Health Supreme NewsGrabs - 3 October 2006
Health Supreme's News Grabs - alternative health news and other interesting bytes of information ...
In this issue: The drug trial that went wrong, Pharma lobby tactics, DCD/FDA in denial about autism, Bayer hides clinical trial, ADHD drugs and 'sudden death', fish oils reduce heart risk, US pushing EU to approve genetically modified foods, TeenScreen, Polio vaccination in India leads to 'accute flaccid paralysis'.
BBC Investigates: The Drug Trial That Went Wrong_Critique NEJM Editorial
In this experiment, all six previously healthy young male volunteers (aged 19 to 34) nearly died after being infused with an experimental genetically engineered antibody drug affecting the very building blocks of life. Each of six volunteers who received the drug suffered “substantial renal impairment… acute lung injury… neurologic sequelae” and had to be on life-support; one had fingers and toes amputated. Only the two volunteers who were given a placebo were unharmed. This catastrophic experiment is a prima facie example of irresponsible medical research.
Drug firms' lobby tactics revealed
Over the eight months from October to May this year, senior executives from 10 drug companies met ministers to press for favourable decisions on their products. The executives were highly critical of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), an independent expert body set up to decide which drugs are cost-effective for use in the NHS.The world's biggest drug company, Pfizer, warned ministers that it could take its business elsewhere.
This article shows how the "economy" argument is used to force pharmaceutical drugs into national health systems, regardless of their usefulness in preventing or curing any disease.
The Age of Autism: Rattled regulators
A shakeup at the CDC and the shaky performance of the FDA raise some serious questions relevant to the debate over the huge rise in reported cases of autism. Both federal agencies are key to assuring Americans -- and particularly those whose children receive an ever-increasing load of vaccines -- that there is no relationship whatsoever between the shots and autism. But both agencies have come under fire this month in ways that make you wonder how much confidence to have in their overall performance.
Critical Clinical Trial Hidden From Advisory Committee
A Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that one of its advisory committees did not receive crucial clinical trial data from Bayer when it considered the safety of a blood-clotting drug last week. The trial showed Trasylol, which is usually given before heart operations to reduce bleeding, might have increased mortality.
Elephant Man drug trial victims 'injected too quickly'
The victims of the catastrophic 'Elephant Man' clinical trial were given the test drug at a 'reckless' rate, according to experts. The drug TGN 1412, designed to fight leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, was injected 15 times more quickly than when given to monkeys in animal studies, confidential documents have revealed.Paul Anthony Taylor's comment: The MHRA, the UK’s regulatory agency for medicines, has a lot to answer for here. As you may recall, it came in for particularly damning criticism in last year’s Report by the Health Committee of the UK House of Commons on the ‘The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry’ where it was described as having a poor history in recognizing drug risks, poor communication and lack of public trust. Hardly surprisingly, therefore, during the inquiry that led to the publication of the Report, the Committee became aware of serious weaknesses in the MHRA. In this respect, and as the Report stated, “in both its written and oral evidence the Agency seemed oblivious to the critical views of outsiders and unable to accept that it had any obvious shortcomings, except those that could be remedied by more transparency.” The Report also found that the MHRA’s attitude to its public health responsibilities “suggested some complacency and a lack of requisite competency, reducing our confidence in its ability to undertake the reforms needed to earn and deserve public trust.”Sobering, isn’t it, that the Health Committee’s report has essentially been buried, and that its criticisms of the MHRA have proven to be so accurate?
FDA Warning Confirms ADHD Drugs Cause Sudden Death, Heart Attack and Strokes
Despite vested interests in the mental health industry continuously downplaying the documented risks of ADHD drugs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally agreed that the public has the right to know the drugs' deadly risks.The FDA has ordered that the labeling of ADHD drugs include a warning that the drugs can cause suppression of growth, psychosis, aggression and serious cardiovascular side effects.
Fish oil study nets big stroke reduction
Women who ate fish once a week had a 22 per cent risk reduction; those who ate fish two to four times a week had a 27 per cent lower risk; and for those who ate fish five or more times per week, their risk of total stroke was reduced 52 per cent.
EU told to speed up GM approvals
The US has urged the European Union to speed up its process for approving new genetically modified (GM) products. The call came after the World Trade Organisation publicly released its ruling that the EU acted illegally in banning GM imports from 1999 to 2004.
Polio Vaccination in India: Drop in the Ocean
Something is seriously wrong with India's polio eradication initiative (PEI). The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has raised doubts over why, after a decade of intensive implementation of polio vaccination, the incidence of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is on the increase, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
It seems that whenever polio is "eradicated" by vaccination, the incidence of other illnesses, such as encephalitis or, in this case, acute flaccid paralysis, is on the rise. Vaccine induced polio must not be called polio, so it is re-defined as a seemingly disrelated illness.
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Tuesday October 3 2006
updated on Tuesday December 21 2010URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2006/10/03/health_supreme_newsgrabs_3_october_2006.htm