Since the time of Homer, warriors have returned from battle with wounds both physical and psychological, and healers from priests to physicians have tried to relieve the pain of injured bodies and tormented minds.1 The "soldier’s heart" of the American Civil War and the shell shock of World War I both describe the human toll of combat that since Vietnam has been clinically recognized as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).2 The veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) share with their brothers and sisters in arms the high cost of war. As of August 2009, there have been 4333 confirmed deaths of US service men and women and 31,156 wounded in Iraq. As of this writing, 796 US soldiers have died in the fighting in Afghanistan.3
Yet, there are also unique aspects of the combat experience of these veterans that influence their psychiatric presentations in acute settings.
First, far more of the troops (up to 45%) are reserve or National Guard rather than active duty compared with earlier wars.4 Their combat exposure, severity of PTSD, and impairments in interpersonal functioning are more similar to those experienced by career military.5 These individuals are most likely to appear in crises in community emergency departments (EDs); they may present with problems that may be different from veterans of previous wars or from soldiers in active military duty.
Typical presenting symptoms are marital stress from unexpectedly long deployments of 15 months (rather than the standard 12), employment concerns, financial stresses, and overall difficulty in reintegrating into civilian life. The absence of a strong military identity and cohesion, geographical separation from comrades, greater stigma, and misunderstanding from communities without exposure to the military or combat trauma serve as formidable barriers to care for these citizen-soldiers.
READ MORE @ PSYCHIATRIC TIMES
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Depression Is a Dilemma for Women in Pregnancy
When Sherean Malekzadeh Allen of Marietta, Ga., learned she was pregnant, she was 43, had been married for two years, had gone through two miscarriages and had all but given up hope of having a baby.
But instead of being overjoyed, Ms. Allen was immobilized: panic-ridden, nauseated, listless and thoroughly depressed. She could not rouse herself to go to work in the marketing business she founded and ran, or even get through the newspaper.
And she faced the pregnant woman’s quintessential dilemma: take drugs that might pose a risk to the developing baby, or struggle through an anguishing pregnancy that could harm the baby in other ways?
“Every single thing you put in your body when you’re pregnant, you wonder, ‘Oh, my God, am I growing my baby an extra finger?’ ” Ms. Allen said. “I was worried that I would hurt the baby if I took the pills, and I was worried I would hurt the baby if I didn’t.”
READ MORE @ NY TIMES
But instead of being overjoyed, Ms. Allen was immobilized: panic-ridden, nauseated, listless and thoroughly depressed. She could not rouse herself to go to work in the marketing business she founded and ran, or even get through the newspaper.
And she faced the pregnant woman’s quintessential dilemma: take drugs that might pose a risk to the developing baby, or struggle through an anguishing pregnancy that could harm the baby in other ways?
“Every single thing you put in your body when you’re pregnant, you wonder, ‘Oh, my God, am I growing my baby an extra finger?’ ” Ms. Allen said. “I was worried that I would hurt the baby if I took the pills, and I was worried I would hurt the baby if I didn’t.”
READ MORE @ NY TIMES
Monday, October 5, 2009
Statement emphasizes link between severe mental illness, CVD, diabetes
European organizations are calling for improved care and screening for CVD, diabetes in those with mental illnesses.
People with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder, die about 10 to 20 years prematurely compared with the general population, and the most common cause of death is cardiovascular disease, experts said at a press conference on Wednesday.
A joint statement issued by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, European Society of Cardiology and European Psychiatric Association emphasizes the link between mental illness and CVD, with the goal of increasing awareness, improving care and initiating cooperation and screening.
“In addition to having the devastating effects of severe mental illness, people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die prematurely,” Richard Holt, MD, PhD, from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, said during a press conference.
People with mental illness find it much harder to access physical health services, Holt noted. “Rates of screening for both diabetes and CVD are significantly less than in the general population,” he said. “While maybe 20% of cases of diabetes are unknown in the general population, among people with mental illness, as many as 70% are undiagnosed.”
READ MORE @ ENDOCRINE TODAY
People with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder, die about 10 to 20 years prematurely compared with the general population, and the most common cause of death is cardiovascular disease, experts said at a press conference on Wednesday.
A joint statement issued by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, European Society of Cardiology and European Psychiatric Association emphasizes the link between mental illness and CVD, with the goal of increasing awareness, improving care and initiating cooperation and screening.
“In addition to having the devastating effects of severe mental illness, people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die prematurely,” Richard Holt, MD, PhD, from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, said during a press conference.
People with mental illness find it much harder to access physical health services, Holt noted. “Rates of screening for both diabetes and CVD are significantly less than in the general population,” he said. “While maybe 20% of cases of diabetes are unknown in the general population, among people with mental illness, as many as 70% are undiagnosed.”
READ MORE @ ENDOCRINE TODAY
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Antidepressant and placebo are equally effective in child pain relief
When used "off-label," the antidepressant amitriptyline works just as well as placebo in treating pain-predominant gastrointestinal disorders in children, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. To view this article's video abstract, go to the AGA's YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/AmerGastroAssn.
"Many pharmaceutical products are prescribed for off-label use in children due to the lack of clinical trials testing the efficacy of the drugs in children and adolescents. Therefore, the pediatric gastroenterologist frequently has to make treatment decisions without the evidence of how drugs work in children," said Miguel Saps, MD, of Children's Memorial Hospital and lead author of the study. "The high placebo effect we identified in this study suggests that further studies of the use of certain antidepressants in children with functional bowel disorders are needed. While several trials have demonstrated a beneficial effect of antidepressants, including amitriptyline, for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults, more research is needed to determine how effective this drug is, if at all, in children."
READ MORE @ EUREKALERT
"Many pharmaceutical products are prescribed for off-label use in children due to the lack of clinical trials testing the efficacy of the drugs in children and adolescents. Therefore, the pediatric gastroenterologist frequently has to make treatment decisions without the evidence of how drugs work in children," said Miguel Saps, MD, of Children's Memorial Hospital and lead author of the study. "The high placebo effect we identified in this study suggests that further studies of the use of certain antidepressants in children with functional bowel disorders are needed. While several trials have demonstrated a beneficial effect of antidepressants, including amitriptyline, for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults, more research is needed to determine how effective this drug is, if at all, in children."
READ MORE @ EUREKALERT
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Oops, They Did It Again - What Integrity Means to Pfizer
The satire was biting:
"Thanks for making time to see me today," posted a rep on cafepharma about a fictitious sales meeting with a psychiatrist. "Now, I know that you used Neurontin in the past for every condition under the sun. Pfizer knows very well that you guys were and still continue to be the largest writers of off-label Lyrica and so, in the spirit of Bextra [withdrawn in 2004] will you please write Lyrica as much as possible? Remember Dr, this is Pfizer. The company that never met an off-label sale that it wouldn't cover-up."
Don't forget, writes the next poster on the pharma site, the psychiatrist answers, "Great! and I also heard that it is about to be approved on state Medicaid and I can write it for anything. Is this true?" to which the rep assents in defiance of, "that nice little 2004 CIA agreement."
Pfizer's nice little 2004 "CIA" or Corporate Integrity Agreement in which a company promises to sin no more to which the poster refers was for fraudulent marketing of seizure drug Neurontin. It was preceded by a CIA for fraud related to Pfizer's cholesterol drug, Lipitor, in 2002.
And this month it's followed by a CIA for mis-marketing pain drug Bextra, antipsychotic Geodon, seizure drug Lyrica and antibiotic Zyvox.
Pfizer's $2.3 billion health care fraud settlement with the government announced this month by the US Department of Justice adds some firsts to the world's biggest pharmaceutical company.
It is the largest health care fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice "to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products,"--and the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States. It covers Pfizer's kickbacks to health care providers and false claims submitted to government health care programs, also known as our tax dollars, in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Forty-three states will share in the "give backs."
But it is not exhaustive.
READ MORE @ COUNTERPUNCH
"Thanks for making time to see me today," posted a rep on cafepharma about a fictitious sales meeting with a psychiatrist. "Now, I know that you used Neurontin in the past for every condition under the sun. Pfizer knows very well that you guys were and still continue to be the largest writers of off-label Lyrica and so, in the spirit of Bextra [withdrawn in 2004] will you please write Lyrica as much as possible? Remember Dr, this is Pfizer. The company that never met an off-label sale that it wouldn't cover-up."
Don't forget, writes the next poster on the pharma site, the psychiatrist answers, "Great! and I also heard that it is about to be approved on state Medicaid and I can write it for anything. Is this true?" to which the rep assents in defiance of, "that nice little 2004 CIA agreement."
Pfizer's nice little 2004 "CIA" or Corporate Integrity Agreement in which a company promises to sin no more to which the poster refers was for fraudulent marketing of seizure drug Neurontin. It was preceded by a CIA for fraud related to Pfizer's cholesterol drug, Lipitor, in 2002.
And this month it's followed by a CIA for mis-marketing pain drug Bextra, antipsychotic Geodon, seizure drug Lyrica and antibiotic Zyvox.
Pfizer's $2.3 billion health care fraud settlement with the government announced this month by the US Department of Justice adds some firsts to the world's biggest pharmaceutical company.
It is the largest health care fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice "to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products,"--and the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States. It covers Pfizer's kickbacks to health care providers and false claims submitted to government health care programs, also known as our tax dollars, in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Forty-three states will share in the "give backs."
But it is not exhaustive.
READ MORE @ COUNTERPUNCH
Friday, October 2, 2009
Rx America: Drug companies want patent protection in health care overhaul
As Congress debates a health-care insurance overhaul, the pharmaceutical industry is lobbying heavily for expanded patent protections that its lobbyists say are necessary to protect the industry’s investments and encourage future developments.
The question is how long a period a drug developer will have exclusive rights to a certain kind of drug – called biologics – before competitors can be allowed into the market with generic versions.
Biologics are costly drugs produced from living organisms, not from chemicals as the more common small molecule drugs are composed. Americans spend an estimated $40 billion per year on the drugs, which comprise almost a third of Medicare Part B spending.
PhRMA – the lobbying arm of the industry headed by former Louisiana Congressman Billy Tauzin – wants at least 12 years of protection from competition, saying that’s about what it would take, on average, to recoup the initial research and development investment of getting a drug to the marketplace.
READ MORE @ NEW ORLEANS PICAYUNE
The question is how long a period a drug developer will have exclusive rights to a certain kind of drug – called biologics – before competitors can be allowed into the market with generic versions.
Biologics are costly drugs produced from living organisms, not from chemicals as the more common small molecule drugs are composed. Americans spend an estimated $40 billion per year on the drugs, which comprise almost a third of Medicare Part B spending.
PhRMA – the lobbying arm of the industry headed by former Louisiana Congressman Billy Tauzin – wants at least 12 years of protection from competition, saying that’s about what it would take, on average, to recoup the initial research and development investment of getting a drug to the marketplace.
READ MORE @ NEW ORLEANS PICAYUNE
Antidepressant improves recovery from spine injury
A common antidepressant combined with an intensive treadmill training program helped people with partial spinal cord injuries walk better and faster, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.
They said Forest Laboratories' antidepressant Lexapro or escitalopram, which affects a message-carrying brain chemical called serotonin, helps strengthen remaining nerve connections along the spine, giving patients with spinal cord injuries more ability to control their muscles during training.
"The drug is enhancing the effects of the therapy," said George Hornby, a research scientist at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, who is presenting his findings at the Society for Neuroscience's meeting in Chicago.
"The drug on its own isn't a miracle drug. What you need is the drug plus the training," Hornby said in a telephone interview.
The findings are the first in humans and builds on studies in animals that found giving serotonin-like drugs after spinal cord injuries can promote recovery of walking when paired with an intensive training program.
READ MORE @ REUTERS
They said Forest Laboratories' antidepressant Lexapro or escitalopram, which affects a message-carrying brain chemical called serotonin, helps strengthen remaining nerve connections along the spine, giving patients with spinal cord injuries more ability to control their muscles during training.
"The drug is enhancing the effects of the therapy," said George Hornby, a research scientist at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, who is presenting his findings at the Society for Neuroscience's meeting in Chicago.
"The drug on its own isn't a miracle drug. What you need is the drug plus the training," Hornby said in a telephone interview.
The findings are the first in humans and builds on studies in animals that found giving serotonin-like drugs after spinal cord injuries can promote recovery of walking when paired with an intensive training program.
READ MORE @ REUTERS
Thursday, October 1, 2009
CORRECTED - US family doctors prescribe most mental health drugs
(Corrects final paragraph to show the FDA did not approve Seoquel's use in children, but an FDA advisory panel)
* Most mental health drugs prescribed by family doctors
* Doctors' role raises concerns about quality of care
Fifty-nine percent of U.S. mental health drug prescriptions are written by family doctors, not psychiatrists, raising concerns about the quality of some treatments, according to a study released on Wednesday.
Researchers from Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO) and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration examined 472 million prescriptions written for psychotropic drugs from August 2006 and July 2007.
They found that general practitioners prescribed the bulk of prescriptions in two main categories -- 62 percent of antidepressants and 52 percent of stimulants.
The stimulants were mainly drugs for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. About 25 percent of all stimulant prescriptions examined were written by pediatricians, they reported in the journal Psychiatric Services.
READ MORE @ REUTERS
* Most mental health drugs prescribed by family doctors
* Doctors' role raises concerns about quality of care
Fifty-nine percent of U.S. mental health drug prescriptions are written by family doctors, not psychiatrists, raising concerns about the quality of some treatments, according to a study released on Wednesday.
Researchers from Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO) and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration examined 472 million prescriptions written for psychotropic drugs from August 2006 and July 2007.
They found that general practitioners prescribed the bulk of prescriptions in two main categories -- 62 percent of antidepressants and 52 percent of stimulants.
The stimulants were mainly drugs for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. About 25 percent of all stimulant prescriptions examined were written by pediatricians, they reported in the journal Psychiatric Services.
READ MORE @ REUTERS
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Prescriptions now biggest cause of fatal drug overdoses
Debra Jones didn't begin taking painkillers to get high.
Jones, 50, was trying to relieve chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Yet after taking the painkiller Percocet safely for 10 years, the stay-at-home mother of three became addicted after a friend suggested that crushing her pills could bring faster relief. It worked. The rush of medication also gave her more energy. Over time, she began to rely on that energy boost to get through the day. She began taking six or seven pills a day instead of the three to four a day as prescribed.
"I wasn't trying to abuse it," says Jones, from Holly Springs, N.C., who has since recovered from her battle with addiction. "But after 10 years, I couldn't help what it did to my body or my brain. It was hard to work without it."
Addiction to prescription painkillers — which kill thousands of Americans a year — has become a largely unrecognized epidemic, experts say. In fact, prescription drugs cause most of the more than 26,000 fatal overdoses each year, says Leonard Paulozzi of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
READ MORE @ USA TODAY
Jones, 50, was trying to relieve chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Yet after taking the painkiller Percocet safely for 10 years, the stay-at-home mother of three became addicted after a friend suggested that crushing her pills could bring faster relief. It worked. The rush of medication also gave her more energy. Over time, she began to rely on that energy boost to get through the day. She began taking six or seven pills a day instead of the three to four a day as prescribed.
"I wasn't trying to abuse it," says Jones, from Holly Springs, N.C., who has since recovered from her battle with addiction. "But after 10 years, I couldn't help what it did to my body or my brain. It was hard to work without it."
Addiction to prescription painkillers — which kill thousands of Americans a year — has become a largely unrecognized epidemic, experts say. In fact, prescription drugs cause most of the more than 26,000 fatal overdoses each year, says Leonard Paulozzi of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
READ MORE @ USA TODAY
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Drug Combo May Offer Best Relief for Nerve Pain
People with nerve pain respond better to a combination treatment using the anticonvulsant gabapentin and antidepressant nortriptyline than to treatment with either drug alone, according to Canadian researchers.
The study findings suggest that combination treatment could be used to help people who only partially respond to one drug or the other.
Nerve, or neuropathic, pain -- which affects 2 to 3 percent of the population -- is "initiated or caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system," according to a news release from The Lancet, which is publishing the study online Sept. 29. Conditions that cause neuropathic pain include nerve problems in the spine, diabetes-related nerve damage and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is nerve pain caused by the varicella zoster virus that can follow an outbreak of shingles.
ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
The study findings suggest that combination treatment could be used to help people who only partially respond to one drug or the other.
Nerve, or neuropathic, pain -- which affects 2 to 3 percent of the population -- is "initiated or caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system," according to a news release from The Lancet, which is publishing the study online Sept. 29. Conditions that cause neuropathic pain include nerve problems in the spine, diabetes-related nerve damage and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is nerve pain caused by the varicella zoster virus that can follow an outbreak of shingles.
ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
Monday, September 28, 2009
Many Kids Suffer Medication Side Effects: Study
More than half a million kids a year are treated for medication side effects in American outpatient clinics and emergency rooms, according to new data.
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston analyzed National Center for Health Statistics outpatient data between 1995 and 2005. Among children up to age 18, there were 585,922 visits a year for adverse drug events (ADEs). Most visits were to outpatient clinics, but 22 percent were to hospital emergency departments.
"We found that there are as many as 13 outpatient visits for adverse drug events per 1,000 children, indicating that they are a common complication of pediatric care," study leader Dr. Florence Bourgeois, of Children's division of emergency medicine, said in a news release.
The majority of visits were by children 4 and younger (43 percent), followed by youngsters aged 15 to 18 (23 percent). Skin-related (45 percent) and gastrointestinal (16.5 percent) were the most common types of side effects, and 52 percent of the children had symptoms that suggested an allergic reaction.
READ MORE @ ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston analyzed National Center for Health Statistics outpatient data between 1995 and 2005. Among children up to age 18, there were 585,922 visits a year for adverse drug events (ADEs). Most visits were to outpatient clinics, but 22 percent were to hospital emergency departments.
"We found that there are as many as 13 outpatient visits for adverse drug events per 1,000 children, indicating that they are a common complication of pediatric care," study leader Dr. Florence Bourgeois, of Children's division of emergency medicine, said in a news release.
The majority of visits were by children 4 and younger (43 percent), followed by youngsters aged 15 to 18 (23 percent). Skin-related (45 percent) and gastrointestinal (16.5 percent) were the most common types of side effects, and 52 percent of the children had symptoms that suggested an allergic reaction.
READ MORE @ ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Lilly Reaches Zyprexa Agreement With Seven States (Update2)
Eli Lilly & Co. agreed to settle, on confidential terms, lawsuits filed by seven states alleging the company improperly marketed its antipsychotic drug Zyprexa, a court-appointed official said.
“All of the states have essentially settled for the same” non-monetary arrangements, said Michael Rozen, special master appointed by the court to help settlement negotiations. The money terms, which weren’t disclosed, “have fallen roughly in line,” he said at a hearing today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
Lawyers told U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein, who is overseeing the cases, that finishing the settlements may be delayed while the parties determine how much money the U.S. government plans to claim in compensation for federal dollars spent on Zyprexa through state Medicaid programs.
If completed and approved in court, the settlements would leave four suits filed by states pending against Lilly.
READ MORE @ BLOOMBERG
“All of the states have essentially settled for the same” non-monetary arrangements, said Michael Rozen, special master appointed by the court to help settlement negotiations. The money terms, which weren’t disclosed, “have fallen roughly in line,” he said at a hearing today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
Lawyers told U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein, who is overseeing the cases, that finishing the settlements may be delayed while the parties determine how much money the U.S. government plans to claim in compensation for federal dollars spent on Zyprexa through state Medicaid programs.
If completed and approved in court, the settlements would leave four suits filed by states pending against Lilly.
READ MORE @ BLOOMBERG
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Can depression cause osteoporosis?
[Studies indicate that a link exists and that the risk of bone disease is further increased by behaviour and medication, "One theory is that stress hormones released during depression may play a role ... The other theory is that if you suffer a bone fracture, your quality of life goes down. The question is, is it causal?" ]
In the feel-good French movie Amélie, audiences are introduced to an eccentric old character held hostage by his home and his own body. He's dubbed "The Glass Man."
Raymond Dufayel was born with bones as brittle as crystal. All the furniture in his Parisian apartment is padded, explains the narrator, and a simple handshake could crush his fingers. He's been trapped inside his home for 20 years and leads a small, lonely life.
In the 2000 thriller Unbreakable, a comic book specialist played by Samuel L. Jackson, nicknamed "Mr. Glass," is convinced he's found a real-life superhero in an unremarkable security guard played by Bruce Willis. His obsession is fuelled by his own crystalline skeleton and a villainous drive to find purpose for his lonesome, handicapped life.
Tall tales from cinematic imaginations? Of course. Entirely without foundation? Not so for those suffering from osteoporosis.
When Debbie Howe suffered a spinal fracture after bending over to pick up her baby, she was housebound for six months, and told she had the bones of 75-year-old woman. Six weeks later, she broke another vertebra from raising her arms over her head to shampoo her hair. She was 36 at the time.
"Those were some pretty grey days," Howe, now 57, said in her King City home.
Over the last decade or so, the relationship between depression, the use of antidepressants and osteoporosis has been the subject of a growing body of research.
READ MORE @ TORONTO STAR
In the feel-good French movie Amélie, audiences are introduced to an eccentric old character held hostage by his home and his own body. He's dubbed "The Glass Man."
Raymond Dufayel was born with bones as brittle as crystal. All the furniture in his Parisian apartment is padded, explains the narrator, and a simple handshake could crush his fingers. He's been trapped inside his home for 20 years and leads a small, lonely life.
In the 2000 thriller Unbreakable, a comic book specialist played by Samuel L. Jackson, nicknamed "Mr. Glass," is convinced he's found a real-life superhero in an unremarkable security guard played by Bruce Willis. His obsession is fuelled by his own crystalline skeleton and a villainous drive to find purpose for his lonesome, handicapped life.
Tall tales from cinematic imaginations? Of course. Entirely without foundation? Not so for those suffering from osteoporosis.
When Debbie Howe suffered a spinal fracture after bending over to pick up her baby, she was housebound for six months, and told she had the bones of 75-year-old woman. Six weeks later, she broke another vertebra from raising her arms over her head to shampoo her hair. She was 36 at the time.
"Those were some pretty grey days," Howe, now 57, said in her King City home.
Over the last decade or so, the relationship between depression, the use of antidepressants and osteoporosis has been the subject of a growing body of research.
READ MORE @ TORONTO STAR
Friday, September 25, 2009
Drugmaker Glaxo cuts back on seminars for doctors
* Company cuts out commercial medical education companies
* Only about 20 accredited providers will get grants
Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) said on Monday it will pare back funding for continuing medical education seminars.
While the company did not link its decision to political developments, pressure has been mounting in Congress and among some medical journal editors to limit the drug industry's influence over doctors.
Deirdre Connelly, president of Glaxo's operations in North America, said in a statement that starting in 2010, the company will limit its support for medical education programs, funding only independent programs with "the greatest potential to improve patient health."
The company said it will cut out education programs put on by commercial providers, and will only pay for programs from about 20 medical education providers with a track record of quality.
READ MORE @ REUTERS
* Only about 20 accredited providers will get grants
Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) said on Monday it will pare back funding for continuing medical education seminars.
While the company did not link its decision to political developments, pressure has been mounting in Congress and among some medical journal editors to limit the drug industry's influence over doctors.
Deirdre Connelly, president of Glaxo's operations in North America, said in a statement that starting in 2010, the company will limit its support for medical education programs, funding only independent programs with "the greatest potential to improve patient health."
The company said it will cut out education programs put on by commercial providers, and will only pay for programs from about 20 medical education providers with a track record of quality.
READ MORE @ REUTERS
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Bipolar Disorder Amongst Children And Adolescents Receive Late Diagnosis
A new study finds that 75% of the cases of paediatric bipolar disorder are diagnosed late – up to 18 months – due to the symptoms manifesting themselves in a different manner depending on whether the patient is a child or adult. Moreover, 25% of sufferers have a delay in their medical diagnoses of up to three years and four months, according to a study by the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology at the University Hospital of Navarra, in collaboration with the Paediatric Psychopharmacology Unit at the Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard University (Boston, United States).
As Dr. Inmaculada Escamilla Canales, specialist at the Madrid-based Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit of the University Hospital of Navarra explained, the research was based on an article previously published by her department in 2005 in which the perspectives of bipolar disorder amongst children outside the USA were reviewed. A very low incidence was observed in Europe compared to the North American samples, especially amongst certain countries. Also, in Great Britain, a study undertaken with a sufficiently representative sample concluded that the rate for this illness was non-existent.
READ MORE @ SCIENCE DAILY
As Dr. Inmaculada Escamilla Canales, specialist at the Madrid-based Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit of the University Hospital of Navarra explained, the research was based on an article previously published by her department in 2005 in which the perspectives of bipolar disorder amongst children outside the USA were reviewed. A very low incidence was observed in Europe compared to the North American samples, especially amongst certain countries. Also, in Great Britain, a study undertaken with a sufficiently representative sample concluded that the rate for this illness was non-existent.
READ MORE @ SCIENCE DAILY
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
EEOC Sees Mental Health Stereotypes at Work
The federal government is suing a North Carolina employer for what it calls a pervasive problem in the workplace: discrimination against employees with mental illness.
In the federal suit filed Sept. 21 in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission contends that the Smith International Truck Center relied upon "myths, fears and stereotypes about mental impairments" when it unlawfully terminated an employee who took leave for a mental health issue.
According to the suit, the employee, Stephen Kerns, took one week off from work to obtain medical treatment and get his dosage adjusted for medicine he took for what the complaint calls a mental impairment. The man then returned to work with no restrictions, but was fired shortly thereafter, according to the EEOC.
The agency asserts that his employer fired Kerns because of his perceived disability -- in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. "The employer just assumed, acting on stereotypes, that if he's getting treatment for any kind of mental impairment, that he must not be able to work, and that's the problem. They didn't look at his abilities," said Carol Miaskoff, assistant legal counsel to the EEOC.
READ MOLRE @ THE AMERICAN LAWYER
In the federal suit filed Sept. 21 in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission contends that the Smith International Truck Center relied upon "myths, fears and stereotypes about mental impairments" when it unlawfully terminated an employee who took leave for a mental health issue.
According to the suit, the employee, Stephen Kerns, took one week off from work to obtain medical treatment and get his dosage adjusted for medicine he took for what the complaint calls a mental impairment. The man then returned to work with no restrictions, but was fired shortly thereafter, according to the EEOC.
The agency asserts that his employer fired Kerns because of his perceived disability -- in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. "The employer just assumed, acting on stereotypes, that if he's getting treatment for any kind of mental impairment, that he must not be able to work, and that's the problem. They didn't look at his abilities," said Carol Miaskoff, assistant legal counsel to the EEOC.
READ MOLRE @ THE AMERICAN LAWYER
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Brain Scans Link ADHD to Biological Flaw Tied to Motivation
For decades, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has sparked debate. Is it a biological illness, the dangerous legacy of genes or environmental toxins, or a mere alibi for bratty kids, incompetent parents and a fraying social fabric?
With 4.5 million U.S. children having received a diagnosis of the disorder -- and more than half of them taking prescription drugs to control it -- the question has divided doctors and patients, parents and teachers, and mothers and fathers.
Scientists maintain that they've been narrowing in on the origins and mechanics of disabling distraction, while gathering increasing evidence that ADHD is as real as such less controversial disorders as Down syndrome and schizophrenia. Their most recent progress is described in a Sept. 9 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, based on a new study that indicates a striking difference in the brain's motivational machinery in people with ADHD symptoms.
READ MORE @ WASHINGTON POST
With 4.5 million U.S. children having received a diagnosis of the disorder -- and more than half of them taking prescription drugs to control it -- the question has divided doctors and patients, parents and teachers, and mothers and fathers.
Scientists maintain that they've been narrowing in on the origins and mechanics of disabling distraction, while gathering increasing evidence that ADHD is as real as such less controversial disorders as Down syndrome and schizophrenia. Their most recent progress is described in a Sept. 9 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, based on a new study that indicates a striking difference in the brain's motivational machinery in people with ADHD symptoms.
READ MORE @ WASHINGTON POST
Monday, September 21, 2009
Dueling Intimidation Allegations Filed in Neurontin Litigation
The continuing litigation about whether Pfizer’s anti-seizure medication Neurontin is linked to suicidal behavior in some patients has been marred by allegations filed by attorneys on both sides accusing the other of using intimidation and strong-arm tactics.
Neurontin, known chemically as gabapentin, is an anti-epileptic medication (also called an anticonvulsant) taken by patients to reduce or eliminate seizures in adults and children as young as 12. The drug has been associated with serious side effects, most notably suicide.
Pfizer
Attorneys representing victims of Neurontin recently accused Pfizer’s counsel of trying to intimidate a potential key witness in the case. Pfizer’s attorneys then returned fire with a similar complaint against David Egilman, an expert witness for the plaintiffs.
READ MORE AT ATTORNEYATLAW.COM
Neurontin, known chemically as gabapentin, is an anti-epileptic medication (also called an anticonvulsant) taken by patients to reduce or eliminate seizures in adults and children as young as 12. The drug has been associated with serious side effects, most notably suicide.
Pfizer
Attorneys representing victims of Neurontin recently accused Pfizer’s counsel of trying to intimidate a potential key witness in the case. Pfizer’s attorneys then returned fire with a similar complaint against David Egilman, an expert witness for the plaintiffs.
READ MORE AT ATTORNEYATLAW.COM
Sunday, September 20, 2009
British doctor faces action over claims of 'ghost writing' for US drug company
Doctors have been agreeing to be named as authors on studies written by employees of the pharmaceutical industry, giving greater credibility to medical research, according to new evidence.
The Guardian has learned that one of Britain's leading bone specialists is facing disciplinary action over accusations that he was involved in "ghost writing".
The wider phenomenon has come to light through documents disclosed in the US courts which have revealed a culture in which doctors agree to "author" studies written by employees of drug firms. The doctors may have some input but do not have access to all the evidence from the drug trial on which the paper's conclusions are based, the documents showed.
The General Medical Council will call Professor Richard Eastell in front of a fitness to practice committee. Eastell, a bone expert at Sheffield University, has admitted he allowed his name to go forward as first author of a study on an osteoporosis drug even though he did not have access to all the data on which the study's conclusions were based. An employee of Proctor and Gamble, the US company making Actonel, was the only author who had all the figures.
The Guardian has learned that one of Britain's leading bone specialists is facing disciplinary action over accusations that he was involved in "ghost writing".
The wider phenomenon has come to light through documents disclosed in the US courts which have revealed a culture in which doctors agree to "author" studies written by employees of drug firms. The doctors may have some input but do not have access to all the evidence from the drug trial on which the paper's conclusions are based, the documents showed.
The General Medical Council will call Professor Richard Eastell in front of a fitness to practice committee. Eastell, a bone expert at Sheffield University, has admitted he allowed his name to go forward as first author of a study on an osteoporosis drug even though he did not have access to all the data on which the study's conclusions were based. An employee of Proctor and Gamble, the US company making Actonel, was the only author who had all the figures.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Ziprasidone Plus Lithium or Divalproex Is More Effective Than Monotherapy in Bipolar Disorder: Presented at ECNP
Ziprasidone as adjunctive treatment of bipolar disorder yields better efficacy than monotherapy and does not have the side effect of weight gain, according to researchers here at the 22nd European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress.
Eduard Vieta, MD, Bipolar Disorders Program, Clinical Institute of Neuroscience, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues investigated the efficacy of combining ziprasidone with standard mood stabilisers. Because few bipolar patients experience adequate symptom control with long-term lithium or divalproex therapy, the use of adjunctive treatment with atypical antipsychotics is being investigated.
READ MORE @ DOCTOR'S GUIDE
Eduard Vieta, MD, Bipolar Disorders Program, Clinical Institute of Neuroscience, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues investigated the efficacy of combining ziprasidone with standard mood stabilisers. Because few bipolar patients experience adequate symptom control with long-term lithium or divalproex therapy, the use of adjunctive treatment with atypical antipsychotics is being investigated.
READ MORE @ DOCTOR'S GUIDE
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