Category Archives: in the news

Bad journalism paints unfair picture of pharma industry

Posted on February 2, 2012 | 4 Comments

Over the years I have pointed out the mistakes that most pharma companies have made and believe that there is no excuse for illegal marketing of pharmaceutical drugs. However I also understand that the pharma industry is a business and they have a right to make money. Paul Blumnenthal’s piece, however, in the Huffington Post is shortsighted and inaccurate at best. Continue reading →

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Posted in in the news

Tagged Pharmaceutical industry

Another indication for antidepressants ?

Posted on January 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

Psychiatrists are debating whether or not to change the definition of depression in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. With 1 in 10 Americans currently on some type of antidepressant medication one has to wonder if this change would lead to another indication for Rx medications and expand the 11 billion market. Continue reading →

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Tagged American Psychiatric Association, Antidepressant

Complacency of pharma marketing claims another victim

Posted on January 12, 2012 | 1 Comment

The pharma community is very well connected including Bloggers like Ed Silverman, John Mack and myself. I try and read most of these Blogs because I am passionate and love healthcare marketing so it was with great sadness that I learned yesterday that Jonathan Richman, author of Dose of Digital is leaving the industry for better things. We are loosing a valuable voice of change because of complacency. Continue reading →

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Over use of anti-depressants ?

Posted on October 5, 2011 | 4 Comments

According to AMED News: When patients visit their physicians for common health issues such as fatigue, headaches and premenstrual problems, they increasingly are getting a prescription for the same type of medication. An antidepressant. Continue reading →

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Posted in Focus on patients, in the news

Tagged Antidepressant, August, Cymbalta, Duloxetine, Health, Major depressive disorder, Mental health, Primary care

Novartis asks for your help

Posted on September 27, 2011 | 1 Comment

For the 1 in 3 Americans who suffer with high blood pressure, taking an active role in managing their own health could mean healthier, longer lives. Create a game-changing way for patients to better manage their cardiovascular health. Create an interactive solution which enables patients to better manage their cardiovascular health through a customizable, user-friendly interface. The solution should be holistic and help organize and provide easy access to personalized health information, relevant public data, and aggregated content (ie education, treatment, diet, exercise and social network). The goal is to empower patients to easily and effectively manage their cardiovascular health. Continue reading →

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Posted in in the news

Tagged Conditions and Diseases, Health, Heart disease, Hypertension, List of causes of death by rate, Novartis, Patient, United States

Friday healthcare news summary

Posted on September 23, 2011 | 1 Comment

New technologies are flooding into the healthcare world, but the industry is not adequately prepared to protect patients from data breaches, according to a report published on Thursday. A vast majority of hospitals, doctors, pharmacies and insurers are eager to adapt to increasingly digital patient data. However, less than half are addressing implications for privacy and security, a survey of healthcare industry executives by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP found Continue reading →

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Posted in in the news, Weekly news mash-up

Tagged Amgen, Denosumab, Food and Drug Administration, HIV, Hospira, Monday, United States, World Economic Forum

2010 Clinical trials by therapy class

Posted on September 8, 2011 | 1 Comment

Clinical Trial participation by the GPs and Specialists in CSD’s US promotional audit has increased by 10 to 15% over the last 2 years. Cegedim now project total US trial participation by office-based doctors to include about 40,000 community physicians in any given month (including post-marketing studies). Continue reading →

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Tagged Clinical trial

“I thought this drug was safe ?”

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 1 Comment

My mother in law is upset. She has been taking a drug for osteoporosis for some time now and then she reads a story that the “F.D.A. is Reviewing the Safety of Popular Bone Drugs”. ”No matter what drugs I take sooner or later I hear that the drug may have some problems what in the hell is going on here. These drugs are supposed to make me better not worse”. With all the conflicting medical information about FDA approved drugs one has to wonder exactly the effect it’s having on patient compliance and attitudes around newly approved drugs. Continue reading →

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Merck Vs. Vertex in promotional spending

Posted on August 11, 2011 | 1 Comment

In May, two new drugs were approved for the treatment of Hepatitis C – Incivek from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Victrelis from Merck. Both drugs must be administered in combination with Peginterferon Alfa and Ribavirin. Incivek offers the possibility of a shorter course of treatment and also offers a simpler dosing scheme than Victrelis which requires 12 capsules a day. So far, sales of Incivek have significantly outstripped the Merck drug with Vertex reporting $75 Million at the end of June and Merck reporting $21 Million in sales. In addition to heavier spending on meetings, Incivek’s meetings generated significantly more positive response from attendees than the Victrelis meetings. Continue reading →

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Posted in in the news

Tagged Food and Drug Administration, Hepatitis C, Merck, Merck & Co, Patient, Ribavirin, United States, Vertex Pharmaceuticals

“I had cancer” startup launches

Posted on July 27, 2011 | 3 Comments

There is nothing worse for a patient than to hear the the “c” word. Research shows that most patients believe a diagnosis of cancer is paramount to a death sentence but that isn’t true by a long shot. Now a new startup called “I had cancer” is going to try and win an audience of patients who are effected by this terrible disease and allow them to share stories using the Internet to bring people together. Continue reading →

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Posted in in the news

Tagged cancer, Conditions and Diseases, Facebook, Google, Health, Patient

It’s not about online health information, it’s what consumers do with that information

Posted on July 26, 2011 | 5 Comments

There is a lot, and I mean a lot, of health information on the Internet. Unfortunately there is also a lot of bad health information on the Internet and consumers have to pretty much figure out for themselves which sites offer credible and good health information, that they can understand, and which ones are full of garbage. What we should be worried about however is not all the health information that’s out there but what decisions consumers are making with information in hand. Continue reading →

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Posted in in the news

Tagged FDA, Food and Drug Administration, Google, Health, Health care provider, Health informatics, Patient, Physician