"Ghostwriters paid by a pharmaceutical company played a major role in producing 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women, suggesting that the level of hidden industry influence on medical literature is broader than previously known.... pharmaceutical companies routinely hired medical writing companies to assist authors in drafting manuscripts.... the practice went well beyond the case of Wyeth and hormone therapy, involving numerous drugs from other pharmaceutical companies.... you don’t know which articles are tainted and which aren’t"
Then they ALL ARE!!!!
So you CAN'T BELIEVE a THING the SELF-SERVING, CONFLICT-of-INTEREST, FOR-PROFIT DRUG COMPANIES TELL YOU, readers!
NOT ONE DAMN THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Drug company paid ghostwriters backed hormones; Pro-therapy articles a boost for Wyeth" by Natasha Singer, New York Times | August 5, 2009
Newly unveiled court documents show that ghostwriters paid by a pharmaceutical company played a major role in producing 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women, suggesting that the level of hidden industry influence on medical literature is broader than previously known....
That supposed medical consensus benefited Wyeth, the pharmaceutical company that paid a medical communications firm to draft the papers, as sales of its hormone drugs, called Premarin and Prempro, soared to nearly $2 billion in 2001.
But the seeming consensus fell apart in 2002 when a huge federal study on hormone therapy was stopped after researchers found that menopausal women who took certain hormones had an increased risk of invasive breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. A later study found that hormones increased the risk of dementia in older patients.
Do I even have to comment?
Oh, I'm sure they love their mothers just as much as the rest of us -- they just don't love YOUR MOTHER, 'murkn!
Well, they love here PAYMENTS for the PILLS, but other than that....
The ghostwritten papers were typically review articles, in which an author weighs a large body of medical research and offers a bottom-line judgment about how to treat a particular ailment. The articles appeared in 18 medical journals, including The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and The International Journal of Cardiology.
The articles did not disclose Wyeth’s role in initiating and paying for the work.
I'm OUTRAGED!!!!!!!
The documents on ghostwriting were uncovered by lawyers suing Wyeth and were made public after a request in court from PLoS Medicine, a medical journal from the Public Library of Science, and The New York Times.
Let's not kill all the lawyers, 'eh?
A spokesman for Wyeth said that the articles were scientifically accurate and that pharmaceutical companies routinely hired medical writing companies to assist authors in drafting manuscripts.
The court documents provide a detailed paper trail showing how Wyeth contracted with a medical communications company to outline articles, draft them, and then solicit top physicians to sign their names, even though many of the doctors contributed little or no writing.
Isn't that FRAUD?
I'm thinking of the grade I would have received in college for such a thing.
The documents suggest the practice went well beyond the case of Wyeth and hormone therapy, involving numerous drugs from other pharmaceutical companies.
“It’s almost like steroids and baseball,’’ said Dr. Joseph S. Ross, an assistant professor of geriatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, who has conducted research on ghostwriting. “You don’t know who was using and who wasn’t; you don’t know which articles are tainted and which aren’t.’’
Because physicians rely on medical literature, the concern about ghostwriting is that doctors might change their prescribing habits after reading certain articles, unaware they were commissioned by a drug company.
Related: Prescribing Our Kids to Death
Wyeth faces 8,400 lawsuits from women who claim that the company’s hormone drugs caused them to develop illnesses.
For which you can take ANOTHER DRUG!!!!
Talk about a GOING CONCERN, huh?
But WE CARE for OUR WOMEN!!!
"Insurers offer to treat women equally" by Associated Press | May 6, 2009
WASHINGTON - The health insurance industry offered yesterday to stop charging women higher premiums, a surcharge that hits many self-employed women trying to buy their own coverage.
Wait a minute; they get paid less and have to pay more for health coverage?
You women in AmeriKa really are getting f***ed in so many ways, huh?
It was the latest concession from insurers as Congress works to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion healthcare system to expand coverage and slow rising costs. Insurers are trying to head off creation of a government health plan that would compete with them in every state.
Instead, they are offering to submit to close government regulation, accepting a series of restrictions they contend would add up to a fairer marketplace and reduce the ranks of the 50 million uninsured. "We are comfortable with that," Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, told the Senate Finance Committee at a session on how to cover the uninsured.
I'm not: What Your National Health Plan Will Look Like
Ignagni, who heads the private insurers' trade group, told senators the industry is ready to stop charging women more than men. Healthcare costs for women tend to be higher during childbearing years.
Oh, I see. The PROFITEERING HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES USE the KID to GOUGE YOU LADIES!!! You gotta LOVE EQUALITY, 'eh, ladies?
"The disparity between women and men in the individual marketplace is just plain wrong and it has to change," said Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts. Ignagni readily conceded. "We don't believe gender should be a subject of rating," she said.
Well, apparently, you do, liar!!!!
--more--"
"Insurers offer concession on premiums" by Sally Cragin, Globe Correspondent | May 6, 2009
WASHINGTON - The health insurance industry offered yesterday to end its practice of charging higher premiums to women if all Americans are required to get coverage, its latest concession as it tries to head off creation of a government insurance plan that would directly compete with private insurers.
But we love our mothers, boy!!!!
Last year, insurers offered to end the practice of denying coverage to sick people....
Need I even comment on that atrocious statement?
Yeah, the last thing health insurance companies ought to be doing is providing health insurance to people.
Time to SCRAP the WHOLE LOT of 'em and GO SINGLE-PAYER!!! Take your pick of whatever model you want, Canada, France, England, Cuba, just ELIMINATE FOR-PROFIT HEALTH CARE!!!!!
Yesterday, Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, told the Senate Finance Committee women, whose healthcare costs tend to be higher during childbearing years, should no longer be charged more than men in the individual market.
Oh, yeah, we care ($$$) about our kids, too!!!
At least we aren't burying them from missile strikes.
The industry concessions aren't enough for many Democrats, who see the public plan as already a compromise because their real preference is for a "single-payer" plan - an entirely government-run program like some European countries have.
Notice how LITTLE COVERAGE THAT SOLUTION GETS in the CORPORATE-SERVING PRESS?!!!!
Others, including President Obama, say single-payer is not practical or politically feasible....
Well, you see what kind of CHANGE we are getting!!
Shows you WHO this guy is working for because 80% of this country wants single-payer health care.
If that is POLITICALLY UNFEASIBLE or IMPRACTICAL then you need a REVOLUTION, America!!!!!!
--more--"
And WHO DOES CARE about their MOMS, AmeriKan?
"Respect for parents is among the faith's most important tenets"
Jewish, right? Christian then. No?
Well, then who is it?
No, no, nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
So HOW MANY MUSLIM MOTHERS have YOU MURDERED TODAY, Mr. Obama!??????
Yeah go right out and get that flu shot, ladies.
See: Before You Take That Swine Flu Shot
Swine Flu Shot to Slaughter Young and Strong
