Why OTC Lipitor is a Bad Idea
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Pfizer, the maker of one the best selling drugs ever, is trying to get the FDA to approve an Over the Counter (OTC) version of their blockbuster Lipitor, not...
View ArticleAll In For Crestor
The American Heart Association will be holding its annual meeting this November. Cardiobrief.org just posted the announced "late-breaking" clinical trials. These are the big name trials that usually...
View ArticleDisappointing Results for Crestor
In my recent post All in for Crestor, I discussed how the SATURN study comparing Crestor to Lipitor was likely a make or break study for AstraZenca's cholesterol pill. As mentioned, because Lipitor...
View ArticleIs meaningful use the right incentive to get physician's to use EMR's?
Before I took over one of the classes that now teach at the medical school, I asked students why the value of that class was so low. One of the reasons they gave was that it was so hard to do well in...
View ArticlePSA: To Screen or Not to Screen
There has been much confusion/concern/media attention since the recent announcement (see the NY Times article US Panel Says No to Prostate Screening for Healthy Men) that PSA tesing was no longer...
View ArticleIndustry Funded Studies
One of the advantages of being a blogger is the comments, feedback and communications I receive from readers. Though not all of it is positive, many of these interactions with people from across the...
View ArticleMore Evidence that Lantus Causes Cancer
There is a new study reported in Bloomberg this morning that Sanofi’s Lantus Doubled Cancer Risk in Study of Diabetics. The study, which was presented yesterday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer...
View ArticleStatins and Prostate Cancer
The Wall Street Journal is reporting on a study published in the journal Cancer, and described by Reuters that links statins to reducing the risk of prostate cancer. According to the report:The...
View ArticleRetainer, Concierge and Boutique Medicine are Not the Same Thing
Health care is in crisis. Reimbursements from insurance companies continue to dwindle, while the expenses of running an office continue to rise. Looming cuts in Medicare are only weeks away, and many...
View ArticleNicotine Patches Do Work!
Here is another example of less than responsible journalism. Both the Wall Street Journal and Fox News report "Quit smoking: A new case for going cold turkey." Even NPR asked Do Nicotine Patches And...
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I'm Your Cook, Not Your Doctor
Today on NBC's today show, celebrity chef Paula Deen confirmed she had Type 2 diabetes. She was diagnosed 3 years ago, but only decided to come out today. She also mentioned that she is a paid...
View ArticleYour Fired! Can Doctors Fire Their Patients?
In today’s Wall Street Journal, and article that is getting a lot of attention is More Doctors 'Fire' Vaccine Refusers. The article discussing the increasing frequency of pediatricians who are “firing”...
View ArticleDo Not Stop Your Statins
As my tween daughter would say, "OMG!"The media is a buzz with the news that the FDA is changing the warnings on statins.The New York Times claims "Safety Alerts Cite Cholesterol Drugs’ Side...
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Questions Are the Answer
One of the advantages of having a blog has given me incredible opportunities to works with so many doctors, patients and others interested in health care. However, one of the disadvantages is the...
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How the Government Plans to Lower Cost by Eliminating Doctors and Shifting...
In our world of 24/7 media, where we seem to hear about the next big cure, important dietary change or very dangerous drug virtually every day, it is hard to believe that the news people, tweeters and...
View ArticlePrior Authorizations Suck
"Suck" is a word I seldom use. It's a word I ask my children not to use. However, in this case the word is appropriate. If as a patient, you have ever had a delay in getting a medication or a test...
View ArticlePostinfectious Cough
I am not a huge baseball fan to begin with, and when I am, I route for the Nationals. Thus, I pay little attention to the New York Yankees, and was not aware that Yankee player Mark Teixeira had been...
View ArticleThe Harm of Not Seeing Drug Reps
Now more than ever, the growing consensus among many is that doctors should avoid seeing pharmaceutical sales representatives, otherwise known as drug reps. A position statement from the AAMC, the head...
View ArticleWhat if IVIG really worked for Alzheimer's?
ABC News and other media outlets are reporting the results of a small, but very important study regarding a new treatment for Alzheimer's Disease. Most Americans are familiar with Alzheimer's because...
View ArticleA Health Care System to be Proud Of
I was not able to watch the 2012 Olympic opening ceremonies until last night. Though we are only half way through the spectacle on our DVR, I was remarkably surprised to find that featured among some...
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