XTEND-15sec-NEWSt
26th May 2004
Please click on the summary link of interest:
Are Aspirin manufacturers getting desperate?n1
That is what it seems like! This week the Public Relations machines have been in full force feeding news releases to the media promoting a study which claims that taking aspirin helps prevent breast cancer... and the more the better.
This is the gist of the news items:
"Aspirin and some similar drugs can help reduce the risk of certain types of breast cancer, according to a new study. Women in the study who used aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at least once per week for six months or longer had a 20 percent lower risk of breast cancer, the authors said. Those who used seven or more tablets a week had a 28 percent lower risk."
Warren Matthews comments: This is a classic example of irresponsible reporting by the media. Many women reading this would be encouraged to go to their drug store and stock up on aspirin in the belief that they are protecting themselves against breast cancer.
Whereas I can't comment on the validity of this study it would be interesting to know who funded it. The news reports make no mention of the documented serious long term side effects of taking aspirin such as increasing the risk of pancreatic cancer and aspirin induced asthma as recently reported in the British Medical Journal. This was one of the subjects of a recent Xtend-15sec-News.
What about peptic ulcer disease and also gastrointestinal bleeding which is a common side effect of taking aspirin?
If you are concerned about the risk of breast cancer don't expose yourself to the potential dangers of aspirin. Take something like our Total Balance Women's Plus which helps normalize your hormones as well as introducing a number of natural potent anti-cancer substances such as DIM into your body.
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Over 4,000 Doctors face charges...n2
More than 4,000 doctors and at least 273 employees of the British pharmaceuticals giant, GlaxoSmithKline are being investigated by the Italian police. Some face up to five years in jail if tried and convicted.
The investigation revolves around allegations that GlaxoSmithKline have paid bribes to Doctors, Chemists and others for amounts in excess of US$200 million over four years. These bribes are said to range from cameras, computers, holidays, cash, 'research' grants etc.
But a British-based pharmaceuticals analyst said yesterday the type of activity the Italian authorities allege to have uncovered is common practice among global drug companies. To read the full article in the Guardian please click here.
Warren Matthews comments: GlaxoSmithKline just can't seem to keep out of the news these days. Whenever there are ethical issues involving pharmaceutical companies Glaxo always seems to be there.
Does this mean that they are worse than other pharmaceutical companies, say, those based in the US or other parts of Europe? No, I don't believe so. It seems that the UK media seems to be less reluctant to expose 'events' than their counterparts in the USA or other parts of Europe.
The practices that are referred to in this article are much more widespread than most people realize. Combined with direct to consumer advertising these practices have an enormous impact on the 'popularity' of some drugs, which are often prescribed when less dangerous alternatives are available.
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Can you Believe this?n3
A study recently published in the magazine of the American Dietetic Association suggests that there is no link between kid's overweight status and their diet!
To read the article click here.
Warren Matthews comments: Some of these studies are amazing! What happened to good 'ole' common sense. If you have been around for a few decades you know that no matter what the study says that there is a link... UNLESS you exclude the type of food that is now eaten by children... processed and full of sugars!
If you are in the same age bracket as me, (late 50's) you will fully appreciate how children's diets have changed over the years and how this change has been accompanied with 'larger' children. If you are older than 40 years of age and think back to when you went to school. Bet you can't remember many overweight class mates! The odd one that was overweight could in those days use the excuse that it was their 'glands' at fault.
I remember when I went to school that a bottle of soda was a real treat and only available on special occasions.
I feel sorry for overweight kids. It is not their fault but rather a reflection of parents and others 'killing' their children with the wrong kind of 'kindness'. Even those parents who are aware of what is happening to their children are often powerless to prevent it due to the indulgence of other parents and demands from the children themselves. Sadly, there is no easy answer.
Of course you could try a pharmaceutical strategy... bribery! I'm doing this with my 7 year old granddaughter at the moment. Although she is naturally slim I'm trying to educate her to the dangers of eating sweets loaded with sugar. If she doesn't have any for a month she will have $20 put in her bank account... we shall see...
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Over 4,000 doctors face charges in Italian drugs scandal (Full Article)f1
John Hooper in Rome and Heather Stewart
Thursday May 27, 2004
The Guardian
One of the biggest inquiries into marketing practices in the drugs industry ended yesterday with Italian police asking for almost 5,000 people to be put on trial, including more than 4,000 doctors and at least 273 employees of the British pharmaceuticals giant, GlaxoSmithKline. Some face up to five years in jail if tried and convicted.
Italy's revenue guard, the Guardia di Finanza, said in a statement that GlaxoSmith- Kline and its predecessor firm had spent €228m (£152m) on "sweeteners" for doctors, chemists and others over four years. The alleged bribes ranged from cameras, computers and holidays to outright cash payments.
The Guardia di Finanza said GlaxoSmithKline "should be held responsible for corporate crime as its managers and other employees acted in the company's interest".
A spokesman for GSK said last night it had been "cooperating closely with the authorities to facilitate their investi gations. GSK is committed to ensuring that all its business practices are of the highest standards and any breach of that is unacceptable", the spokesman added.
But a British-based pharmaceuticals analyst said yesterday the type of activity the Italian authorities allege to have uncovered is common practice among global drug companies.
"In parts of Europe, these things are absolutely rife," he said. "For example, doctors may be given 'research grants' - but there are no limits on how they can spend them." He cited cases in which doctors had been offered cars or holidays as inducements to prescribe a particular brand.
Italy's Adnkronos news agency reproduced what it said was a letter written by a GlaxoSmithKline district manager contained in the 10,000 pages of evidence assembled by the Guardia di Finanza.
The letter urged sales representatives to approach specialists directly to get them to prescribe a cancer drug produced by the company. "The initiative can work well with oncologists who have congresses, invest ments from us ... and who have not given us anything in return," the district manager was quoted as writing. Illicit incentives were said to have been disguised in the firm's accounts under the headings of "field selling", "other promotion" and "medical phase IV".
Of the 4,713 people from all parts of Italy facing charges, 4,440 are doctors. They include more than 2,500 GPs and some 1,700 specialists.
The most serious accusations have been levelled at doctors, pharmacists and sales representatives alleged to have been involved in a programme intended to promote Hycamtin, a drug mainly used in the treatment of lung and ovarian cancers. In some cases, it is claimed, specialists received a pro rata cash payment based on the number of patients treated with the drug.
At a press conference yesterday, a senior revenue guard officer, Giovanni Mainolfi, estimated the investigation was costing GlaxoSmithKline's Italian subsidiary €400m a year in lost sales.
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f2
No link between kid's overweight status and their diet, says new study (Full Article) 5/3/2004 - As society ponders the reasons for the rising tide of obesity in children, researchers in the US suggest that the 'striking alterations' in children's meal patterns over the past 20 years may not be related to the current trend toward weight increases in children.
After analysing the dietary intake of more than 1500 children over a 20 year period in the Bogalusa study, the researchers found 'no associations … between meal patterns and overweight status in children.' They even detected a considerable drop in snack consumption over the time frame.
"The Bogalusa Heart Study provided valuable insight into what both children and young adults eat and how children's dietary decisions affect their long-term health," said Gail Frank, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association that published the findings in its May issue.
Researchers at several institutions, including the Baylor College of Medicine, found that the number of children who consumed five or more snacks in a day went from 30 per cent in 1973-74 to 8 per cent by 1993-94.
During the same period, the number of kids who limited themselves to one or two snacks per day went from 25 per cent in 1973-74 to 52 per cent in 1993-94.
"In-depth and longitudinal research is needed to identify the complex causes of excess weight among children," Frank said.
The analysis also found that during the 20 year time period the percentage of children eating a school lunch declined significantly from 89.7 per cent to 78.2 per cent. Eating dinners prepared outside the home lept from 5.4 per cent to 19 per cent.
While the study found no apparent link between what the children ate and their weight, Frank emphasised that society - parents, the food industry, schools - had to push the qualitative aspect of food.
Obesity is one of the main causes of non-communicable diseases. The economic and healthcare costs of NCDs are already high in many developed countries. In the US alone that cost has risen to more than $120 billion annually.
The World Health Organisation estimates that in 1995 there were 18 million under-five children worldwide classified as overweight and 200 million obese adults. By 2000, this number had already lept to over 300 million.
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