But new data suggests that the flu shot doesn’t actually reduce deaths among the elderly. This contradicts a study published in 2007 that suggested that influenza immunization can actually reduce deaths in community dwelling elders. If the flu shot doesn’t save lives, is it still “worth it” to spend on promotion and delivery of the flu vaccine to the elderly, and for Medicare to pay for that vaccine? I admit, not covering flu vaccine would be a bit radical, and it might save the cost of an associated hospitalization and illness, but should we be actively trying to get every American over 65 to get a flu shot every year?

If flu shots are neither cost effective nor life-saving, is there a good argument for why we should recommend flu shots for everyone 65 and older? After all, other vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine that can protect against the virus that causes cervical cancer are coming under fire for their huge price tags and questionable ability to reduce death.

By the way - here’s an interesting read on why flu shots are not cost-effective in working adults.

Post from: EveryJoe

Flu shots for the elderly – are they worth it?

Monthly premiums for Medicare drug plans will increase by 10%, or about $3, in 2009. Seniors, on average, will pay $28/month dependent upon their particular plan. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says the increase is right in line with the increase in drug costs, but the Medicare Rights Center says that the increase is higher than the Social Security cost of living increase and that the government should be doing more to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Are you enrolled in a Medicare drug plan? If so, what do you think about the 2009 increase?

Sources:
image: picapp

“2009 Medicare drug plan premiums announced” – Chicago Tribune, August 14, 2008

Post from: EveryJoe

Medicare Announces 2009 Drug Plan Premiums

Why can drug companies raise prices on some drugs without a huge consumer backlash?

First, some of these drugs are for exceedingly rare conditions. In these cases, the companies may not be able to keep drugs on the market at a lower price because of a small potential market and high manufacturing costs.

For some other drugs, prices can be raised because consumers don’t feel much of the pinch. For example, coverage for inpatient care and infused/intravenous drugs can be so comprehensive that patients never realize the cost of the drug, and the expenses are passed on to insurers and payers, including Medicare.

In cases where a hospital or practice makes more money on a more expensive drug, raising a price might be an incentive for more prescribing or could help a drug grow market share. In a turn that seems to go against economic intuition, a more expensive product can actually lead to a higher demand for a drug because prescribers are both consumers and suppliers (they purchase drugs from the companies, but then supply them to individual patients, acting as an economic middle-man).

Should Congress step in to affect pharmaceutical prices, or are these prices just another symptom of our broken system for compensating physicians and paying for health care?

Post from: EveryJoe

Drug Prices Rising (and some by 100%)

FDA Orders a Prescription Label Change
For the first time since a 2007 law that allows the FDA to order a prescription label to be changed was put into place, the agency has told biotech. company, Amgen, to change labels on drugs used to treat chemotherapy-induced anemia to indicate the possibility of the drugs iworsening the effects of the cancer.

FDA Regulates Tobacco
Read Jen’s post about this monumental move.

Stavzor Receives FDA Approval
Noven Pharmaceuticals has received FDA approval for its drug, Stavzor, indicated to treat manic episodes related to bipolar disorder, seizures, and migraines.

UCB Drug Not Approved for Diabetes Neuropathic Pain
UCB received a letter from the FDA stating that its drug, lacosamide (Vimpat), has not been approved for the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain.

A busy week for the FDA! What pharm. news did you read/hear this week?

Post from: EveryJoe

Pharm Friday August 1, 2008

 The new labels will restrict starting therapy until a patient’s hemoglobin drops to 10. The label will no longer suggest that it is safe to treat until the hemoglobin rises to 12. Normal hemoglobin range is about 13 – 18 for men (grams per deciliter) and 12 – 16 for women (grams per deciliter).

 A change in labeling might continue to negatively impact Amgen’s sales in this area, but many hospitals and physicians have been trimming the drug’s use with cancer patients already, so the fall might not be as big as some analysts are predicting. Overall, Amgen is still strong. They have seen good results in a clinical trial of a new bone drug, and their shares are on the rise.

Post from: EveryJoe

FDA orders Amgen to revise labels on growth factors

Guests on the show were Dr. Neal Meropol, a gastrointestinal (GI) specialty oncologist from Fox Chase Cancer Center and Dr. Art Caplan, a bio-ethicist at U. Penn. They had a bunch of interesting things to say about how society is responding and how health care systems are adapting to the high cost of drugs, especially now that some chemotherapy regimens cost more than $100,000 per year.

Post from: EveryJoe

WHYY Radio discusses high cost of chemo

New U.S. Drug Application Submitted for Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca have submitted a drug application for Onglyza (saxagliptin) to treat Type 2 Diabetes. The companies also simultaneously submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency for the drug.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Renews Investigation of Pharmaceutical Outsourcing to China
In light of large profits for pharm. companies in part due to outsourcing, Senator Brown worries about patient safety and takes a closer look.

Study Shows Vytorin Does Not Improve Heart Valve Condition
Cholesterol drug Vytorin, made by Merck and Schering-Plough, has failed to improve aortic stenosis and appears to have a possible link to an increased cancer risk. Critics and supporters will no doubt go back and forth on the statistical significance of the cancer risk.

These are just a handful of this week’s pharmaceutical happenings. What did you find/hear?

Post from: EveryJoe

Pharm Friday July 25, 2008

Image by seiu_international on Flickr

The proposal in question relates to a Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) memo that defines abortion as any measures, including prescription drugs such as birth control pills, “that result in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation.”

Another part of the memo reportedly discussed cutting off federal funding to providers and clinics that refuse to hire nurses and other staff who are opposed to providing abortions and/or birth control pills.

Some Catholic and other conservative media outlets are discussing this proposal as an “anti-discrimination” measure to keep health care employers from discriminating against pro-life employees. The WSJ health blog’s discussion seems to take the angle that the proposal centers around emergency contraception issues.

Post from: EveryJoe

Clinton criticizes Bush administration contraception policy

Cholesterol Medications Get the Okay for Some Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new recommendations for cholesterol screening and treatment in children. Screening for children over age 2 who have risk factors for heart disease (or who have unknown history) is recommended, and treatment for children age 8 and older should be considered if necessary. The policy statement with all of the recommendations is titled “Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Childhood” and can be found here.

FDA Says No to Black Box Warnings on Epilepsy Drugs
Some popular and effective drugs used to treat epilepsy have shown increased risk of suicidal tendencies in patients, but apparently not enough of a risk to warrant black box warnings. Read more here.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Revises Marketing Code
PhRMA has revised its voluntary Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals to include the prohibition of non-educational items (pens, notepads, etc.), meals out, and recreation. Additional changes to the code, including new provisions, can be found here.

Potential Emergency Treatment for Heart Attack on the Horizon
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is researching how cells respond to reduced blood flow with the use of histone deactylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Encouraging results have been seen in mice with heart damage. I can’t say I don’t feel sad about the mice used in this study.

Post from: EveryJoe

Pharm Friday July 11, 2008

Reimbursement for oncology services has been broken for a long time, but recent changes and headlines in the news — from the high cost of cancer drugs and biologic agents to the possible slashes in Medicare reimbursement — are bringing this issue to a critical point. Why can’t we find a way to pay physicians better for their cognitive skills and the time-consuming activities of developing tailored treatment plans (and the research that goes along with it) and delivering these plans to patients rather than forcing them to run their practices as dealers of expensive drugs or boutique pharmacies for infusion?

Post from: EveryJoe

Doctors, as well as patients, stung by high cancer drug prices