beware of generic drugs...
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From: c palmer on 9 Mar 2006 05:02 i found this article in the newspaper and wanted to pass it on. it was written by joe and teresa graedon of the people's pharmacy. ~ curtis ============ president bush is pushing for the food and drug administration to approve more generic drugs and to do it faster. the idea is to save money for insurance companies and government programs such s medicaid and veterans affairs that spend billion of dollars on prescription drugs. it should also benefit consumers without insurance. generics are supposed to be identical to their brand name counterparts. manufacturers must prove only that their "copy cat" product is absorbed into the body just like the original brand name drug. since research costs are significantly lower generics are generally cheaper, sometimes by 50 % or more. valium prescribed for anxiety costs $30 for 30 pills. the azepam cost about $9 dollars. prozac costs roughly $100 dollars for a month's supply while generic fluoxetine is $35. not all savings are so dramatic, but for someone taking three or four prescriptions, the savings add up. but are all generic drugs truly equal to their brand-name counterparts? the FDA requires excellent data before approving "knock off" drugs, but once a generic is on the market, a different branch of the agency is supposed to monitor for quality. some drugs might be falling through the cracks. we have heard from dozens of readers who have experienced problems with their generic medicines. "i tried to take generic lopressor with terrible results. my blood pressure shot up within two days on the generic, but dropped 20 points after returning to the brand name" another reader complained: "i was taking hytrin to treat an enlarged prostate. when using hytrin, i had no problem urinating, but then the pharmacy substituted terazosin. almost immediately, i had trouble. but the flow is almost nonexistent and does not relieve the pressure on my bladder." "with hytrin, i get up once at night to urinate. with terazonsin, it is every hour throughout the night." some health care professionals are convinced that certain generic medications are less effective. "i am a medical assistant for three orthopedic surgeons who do total joint replacements. one of my main duties is to call in refills for pain medication after surgery. our surgeons specify brand name medicines like vicodin and lortab because some generic substitutes don't relieve patient's pain" the FDA has expressed interest in such experiences. anyone who would like to report problems with their medicine an contact us with details. send e-mail to pharmacy(a)mindspring.com. we will pass your experience on to the FDA. knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional "Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so." http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc
From: Leonard Evens on 9 Mar 2006 11:56 c palmer wrote: > i found this article in the newspaper and wanted to pass it on. it was > written by joe and teresa graedon of the people's pharmacy. > > ~ curtis > > ============ > > > president bush is pushing for the food and drug administration to > approve more generic drugs and to do it faster. the idea is to save > money for insurance companies and government programs such s medicaid > and veterans affairs that spend billion of dollars on prescription > drugs. it should also benefit consumers without insurance. > > generics are supposed to be identical to their brand name counterparts. > manufacturers must prove only that their "copy cat" product is absorbed > into the body just like the original brand name drug. since research > costs are significantly lower generics are generally cheaper, sometimes > by 50 % or more. > > valium prescribed for anxiety costs $30 for 30 pills. the azepam cost > about $9 dollars. prozac costs roughly $100 dollars for a month's > supply while generic fluoxetine is $35. not all savings are so > dramatic, but for someone taking three or four prescriptions, the > savings add up. > > but are all generic drugs truly equal to their brand-name counterparts? > > the FDA requires excellent data before approving "knock off" drugs, but > once a generic is on the market, a different branch of the agency is > supposed to monitor for quality. some drugs might be falling through > the cracks. > > we have heard from dozens of readers who have experienced problems with > their generic medicines. > > "i tried to take generic lopressor with terrible results. my blood > pressure shot up within two days on the generic, but dropped 20 points > after returning to the brand name" > > another reader complained: "i was taking hytrin to treat an enlarged > prostate. when using hytrin, i had no problem urinating, but then the > pharmacy substituted terazosin. > > almost immediately, i had trouble. but the flow is almost nonexistent > and does not relieve the pressure on my bladder." > > "with hytrin, i get up once at night to urinate. with terazonsin, it is > every hour throughout the night." > > some health care professionals are convinced that certain generic > medications are less effective. > > "i am a medical assistant for three orthopedic surgeons who do total > joint replacements. one of my main duties is to call in refills for > pain medication after surgery. our surgeons specify brand name > medicines like vicodin and lortab because some generic substitutes don't > relieve patient's pain" > > the FDA has expressed interest in such experiences. > > anyone who would like to report problems with their medicine an contact > us with details. send e-mail to pharmacy(a)mindspring.com. we will pass > your experience on to the FDA. > > knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional > "Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is > invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so." > http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc > I would like to know the real source of this information. It could easily be disinformation from drug manufacturers. I'm particularly suspicious about anyone calling generic drugs "knock off" drugs. I've used generics for many years for a variety of ailments and never had a problem, and I would want something stronger than what was reported here before changing. Of course, one exapmple doesn't prove anything, but the same could be said for other anecdotal information. Certainly quality control should be monitored for all drugs, prescription (brand name or generic) or over the counter. We can't assume that manufacturers won't take shortcuts if no one is watching them, but that applies both to brand name and generic drugs. Sometimes both are actually manufactured in the same factories. If the FDA is not doing its job in this regard, something should be done. That might require a different regulatory philosophy and stronger laws. But I think that will require different politics from the electorate.
From: dale.j. on 9 Mar 2006 14:03 In article <IOadncZvNJrIw43Z4p2dnA(a)comcast.com>, Leonard Evens <len(a)math.northwestern.edu> wrote: > c palmer wrote: > > i found this article in the newspaper and wanted to pass it on. it was > > written by joe and teresa graedon of the people's pharmacy. > > > > ~ curtis > > > > ============ > > > > > > president bush is pushing for the food and drug administration to > > approve more generic drugs and to do it faster. the idea is to save > > money for insurance companies and government programs such s medicaid > > and veterans affairs that spend billion of dollars on prescription > > drugs. it should also benefit consumers without insurance. > > > > generics are supposed to be identical to their brand name counterparts. > > manufacturers must prove only that their "copy cat" product is absorbed > > into the body just like the original brand name drug. since research > > costs are significantly lower generics are generally cheaper, sometimes > > by 50 % or more. > > > > valium prescribed for anxiety costs $30 for 30 pills. the azepam cost > > about $9 dollars. prozac costs roughly $100 dollars for a month's > > supply while generic fluoxetine is $35. not all savings are so > > dramatic, but for someone taking three or four prescriptions, the > > savings add up. > > > > but are all generic drugs truly equal to their brand-name counterparts? > > > > the FDA requires excellent data before approving "knock off" drugs, but > > once a generic is on the market, a different branch of the agency is > > supposed to monitor for quality. some drugs might be falling through > > the cracks. > > > > we have heard from dozens of readers who have experienced problems with > > their generic medicines. > > > > "i tried to take generic lopressor with terrible results. my blood > > pressure shot up within two days on the generic, but dropped 20 points > > after returning to the brand name" > > > > another reader complained: "i was taking hytrin to treat an enlarged > > prostate. when using hytrin, i had no problem urinating, but then the > > pharmacy substituted terazosin. > > > > almost immediately, i had trouble. but the flow is almost nonexistent > > and does not relieve the pressure on my bladder." > > > > "with hytrin, i get up once at night to urinate. with terazonsin, it is > > every hour throughout the night." > > > > some health care professionals are convinced that certain generic > > medications are less effective. > > > > "i am a medical assistant for three orthopedic surgeons who do total > > joint replacements. one of my main duties is to call in refills for > > pain medication after surgery. our surgeons specify brand name > > medicines like vicodin and lortab because some generic substitutes don't > > relieve patient's pain" > > > > the FDA has expressed interest in such experiences. > > > > anyone who would like to report problems with their medicine an contact > > us with details. send e-mail to pharmacy(a)mindspring.com. we will pass > > your experience on to the FDA. > > > > knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional > > "Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is > > invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so." > > http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc > > > > I would like to know the real source of this information. It could > easily be disinformation from drug manufacturers. I'm particularly > suspicious about anyone calling generic drugs "knock off" drugs. I've > used generics for many years for a variety of ailments and never had a > problem, and I would want something stronger than what was reported here > before changing. Of course, one exapmple doesn't prove anything, but > the same could be said for other anecdotal information. > > Certainly quality control should be monitored for all drugs, > prescription (brand name or generic) or over the counter. We can't > assume that manufacturers won't take shortcuts if no one is watching > them, but that applies both to brand name and generic drugs. Sometimes > both are actually manufactured in the same factories. If the FDA is > not doing its job in this regard, something should be done. That might > require a different regulatory philosophy and stronger laws. But I > think that will require different politics from the electorate. I wish they would come up with a generic for Zocor, I could save a lot of money. -- Email: dalej2(a)mac.com
From: Leonard Evens on 9 Mar 2006 14:59 dale.j. wrote: > In article <IOadncZvNJrIw43Z4p2dnA(a)comcast.com>, > Leonard Evens <len(a)math.northwestern.edu> wrote: > > >>c palmer wrote: >> >>>i found this article in the newspaper and wanted to pass it on. it was >>>written by joe and teresa graedon of the people's pharmacy. >>> >>>~ curtis >>> >>>============ >>> >>> >>>president bush is pushing for the food and drug administration to >>>approve more generic drugs and to do it faster. the idea is to save >>>money for insurance companies and government programs such s medicaid >>>and veterans affairs that spend billion of dollars on prescription >>>drugs. it should also benefit consumers without insurance. >>> >>>generics are supposed to be identical to their brand name counterparts. >>>manufacturers must prove only that their "copy cat" product is absorbed >>>into the body just like the original brand name drug. since research >>>costs are significantly lower generics are generally cheaper, sometimes >>>by 50 % or more. >>> >>>valium prescribed for anxiety costs $30 for 30 pills. the azepam cost >>>about $9 dollars. prozac costs roughly $100 dollars for a month's >>>supply while generic fluoxetine is $35. not all savings are so >>>dramatic, but for someone taking three or four prescriptions, the >>>savings add up. >>> >>>but are all generic drugs truly equal to their brand-name counterparts? >>> >>>the FDA requires excellent data before approving "knock off" drugs, but >>>once a generic is on the market, a different branch of the agency is >>>supposed to monitor for quality. some drugs might be falling through >>>the cracks. >>> >>>we have heard from dozens of readers who have experienced problems with >>>their generic medicines. >>> >>>"i tried to take generic lopressor with terrible results. my blood >>>pressure shot up within two days on the generic, but dropped 20 points >>>after returning to the brand name" >>> >>>another reader complained: "i was taking hytrin to treat an enlarged >>>prostate. when using hytrin, i had no problem urinating, but then the >>>pharmacy substituted terazosin. >>> >>>almost immediately, i had trouble. but the flow is almost nonexistent >>>and does not relieve the pressure on my bladder." >>> >>>"with hytrin, i get up once at night to urinate. with terazonsin, it is >>>every hour throughout the night." >>> >>>some health care professionals are convinced that certain generic >>>medications are less effective. >>> >>>"i am a medical assistant for three orthopedic surgeons who do total >>>joint replacements. one of my main duties is to call in refills for >>>pain medication after surgery. our surgeons specify brand name >>>medicines like vicodin and lortab because some generic substitutes don't >>> relieve patient's pain" >>> >>>the FDA has expressed interest in such experiences. >>> >>>anyone who would like to report problems with their medicine an contact >>>us with details. send e-mail to pharmacy(a)mindspring.com. we will pass >>>your experience on to the FDA. >>> >>>knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional >>>"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is >>>invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so." >>>http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc >>> >> >>I would like to know the real source of this information. It could >>easily be disinformation from drug manufacturers. I'm particularly >>suspicious about anyone calling generic drugs "knock off" drugs. I've >>used generics for many years for a variety of ailments and never had a >>problem, and I would want something stronger than what was reported here >>before changing. Of course, one exapmple doesn't prove anything, but >>the same could be said for other anecdotal information. >> >>Certainly quality control should be monitored for all drugs, >>prescription (brand name or generic) or over the counter. We can't >>assume that manufacturers won't take shortcuts if no one is watching >>them, but that applies both to brand name and generic drugs. Sometimes >>both are actually manufactured in the same factories. If the FDA is >>not doing its job in this regard, something should be done. That might >>require a different regulatory philosophy and stronger laws. But I >>think that will require different politics from the electorate. > > > I wish they would come up with a generic for Zocor, I could save a lot > of money. > A brief check with google suggests that the Zocor patent expires this year. (It apparently expired in 2001 but they were granted an extension.) There should be a generic pretty soon, but the drug companies have a variety of mechanisms for delaying generics. I take omeprazole, which is generic Prilosec. The manufacturer first came out with a new drug Nexium that is essentially the same as Prilosec in the way it acts in the body, and they have appeared to have convinced many doctors to prescribe it and many patients to demand it. In addition, they made Prilosec available over the counter, but it is much more expensive to take that way. I get the generic by prescription and, with my drug insurance, it is cheaper that way. Eventually drug chains will produce their own cheaper over the counter versions. In my opinion, the patent law is being abused to limit competition and innovation. The stuation is worse for copyright law, where the copyright holders, usually large corporations, not the originators of the material, seem to be able to keep the copyright essentially forever.
From: c palmer on 9 Mar 2006 16:30
leonard wrote: I would like to know the real source of this information. It could easily be disinformation from drug manufacturers. I'm particularly suspicious about anyone calling generic drugs "knock off" drugs. I've used generics for many years for a variety of ailments and never had a problem, and I would want something stronger than what was reported here before changing. Of course, one exapmple doesn't prove anything, but the same could be said for other anecdotal information. ========= hi leonard - here's the source of the person who wrote the article...... ~ curtis ---------------------------- The People's Pharmacy with Joe and Terry Graedon ABOUT THE GRAEDONS About People's Pharmacy and the Graedons In 1976, when The People's Pharmacy was originally published, it was one of the first books providing drug and health information to consumers. It went on to become a number one best-seller. Since then, Joe and Terry Graedon have written many more books in the People's Pharmacy series. In addition, Joe and Terry write The People's Pharmacy syndicated newspaper column, which is widely distributed in the United States and abroad, and they also co-host an award-winning health talk show that airs weekly on over 500 stations through public radio, the InTouch Radio Reading Service, and the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. The Graedons are frequent guests on television news and information programs to discuss issues relating to drugs, herbs, home remedies, vitamins and related health topics. Appearances include public television, Dateline NBC, "20/20," "Extra," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Good Morning America," "CBS Morning News," and "NBC Evening News with Tom Brokaw." The People's Pharmacy got its start in 1972 in a small village in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, where Terry was doing research in medical anthropology. Joe began writing a book to explain medications in an easy-to-understand, friendly style. His master's degree in pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his teaching experience with medical students prepared him for this undertaking. Terry completed her doctoral degree from the University of Michigan and the Graedons moved to Durham, NC. Terry taught at the School of Nursing and the Department of Anthropology at Duke University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in medical anthropology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Joe has taught at Duke University School of Nursing and the UCSF School of Pharmacy and is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, School of Pharmacy, where he also serves on the Board of Visitors. Joe has served as a consultant to the Federal Trade Commission on nonprescription drug advertising and is a member of the Society for Neuroscience. He received the Medical Self-Care award for The People's Pharmacy. Terry belongs to the American Anthropological Association and the Society of Medical Anthropology. The Graedons were awarded the Silver Award for public affairs from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They also received the "Health Headliner of 1998" Award from America Talks Health for "superior contribution to the advancement of medicine and public health education." Joe and Terry were named Ambassadors of the City of Medicine in 1999 and were the 1999 Harriet Cook Carter Distinguished Lecturers for the Duke University School of Nursing. Joe And Terry's Core Values And Beliefs Joe and Terry are guided by these values in all their work: Respect for people's ability to make informed decisions about their health Honesty and integrity in communication and actions Care, compassion and fairness as the guiding principles for all institutions serving people Books by Joe and Terry Graedon The People's Pharmacy #2 (Avon, 1980) Joe Graedon's The New People's Pharmacy #3: Drug Breakthroughs of the '80s (Bantam, 1985) Totally New and Revised The People's Pharmacy (St. Martin's Press, 1985) 50+: The Graedons' People's Pharmacy for Older Adults (Bantam, 1988) Graedons' Best Medicine: From Herbal Remedies to High-Tech Rx Breakthroughs (Bantam, 1991) Aspirin Handbook: A User's Guide to the Breakthrough Drug of the '90's (Bantam, 1993) with Tom Ferguson, M.D. People's Guide To Deadly Drug Interactions (St. Martin's Press, 1995, 1997) The People's Pharmacy: Completely New and Revised (St. Martin's Press, 1996, 1998) Dangerous Drug Interactions (St. Martin's Press, 1999) The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies (St. Martin's Press, 1999) Also by Joe Graedon The People's Pharmacy (St. Martin's Press, 1976) No Deadly Drug (Pocket Books, 1992) a novel by Joe Graedon and Tom Ferguson, M.D. knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional "Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so." http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc |