More on PCSK9 Inhibition to Dramatically Reduce Cholesterol Levels, Lowering the Risk of Later Cardiovascular Disease
There is good evidence for at least some methods of achieving dramatic reductions in blood cholesterol in humans to be safe and reduce the risk of age-related cardiovascular issues. To pick one of the underlying mechanisms involved in these benefits, the common age-related condition of atherosclerosis is at root caused by interactions between damaged cholesterol and the cells of blood vessel walls. Cells become irritated by the presence of that cholesterol, and this begins a series of overreactions and unfortunate events that leads to the generation of fatty plaques that narrow blood vessels and weaken blood vessel walls. ...
Source: Fight Aging! - March 18, 2017 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs
New Survey Shows that Most Physicians are Completely Misguided on E-Cigarette Recommendations; Anti-Tobacco Groups' Propaganda is Wreaking Havoc on the Public's Health
Apaper published in the current issue of theAnnals of the American Thoracic Society reports the results of a survey regarding physician recommendations to their patients about the use of electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.(See: Nickels AS, Warner DO, Jenkins SM, Tilburt J, Hays JT. Pulmonologists ’ and Primary Care Physicians’ Responses to an Adult Patient with Asthma Who Inquires about Using Electronic Cigarettes as a Smoking Cessation Tool.Annals of the American Thoracic Society 2017; 14(3): 466-468.)Physicians were given a clinical scenario in which a patient who smokes seeks advice about smoking cessation....
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - March 14, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
R & D Costs For Pharmaceutical Companies Do Not Explain Elevated US Drug Prices
That pharmaceutical companies charge much more for their drugs in the United States than they do in other Western countries has contributed to public and political distrust of their pricing practices. When these higher US prices (which are sometimes cited as being two to five times the prices in Europe) are challenged, the pharmaceutical industry often explains that the higher prices they charge in the US provide them with the funds they need to conduct their high-risk research.
This claim—that premiums earned from charging US patients and taxpayers more for medications than other Western countries funds companies’...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - March 7, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Nancy Yu, Zachary Helms and Peter Bach Tags: Costs and Spending Drugs and Medical Innovation Payment Policy Big Pharma drug pricing Source Type: blogs
Patient or Corporate Advocacy Organizations? - New Studies Shed Some Light
This study analyzed public records (US Internal Revenue Service form 990 tax reports, annual reports and website) on the largest US based patient advocacy organizations, that is, those with revenues of at least $7.5 million. Its goal was to determine how well these organizations disclose conflicts of interests, and how they have COIs, and what policies they have to mitigate their effects.Its main results were that:-Disclosure was modest. 88% of organizations disclosed their donors, 52% disclosed approximate amounts of donations, but only 5% disclosed exact amounts. 74% provided some information about the ...
Source: Health Care Renewal - March 3, 2017 Category: Health Management Tags: conflicts of interest deception health care corruption institutional conflicts of interest patient advocacy groups Source Type: blogs
Product Price Hikes - When Business and Compliance Collide
This article explores those questions.
It is safe to say that in the life sciences regulatory world, 2016 was the year of the price increase, as leading industry players experienced significant public outrage over what appeared to be extreme price increases.
Investigations, subpoenas and congressional hearings led to settlements and fines, as in early December 2016, Pfizer was charged a record £84.2 million fine by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for the overnight price increase of 2,600% for an epilepsy drug. The CMA did not stop there, and went further to also fine the distributor...
Source: Policy and Medicine - February 14, 2017 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
Health Affairs ’ February Issue: The Work/Health Relationship
The February issue of Health Affairs contains a collection of papers about the complex work/health relationship. Work conditions can affect employees’ physical and mental health, and worker productivity can be affected by the demands employees face after returning home from the office.
The issue is supported by the Integrated Benefits Institute, Sedgwick, and UnitedHealth Group, as well as Pfizer and Pinnacol Assurance.
Check out Health Affairs’ newest web hub: Obamacare to Trumpcare. Key health policy questions are explored for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare, Medicaid, and payment reform.
Will low-income mino...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - February 6, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Health Affairs Tags: Elsewhere@ Health Affairs Featured Health Affairs journal work and health Source Type: blogs
Health Affairs Briefing: The Work/Health Relationship
The February 2017 issue of Health Affairs will shine an important spotlight on the complex and constantly evolving relationship between work and health, from the perspective of both employers and employees. To draw attention to the issue, Health Affairs will host a briefing featuring authors from the journal who will present their studies and discuss strategies for building the safest, healthiest, and most productive workforce possible.
WHEN
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
WHERE
National Press Club
Washington, DC
Register Today!
Follow Live Tweets from the briefing @Health_Affairs, and join in the conver...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - January 31, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Health Affairs Tags: Elsewhere@ Health Affairs events Source Type: blogs
Top Artificial Intelligence Companies in Healthcare to Keep an Eye On
The field of medical AI is buzzing. More and more companies set the purpose to disrupt healthcare with the help of artificial intelligence. Here, I collected the biggest names currently on the market ranging from start-ups to tech giants to keep an eye on in the future.
Artificial Intelligence has to and will redesign healthcare
No one doubts that artificial intelligence has unimaginable potential. Within the next couple of years, it will revolutionize every area of our life, including medicine. Although many have their fears and doubts about AI taking over the world, Stephen Hawking even said that the development of full ...
Source: The Medical Futurist - January 31, 2017 Category: Information Technology Authors: nora Tags: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Healthcare Design AI big data digital health drug development GC1 genetics healthcare companies Innovation medical imaging Personalized medicine pharma Source Type: blogs
Pfizer's New Viagra TV Ad Has a Unique Mobile " Call to Action "
As reported by FiercePharma (here), Pfizer ’s new TV commercial for Viagra, which encourages patients to text a keyword from their mobile phones to receive special discounts, appears to be " a first " for pharma Marketing.I decided to have some fun with a few stills from the ad: (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog)
Source: Pharma Marketing Blog - January 19, 2017 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Viagra Source Type: blogs
Follow the Money: Nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services Traded Health Care Stocks and Owned Tobacco Stocks While in Congress
ConclusionsMr Trump ' s ongoing behavior does have some silver linings. It is making the public more aware of the dangers of conflicts of interest andcorruption, not just in health policy or health care. And it is also making the public aware how we have to follow the money, all the money that flows around our new plutocrat-in-chief to be, and his rich and well connected cronies.If we cannot restrain the increasing pile of conflicted and possibly corrupt political appointments, we will be in for much worse than the health care dysfunction Health Care Renewal has been lamenting for more than 10 years. (Source: Health Care Renewal)
Source: Health Care Renewal - December 29, 2016 Category: Health Management Tags: conflicts of interest DHHS Donald Trump health care corruption tobacco US Congress Source Type: blogs
Emanuel Announces Efforts to Combat Opioid Abuse Including Registering Pharmacetical Sales Reps
In early October, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a “series of efforts to combat heroin and opioid addiction throughout Chicago.” According to a press release on the City of Chicago’s website, “these proposed efforts would increase the City’s annual investment in addiction treatment by 50 percent…and create improved regulation of pharmaceutical representatives.”
Chicago seems to place much of the blame on pharmaceutical representatives marketing to medical professionals. As such, Mayor Emanuel proposes to “establish a pharmaceutical representative license above the current Limited Business Licensing r...
Source: Policy and Medicine - November 22, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
Trumping En Masse Through the Revolving Door - the Trump Advisory and Transition Teams
We have frequently posted on therevolving door as a type of severe conflict of interest, if not corruption, affecting health care. Our posts have covered various cases of people going from influential positions in or related to health care and some anti-health corporations, and government positions that make health care policy or regulate health care. Donald J Trump, the president elect, has pledged to " drain the swamp, " that is, to generally reduce crony capitalism, conflicts of interest, the revolving door, and government corruption (e.g., lookhere.) However, it appears that his campaign advisory/ tran...
Source: Health Care Renewal - November 18, 2016 Category: Health Management Tags: Altria Celgene Cerberus conflicts of interest Donald Trump Pfizer PhRMA Purdue Pharma revolving doors Source Type: blogs
Making Cancer Care Great Again
By MICHAEL MILLENSON
Q: Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency included a promise to repeal “Obamacare” in its entirety. If he succeeds in fulfilling that promise, what impact can we expect on American cancer prevention and cancer treatment?
A: Donald Trump, emboldened by eliminating ISIS, ending illegal immigration and energizing the economy, will eradicate cancer. Or at the very least, I predict, he will append it to his list of promised achievements as president.
Our current chief executive, dubbed “No Drama Obama” by his staff during the 2008 campaign, couldn’t resist the heady promise of a cancer ...
Source: The Health Care Blog - November 17, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Irvine Tags: Uncategorized Biden Cancer Millenson Trump Source Type: blogs
Post-Election Decompression: Where Do We Go from Here?
Conclusion
While it is still too soon to be sure how the election will affect the industry, what is sure is that Pharma stocks immediately benefitted from the election results. Short-term success does not confirm that the gains will continue, but as of November 9, 2016, the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index jumped 8.9%, Allergan shares rose 8%, Celgene Corp. rose 8.6%, and Pfizer Inc. rose 7%. Drug wholesalers and other industry middlemen also got a boost, with McKesson up 6.4% and Express Scripts up 3.4%.
With a fully-Republican federal government, it is possible that we finally see the stalemate in Washington break. Howeve...
Source: Policy and Medicine - November 14, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
FDA Off-Label Hearing: Day One
Conclusion
While any policy changes will not be immediate, the public meeting shows that the FDA is interested in listening to stakeholders, allowing them face time to speak and meet with FDA officials. Any change – even a small change – has the power to influence what kind of information patients receive on drugs and devices, and industry and the FDA have a responsibility to ensure public health remains a priority.
Related StoriesFDA Open to Biomarker CommentsOpen Payments Having an Adverse Effect on Physician-Rep RelationshipsRepresentative Lieu Laser-Focused on Device Act, Oly...
Source: Policy and Medicine - November 9, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
