Healthcare Policy
Welfare for health insurance companies
Dec/16/09 22:09
Up until last night, I supported the healthcare reform plans of President Obama. I did so, despite the evisceration of important parts of the proposed law, including the public option, stricter controls on insurance companies, and broader coverage for more people. What we are going to have is a law that is no more than a transfer of wealth from the taxpayers to rich health insurance companies. Sure, those companies have to accept customers with pre-existing conditions, but they get to charge more. Sure, they have to accept older individuals, but they get to charge them more.
Moreover, this bill will charge people who do not have insurance so that they might be covered. If they don’t have the money, the government will give it to you, and it will go to the insurance companies. Senators Joe Lieberman and Mary Landrieu, bought and paid for by the health insurance industry have sold out their values for these companies. Neither of them, supposed Democrats, have shown any conviction, any morals or any beliefs that are not bought in cash. The health insurance companies must be popping corks from bottles of Dom Perignon.
Some people say that it’s better to have a plan than none. I disagree. I think this plan will bankrupt the country, but in a wholly different way that the Republicans are saying. Without real reform, the cost to the citizens will be tremendous. Read More...
Moreover, this bill will charge people who do not have insurance so that they might be covered. If they don’t have the money, the government will give it to you, and it will go to the insurance companies. Senators Joe Lieberman and Mary Landrieu, bought and paid for by the health insurance industry have sold out their values for these companies. Neither of them, supposed Democrats, have shown any conviction, any morals or any beliefs that are not bought in cash. The health insurance companies must be popping corks from bottles of Dom Perignon.
Some people say that it’s better to have a plan than none. I disagree. I think this plan will bankrupt the country, but in a wholly different way that the Republicans are saying. Without real reform, the cost to the citizens will be tremendous. Read More...
Flu vaccination locations
Nov/17/09 09:26
Google maps has an interesting application that shows locations and availability of seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccinations. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but you should give it a try. Read More...
Civilized Medicine, Part III. My Proposal
Aug/18/09 11:53
Originally, I was going to make my proposals for healthcare reform as the last item. But now there is so much debating, amending, backtracking, and all around lying, I can’t figure out what’s being proposed. Well, I do know there are no death panels, even if Sarah Palin makes stuff up. Since I’ve installed myself as health care czar (in my own mind), let me make my proposals. Read More...
Civilized medicine, Part IIa. Myths
Aug/15/09 14:49
Although so many others have debunked this myth, I want to make sure that I add to the roar (of laughter, derision and anger) about the latest right-wing attempt to demonize healthcare reform.
Stephen Hawking, the world’s preeminent theoretical physicist, has a form of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the United States), a progressive neuromuscular disease, which has left him paralyzed and unable to communicate except through an advanced communication device. Despite his disease, he has published numerous books and starred in an episode of Star Trek:The Next Generation. On August 3, an Investor’s Business Daily editorial stated, “People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K. where the National Health Service would say the quality of life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless." Read More...
Stephen Hawking, the world’s preeminent theoretical physicist, has a form of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the United States), a progressive neuromuscular disease, which has left him paralyzed and unable to communicate except through an advanced communication device. Despite his disease, he has published numerous books and starred in an episode of Star Trek:The Next Generation. On August 3, an Investor’s Business Daily editorial stated, “People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K. where the National Health Service would say the quality of life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless." Read More...
Healthcare reform = Nazism
Aug/13/09 10:15
I have been vaguely uncomfortable with the comparison of Obama’s healthcare plan with Nazis or Hitler. Use of that analogy in a discussion or debate is often referred to as Godwin’s Law, which states that “As a discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.” What has begun to trouble me is that either those opposed to healthcare reform are clueless about recent history, or they are representing a form of Holocaust denial, which is a belief that the murder of six million Jews during World War II did not happen. I know that certain individuals in the healthcare debate are prone to rhetorical flourish, but there is no way that healthcare reform is equivalent to Nazi’s. Unless you believe that Hitler was engaged in “healthcare reform”, or worse yet, you think the death of six million Jews is not the worst thing that Hitler did (well, the Holocaust and being directly responsible for the deaths of tens of millions as a result of the war itself).
Many others are becoming convinced that the right wing is spreading Holocaust denial as a part of making their hatred against Obama and this new healthcare plan. According to Arthur Caplan, a renowned bioethicist, “Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and the rest of the loud-mouthed right wing are, when they even hint at an analogy to the Nazis in talking about Obama’s health reform effort, engaged in something far worse than insanity. They are engaged in the vile evil of Holocaust denial.”
Those who are opposed to Civilized Medicine are so filled with hatred, that they cannot even provide cogent and positive points about healthcare reform. You just can’t make stuff up. Read More...
Many others are becoming convinced that the right wing is spreading Holocaust denial as a part of making their hatred against Obama and this new healthcare plan. According to Arthur Caplan, a renowned bioethicist, “Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and the rest of the loud-mouthed right wing are, when they even hint at an analogy to the Nazis in talking about Obama’s health reform effort, engaged in something far worse than insanity. They are engaged in the vile evil of Holocaust denial.”
Those who are opposed to Civilized Medicine are so filled with hatred, that they cannot even provide cogent and positive points about healthcare reform. You just can’t make stuff up. Read More...
Civilized medicine, Part II. Myths
Aug/09/09 10:17
I have found the commentary against the proposed healthcare reform to be both disturbing (Limbaugh’s comments dishonors the memory of the Holocaust) and silly (and kind of disturbing too). But almost all of the comments are based on myths, and as those of you who read this blog know, I can’t stand myths. The disinformation about Obama’s healthcare plan is poisoning the debate, because rational people tend to dismiss an opposing viewpoint if it has no sound foundation in logic. I think that there should be a reasoned debate on how to fix the healthcare system of the US. It’s not happening, because one side is channeling its hatred of the other side, and reason goes flying out the door.
Let me refute some of the more outlandish of the myths about healthcare reform. Let me state upfront that there were so many to choose, and some of them were so laughable, I didn’t know where to start. Read More...
Let me refute some of the more outlandish of the myths about healthcare reform. Let me state upfront that there were so many to choose, and some of them were so laughable, I didn’t know where to start. Read More...
Civilized medicine, Part I. Why?
Aug/05/09 01:01
Unless you live in a world that does not include the media or internet, you must be aware of the level and tone of debate about healthcare reform. Before we can discuss healthcare reform, we need to establish why we need healthcare reform. Cutting through the rhetoric as to what needs to be done, we still need to know the reasons that have lead the US to the point where we need to seriously consider some level of reform of the system. Setting aside some of the rhetoric and arguments, let’s look at the key issues regarding healthcare in the US. Read More...
Civilized medicine
Aug/04/09 23:44
I’m titling this post “Civilized Medicine” as opposed to “socialized medicine.” What I’m really going to discuss is Obama’s healthcare plan, but I wanted to start out by demolishing that old strawman argument that attempts to dismiss new ideas by calling them “socialist.” A civilized society owes its citizens the right to a healthy life. But that’s just semantics, and a thorough review the Obama’s proposal is warranted. When I first started to write this entry, I thought I could do it one article, albeit a long one. Instead, to make it easier to read, I’ve decided to do it over four parts over the next few days. Read More...
Healthcare IT–the perfect product
Jun/08/09 09:29
As discussed previously, I am convinced that the healthcare IT market is poised for explosive growth. I think there are going to be a few challenges to entrepreneurs and larger companies to participate in this growth, including FDA oversight, privacy and security, hardware/software incompatibility, and linking to medical devices. Finally, marketing to the customer base, whether it is the alternate site (physicians, surgery centers, long-term facilities) or hospitals, is going to take individuals who are skilled in the medical products marketing instead of IT marketing. Read More...
Healthcare IT–growth drivers
Jun/03/09 20:03
As I have discussed several times before, there seems to be a significant amount of activity in health information technology. President Obama’s stimulus package includes $19 billion to fund hospitals and individual physicians to upgrade their IT systems, specifically to migrate from paper-based patient records to electronic health records. In the near future, it would be possible for a patient record to be shared between all parts of the healthcare system. For example, patient with a severe trauma can be treated more quickly and effectively, if the emergency room had access to the patients record knowing what health issues may be critical to decisions about treating the patient. Having that information available within minutes can be crucial to saving the patient’s life. Anyone knowledgeable about the healthcare system in the US probably can list out many more examples where an online patient record can be the difference between success and failure in treating a patient.
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The value of blood-glucose monitoring
May/13/09 09:17
One of the paradigms of managing patients with Type II diabetes includes regular home testing of blood glucose levels using one of the widely available blood glucose monitors. The American Diabetes Association, one of the leading organizations that advocate for and provide information about diabetes, recommends home glucose monitoring for patients who have diabetes and are:
These are probably good recommendations, based on good evidence. Controlling blood glucose in those patients with Type 2 diabetes has strong positive benefits for reducing risks of chronic and acute diseases, such as peripheral artery disease, hypertension, diabetic dyslipidemia, heart attack and stroke.
Recently, a clinical trial published in the British Medical Journal analyzed the medical usefulness of home blood glucose monitoring in patients with Type II diabetes. The trial was well designed enrolling 184 individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. The patients were randomized into two groups: one that utilized a monitor and one that did not. The patients were observed for one year. Read More...
- taking insulin or diabetes pills
- on intensive insulin therapy
- pregnant
- having a hard time controlling your blood glucose levels
- having severe low blood glucose levels or ketones from high blood glucose levels
- having low blood glucose levels without the usual warning signs
These are probably good recommendations, based on good evidence. Controlling blood glucose in those patients with Type 2 diabetes has strong positive benefits for reducing risks of chronic and acute diseases, such as peripheral artery disease, hypertension, diabetic dyslipidemia, heart attack and stroke.
Recently, a clinical trial published in the British Medical Journal analyzed the medical usefulness of home blood glucose monitoring in patients with Type II diabetes. The trial was well designed enrolling 184 individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. The patients were randomized into two groups: one that utilized a monitor and one that did not. The patients were observed for one year. Read More...
Point-of-care diagnostics and the flu
May/04/09 08:51
I am enamored of the point-of-care (POC) diagnostics market. It is clear that these tests bring benefits to patients, physicians and managed care. Influenza A H1N1 (apparently, the pork industry does is not fond of the swine flu label) may open a huge opportunity for rapid testing for flu.
Quidel Corporation (NASDAQ GS: QDEL) manufactures and markets a rapid (less than 10 minutes from swab to results) diagnostic kit for Influenza A and B (and differentiates between the two). As Quidel states, they are not sure if it detects the swine flu strain. The test should be used for any patients that present with influenza symptoms, because a positive result may rule out other types of infections (and should involve contacting a local health department), although a negative result (if the test does not identify the swine flu type) may not rule out the disease. Read More...
Quidel Corporation (NASDAQ GS: QDEL) manufactures and markets a rapid (less than 10 minutes from swab to results) diagnostic kit for Influenza A and B (and differentiates between the two). As Quidel states, they are not sure if it detects the swine flu strain. The test should be used for any patients that present with influenza symptoms, because a positive result may rule out other types of infections (and should involve contacting a local health department), although a negative result (if the test does not identify the swine flu type) may not rule out the disease. Read More...
Swine flu–don't panic
Apr/30/09 00:02
With respect to the swine flu, I want to repeat myself, once again–Don’t Panic.
Yes, the World Health Organization revised the pandemic alert for swine flu from 4 to 5. They did this to urge vaccine manufacturers to prepare a new vaccine, to warn governments to prepare in advance, and to request that government surveillance be heightened.
This does not mean that we will be returning to the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, where more than 20 million people died worldwide. We are healthier, there are no major wars such as World War I, we have a better healthcare system, we have more focus from governments, and we have better treatments. Read More...
Yes, the World Health Organization revised the pandemic alert for swine flu from 4 to 5. They did this to urge vaccine manufacturers to prepare a new vaccine, to warn governments to prepare in advance, and to request that government surveillance be heightened.
This does not mean that we will be returning to the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, where more than 20 million people died worldwide. We are healthier, there are no major wars such as World War I, we have a better healthcare system, we have more focus from governments, and we have better treatments. Read More...
Swine flu
Apr/29/09 15:34
Well, actually I’m not going to say too much about swine flu, except that my initial impression is that it’s not that much different from other types of flu in terms of severity. For example, during the 2007-2008 flu season, there were 83 pediatric mortalities in the US that resulted from influenza infections. In other words, like a lot of diseases that we think are minor, there are serious health consequences that often fly “under the radar.” There is a certain fascination with this disease because of where it started (Mexico), conspiracy theories, and for other reasons that are beyond my ability to understand. I am personally not concerned, because, as I mentioned above, the morbidity of the infection probably is similar to other types of influenza.
There are a number of bloggers who are passing along sage and sane advice. Basically, don’t panic. Wash your hands. And that’s about it for really good medical information.
Of course, the woo-meisters have weighed in with their useless advice. I won’t even begin to explain the logical and scientific fallacies of colon cleansing, but it isn’t going to either prevent or lessen the severity of swine flu. Read More...
There are a number of bloggers who are passing along sage and sane advice. Basically, don’t panic. Wash your hands. And that’s about it for really good medical information.
Of course, the woo-meisters have weighed in with their useless advice. I won’t even begin to explain the logical and scientific fallacies of colon cleansing, but it isn’t going to either prevent or lessen the severity of swine flu. Read More...
Denialism and pseudoscience
Apr/21/09 14:18
Today, I commented to a blog entry at Beyond the Short Coat, which is one of my daily stops on the medical blogosphere. The author, like a lot of bloggers in the medical arena, has been taking on the world of medical woo, that is, those ideas in medicine that completely lack verifiability and scientific credibility. I have a similar disdain for woo, for essentially the same reasons as the physicians who write in those various blogs. Mostly, they are troubled that patients turn to these useless therapies because they may not be getting adequate medical care, or even that those fake therapies may have terrible consequences for the patient. I take it a step further in that I believe that this woo has a substantial economic consequence with increased costs for patients, providers, and third-party payors. Read More...
Healthcare IT growth potential
Apr/13/09 07:09
Today, Kim Hart at the Washington Post wrote an interesting column about one of the positive effects of the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (stimulus package) for the health care industry. Approximately $19 billion of the package is specifically targeted for health information technology (HIT) upgrades for providers such as hospitals, clinics, and individual physician practices. As discussed previously, improved HIT is a cornerstone of a long-term plan to improve the quality and decrease the costs of health care in the US.
Investment in HIT should have some positive consequences to the healthcare industry:
Investment in HIT should have some positive consequences to the healthcare industry:
- Improve health care quality
- Prevent medical errors
- Reduce health care costs
- Increase administrative efficiencies
- Decrease paperwork
- Expand access to affordable care
Scientific medicine and Big Pharma
Apr/08/09 08:42
I keep reading across the blogosphere that Big Pharma (for the sake of this discussion, defined as all medical products companies, including ones that don’t manufacture or market pharmaceuticals) somehow blocks either positive or negative results to further their profits. The accusations come from a wide variety of sources, some of the more vocal being the anti-science proponents, such as the anti-vaccination movement. Utilizing an ad hominem argument of personalizing the issues and then attacking the motives or character of others, usually those who dispute the claims made by pseudoscience. Read More...
The anti-vaccination tragedy
Mar/31/09 10:07
I have written about the anti-vaccination movement several times recently, yet every day, I read another article or another comment somewhere that reminds me of this situation. Today, I came across a recently published article in The Lancet, one of the most respected peer-reviewed medical journals, which reinforced one of the consequences of the anti-vaccination movement. The article, Measles in Europe: an epidemiological assessment, states that there were 12,232 cases of measles in Europe during 2006 and 2007. Most cases were unvaccinated or improperly vaccinated children. Read More...
Vaccines, once again and a bit irreverent
Mar/30/09 22:55
As I’ve discussed previously, I find the anti-vaccine movement, linking cases of autism to pediatric vaccinations, to be based on pseudoscientific principles. There are several individuals that have pushed this quackery, but one of the more visible is Jenny McCarthy, ex-Playboy Playmate of the Year (no, I’m not going to link to it), bad actress, and failed game-show host. I am flabbergasted that anyone would listen to this woman, a scientific illiterate, about anything outside of how to model and possibly how to choose bad movies. That parents are making decisions about vaccinating their children based on her bogus beliefs is beyond my simple understanding of the world.
There are always consequences to every action, and there are many by delaying or refusing vaccinations. The Jenny McCarthy Body Count is a website that lists every vaccine-preventable case and death that has occurred since Jenny made public her belief that vaccines caused autism in her son (which many believe is a misdiagnosis) in June 2007. Since then, there have been 720 preventable cases and 142 preventable deaths (as of today). As the website says, she’s not responsible for everyone one of these cases or deaths. But if she convinces just one person to not adhere to a vaccine schedule for their children, then it’s one too many.
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There are always consequences to every action, and there are many by delaying or refusing vaccinations. The Jenny McCarthy Body Count is a website that lists every vaccine-preventable case and death that has occurred since Jenny made public her belief that vaccines caused autism in her son (which many believe is a misdiagnosis) in June 2007. Since then, there have been 720 preventable cases and 142 preventable deaths (as of today). As the website says, she’s not responsible for everyone one of these cases or deaths. But if she convinces just one person to not adhere to a vaccine schedule for their children, then it’s one too many.
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Politics and the FDA
Mar/26/09 10:50
With the election of Barack Obama, many believe that there would be a change in healthcare policy, reversing some of the policies of his predecessor. I had discussed some of the predicted changes several times recently. Additionally, with the appointment of a new FDA Commissioner, Margaret A. Hamburg, I was becoming confident that the FDA would become an advocate for consumers and industry, and that many of the more egregious political decisions that harmed the medical products industry would be overturned or modified. It is clear that the change would be take time because of the many priorities in the new Obama administration, but decisions such as the executive order clearing the way for research using embryonic stem cells are moving medicine and science in a healthy direction.
I personally object to political considerations taking priority for science and medicine. It’s a waste of money, it places undue burdens on both the medical products industry and the agencies that regulate them, and it increases the amount of time to get products onto the market. In addition, it allows foreign companies, whose regulatory agencies may not have these egregious political issues, to bring to market products that help their citizens. In some cases, foreign subsidiaries of US companies provide newer products to residents of those countries than they do for US residents. Read More...
I personally object to political considerations taking priority for science and medicine. It’s a waste of money, it places undue burdens on both the medical products industry and the agencies that regulate them, and it increases the amount of time to get products onto the market. In addition, it allows foreign companies, whose regulatory agencies may not have these egregious political issues, to bring to market products that help their citizens. In some cases, foreign subsidiaries of US companies provide newer products to residents of those countries than they do for US residents. Read More...
Designing better medical products
Mar/22/09 11:35
I am an early adopter of any new technology, not only because I like new gadgets, but because I always expect the newer technology will have improved quality, power, and ease-of-use. Sometimes, I am quite pleased with the results, my iPhone from Apple being one of the better examples. More often than not, I find myself quite disappointed.
Without intending to be an uncritical fan of Apple (you can find those discussions in several other locations on the web), there are real reasons that the iPhone is simply the best cell phone on the market. First, it holds a good sampling of my music collection, eliminating one other device to carry with me. And that music is transferred to my iPhone by simply the most elegant piece of software I’ve ever used: iTunes. I hear people tell me that they can get music on their phones, but it takes work. I have no time to figure out arcane programming steps to get music on some other device. The music simply gets onto my iPhone, I can access it. That’s the ballgame for me.
Second, I have downloaded and installed onto my iPhone dozens of Apps, which are the programs for the iPhone. I have games, access to sports scores real time, business news, stock prices, maps, movies, Kindle books (this is a whole story in itself), and an amazing program that listens to music and identifies it (and it’s free). Using iTunes, I can buy the apps (many are free, but you still have to “purchase” them) at the iTunes store, and upload them to my iPhone. At its essence, iPhone has made my life easier. Read More...
Without intending to be an uncritical fan of Apple (you can find those discussions in several other locations on the web), there are real reasons that the iPhone is simply the best cell phone on the market. First, it holds a good sampling of my music collection, eliminating one other device to carry with me. And that music is transferred to my iPhone by simply the most elegant piece of software I’ve ever used: iTunes. I hear people tell me that they can get music on their phones, but it takes work. I have no time to figure out arcane programming steps to get music on some other device. The music simply gets onto my iPhone, I can access it. That’s the ballgame for me.
Second, I have downloaded and installed onto my iPhone dozens of Apps, which are the programs for the iPhone. I have games, access to sports scores real time, business news, stock prices, maps, movies, Kindle books (this is a whole story in itself), and an amazing program that listens to music and identifies it (and it’s free). Using iTunes, I can buy the apps (many are free, but you still have to “purchase” them) at the iTunes store, and upload them to my iPhone. At its essence, iPhone has made my life easier. Read More...
Wikipedia–bad medicine
Mar/16/09 10:25
The internet has become a great tool for researching information from new gadgets to statistical analysis of politics. One of the most popular websites for research is Wikipedia, an online, democratic encyclopedia. As I have discussed previously, I link to it frequently, to give an overview about a particular topic. I admit I go to the website many times a day to get more information on a topic of interest to me, sometimes just for entertainment, and occasionally to laugh at the quality of articles. Wikipedia functions as a democracy, meaning anyone can edit it. Sometimes it appears that the project is more of an anarchy, but there are “police”, called administrators or admins, and several levels of bureaucracy above the police, to control the situation. The admins are elected by the community of editors. They can block editors (kind of a punishment), and as best as I can tell, every single action by anyone is subject to a lot of yelling, screaming, whining, and complaining. Actually, a social scientist might find the whole system quite fascinating, as I do.
A Wikipedia article is almost always the #1 hit when a google search is done on a subject. This might be useful if you are interested in episodes of 24 or need to know all about the Boston Red Sox. In most cases, the quality of the articles are not a life and death issue. If a Yankees fan chooses to vandalize (yes, that’s the term used by Wikipedia cognoscenti to describe actions that aren’t approved by the general Wikipedia community) the article, I am relatively certain that the world will not collapse into barbarism and a new Dark Age. Read More...
A Wikipedia article is almost always the #1 hit when a google search is done on a subject. This might be useful if you are interested in episodes of 24 or need to know all about the Boston Red Sox. In most cases, the quality of the articles are not a life and death issue. If a Yankees fan chooses to vandalize (yes, that’s the term used by Wikipedia cognoscenti to describe actions that aren’t approved by the general Wikipedia community) the article, I am relatively certain that the world will not collapse into barbarism and a new Dark Age. Read More...
Successful Marketing Management
Mar/12/09 19:47
I haven’t done an entry in about a week, because I have been focused on a consulting assignment on pricing strategies in a couple of medical device segments. Interestingly, it was for a large investment banking firm. In this down-market, research into medical companies, because they are spending more time analyzing the fundamentals of these corporations.
Part of my assignment was to give a one day training session on how manufactured products get to the market. Trying to condense 20 years of knowledge in this industry down to a six hour Powerpoint presentation (yes, too long, but they didn’t have 20 years to get up to speed) is challenging, but it was critical to their understanding of the medical products market.
I often relate a story about the medical products market whenever I am interviewing someone for a marketing position in this industry which helps define the almost every challenge for product marketing managers in this business. There are over 50,000 medical products companies in the United States (probably more, but it’s hard to obtain exact data). If each one of those companies sent a sales representative into a physician’s office, surgery center or hospital, there would be no time for patients. Since the primary (but hardly exclusive) method for marketing a medical product is through the sales process–new product introductions are especially sales critical. Read More...
Part of my assignment was to give a one day training session on how manufactured products get to the market. Trying to condense 20 years of knowledge in this industry down to a six hour Powerpoint presentation (yes, too long, but they didn’t have 20 years to get up to speed) is challenging, but it was critical to their understanding of the medical products market.
I often relate a story about the medical products market whenever I am interviewing someone for a marketing position in this industry which helps define the almost every challenge for product marketing managers in this business. There are over 50,000 medical products companies in the United States (probably more, but it’s hard to obtain exact data). If each one of those companies sent a sales representative into a physician’s office, surgery center or hospital, there would be no time for patients. Since the primary (but hardly exclusive) method for marketing a medical product is through the sales process–new product introductions are especially sales critical. Read More...
Vaccines...Part II
Feb/25/09 09:37
If you read what I have written so far, I am firmly against pseudoscience influencing healthcare policy. Anti-vaccinationists, who have harmed human beings with their pseudoscientific assertion that MMR vaccines cause autism, are now on the run as I’ve stated earlier. Read More...
Vaccines...who are you going to believe?
Feb/19/09 15:51
In one corner, we have Jenny McCarthy, former Playboy Playmate of the Year, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, and pseudoscience with an extra dose of quackery. In the other corner, we have the Centers for Disease Control, the Institute of Medicine for the National Academy of Sciences, UK’s National Health Service, and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (what is commonly called the Vaccine Court). The battle is over MMR vaccine, a mixture of three live attenuated viruses administered by injection for immunization against measles, mumps and rubella (formerly known as German measles).
Let’s take a close look at the participants. First, Jenny McCarthy, whose extensive medical and science education includes....not much. In 2005, she announced that her child was diagnosed with autism, a diagnosis about which there is some doubt. McCarthy believes that vaccines caused her son’s autism, although that view is unsupported by any scientific or medical evidence. Her public appearances and statements have increased the public perception of this link, and may have led to decreased immunization rates and increased incidence of measles. McCarthy has stated that chelation therapy helped her son recover from autism. Essentially, McCarthy claims that mercury in vaccines causes autism, which has been rejected by scientific and clinical studies. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health has concluded that autistic children will not receive any benefit to balance the risks of cognitive and emotional problems induced by the chelating agents used in this treatment. Really, she should stick to modeling and bad movies.
Dr. Andrew Wakefield is a whole different story. He, and 12 other researchers, published a paper in the British medical journal in 1998, The Lancet, which reported on 12 (yes 12) children with developmental disorders. They linked eight of these children to MMR vaccinations. The paper described several bowel symptoms and the possible link to the vaccine. He even gave a name to the syndrome, autistic enterocolitis. After publication of the paper, confidence in the MMR vaccine fell; pediatricians in the United Kingdom thought the British government was either hiding evidence of the link, or was failing to prove it. Read More...
Let’s take a close look at the participants. First, Jenny McCarthy, whose extensive medical and science education includes....not much. In 2005, she announced that her child was diagnosed with autism, a diagnosis about which there is some doubt. McCarthy believes that vaccines caused her son’s autism, although that view is unsupported by any scientific or medical evidence. Her public appearances and statements have increased the public perception of this link, and may have led to decreased immunization rates and increased incidence of measles. McCarthy has stated that chelation therapy helped her son recover from autism. Essentially, McCarthy claims that mercury in vaccines causes autism, which has been rejected by scientific and clinical studies. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health has concluded that autistic children will not receive any benefit to balance the risks of cognitive and emotional problems induced by the chelating agents used in this treatment. Really, she should stick to modeling and bad movies.
Dr. Andrew Wakefield is a whole different story. He, and 12 other researchers, published a paper in the British medical journal in 1998, The Lancet, which reported on 12 (yes 12) children with developmental disorders. They linked eight of these children to MMR vaccinations. The paper described several bowel symptoms and the possible link to the vaccine. He even gave a name to the syndrome, autistic enterocolitis. After publication of the paper, confidence in the MMR vaccine fell; pediatricians in the United Kingdom thought the British government was either hiding evidence of the link, or was failing to prove it. Read More...
Obama & Healthcare 2
Jan/25/09 08:50
According to a report from The Center for Public Integrity, which produces original investigative journalism on public issues, there are over 45 million Americans who lack health insurance. Politicians of all political outlooks have constantly promised Americans a plan for health insurance. Nothing has happened.
President-elect Barack Obama made health care a critical part of his election platform and is now a central facet of his presidential agenda. I can assume that with the current economy, there will be opposing forces of “we can’t afford it” and “we need it for the unemployed”, so it still will not be easy. Read More...
President-elect Barack Obama made health care a critical part of his election platform and is now a central facet of his presidential agenda. I can assume that with the current economy, there will be opposing forces of “we can’t afford it” and “we need it for the unemployed”, so it still will not be easy. Read More...
Obama & Science
Nov/10/08 16:35
It was an issue that did not drive polls or voter behavior. It was an issue that did not bring a lot of interest from policy wonks or political pundits. But science is one issue that has significant impact on individual, cultural, and national growth and security. If one takes a long-term strategic view of America, investment, education and training in science will profit America financially.
The Bush administration led a war on science, especially in the areas of stem-cell research and global warming. Even in areas such as the teaching of creationism in schools, the Endangered Species Act, and NASA, there is a profound anti-science attitude exhibited by the current administration. Economic security, as well as national security, result from innovative and competitive scientific and technological leadership.
But now Obama is the President-elect, and I am convinced that there will be a significant change in direction in America’s science policy. In early October, Obama released a letter that clearly states his positions on the Federal government’s role in science. He intends to appoint an individuals to provide advice and establish policy on science and technology. He wants to remove any attempts to “distort or ignore scientific research.” This is a clear first step in rebuilding the country’s scientific position. Early in the campaign for president, he answered several questions posed by scientists, which outlined his point of view. Read More...
The Bush administration led a war on science, especially in the areas of stem-cell research and global warming. Even in areas such as the teaching of creationism in schools, the Endangered Species Act, and NASA, there is a profound anti-science attitude exhibited by the current administration. Economic security, as well as national security, result from innovative and competitive scientific and technological leadership.
But now Obama is the President-elect, and I am convinced that there will be a significant change in direction in America’s science policy. In early October, Obama released a letter that clearly states his positions on the Federal government’s role in science. He intends to appoint an individuals to provide advice and establish policy on science and technology. He wants to remove any attempts to “distort or ignore scientific research.” This is a clear first step in rebuilding the country’s scientific position. Early in the campaign for president, he answered several questions posed by scientists, which outlined his point of view. Read More...
Obama & Healthcare
Nov/06/08 10:12
What politicians say during their campaign is usually not what they do when they are in office. We are all cynical about their statements, but there are reasons why we should think that his policies might be implemented. First, and most importantly, he will have a presidential honeymoon, where he will have the goodwill of the country, including other politicians. For three to four months, he will have the ability to push through legislation that otherwise might founder in the legislative process. Second, he has a solidly Democratic congress, many of whom have an interest in healthcare policy.
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