Comments on: Removing the wool http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/ You want your prescription filled when? Eat shit... Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:42:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: A. E. Barber, Jr. M.D. http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-13254 A. E. Barber, Jr. M.D. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:43:31 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-13254 I am a retired physician and I served on our P + T committee at a federal facility so I am well aware of the abusive pricing and profittering of big pharma by renaming and repackaging the "old", but cost effective medications for outlandish markups. A few years ago, a member of my family was given a name brand Rx (which I did not recognize) for her IBS. Before filling it, I checked a database and found the active ingredient was hyoscyamine and the average wholesale cost was $100.00 for a 30 day supply; while the average wholesale cost for a 30 day supply of generic Donnatal was 68 cents. That's over a 14,000% markup. Needless to say, we went the generic route. I'm not anti-business, or anti-reasonable profit but that is ridiculous and cannot be justified. As another example, a friend's daughter was prescribed a "once a day" form of minocycline at a cost of $400.00 for 30 tablets. Of course, the appropriate dose of generic minocycline in a "bid" format would have been just as effective. When my friend asked the prescriber about this, the PA refused to change the Rx. So, it cost an extra $300.00 per month to take the med once a day instead of twice a day. That is a ridiculous cost for once a day convienence. And, yes, I know about the Prilosec - Nexium ploy. I am a retired physician and I served on our P + T committee at a federal facility so I am well aware of the abusive pricing and profittering of big pharma by renaming and repackaging the “old”, but cost effective medications for outlandish markups. A few years ago, a member of my family was given a name brand Rx (which I did not recognize) for her IBS. Before filling it, I checked a database and found the active ingredient was hyoscyamine and the average wholesale cost was $100.00 for a 30 day supply; while the average wholesale cost for a 30 day supply of generic Donnatal was 68 cents. That’s over a 14,000% markup. Needless to say, we went the generic route. I’m not anti-business, or anti-reasonable profit but that is ridiculous and cannot be justified. As another example, a friend’s daughter was prescribed a “once a day” form of minocycline at a cost of $400.00 for 30 tablets. Of course, the appropriate dose of generic minocycline in a “bid” format would have been just as effective. When my friend asked the prescriber about this, the PA refused to change the Rx. So, it cost an extra $300.00 per month to take the med once a day instead of twice a day. That is a ridiculous cost for once a day convienence. And, yes, I know about the Prilosec – Nexium ploy.

]]> By: The *Angriest* Pharmacist http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-12899 The *Angriest* Pharmacist Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:59:21 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-12899 Just had this sent to me via StumbleUpon: "You should be embarrassed if you prescribe Nexium because you're screwing the patients and you're screwing taxpayers." - Thomas Scully Just had this sent to me via StumbleUpon:

“You should be embarrassed if you prescribe Nexium because you’re screwing the patients and you’re screwing taxpayers.” – Thomas Scully

]]> By: phrex http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-12857 phrex Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:43:26 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-12857 how many times can they reinvent fenofibrate? how many times can they reinvent fenofibrate?

]]> By: Lisa http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-12838 Lisa Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:54:38 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-12838 WOW! what a bunch of idiots you are. i am one of many people who have only have relief with this drug, read the blogs on chronic hives! and also i can't imagine who you morons are that can only come back with insulting remarks instead of actual feedback from people who have taken this drug. are you all in the 3rd grade ? LOSERS <strong>Listen here, dike, by calling us morons and losers, you are being insulting. In essence, you have proven yourself to be profoundly retarded. I'm not sure how the sand got in your vagina, nor how you got the hives, this post was created for the shear purpose of pointing out the games drug manufacturers play when it comes to active isomers and racemic mixtures. For you to say that Xyzal works wonders (levo<u>cetirizine</u>) while Zyrtec does nothing (<u>Cetirizine</u>) has absolutely no basis in what would be considered a rationale medical opinion. Do you understand why? If not, I underlined the reason why above -- if it isn't clear enough for you. <em>Saying that Xyzal works and Zyrtec doesn't is, in essence, the same as saying that the Mountain Dew in a soda can does not quench your thirst unless the tab/pop-tab is left on the can! Either way, it's Mountain Dew.</em> You were only made fun of for failing to realize that -- and rightfully so. Don't comment again. </strong> WOW! what a bunch of idiots you are. i am one of many people who have only have relief with this drug, read the blogs on chronic hives! and also i can’t imagine who you morons are that can only come back with insulting remarks instead of actual feedback from people who have taken this drug. are you all in the 3rd grade ? LOSERS

Listen here, dike, by calling us morons and losers, you are being insulting. In essence, you have proven yourself to be profoundly retarded. I’m not sure how the sand got in your vagina, nor how you got the hives, this post was created for the shear purpose of pointing out the games drug manufacturers play when it comes to active isomers and racemic mixtures. For you to say that Xyzal works wonders (levocetirizine) while Zyrtec does nothing (Cetirizine) has absolutely no basis in what would be considered a rationale medical opinion. Do you understand why? If not, I underlined the reason why above — if it isn’t clear enough for you.

Saying that Xyzal works and Zyrtec doesn’t is, in essence, the same as saying that the Mountain Dew in a soda can does not quench your thirst unless the tab/pop-tab is left on the can! Either way, it’s Mountain Dew.

You were only made fun of for failing to realize that — and rightfully so. Don’t comment again.

]]> By: PharmADPhD http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-12822 PharmADPhD Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:59:28 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-12822 I agree with Angriest. Lisa, you were taking Xyzal when you took Zyrtec, and actually you are taking less with 5mg 2 times a day- you were getting 5mg 3 times a day before. Besides, if 1 out of 100 people actually do better with the odd isomer, why does PhRMA think they have to have all 100 take it, wasting thousands of dollars. I'm the high priest of step therapy- use the wierd crap if and only if the other 10 things available that are generic don't work I agree with Angriest.
Lisa, you were taking Xyzal when you took Zyrtec, and actually you are taking less with 5mg 2 times a day- you were getting 5mg 3 times a day before.
Besides, if 1 out of 100 people actually do better with the odd isomer, why does PhRMA think they have to have all 100 take it, wasting thousands of dollars.
I’m the high priest of step therapy- use the wierd crap if and only if the other 10 things available that are generic don’t work

]]> By: Lisa http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-12821 Lisa Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:54:31 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-12821 you are all wrong i have had severe chronic hives for 2 years, been on everydrug including zyrtec 3 times a day plus more medrol than anyone needs to take. at one point had 10 different rx's and still had hives until xyzal, 5mgs 2 x a day and no hives. i don't care how much it costs and my insurance does cover it. thank god i don't have to suffer anymore. <strong> No, we are not wrong. You are either: a) A Freak of nature b) A brand-whore that is lying to try and prove a point c) A drug rep in disguise d) Some odd combo of the above The science, facts, and data is on my side. You telling me that nothing else works except the active isomer of one drug that happened to have just gone generic is not going to rewrite the algorithms in Dipiro or Koda-Kimble....sorry! </strong> you are all wrong i have had severe chronic hives for 2 years, been on everydrug including zyrtec 3 times a day plus more medrol than anyone needs to take. at one point had 10 different rx’s and still had hives until xyzal, 5mgs 2 x a day and no hives. i don’t care how much it costs and my insurance does cover it. thank god i don’t have to suffer anymore.

No, we are not wrong. You are either:
a) A Freak of nature
b) A brand-whore that is lying to try and prove a point
c) A drug rep in disguise
d) Some odd combo of the above

The science, facts, and data is on my side. You telling me that nothing else works except the active isomer of one drug that happened to have just gone generic is not going to rewrite the algorithms in Dipiro or Koda-Kimble….sorry!

]]> By: PharmADPhD http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/09/23/removing-the-wool/comment-page-2/#comment-12809 PharmADPhD Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:35:13 +0000 http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/?p=261#comment-12809 Megan, I hope you are in a PharmD program that actually talks about the influence of PhRMA trinkets on prescribing. It is sad, but there are plenty of research articles of the effects of trinkets on prescribing. I highly suggest that you investigate the website www.nofreelunch.org, or do a PubMed search on Pharmaceutical industy influence. And it doesn't stop with physicians, ARNPs are the absolute worst when it comes to being influenced by a tote bag or lunch. And I'm very sorry to say it even happens with some clinical PharmDs and their recommendations for treatment to physicians and to their work on P&T committees. Megan,
I hope you are in a PharmD program that actually talks about the influence of PhRMA trinkets on prescribing. It is sad, but there are plenty of research articles of the effects of trinkets on prescribing. I highly suggest that you investigate the website http://www.nofreelunch.org, or do a PubMed search on Pharmaceutical industy influence. And it doesn’t stop with physicians, ARNPs are the absolute worst when it comes to being influenced by a tote bag or lunch. And I’m very sorry to say it even happens with some clinical PharmDs and their recommendations for treatment to physicians and to their work on P&T committees.

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