The *Angriest* Pharmacist You want your prescription filled when? Eat shit…

The longer I typed on this, the more I RAGED

Imitrex (Sumatriptan) 100mg Tablets #9  ---- $250.84
-Exclusivity Patent runs out Feb 6, 2009
Treximet (Sumatriptan/NAPROXEN) 85/500mg Tablets #9 ---- $222.72
-Approved April 15, 2008 - Exclusive for 3 more years on combo.

Well, Imitrex is going off patent, and Dr. Reddy's is itching to get into that generic migraine therapy market that is currently absolutely DOMINATED by ridiculously expensive name brand medications. As you can see above, these fucking things are $27 PER TABLET. As you might have expected, now that Imitrex is going to have an AB-rated generic equivalent, it is complete junk and no longer efficacious for migraine headaches (with or without aura).

So, what comes to mind when you see what GlaxoSmithKline is doing here? To me, I think of the assraping of American citizens that are already struggling to make ends meet in a time of economic hardship. I think of GSK playing tricks on Americans that may not have as much education as their local pharmacist. I see that GSK knows that people who are suffering from migraines will pay anything to no longer be suffering from migraines. They are banking on that fact. Now, they are hoping that maybe just once, Imitrex didn't provide you full relief -- just enough of a chance to get you to call up your doctor and ask for a prescription for that new drug, Treximet, that you just saw on television. [I've seen Treximet ads on 5 different channels today.]

Ya know, I wouldn't be surprised in the fucking LEAST if GSK hasn't been slowly dropping the potency of Imitrex tablets over the last few months -- in hopes that their migraines won't clear up and they'll seek out a new therapy.

But TAestP, WHAT IF TREXIMET REALLY IS BETTER????

I don't doubt the efficacy of Treximet. But, I have a few insights here. Does Naproxen alleviate your migraine symptoms? I'm sure you tried it initially as it's in every major migraine algorithm after Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen. If you're taking Imitrex, that probably means you failed Naproxen therapy. So, why are we adding it back on board now?

Does anyone know how much Sumatriptan tablets are going to cost? It doesn't really matter exactly how much they are going to cost -- we know that the generic is going to be cheaper. We also know that NAPROXEN IS DIRT FUCKING CHEAP. So, once again, big pharma has taken two seemingly inexpensive drugs, combined them, called them gold, and made them just as expensive.

Here's a few notes I'd like to share:
- Clinical Pharmacology lists "Krymchantowski AV. Naproxen sodium decreases migraine recurrence when administered with sumatriptan. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2000;58:428—30." as a source for why the combination is better. What's wrong with this study? Well, how about the fact it was tested in 67 (56 women) people by ONE researched in RIO DE JANEIRO. It's way too brief. The methods are weak. It is a poorly done study.

- Also listed as a reference is: "Brandes JL, Kudrow D, Stark SR, et al. Sumatriptan-naproxen for the acute treatment of migraine: a randomized trial. JAMA 2007;297:1443—54." -- This one is cited because it shows that 'more patients had sustained pain free responses 2-24hrs after the dose with decreased recurrance rate in combo vs either drug as monotherapy or placebo. I didn't even read this study -- I flipped to the back page, as I always do, and saw all that I needed to see.

Funding/Support: The 2 clinical trials (MT-400:301 and MT-400:302) described in this article were funded by GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with POZEN, the IND sponsor of the investigational drug MT-400 (sumatriptan–naproxen sodium).

Role of the Sponsors: GlaxoSmithKline and Pozen Inc provided financial and material support, monitoring, data collection and management, and data analysis to the authors and study investigators.

In case you were wondering, POZEN INC is a puppet company of GlaxoSmithKline. And, as you can see, they performed the ENTIRE FUCKING STUDY.

Also of note regarding this filth of a study fabricated to bilk money from the American people, of the 10 'researchers,' two admitted to working for 'Pozen' and two for GSK --- all of which work in Chapel Hill, NC.

-The final study listed in ClinPharm boasting this drug is merely a safety and tolerability study. Well, fucking duh this drug is tolerable. How often do you think people need to take Sumatriptan? Once every other day? Once a week? Heck, the max daily dose is 2 tablets. So, the most Naproxen you could get is 1000mg -- a normal daily dose -- which wouldn't be ingested that often. Of course it's safe.

Of course it's non-inferior. Of course it's safe. But, is it cost effective? No. It's not. Because you motherfuckers at GSK have no fucking morals. You're soul-less pieces of deep fried pig shit, and I hope all of you get the pleasure of having Alzheimer's as you age. You all deserve to be beheaded on Al-Jazeera. You're nothing. You're wastes. I wouldn't shit on you if I got paid a million dollars to fill "2Guys1Face." I hate you more than I hate everything else combined. I just wish that there was some way I could just remove the money from you via osmosis and have you thank me for it -- much like the unsuspecting public is doing now.

You may give them a $20 coupon or even a few free pills, but I'm hip to your game GSK. I'm not gonna play. My pharmacy will NOT carry your product. My pharmacy will NOT dispense your product. If someone brings me a script for this bullshit, I'm going to be having a conversation with a doctor. I'll end up filling two prescriptions and having a little education session. I just pray that you don't send some fucking big-tittied Treximet Drug Rep to me. That bitch will leave in tears...