of experts like this with socialist, communist mentality who got us in this HEALTH CARE MESS in the first place.
If Experts like these are offering Health Care Solution. Health care cost will continue to SPIRAL out of control. Biggest problem is no one seems to be concerned about Quality of Health Care and using terms like Health Care and Health Insurance interchangibly.
Create more choice. I think we need to come up with Private Individual Insurance which people will buy on their own and customize the kind of coverage, deductible and networks on their own. Individuals will need to take responsiblity so that competition for their dollars can lower cost.
Stop fixating on how to cut benefits. Stop treating Health care like a Benefit but more like a service like Car Purchases/repairs or Cell Phone plans. Insurers can add benefits mostly unnecessary and frivolous stuff which raises premium usually paid by Employers or in turn raising employee costs fo benefits which most of them dont need or want.
Pay for performance. This guy doesnt think that patients can find a good doctor who controls their diabetes. Let a patient and his doctor controls his Diabetes and which should lower his risk as well as Insurance Premiums.
Make health insurance more portable: Will give it to the Author. I had Blue Cross PPO plan for a couple for $ 300 in WA and same plan in NJ is $ 3000 . GO figure.
Cut some patient co-pays -- but boost others : Make patients go for treatment which Insurer thinks is right. Co-pays are patient responsbility. Dont limit patient responsibilty in decisions. They should be responsible for their decisions. If cost of care is high , patient decides if its worth it. If they have a deductible, they pay deductible and rest is Insurer's responsibilty.
Lets get rid of experts like this with socialist, communist mentality who got us in this HEALTH CARE MESS in the first place.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Unfavorable drug studies don't get into Print : Report
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080117/us_nm/drugs_studies_dc
That seems to be true till a few days ago. These studies get into media only after the Patents on them have expired. MOST anti-depressants except Lexapro are now available generic. FDA enabled the DRUG industry to sell anti-depressants to the suckers as a QUICK-FIX solution to their emotional problems. Next ones I bet are anti-psychotics which cause significant weight gain and diabetes. Anti-psychotic increase mortality in Elderly but who cares about those poor souls in Nursing Homes except when there is a good NEGLIGENCE story in Nursing homes.
All the stories of last week about drug industry conclude what I realised recently while at the recieving end of health care system. " You get what you pay for ". Lower re-imbursements to doctors have led to them offering convenient and more advise to treat most medical conditons including Cholesterol, Osteoporosis and Depression. They follow guidelines created by Experts in their speciality who seem to keep adding more recommendations of screening and OVER DIAGNOSING conditions and AGGRESSIVELY TREATING these conditions.
UNFORTUNATELY, they don't benefit INDIVIDUALS.
INDIVIDUALS have very little control on their health because getting CARE with INSURANCE means you get what your INSURANCE lets you and no one wants or asks DOCTORS for their advise or COUNSELLING. INDIVIDUALS with little dangerous knowledge either lead doctors or get led by DOCTORS to go the WRONG PATH.
That seems to be true till a few days ago. These studies get into media only after the Patents on them have expired. MOST anti-depressants except Lexapro are now available generic. FDA enabled the DRUG industry to sell anti-depressants to the suckers as a QUICK-FIX solution to their emotional problems. Next ones I bet are anti-psychotics which cause significant weight gain and diabetes. Anti-psychotic increase mortality in Elderly but who cares about those poor souls in Nursing Homes except when there is a good NEGLIGENCE story in Nursing homes.
All the stories of last week about drug industry conclude what I realised recently while at the recieving end of health care system. " You get what you pay for ". Lower re-imbursements to doctors have led to them offering convenient and more advise to treat most medical conditons including Cholesterol, Osteoporosis and Depression. They follow guidelines created by Experts in their speciality who seem to keep adding more recommendations of screening and OVER DIAGNOSING conditions and AGGRESSIVELY TREATING these conditions.
UNFORTUNATELY, they don't benefit INDIVIDUALS.
INDIVIDUALS have very little control on their health because getting CARE with INSURANCE means you get what your INSURANCE lets you and no one wants or asks DOCTORS for their advise or COUNSELLING. INDIVIDUALS with little dangerous knowledge either lead doctors or get led by DOCTORS to go the WRONG PATH.
Minn. Health System Purges Drug Trinkets
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080119/drug_trinket_roundup.html
Drug companies are just trying to make new products and sell them. PHARMA guidelines were established which failed misearbly. Any third party interference will fail and not help the consumer. Let the FREE MARKETS rule. Lets get rid of patents and generics. Let the drug companies convince the patients that these medicines are worth $ 100 a month or whatever . they offer patients rebate of their co-pays and convince the doctors that they are Preferred or in Insurance Formulary. Let a Doctor spend time with a patient and convince him that spending Hundreds of dollars a month is good for health and see if they can generate enough business. Peddling Doctors office and misleading the consumer with superfluous ads with is very similar to Crony Capitalism. Govt, FDA and PHARMA regualtions are increasing cost of health care and not getting much benefit to the patients.
Drug companies are just trying to make new products and sell them. PHARMA guidelines were established which failed misearbly. Any third party interference will fail and not help the consumer. Let the FREE MARKETS rule. Lets get rid of patents and generics. Let the drug companies convince the patients that these medicines are worth $ 100 a month or whatever . they offer patients rebate of their co-pays and convince the doctors that they are Preferred or in Insurance Formulary. Let a Doctor spend time with a patient and convince him that spending Hundreds of dollars a month is good for health and see if they can generate enough business. Peddling Doctors office and misleading the consumer with superfluous ads with is very similar to Crony Capitalism. Govt, FDA and PHARMA regualtions are increasing cost of health care and not getting much benefit to the patients.
OSTEOPOROSIS DRUGS are overprescribed !!!!!!
http://www.yahoo.com/s/787060
Another Scam !!!!!!!
BONIVA ad on TV is so bad that inspite of being a CAPITALIST. I cannot defend it. It only prevents vertebral fractures and not HIP fractures which are more serious.
Fosamax and Actonel are wrongly prescribed which people take for variety of reasons. help with BONE HEALTH and everything else.
THEY are good only to lower risk of fracture in Elderly frail women who are at risk for Falls who have OSTEOPOROSIS and not MILD OSTEOPENIA. Middle aged women taking the drug for BONE HEALTH get minimal benefit.
Another Scam !!!!!!!
BONIVA ad on TV is so bad that inspite of being a CAPITALIST. I cannot defend it. It only prevents vertebral fractures and not HIP fractures which are more serious.
Fosamax and Actonel are wrongly prescribed which people take for variety of reasons. help with BONE HEALTH and everything else.
THEY are good only to lower risk of fracture in Elderly frail women who are at risk for Falls who have OSTEOPOROSIS and not MILD OSTEOPENIA. Middle aged women taking the drug for BONE HEALTH get minimal benefit.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Who's getting abortions?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22689931/
“It doesn’t just happen to young people, it doesn’t necessarily have to do with irresponsibility,” said Miriam Inocencio, president of Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island. “Women face years and years of reproductive life after they’ve completed their families, and they’re at risk of an unintended pregnancy that can create an economic strain.”
so, I guess PEOPLE can make HEALTH CARE DECISIONS based on their own. THEY DONT NEED CONGRESS, COURTS OR PLANNED PARENTHOOD to help them with their decisions.
“It doesn’t just happen to young people, it doesn’t necessarily have to do with irresponsibility,” said Miriam Inocencio, president of Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island. “Women face years and years of reproductive life after they’ve completed their families, and they’re at risk of an unintended pregnancy that can create an economic strain.”
so, I guess PEOPLE can make HEALTH CARE DECISIONS based on their own. THEY DONT NEED CONGRESS, COURTS OR PLANNED PARENTHOOD to help them with their decisions.
Anti-smoking'" CHANTIX "drug gets revised warning
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22728514/
"Basically there was an evolution of thinking of where it would be best to place (the advice) on the label," Pfizer Vice President for Medical Affairs Ponni Subbiah said in an interview.
Pfizer's Lawyers think that it will lower their risk.
Why should Personal Injury Lawyers be left behind ?
"Basically there was an evolution of thinking of where it would be best to place (the advice) on the label," Pfizer Vice President for Medical Affairs Ponni Subbiah said in an interview.
Pfizer's Lawyers think that it will lower their risk.
Why should Personal Injury Lawyers be left behind ?
Vytorin controversy confuses patients, doctors
Vytorin controversy confuses patients, doctors
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1724407220080117
This Headline says it all.
FDA approves the DRUG. NCEP sets up guidelines for Target LDL and the whole country starts popping pills to lower Cholesterol levels. DRUG companies make money , INSURERS raise premiums and SUCKERS stay in CORPORATE or GOVT/UNION jobs which provide Health Insurance to pay to LOWER CHOLESTEROLS.
END RESULT : WHO KNOWS !!!!!!!!!!!
Doctors treat CHOLESTEROL numbers like COPS treat SPEED LIMITS. Any thing slightly high, You get a TICKET ( I mean STATIN prescription) irrespective of risk profile of cholesterol or medicines required.
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1724407220080117
This Headline says it all.
FDA approves the DRUG. NCEP sets up guidelines for Target LDL and the whole country starts popping pills to lower Cholesterol levels. DRUG companies make money , INSURERS raise premiums and SUCKERS stay in CORPORATE or GOVT/UNION jobs which provide Health Insurance to pay to LOWER CHOLESTEROLS.
END RESULT : WHO KNOWS !!!!!!!!!!!
Doctors treat CHOLESTEROL numbers like COPS treat SPEED LIMITS. Any thing slightly high, You get a TICKET ( I mean STATIN prescription) irrespective of risk profile of cholesterol or medicines required.
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