The value of the history and physical answer
Great answers from the readers. We made a presumptive diagnosis of diabetic thoracic radiculopathy. We ordered a nerve conduction test, but the neurologist agreed with the diagnosis and said the test was unnecessary (kudos to the neurologist). We started the patient on gabapentin and within 24 hours the pain was greatly decreased.
This was only the 2nd time in my career that I personally diagnosed this syndrome. The students, interns and residents were excited and will likely never forget this potential diagnosis.
The biggest clue here was the severity of pain without other symptoms and an extensive...
Source: DB's Medical Rants - April 8, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: rcentor Tags: Medical Rants Source Type: blogs
Doctors' Dubious Excuses for Taking Pharmaceutical Companies' Money
This report, and its recommendations have gotten scant attention, maybe because they would threaten a status quo that enriches conflicted health professionals and the companies that create these conflicts. However, in my humble opinion, implementing all the report's recommendations would only be a beginning down the road of restoring the integrity of clinical care, teaching, and research. (Source: Health Care Renewal)
Source: Health Care Renewal - March 19, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: stealth marketing key opinion leaders pharmaceuticals logical fallacies conflicts of interest Source Type: blogs
Medications that Increase the Risks of Patient Falls
Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for adults 65 and older.
Alzheimer's Reading Room
“Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for adults 65 and older, and research suggests that those taking four or more medications are at an even greater risk than those who don’t – perhaps two to three times greater,” said Susan Blalock, Ph.D., an associate professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
In 2007, more than 21,700 Americans died as a result of falls and more than 7.9 million were injured by a fall including over 1.8 million older adults who had a fall-rela...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - February 14, 2013 Category: Dementia Authors: Bob DeMarco Source Type: blogs
Is there a cure for corporate crime in the drug industry? - BMJ
Editorial
Effective enforcement of regulations requires more resources and determination to impose robust sanctions
Nearly 30 years ago, Braithwaite’s Corporate Crime in the Pharmaceutical Industry showed that unethical and corrupt behaviour was endemic in the sector. Sadly, there is growing evidence that little has changed. Recent research suggests that violation of the law continues to be widespread. Most new medicines offer little or no therapeutic advantage over existing products, so promotion plays a huge role in achieving market share. In a crowded and competitive marketplace the temptation for companies to resort to mislea...
Source: PharmaGossip - February 8, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Drugs for Diabetes Pain
By David Spero
Pain researcher Rebecca Sudore, MD, says, "Adults living with Type 2 diabetes are suffering from incredibly high rates of pain, at levels similar to patients living with cancer." Sounds awful. But what can we do about it? Actually, quite a bit.
Let's look at medications first. Because chronic pain involves emotions, thoughts, stress, general health, and the entire body, there are at least six different categories of drugs that can help with pain. They include: narcotics, anxiolytics (“tranquilizers"), antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, medicines for seizures, and alternative treatments.
With all tho...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - February 6, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: David Spero Source Type: blogs
Drug company publications found inaccurate when compared to internal
company documents; reporters ignore story. | Knight Science Journalism
Program at MIT
In a study published yesterday in PLOS Medicine, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health compared internal Pfizer documents to published studies on the drug Neurontin and found that "trial publication was not a transparent, or accurate...record for the numbers of participants randomized and analyzed for efficacy." In one case, "the description in the publication did not include data from 40% of participants actually randomized in the trial."
It's not the first time we've heard that drug-company sponsored studies might be suspect, but this study advances the story. And it was made possible only b...
Source: PharmaGossip - January 30, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Pfizer's Pfourteenth Settlement - a Small Reminder of Continuing Impunity
Well, that did not take long. Less than a month after its last legal settlements were announced, Pfizer had to settle again. The Details of the Settlement This case, involving charges filed by the Texas Attorney General, was only reported locally, e.g., here in the Houston Business Journal:The state of Texas will receive more than $36 million from two civil Medicaid fraud settlements with Pfizer Inc and Endo Pharmaceuticals, Attorney General Greg Abbott said Friday. Both companies will pay $18.17 million to the state, plus attorney fees and relator shares. The federal government is also entitled to a sha...
Source: Health Care Renewal - January 11, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: executive compensation deception boards of directors impunity Pfizer legal settlements governance Source Type: blogs
