The Pharmaceutical Industry

[Trilby]

god, I hate the 18th C fucking infantry! I really hate them and I don't hate anyone!


(Ok. that was for attention. I admit that)

[DanaC]

hahahahahah. That made me laugh so hard I startled Pilau.

[jinx]

FDA: Indian drug co lied about test results for generic drugs. (also CNN)

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited Inc., the firm which has helped propel India into a major player in the global pharmaceutical market, did not properly test the shelf-life of about 25 generic drugs then lied about how they conducted the tests and falsified results to cover up testing irregularities, the FDA said.

FDA officials said no harm to patients who took the dozens of Ranbaxy drugs has been detected, there is no evidence that the drugs are dangerous, and no recall of the drugs is necessary. Officials said patients prescribed Ranbaxy drugs should continue to take their medications. All 25 generic drugs made at the Ranbaxy plant now under investigation likely made their way into the U.S., the FDA said.

[jinx]

"Nobody" spots problems with study published in JAMA

Jonathan Leo, a professor of neuro-anatomy at tiny Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., posted a letter on the Web site of the British Medical Journal this month criticizing a study that appeared in JAMA last spring. The study concerned the use of the anti-depressant Lexapro in stroke patients. In addition to identifying what he said was an important omission in the paper — that behavioral therapy worked just as well as the drug when compared head to head in the study — Leo also pointed out that the lead author had a financial relationship with Forest Laboratories, the maker of Lexapro, that was not disclosed in the study.

[jinx]

Did Astra Zeneca's research chief bias science with Sex-for-Studies/Drugs scandal?

Dr. Wayne MacFadden, AZ’s former US medical director for Seroquel and director clincial research in CNS had affairs with a clinical researcher who authored publications favorable to Seroquel, and a medical marketer who promoted Seroquel through medical publications and other means.
...
(new link)
Former AstraZeneca U.S. medical director for Seroquel Wayne MacFadden confessed his multiple sexual affairs, and his offer of drugs to one of the women he was sleeping with, to lawyers in December 2007.
The confessions include descriptions of sex in hotel rooms paid for by AZ, illicit distribution of Vicodin, and a kinky relationship in which one of his colleagues asked to be “punished” for looking at a study that had negative results for Seroquel.

[jinx]

Depressed Doc fabricated (not botched) research

The GMC’s professional conduct committee found that none of the 38 women in the trial had taken a blood test described in the abstract.

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

sugarpop! I've been wondering where you were!

Nice to see you back.

Thanks! It's good to be back.

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by DanaC

We have something of the opposite problem over here. There are a number of vitamin supplements (again can't recall exactly which, and cannot be arsed googling :P) which are about to be heavily regulated to the point that effective quantities won't be available over the counter at healthfood stores. One of them is particularly helpful for menopausal women and there's been a big campaign to save the supplements. They've been available for years, but new EU rules are starting to impact. Under British law they were absolutely fine and actually quite effectively regulated ( i think).

They tried to do that here too, but fortunately, there is a champion in Congress who uses vitamins and supplements and believes in them. He has fought hard against having them be like drugs, where you can't get them over the counter.

If something is dangerous, it obviously shouldn't be sold over the counter. But most of that stuff is relatively safe, if used as directed. I guess they should test it and make sure it doesn't have heavy metals in it though. As I said, that's the first I heard of that.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I can't find any evidence on the internets of an African tribe accidentally discovering penicillin.

Memory returns a 93% match.
And adds that the fruit had to have been chewed by a cross-eyed child.

I think the source was a book by Lyall Watson; either Supernature or Lifetide.
I read these boooks ages ago, they teeter between cutting edge science - with all the correct references etc - and some questionable extrapolation.

It was where I first learned about the grex, though. Amazing little thing. or 10,000 things, I'm still not sure.

[morethanpretty]

Natural remedies that work, and I use:
Cranberry extract (anything, but concentrate is best for 'problem times')
Yogurt or Acidophelius or Lactobacillius (when you're on antibiotics)
Green Tea (more benefits being discovered frequently)
Tea Tree Oil (I use for acne, but good for fungus ect)
Chamomile (calming or soothing)
Honey (sore throat, other things i don't use it for so I don't know)
Peppermint (see honey)

The list goes on and on. These are just a few I use fairly frequently, which none of my doctors has ever suggested TO me. I have asked my doctor about using them, and I have yet to hear them say they don't work or are a bad idea. The cranberry btw, saved my life when I got a UTI and could not get to the doc until the next day.

HM- your article barely pointed out any specific natural remedies that they tested. Although not all natural remedies work, a great deal do. A great deal that have not made it through FDA approval, neither do doctors tell you about them. Why? Because the real money is in big pharm. They get samples and other incentives to push pills.
Ex: why were anti-depressants pressed on me for 2 yrs in my teens? I was overweight, if the doc had asked it would have been clear I didn't exercise and I ate poorly. Instead of giving me the natural remedy, or even SUGGESTING it along with the pills. What did they do (2 dif docs)? They put me on pills and tried to keep me on them. Starting at the age of 13 i believe. That is wrong.

Oh, and "diet and exercise" is a natural remedy. Its not in the list because I don't use it.

[DanaC]

I think the point isn't that there aren't any good herbal remedies; but rather, there are also many that aren't efficacious and whose effects cannot be replicated in empirical studies.

Tea Tree is a fine substance. I use it a lot. Green tea is proven to be high in anti-oxidants and the effects of anti-oxidants can and have been proved in medical studies (they form the basis of the only currently effective treatment of age related macular degeneration - lutin).

Different doctors have different attitudes to this stuff. My GP is quite happy to suggest to me natural remedies that might help alongside prescription medications. But she's also good for telling me which ones are proven and tested and which ones are just taking my money.

[morethanpretty]

The cranberry extract probably would have been a fine remedy for my UTI, but I had to go to the doc to get it diagnosed, so she gave me antibiotics just to really kill it. At that point though it was my 3rd or 4th month in a row that I had to take antibiotics...I prob shoulda turned 'em down. I think part of the problem with herbal remedies used by the general population is that they are also "self-diagnosing" and don't have a professional opinion as to what is their issue is. Of course, the pro's don't always do that good of a job either which I know first hand.

About the studies, I just don't trust that all or even most natural remedies have been effectively tested. Especially in this country where big pharm runs the show. I don't want big pharm to take over that aspect of medicine whatsoever, it would drive up the costs and then some might require a prescription. Or they would fuck up the medicine in order to 'imrove' it. Remember the coca plant? Now used to make cocaine...yeah cocaine was the 'improvement' of the effects of the coca plant.
HP can say there is more money in herbal remedies all he wants, truth is, big pharm gets the money for research, patents their meds, and pushes it to the public through doctors who are under/mis-informed. Our FDA is mostly in their pocket, and they have lobbyist to keep the effective natural remedies from succeeding.
Yes there are alot of scam 'natural remedies' that is part of the issue with it. There are really good ones as well that no one seems to know about, or possible we haven't ran an effective trial. Just like jinx was posting about fraud trials for big pharm meds, don't you think the same is possible for trials of natural remedies?

Yes, they are out to get me...

[Clodfobble]

Oh word up on the cranberry for UTIs. I had chronic recurring infections that got me referred all the way up to a urologist, and the only thing that stopped them was when I began taking daily cranberry concentrate pills (recommended by the urologist.)

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by morethanpretty

I think part of the problem with herbal remedies used by the general population is that they are also "self-diagnosing" and don't have a professional opinion as to what is their issue is.

Nailed it.

Remember the coca plant? Now used to make cocaine...yeah cocaine was the 'improvement' of the effects of the coca plant.

So...not all bad then :P


[eta]
I don't have complete trust in the Pharm companies either. But...speaking as someone whose family was fleeced for £££££s during my childhood follwing various homecure blind alleys (homeopathy, healthfood diets, allergy regimes, even fucking faith healers) I can say that I don't much trust them either. There are natural remedies which are effective. Of ocurse there are, else we'd never have developed modern medicine. But sometimes an effective natural remedy isn;t as effective as the equivalent prescribed drug. And of course vice versa.

Pharm companies may not be the best people to trust ... but y'know there are a lot of universities researching this stuff as well. If it's effective and can be proved empirically then I am happy. But I've been stung by both...and of the two I'd say I have had waay more success with prescribed medicines.

[sugarpop]

Just a few herbs and supplements I have used that have worked for me:

Valarian, Scullcap, Mugwort help me sleep, as does melatonin.

Chamomile and Kava Kava calm the nerves. Kava Kava should not be taken all the time though, because it can be dangerous if taken over long periods of time. Rescue Remedy (Bach flowers) works too.

St John's Wort helps with depression.

Goldenseal and Echinacea help colds and flu go away (or help you to not get sick) when taken at the first signs of illness. Should not be taken long term.

Ginko, Ginsing and DMAE help with memory and brain function.

Ginsing also helps with energy. So do B vitamins.

NAC, Malic Acid, Magnesium help with pain and sleep in people with fibromyalgia.

Black Cohash and Dong Quai help with perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

Probiotics help keep your gut healthy and keep you regular.

These are just few, that I can think of off the top of my head.