Oh, the Prices we Pay ... for Questionable Drug Marketing to Enrich Corporate Insiders - the Case of Questcor's H P Acthar Revisited
In 2007, we first discussed the case of the amazing pricing of H P Acthar, a very old drug of questionable usefulness, as an example of the irrationality of health care prices in the US, and of the failure of the organizations that ought to resist outrageous pricing in our mixed, pseudo-market based health care system to do so. A recent New York Times article has updated this case.BackgroundAs we wrote in 2007, ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) is a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates the activity of the adrenal gland, which produces cortisol and other glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid hormones. &nb...
Source: Health Care Renewal - January 3, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: executive compensation deception institutional conflicts of interest key opinion leaders Questcor marketing health care prices manipulating clinical research ACTH suppression of medical research Source Type: blogs
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The two minute tutorials for Friday are focused on the adverse effects of corticosteroid therapy:General overviewHow to work up a patient prior to treatmentHow to assess a patient on treatmentWhat are patient ' s views on steoid side effectsTuesday ' sread and think will beA 76-Year-Old Man With Multiple Medical Problems and Limited Health Literacy.Amy Ship.JAMA August 10 2011.Interesting topicsIlliteracy in rheumatoid arthritis patients as determined by the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) score. Gordon et al.Rheumatology (2002) 41 (7): 750-754It ' s Good to Feel Better But It ' s Better To Feel Good a...
Source: MJM Wardrounds - August 11, 2011 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: blogs
Relief for Seasonal Allergies
Allergic rhinitis (often called hay fever) occurs when your immune system overreacts to particles in the air that you breathe—you are allergic to them. Your immune system attacks the particles, causing symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. Chronic sinusitis, which recurs or lasts longer than 12 weeks, can be caused by upper respiratory tract infection, allergies, deviated septum or other anatomical conditions, and fungi. Symptoms may include trouble breathing through the nose, headache, aching behind the eye area, tenderness in the cheeks, sinus congestion, nasal...
Source: Dr. Donna, MedicineWoman - February 23, 2009 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Dr. Donna Tags: Integrative medicine Personal Health air pollution allergies allergy hay fever sinusitis Source Type: blogs
Update on OTC creams
Some time ago, I wrote about some OTC cream I bought while we were on holiday in the U.S.A. last year…and I thought it was about time for an update and a verdict.
Initially, I didn’t see much by way of improvement to my psoriasis. However, my mother was delighted with the results when she tried it on a very stubborn patch of eczema on her leg that had not been responding to prescribed corticosteroid cream.
In light of her success, I decided to persevere and I have to say that the skin is less scaly and less prone to flaking.
The positives of this cream, in addition to the above, are the following: (Source: Life with Psoriasis)
Source: Life with Psoriasis - February 6, 2008 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Christa Joyce Tags: Psoriasis Psoriasis community psoriasis flares Psoriasis lifestyle Psoriasis lotions Psoriasis treatment corticosteroid cream creams flaking flare-up OTC over the counter prescription cream psoriasis1 skin thinning cream Source Type: blogs
