read time: 144 words, just a minute
As reported by Reuters, the cost of treating diabetes may increase by as much as 68% through 2009…
In their Drug Trend Report, Medco Health Solutions, Inc, reports the number of diabetes prescriptions trails only cholesterol prescriptions. Diabetes scripts are predicted to take first place in year over year growth.
Spending on diabetes drugs is rising 10-20% annually with a number of new drugs soon to come onto market. And of course diabetes is rising in epidemic numbers…
More diabetics + more drugs = many more bucks for big pharma.
Oh yea, I did promise good news…
Medco Chief Medical Officer Robert Epstein:
“While prevention of type 2 diabetes needs to be a national priority, drug treatments can help prevent the onset of complications from diabetes that lead to hospitalizations, more complex treatment and dramatically higher costs.”
You see, it could cost even more.
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read time: 377 words, about two minutes
It would be interesting to see a study that compares the level of fear people experience when shown the word cancer and when shown the word terrorist.
Both words are pretty charged to the point that people REact – perhaps irrationally so – to them.
An interesting point - at least with cancer is - it’s at least partially a lifestyle disease. Yet people won’t change their lifestyle choices.
Enough rambling…
There’s an article in SF Gate today with regards to an editorial published in The New England Journal of Medicine about Gardasil.
A couple of UCSF doctors are warning against widespread use. Reason: there’s simply not enough data. Data to prove it’s safe. Data to prove it works.
Dr Karen McCune, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCSF:
“At this stage, the vaccination can still be considered experimental. To be discussing mandatory vaccination when the main clinical trials are still ongoing seems extremely premature. We’re feeling like the enthusiasm is driving policy rather than data.”
Also at issue is the fact that Gardasil acts on 2 strains of HPV that are associated with cervical cancer. There are 13 additional strains.
Dr McCune is concerned about the possibility that some or all of the additional 13 strains “may fill a ‘niche’ left if the two more common strains are wiped out entirely”
I know cancer is a scary word.
If you’re standing on a train track with a train hurling at you, it’s wise to REact.
If you’re considering a pharmaceutical product, it’s wise to consider the RISKS as well as the credibility of the promise… and ACT accordingly.
The article concludes with:
“But while many doctors agree that there are still questions about the vaccine, they note that there is no question that Gardasil is effective at stopping the most common cancer-causing HPV strains. And because the vaccine is most effective before a woman has had sex, it’s important that girls get vaccinated as soon as possible, even if some doubts remain, some doctors say.”
(emphasis added)
I don’t understand. Shouldn’t the DOUBT be resolved first? After all, the results will be yours to keep whether you like them or not. Merck won’t take them back. Ask the families of people who died from the “results” of Vioxx.
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read time: 177 words, about a minute
30 million American kids are overweight – that’s 1 in 3.
In another 3 years (2010) – if the trend holds – it will be 1 in 2.
With all these overweight kids, we’re now seeing a proliferation of “adult” diseases in kids too young to get a driver’s license… heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea.
Kids experiencing these lifestyle diseases 40-50 years earlier than their parents generation. And they’re being treated with made for adults pharmaceuticals, replete with side effects.
Here’s a few scarry factoids:
A Harvard study found kids 10-15 years old who watched 5 hours of TV a day had a 500% (5 times) greater liklihood of being overweight than kids who watched 2 hours or less.
Every hour a day of TV correlates to 6 pounds of increased weight.
Another study found that kids over 15 who ate fast food 2 or more times a week gained 10 pounds.
For each sugar laden drink consumed by middle school kids a day, there was a 60% increase in the risk of obesity.
Looks like an extinction plan.
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