Hard facts about drug companies and their marketing strategies

There are some codes of ethics which drug companies had to follow while marketing their products in the market. But according to a report provided by "US PIRG" the real picture is that "drug companies are marketing the latest, most expensive drugs by offering expensive gifts to doctors- and result is over-prescription of the newest drugs. Clearly these marketing efforts do not rely solely on scientific research and medical benefits.

This over-prescribing causes three problems for consumers.
- First, these drugs are the most expensive for consumers – who end up paying twice, as they ultimately pay for the gifts given to doctors as well.

- Second, because the newest drugs have been on the market for a shorter time than the older ones, they are among the least-tested, with potentially unknown side effects.

- Finally, drug company marketing to doctors damages the exclusivity of the doctor-patient relationship, as drug marketers shoulder their way into the consulting room.

Currently, drug companies are allowed to set their own standards for their marketing to doctors. They are required by California’s Senate Bill 1765, however, to adopt a limit on the total value of the gifts they can give to a particular doctor in a given year, and post this information to their web sites.

This white paper examines the rules the drug companies have set for themselves, assesses whether they comply with the minimum requirements of SB 1765, and identifies aspects of the drug company rules that are deeply problematic. Among our findings:

-Drug companies fail to count some meals and other payments as “gifts,” and therefore not subject to the limit;
-Some companies reserve the right to exceed their limits if they so choose;
-Others assert that they are following a limit, but do not disclose what that limit actually is, while a few fail even to post their policies at all.
It is clear that drug companies cannot be trusted to actually protect consumers through voluntary restrictions on their direct-to-doctor marketing. By playing by their own rules, the manufacturers have created limits that in many cases fail to constrain their actions at all. Fortunately, there are common-sense policies that will restrain direct-to-doctor marketing to an appropriate scope. These include:

-Putting in place hard, enforceable limits on per-doctor gifts;
-Publicly disclosing all gift and non-gift payments;
-Encouraging access to disinterested, third-party informational resources on drug safety and efficacy.

source link:
Playing by Their Own Rules

Download the pdf version of full report.

"Facts for Health" - Helping you find the answers about troubling illnesses

There are many sites like professional, from drug companies, Government or educational services which offer a lot of information about the illnesses and their treatment. 'Facts for health' is helping you find the answer to many of your questions. Sometimes we don't understand the reason or cause for our discomforts, so knowing or learning about some common diseases can help us understand what is happening inside us.

Some medical conditions force us to focus instead on the complicated task of coping.

Facts for Health is a comprehensive resource to help identify, understand and treat a number of important medical conditions. While nothing can replace treatment by a qualified professional, this Web site can help you begin to identify, understand and find treatment for a number of troubling illnesses. And that can set you back on the path to the happy, fulfilling life you deserve. Facts for Health was created by the Madison Institute of Medicine, a non-profit organization.

The goal of the site is to provide information or continuing education on the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. It provides a place where visitors can assess the likelihood of being affected by these disorders in a reassuring, confidential environment. Helpful treatment resources are also provided.

You can find helpful information about 'alzheimer's disease','Posttraumatic stress disorder', 'Premenstrual dysphoric disorder', 'Social anxiety disorder', and 'Premenstrual dysphoric disorder'.

1-* Are you or someone you care for becoming increasingly forgetful, forgetting how to do simple tasks or how to perform everyday routines? Are there problems finding words or speaking the right word? If so, you or the one you care for may be experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia (a condition of worsening memory and thinking).
- alzheimer's disease

2-* if you're feeling emotionally numb or you feel plagued by worry and are losing sleep over concern for your safety, it is possible that you may be suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Seeking treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can help restore balance, control, and enjoyment to your life.
- Posttraumatic stress disorder

3-* Do you have unpleasant, disturbing emotional and physical symptoms before your monthly menstrual periods? Do these symptoms disrupt your life and interfere with your usual activities and your relationships with others? you may have a condition known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD:
- premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD

4-* Do you experience intense fear during social interactions? Do you avoid speaking in class or dining with co-workers? Do you start trembling and sweating at the thought of attending a party? If so, you may be suffering from social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. Social anxiety disorder can make you feel trapped, shut away from the world
- Social anxiety disorder

"Upgrade Your Mind" with positive thinking

I spend hours in reading, whenever I find any self help or self improvement blog or site. Motivational or inspirational readings can stimulate your mind and life toward positive change. But you need to change the way you think, bringing it towards a positive thinking pattern. I read a lot and feel fresh while reading self imporvement posts, moreover my daily 'meditation' helps me to keep me on the track towards positive life. The blog you are going to read is full of self help articles and the contenet is original so you would feel that some kind of positive change is going to happen inside you.

Upgrade your mind is a very impressive self improvement blog. With the motto "You are one thought away from change--- One idea away from breakthrough", it has lots of motivational, inspirational posts. The blog is created with "TypePad" software, so some some titles have many posts at one page and some at different pages.

I can point to some of the catagory links:

- self improvement

- The power of focas with 10 strategy posts

- Inspiration

"Exterior Painting" done by students

There are lot of online companies who promise you to provide good service and deals, and it is a good news that most of them try their best to provide you best services. People now prefer to search at net for their needs either it is interior decoration or exterior paint or other related matter. Another reason for online purchase is that it is cheaper and the reason is that in case of concrete shops, their maintanance charges make them expensive and online dealing saves hundreds of dollars of online merchants, so they can provide their services at a comparatively lower prices.

The College Works Painting is one of the exterior paint company who does a remarkable job by providing local college students an opportunity to learn real life business management sills. Since 1993, thousands of students have completed the program that teaches them work ethic, management skills and leadership.

Other specialities:

Each collegeworks.com's branch manager is a college student interested in a future career in business management or leadership, so you can expect to be impressed by their professionalism, punctuality and attention to detail.

- You can request a free estimate.
- They promise to provide you "A Great Paint Job at a Fair Price"

Important facts from the site:

- Over 12,000 homes painted in 2006
- Hires 2000+ college students every year
- Unmatched 97% customer satisfaction rating
- Fully licensed and insured
- 2-5 year guarantee of quality
- Operates in 24 states

For more details: http://mysite.verizon.net/cwp286/collegeworkspainting/index.html

Link between your food allergy and weight gain

I am overwieght from few years and I could not realize that food allergy could cause weight gain. During search for health related sites, I read the articel written by a doctor and the content was readly helpful to understand my recent condition. I am sharing this article with my readers. And hope that this information would help us understand the relation between food allergy and weight gain.

According to a theory, if you eat foods that you are allergic to, instead of using the food as energy, your body will hold onto the calories in these foods for a longer period, and you could develop an addiction to them.

"Food Addiction, Food Allergy and Overweight"

From: Sephen Levine, Ph. D

Have you ever eaten something - a bowl of ice cream, a piece of cheese, an orange - and felt hungrier than before? Do you have urges for a particular food and find it hard to satisfy your craving unless you eat that particular food?

If the answer is "yes" to either of these questions, then you have a food allergy. If you are also fat, then chances are your food allergy is making you fat.

Food sensitivities may cause allergic people to crave those foods to which they are allergic. Just as a drug addict suffers withdrawal symptoms when the drug is withdrawn, allergic people experience discomfort when they lose access to a particular food.

Obese people can testify to the overwhelming power of food allergy addiction. Compulsive eaters crave and continue to eat those allergenic foods to which they are addicted day after day. The obese person has no idea that his daily food cravings or eating habits are based on a physiological need to stop withdrawal symptoms caused by food allergy addiction.

The phenomenon of simultaneous allergy and addiction to both foods and chemicals is now well accepted by doctors specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies. These specialists, known as clinical ecologists, believe that many chronic health problems, such as migraine, fatigue, depression, and arthritis are caused by allergies to foods and chemicals and affect approximately one-third of the population living in industrialized countries.

It is commonly observed that the same food may cause different reactions among different people. An individual’s genetic predisposition to allergies will determine which part of his body will become the vulnerable target organ or tissue. Any major organ may become involved: the symptoms of cerebral allergies include hyperactivity, depression, irritability, headaches and some forms of schizophrenia; hypoglycemia is a manifestation of pancreatic malfunction, frequently caused by allergy; while in other cases, the blood vessels may be the target organ with the resulting signs of vasculitis and edema. The symptoms are compounded and are generally more severe following frequent contact with an allergy-provoking food.

Water retention, or edema, is particularly common among allergic individuals and is an important contributing factor to obesity. The removal of an offending food will often result in a rapid water loss of five to ten pounds within a week’s time, all without the use of a diuretic.

Michael Rosenbaum, M.D., who practices preventive medicine in Mill Valley, California, has observed this water retention phenomenon frequently among patients in his allergy clinic. He found that following the initial water loss, the person tends to lose fat more easily, even without dieting. Rosenbaum states: "food sensitivities can cause the body to retain both water and fat." Often, Rosenbaum believes, the big weight loss that occurs when someone follows a low-allergen diet has nothing to do with the quantity of calories in the diet.

The following scenarios by Dr. Rosenbaum illustrate the dramatic weight loss achieved among patients following the elimination of allergy-provoking foods from their diet: "One of my patients who was found to be sensitive to dairy products decided to substitute bread and beer to make up for the removal of milk and cheese from his diet. He was probably consuming even more calories and still managed to lose ten pounds in the first month without even trying. The next time I saw him, his pants were falling off."

"Another one of my patients, a woman in her early thirties, was undergoing a stressful period when she came to my office. She had sensitivities to wheat and dairy products and adopted a ‘what-the-hell type attitude,’ continuing to eat those foods regularly. Besides seeing her weight balloon from 140 to 180 pounds, she developed a gnawing depression and irritability."

"Finally, after several months of self-abuse, she stopped eating wheat and dairy products. After a few months on the allergen-free diet, she is back to 140 pounds. Her friends have remarked about her wonderful transformation and were amazed at the way the weight had just come off by itself."

Dr. Rosenbaum believes that food sensitivity exerts its most profound effect on the limbic portion of the brain. This section of the brain houses the control centers of our emotions as well as memory and vegetative functions, including body temperature, sexuality, blood pressure, sleep, hunger and thirst. Food allergies seem to affect most of these vital functions.

This neurophysiological analysis is shared by William Philpott, M.D., a clinical ecologist from Oklahoma City, who has written extensively on the subject. Dr. Philpott speculates the frequent contact with allergenic foods triggers a rise in the brain opioid enkephalin. The enkephalin is a narcotic produced by the body that is as addictive as externally supplied narcotics.

The primary food allergens are coffee, dairy products, wheat, eggs and corn. In Oriental countries, rice is a prominent allergen. Among vegetables, white potatoes and lettuce are potent allergens. Marshall Mandell, M.D. of Norwalk, Connecticut and author of "Dr. Mandell’s 5 Day Allergy Relief System", found that 92.2 percent of hospitalized schizophrenic patients were allergic to one or more common substances. When Dr. Mandell tested a group of patients diagnosed as hard-to-treat neurotics, he found that 88 percent of them were allergic go wheat, 50 percent to corn and 60 percent to milk.

Charles McGee, M.D., who practices clinical ecology in C’oeur D’Alene, Idaho, and is the author of "How To Survive Modern Technology", was asked whether in his opinion, food and chemical allergies could be a major cause of obesity, he replied: "There are many people who are addicted to all sorts of foods. The ones who are addicted to coffee, do not necessarily get fat. If they are addicted to sugar or wheat, they may end up running around with candies or wheat-containing crackers in their pockets to satisfy the craving. What’s most important is that it’s extremely difficult for these allergic individuals to lose weight unless they ultimately gain control of their food allergies. They must identify the particular allergens, break the craving and then eliminate the chemical or food."

To understand both allergic and associated addictive phenomenon we can look at the two conditions, both as aspects of food intolerance. In allergy-addiction, there are three principle stages: the first stage is characterized by an acute allergic reaction to a toxic substance. Recall the first time that you, or someone whom you know, smoked a cigarette.

Most frequently, the individual will find the smoke distasteful and may even have clinical symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and dizziness.

This acute reaction can be taken as evidence that the cigarette smoke has some toxic effects on the body. After smoking becomes a habit, the symptoms are no longer noticeable. Your body gets used to the smoke and the symptoms are said to be "masked," or hidden. The masking can be considered an adaptation by the body to tolerate the poison with which it comes in frequent contact. Even though there are overt symptoms, the adaptation to this obvious toxin takes its toll in terms of chronic body stress.

During this period, the adaptation is so strong that you become dependent on cigarettes, or in other words, "hooked." You must smoke at regular intervals to avoid withdrawal symptoms. When you try to quit, your body craves the cigarettes: you are addicted in the truest sense of the word, and you will experience the addictive aspect of the "allergy-addiction syndrome."

It is significant that all addictions are similar in this regard - whether cigarettes, coffee, heroin, wheat or milk products. The final stage occurs when the body fails to maintain adaptation and experiences the allergic and addicted symptomatology simultaneously. This is the stage in which chronic symptoms of disease emerge.

Now just about any clinical symptom can result from the allergy-addiction syndrome. Dr. Ellen Grant reported in the medical journal, Lancet, that 85 percent of migraine sufferers could be rendered symptom-free when the followed a diet excluding the ten most common food allergens. Some of the most provocative agents were cigarettes, coffee, and birth control pills. The evidence is also strong for the allergic causation of arthritis, asthma and diabetes.

The allergic reaction itself can result in a drastic reduction in blood sugar with the accompanying symptomatology: weakness, hunger and irritability. Allergic hunger is pathological in that it does not respond to the normal satiety control center in the brain when food is consumed in normal amounts, so both the addictive and allergic responses to allergy can cause uncontrollable eating behavior.

In one case history of a 37 year old woman who had trouble with many different weight reduction programs, including the HCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) diet, the drinking man’s diet, the Stillman diet, it became evident that after each partially successful episode of weight reduction she would regain her weight.

The reason for this lady’s difficulties was later found to be food allergies. In the 6-hour oral glucose tolerance test, we found a marked hypoglycemic curve: the blood sugar dropped from 220 at 1 hour to 45 mg percent at 3 1/2 hours. At this time she experienced severe shakiness, giddiness, nausea and shortness of breath as well as other symptoms. She was assured that once the food allergen was determined and eliminated from her system, the symptoms of hypoglycemia would disappear.

People who are allergic to sugar experience a craving for sweets. One patient ate 50 twinkies a day and although her stomach would hurt, she would keep on eating. When her husband left for work in the morning she would take a tablespoon of sugar as soon as he was out the door, because it would make her feel good.

She would actually get high on sugar. Three or four hours later she would go into a depression and had attempted suicide several times. Her suicide attempts were prompted by withdrawal symptoms. The woman didn’t get well until a conscientious physician wrestled with the etiology of her problem, namely a food allergy. Now she realizes that she must read all food labels for ingredients.

Patients afflicted with allergy-addictions will usually experience a sense of well being after a month on an allergen-free diet. Many individuals lose excess water from their tissues and achieve a weight loss of from 10 to 15 pounds.

Dr. Rosenbaum, as well as other nutritionally oriented allergists rely on other methods besides avoidance of the allergenic foods. Vitamin C and mineral bicarbonates are used extensively in allergy clinics throughout the country. The mineral buffers should not include sodium, which is a hypertensive agent and can make a person more prone to edema, but instead the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium. These buffers will neutralize the acidity caused by the allergic reaction and alleviate stress, thereby inducing symptomatic relief.

As little as tone teaspoon of this combination of nutrients can totally knock out hunger cravings caused by food allergies as well as eliminate the withdrawal symptoms caused by exclusion of the addictive foods.

This is symptomatic relief, but works dramatically and also gives a clear indication that the symptoms were caused by allergic phenomenon. If the nutrient combination eliminates your hunger then you can be sure that your hunger was induced by some aspect of the allergy-addiction syndrome.

Functional food and chemical allergies have been largely ignored by most medical doctors. One reasons for this is that there has been no miracle drug that can be heavily promoted by the drug companies, so the doctors would not be encouraged to diagnose the disease and then treat it. Until now there has been no simple, easy cure for allergies. Nutritional treatment in the form of vitamin, mineral, amino acid and glandular supplements accompanied by avoidance of allergenic foods offer the critical answer to this problem.

Certain aspects of nutritional medicine can fall under the heading of, what the author calls. "Nutritional Pharmacology." The most striking example of this in regard to food allergies and weight reduction is the success achieved in combining buffers of mineral bicarbonate and vitamin C. Through readjustment of the normal pH balance in the body, you can eliminate many of the symptoms of food allergy, especially hunger. This simple test, using a highly buffered Vitamin C solution and observing whether it controls your appetite is an excellent diagnostic procedure for the determination of food allergies. Patients with multiple and severe allergies are well advised to visit a clinical ecologist or nutritionally oriented allergist.

Source: Health-food-addiction

- Another article at the same topic:
Weight Gain Due to a Food Allergy

- Mechanisms of Food Allergy

"Meet Junkies" - Raising public awareness of "Meat Addiction"

I was really scared to read the word "meat addiction", because I am a meat lover and may be 'I can't be a full vegan'. But the facts and information offered at the site are really useful and need our attention. Site content is very original and impressive.

It is a hard fact that "every year meat-related diseases kill twice as many people as tobacco."

Meat Junkie is from "Tyler Cole" who is a recovering meat addict.

"Meat Junkie" aims to:

Inform Americans of the economic, environmental, and social costs of meat abuse.
Assess what works in prevention, intervention, and treatment.
Remove the stigma of abuse and replace shame and despair with hope. It offers comprehensive information and support through the following resources: essays, banners, a meat-free gallery, and links to other online resources.

Site offers very informative articles about:

Meat Addiction,

Moral reasons to be vegtarian,

Environmental Reasons to be Vegetarian

Health Reasons to be Vegetarian

Are Vegans Sexier than Meat Eaters?


Site: Meat Junkie

"Uncommon forum" for common self improvement topics

I read a lot and although I didn't study psychology as a subject at college, but I like to read and learn about self help, self improvement, self development and psychological topics. I am a member of some forums where you can discuss with other enthusiastics. And I feel that you can get very useful tips and advice while visiting 'self help'forums and message boards. Today I am reviewing a forum, which kept me busy (reading different interesting topics) for hours.

Uncommon forum provides useful information and discussion about psychology and hypnosis.

There are articles about: Anxiety & Panic Attacks, 9 Basic Human Needs, Insomnia Cure, Relationship Advice, Self Confidence, Low Self Esteem, Public Speaking, Positive Thinking, Relaxation Techniques, Hypnobirthing, Hypnotherapy.

Nothing offered on or offline is intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease or disorder of any kind. Like other self help sites or blogs, it can be a place where we can discuss or learn about psychological matters and more.

What you can find in sub forums?

The topics you can find in sub forums are: Psychology, Depression, Anxiety and Panic Attacks, Anger Management, Addictions, Public Speaking, Workplace Psychology, Self Esteem & Confidence, Relationships, Hypnosis, Emotional Intelligence. There are also forums which are for:
- Practitioners' Lounge: Psychotherapists, counsellors, and people. Helpers of all persuasions. Discuss cases, ideas and training.
- Delegate Lounge: For delegates, supervisors and trainers on the Uncommon Knowledge Diploma Course in Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy.
- Knowledge Lab Forum: Private forum for delegates of the Knowledge Lab, the online training facility of Uncommon Knowledge.
- Light Lounge: Nothing too heavy in here - community announcements, chit chat, silly stuff and other distractions to lighten your day.

The forum offers a space to talk about psychology and self improvement related topics and discussions. For example you can read the post about "The Secret" is a Scam" and read the comments of the people about the topic.