A recent study done by the AARP Public Policy Institute addressed pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s marketing tactics regarding Lipitor, a statin cholesterol medication. Having benefited from 14 years of patent protection, and massive profits, Pfizer has been looking for ways to block the generic form of its prescription drug, Lipitor, from entering the market in the face of patent expiration.
As part of its efforts to delay the release of generic Lipitor to the market, ...
continue reading...When is the last time you went to watch your favorite television show or listen to your favorite radio program and you were able to do so without being exposed to an advertisement from a pharmaceutical company? It feels like almost every day we are introduced to a new drug that claims to improve our lives. It is true that modern medicine can greatly improve our quality of life, but all drugs carry risks, and the risks are often minimized ...
continue reading...A recent NY Times article discusses a recent trend that shows an increase in the number of emergency room visits as a result of the use of prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin. According to data gathered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services, emergency rooms have seen a dramatic increase in the number of visits related to prescription stimulants.
The number of emergency room visits ...
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An ABC News report asks the question of whether America is an “overmedicated nation,” and offers alternatives to some of the most commonly prescribed medications.
Among those medications are the anti-cholesterol drugs known as statins. According to the report, the pharmacies fill more than 45 million prescriptions a year for the statin known as Lipitor alone.
But recent research indicates that statins may carry some health risks. The U.S. Food and Drug ...
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A story in the Irish Independent says Pfizer intends to sell one of its Irish plants, in large part because of declining revenues from its anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor.
Sales of Lipitor, a former blockbuster for the company, have been plummeting recently because its patent expired, opening it up to competition from generics. The drug has also been the subject of some recent health concerns.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added ...
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Some European medical professionals are urging their colleagues to use caution in prescribing the class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, following reports linking the medications to a higher risk of diabetes.
In a study published in the British Medical Journal, Canadian researchers said powerful statins such as Lipitor may increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 22 percent compared with weaker drugs. The researchers analyzed a sample of 1.5 ...
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