You found this article and you’re hoping to learn a little about how to gain weight.  We’d love to help you.  To be honest, it’s something some of our team have had trouble with!

Sometimes we feel like no one gets us.  Having trouble gaining weight is not something that the average person would find problematic or even understands.  Some of us have metabolisms like hummingbirds. For instance, I, the writer of this article, can eat 2lbs of steak, fries, and salad, and still have room for dessert.

But if you have trouble gaining weight, you probably aren’t eating enough or have a fast metabolism.  Like weight loss, weight gain is a journey. It is not something that can happen immediately. You can’t just binge eat on ice cream and protein shakes and expect to gain weight. This is a time consuming process and you must be patient.

The goal is to gain muscle and good weight by eating healthy foods, exercising and using some of the tips we provide right here.

Eat Right – First, it’s essential to make sure you are eating healthily. Anybody can cram fast food in their mouth all the time and gain weight, however I am sure many would agree that gaining the right kind of weight would be more desirable. You don’t want to have weight accumulate in the wrong part of your body and make you look weird!

Stay away from foods that you know are not the healthiest. Eating well does not mean you are going to lose weight. A healthy diet is important, period. Make sure you get fresh servings of fruits and vegetables as well as adequate amounts of protein. Carbs and some fats will also be beneficial which brings me to the next point:

Exercise - You didn’t think you can just sit back and gain weight did you? Carbs provide the body with a fantastic source of energy needed to work out. Find a routine that works for you. The key is to find exercises that build muscle and don’t burn too much energy.

Someone who wants to lose weight, for instance, will run hours on a treadmill trying to burn as much calories and fat as possible. That’s not what you want!  Cardio in and of itself is not a bad idea but you should seek a less ‘energy intensive’ workout regimen. Warm up, stretch and do some weight lifting and other resistance training. Have patience.  Initially you will start burning fat, but eventually you will also bulk up some muscle.

Composition – One thing that is often neglected in many weight gain sites is the idea of body composition. What this basically encompasses are the relative ratios of body fat to muscle. In other words, check your priorities. Do you want to gain 20 lbs in fat or would you rather have a healthy blend of 20 lbs in fat and muscle?

Body Image – No matter what happens, make sure you are comfortable in your skin. Don’t work to other people’s standards! Indeed modern media bombards us with images of skinny people telling us how easy it is to (lose fat and) gain absurd amounts of muscle in a short amount of time. This is nonsense, pure and simple. Any diet will take time to see results. Just make sure those results are what YOU want, not what is imposed upon you.

Don’t agonize over your weight, anything worth doing is worth doing right. Anything worth having is worth waiting. Regardless of what your goals are, reaching them will take some time, but it will totally be worth it in the end!

Related posts:

1. Eat Simpler, Be Healthier!

At Health and Life, we have been grappling with the question – what drugs are relatively unknown today, the Winter of 2010, but will be major players 5 years from now?

To get an answer, we needed a better question.  What pharmacological innovations will allow the necessary marketing to turn a treatment into a major success and hopefully better treatments for patients?

This list of ten treatments spans from the already approved to the investigational.  Each has some aspect that shines through.  Read for curiosity’s sake or to know where the market is going.

We expect each one to do well, but make no promises.  The market is just too complex. Any treatment can fall from favor in a month or two if a nasty side effect arises, for instance.

#1 Byetta once weekly

This is a medication we like and think will do well.  Chemically, it acts like glucagon-like peptide 1, a substance released when you eat food that does a bunch of nifty things.  Byetta reduces your appetite, blood sugar, and helps improve important markers associated with diabetes.

In one study, 75% of those on Byetta with diabetes lost weight.  That’s pretty impressive.

Byetta is on the market right now and is taken twice daily by injection.  A once weekly form is up for FDA review which is significantly more convenient and could even improve results.  Some studies have shown that once weekly treatment slightly improves HbA1c, an important diabetes related marker, with 77% achieving target levels.

The main concern is the advent of similar medications in the same class and that Byetta might not completely pass the upcoming FDA review.  One analyst commented that the movement of the FDA review from March 5 to March 12 is a sign of bad news and a possible request for more data.

A delay for Byetta once weekly could cost it significant market share.

Market: People with Type II diabetes, a large market and one that is only growing.  The upcoming FDA decision will determine how quickly Byetta once weekly can enter the market.

#2 Stelara

Some call it “Stellar Stelara.” Stelara is a very good treatment for psoriasis, achieving 75% reduction in plaque area and severity in at least 2/3 of those who take it.  This improvement is large.  We’re talking about going from almost complete skin coverage in psoriasis to almost clear skin in some patients.

Studies have shown its superiority over traditional psoriasis treatments.

That’s a good start but not a clear winning advantage.  Studies that show superior efficacy of one treatment over another might not receive the widest distribution, or are susceptible to challenge.

The second part that makes Stelara so exciting is that it only needs to be given 5 times a year.  This is a lot better than most of its competitors.  Enbrel, for instance, needs to be given weekly.  Since delivery of both is by injection that is a significant advantage.  Think 5 injections per year, or 52 injections.  Which would you prefer?

Stelara might even have uses for other conditions beyond psoriasis.

Market: The psoriasis market is fairly large but has a fair amount of competitors.  Considering the advantages Stelara has, however, it should do well.

#3 Valdoxan

is a new antidepressant that has some exciting new biochemical activity – it avoids the serotonin pathways that are so popular and instead works on melatonin.  Its novel activity is already making for a great marketing angle.  (Skeptics will recall that there are already antidepressants that aren’t serotonin based.)

Because of its new mechanism of action, it’s likely that Valdoxan will have significantly less side effects compared to the SSRIs.  If it overcomes the concerns around it, efficacy, liver issues, suicidal ideation – two thirds of which apply to the SSRIs, Valdoxan could easily be a blockbuster.

Market: 10% of Americans are on antidepressants, and rate of use appears to be still growing.  A very significant percentage of people who start antidepressants report side effects as a serious issue.

#4 Provenge

This is a novel treatment for prostate cancer.  Provenge works well but there have been concerns about its ability to get FDA approval.  We strongly think it’s going to make it.  But we’re not sure is how well it will sell.

Here’s why.

First, Provenge is made by harvesting blood cells from a patient, training them to develop an immune response to certain prostate markers, then putting them back in.  This is a complex, multi-step procedure that is impossible to fully standardize.

It is a far cry from manufacturing 100,000 pills all with the exact same chemical composition.

The FDA in 2007 asked for more data on Provenge despite it showing very significant survival benefit because the trials failed to meet their primary goal.  The primary goal was to increase the time it took for the cancer to progress.  Critics were outraged because the trials did show a significant increase in life expectancy.

A new study on Provenge designed with the primary goal of increasing objective survival recently released data showing it met its goal.

We’re talking about a 35% increase in life expectancy in metastatic, androgen independent prostate cancer patients who take it.

That’s huge.  We expect Provenge to get approval despite its complexity because it is a proven life-prolonging treatment and the new study meets most of the concerns the FDA raised.

Market: Men with prostate cancer, a condition that kills 28,000 people yearly.  Some analysts predict 10-20% market penetration by Provenge.

#5 Apixaban

Apixaban is a new cardiac medication being developed for a variety of conditions, ranging from preventing deep venous thrombosis to being used as a prophylactic treatment after an acute coronary event like a heart attack.

It targets a key factor in the blood clothing pathway.

Those indications are a tremendously sized market.

Most importantly, Apixaban seems to work fairly well.  In one study for preventing thrombosis after knee replacement, the problem of blood clots forming after surgery, 9% of those on Apixaban had an adverse event, as opposed to 15% of those on Lovenox and 26% of those on Warfarin.  Those type of data makes specialists’ jaws drop.

Also in its favor, Apixaban can be taken orally and has pharmacological behavior that is quite promising, like minimal drug interactions.  Lovenox and Warfarin, two of its existing competitors, must be given by injection and Warfarin has many drug interactions

Market: Potentially very many cardiac related uses.  While Apixaban seems very promising, it has not yet been FDA approved, while competitors like Rivaroxaban and Dabigatran are entering the market in Europe and Canada.

#6 Lyrica

Lyrica is an interesting medication and its variety of action means it can be prescribed to an awfully large audience.  Lyrica reduces anxiety and pain and while also acting as an anti-convulsant.  This is the same profile of activity that is exhibited by the benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium.

Xanax and Valium have been extremely, extremely successful despite their high risk of addiction and abuse.  (Or perhaps because of…)  The important thing is that it seems that Lyrica has less potential for abuse and addiction.

At the moment, Lyrica is approved for a variety of conditions like fibromyalgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy.  Pfizer is researching its use for restless legs syndrome, sole therapy for epilepsy, and varied pain conditions.

And they are filing an application right now for its use in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Market: Lyrica is already approved for a variety of conditions like fibromyalgia.  We expect Pfizer to drastically increase its market by getting an indication for GAD as well as possibly over conditions

#7 Sutent

Sutent is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits a variety of cancer related pathways.  It is less specific in its targets than other tyrosine kinase inhibitors which has proven to be extremely important.  A wider range of therapeutic action can mean more efficacy as well as ability to work as a treatment for different types of cancer.

Sutent has shown its mettle for treating renal cell carcinoma and as a back up therapy for gastrointestional stromal tumors.  Since it affects several cancer related pathways, it is highly likely it will show efficacy for other cancers as well, especially pancreatic.

Sutent costs around $50,000 a year.

Market: Sutent is currently used for renal cell carcinoma and as a back-up therapy for GIST.  Pfizer, however, is running trials of Sutent for Colon, Lung and Prostate Cancer and others – a positive indication for any of which greatly expand its uses.

Not to mention that Pfizer is applying for registration to use Sutent for a type of Pancreatic cancer.

#8 Belatacept

This is a treatment to help prevent rejection of kidney organ transplants.  The benefits it has may include lower risk of developing diabetes and better blood levels control with a lower intensity regime in transplant patients.

You might just have to take Belatacept every few weeks as opposed to twice daily for Cyclosporine, the current standard of care.

Not to mention that studies have shown that patients on Belatacept have higher kidney function as well as better blood pressure levels.

Most concerning is an increase in rates of acute kidney rejection on those taking Belatacept.  On the other hand, there has been cases of rare conditions like progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in those on Belatacept.    Still, an FDA advisory panel just heavily voted for its approval, saying that such issues can be monitored over time.

There has not been much innovation in the transplant medication field, and Belatacept seems to have some advantages over current therapy.  We expect it to do well.

Market: 16,500 kidneys are transplanted per year in the USA

#9 Benlysta

Lupus, a strange autoimmune condition, is an open market.  Anywhere from 250,000 to 1.5 million Americans have some form of it, and there has been no new medication in several decades.

Benlysta, a new lupus treatment, could shake things up.  It is a monoclonal antibody to B-lymphocyte stimulator which plays a role in the development of the immune system’s B-cells.  The mechanism of action is promising.

That said, the data have shown lackluster efficacy. In one study, 57% of patients responded to a higher dose of Benlysta compared to 43% response in placebo.

Still, the market is huge and wants a new medication.  Projections of sales for Benlysta, if it makes it past the FDA, go as high as $4 billion annually.

It is a medication worth watching but we would bet against it.

Market: Anywhere from 250,000 to 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus

#10 Intuniv

Intuniv is a new non-stimulant treatment for ADHD made by Shire.  Crucially, it seems to be more effective than Strattera, the first non-stimulant medication approved for ADHD which most people agree was a failure.

We expect it to be a winner because there is a significant demand for non-stimulant therapy for ADHD.  Add to that the proven power of Shire to market new ADHD pharmaceuticals (their launch of the stimulant Vyvanse has resulted in rapidly growing market share) and you get what will likely be a significant hit.

Market: Up to 10% of children and 5% of adults have ADHD.  30% of people either don’t respond to or have significant side effects from the stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall.

Intuniv can be used alongside traditional treatment or as monotherapy.  Our analysis has hinted at potential side effects like high rates of fainting – if those issues don’t rise like a specter, expect Intuniv to sell quite well.

Related posts:

1. Dendreon’s Provenge for Prostate Cancer
2. Stelara for Psoriasis; Side Effects
3. Lyrica Medication Uses, Side Effects

Health and Life is proud to be hosting the 32cond edition of the Cancer Research Blog Carnival.

Why do we participate?

The Cancer Research Blog Carnival (CRBC) is a fun way to connect bloggers across different areas with one goal – to blog about some area of cancer research.  We’ve learned a lot from reading the past posts and hope that our edition of the CRBC will have some good ones!

Any preferences for entries?

Anything to do with cancer research is good.  That said, we at Health and Life are pharmacology buffs.  We love learning about medications.  Submissions relating to cancer chemotheraputics are especially welcome.

If interested, you can use this form to submit an entry.

Related posts:

1. Cancer Carnival #30
2. Cancer Blog Carnival #30
3. Blog, Help People, Win $750

Provenge is a promising new therapy made by Dendreon for certain types of prostate cancer.  It has shown strong efficacy to date in several studies, but concerns about how it is made played a large role in the FDA asking for more data on it in 2007.  It is up for another FDA examination later this year.

Provenge is made using your body’s own immune cells.  To do so, you are hooked up to a machine which filters out certain cells from your blood.  Those cells are then taken to a lab where they are exposed to certain elements that are a significant part of prostate cancer.  This trains them to attack those elements.

After this training, the cells are infused back into your body.  The whole process typically takes 3 injections over the course of a month.

Efficacy

The number one question people have about any treatment is, how well does it work?

The data increasingly shows that Provenge increases lifespan, or objective survival rate, in those who take it.  In one study of 127 patients, those who took Provenge lived an average of 4.5 months longer than those given placebo.  Additionally, those on Provenge were three times as likely to be alive 3 years after the start of treatment compared to placebo.

That said, the exact types of prostate cancer that best benefit from Provenge have not fully been figured out yet.

FDA Asks for More Data

When Provenge was submitted for FDA approval in 2007, it had the strong approval of an advisory committee.  The FDA decided to ignore the advisory committee’s opinion possibly due in part to three letters written to it attacking Provenge.

One of the key elements was pointing out that the studies into Provenge had not met their primary objective, of reducing the time that the prostate cancer took to progress.  Improving the objective survival rate was not the primary goal of the study so the studies were, arguably, a failure.

Considering that patients on Provenge lived a significantly longer time than those not, this decision outraged many.  Some argued that unseen political maneuvering was preventing a lifesaving medication from reaching market.

To placate the FDA, there has been an additional study run with the primary goal of increasing lifespan of those on Provenge.  This goal has been met with the latest study showing an increase in survival of around 4 months and an increase of 38% in chance of being alive at three years – for those taking Provenge.

Side effects

Less than 3% of patients are unable to complete all three infusions due to side effects.  There are similar rates of side effects in people on Provenge and on placebo.

All side effects that were considered serious resolved within 24 hours and all patients recovered.

57% on Provenge report chills

48% report fatigue

32% report pyrexia or fever

19% report headache

14% report asthenia or weakness

14% report nausea

13.6% report anemia

13% report paresthesia or tingling sensation

11% report chest wall pain

11% report dyspnea or shortness of breath

11% report vomiting

Cerebrovascular Events

The data indicates that there may be some increase in cerebrovascular events such as stroke in patients on Provenge.  One study indicated a higher rate of such incidents on those on the medication.  Due to the small numbers of participants, however, it is possible that the higher rate was in part from normal statistical variation.

Sources:

1) Treatment of prostate cancer: therapeutic potential of targeted immunotherapy with APC8015
2) Integrated data from 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials of active cellular immunotherapy with sipuleucel-T in advanced prostate cancer
3) IMPACT: Sipuleucel-T vaccine increased OS

Related posts:

1. Tarceva: Drug Efficacy, Side Effects
2. Tamoxifen vs Arimidex as Adjuvant Therapy
3. The 10 Next Blockbuster Drugs

Many of us at one time or another have had to deal with acne, especially during our teen years. Upon noticing the first pimple on the face, many often turn to the Internet for advice.

Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to find an effective remedy without being sold every acne product in the book. Here, we give a few simple tips on how to help clear the skin of acne.

1) Sleep with a hand towel on your pillow case – Though this may sound like some sort of quack remedy, I can personally vouch for this technique. Every night, before you go to sleep, put a hand towel over your pillow and sleep on it. Doing so will gently absorb any excess oil from your face and help clear your skin. It may take several weeks for you to see results. Change the towel every night.

2) Facial Toner works wonders - Find a non-alcohol based facial toner. Personally I use Violet Rose Skin Toner by Rachel Perry, but many other brands work just as well I’m sure. Dab some on a cotton ball and wipe your face when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Clean especially around the ridges of the nose and around the upper lip area. Doing so will help keep your pores clear. You won’t believe the amount of dirt that will come off –even after a shower.

3) Face wash – When showering use a good scrubbing scrub. You may want to to try something more mild for moderate acne or something with a little more OOMPH. The are two major chemicals used in conventional acne face washes: Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid. Both have been shown to be effective in drying up acne. The former can be found without a prescription at concentrations up to 10%. Be sure to use as directed, you don’t want to make your face too dry!

4) Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize – As mentioned a lot of products advertised to treat acne can leave your skin feeling dry. Find a mild oil-free moisturizer to keep your skin feeling refreshed and moist. A moisturizer with a sunscreen (SPF) couldn’t hurt either!

5) Don’t mix and match - As much as it stinks, acne does not disappear overnight. Many people will use multiple treatment options i.e. mixing benzoyl peroxide with salicylic acid and expect to double the potency of their treatment. Unfortunately, this will only irritate your skin and make you feel more uncomfortable. Be patient! Nothing is forever.

No related posts.

Another Sunday, another Health and Life Pharma News update!

As follows, are the biggest Pharma news items of the last week to get you up to speed.

#1 California County Sues GSK Over Avandia

A California county is suing GlaxoSmithKline, accusing it of falsely advertising its diabetes medication, Avandia.

This is a significant and unpleasant event for Glaxo, which has been embroiled for several weeks in controversy that its popular diabetes medication had unreported and high rates of heart problems.

#2 Medivation’s Dimebon fails Phase III for Alzheimer’s, shares collapse

This week Dimebon, a proposed treatment for Alzheimer’s, failed to show efficacy in a Phase III trial.  Shares of Medivation, its makers, plunged 68%.

Those in the know were rightfully skeptical.  Not an unexpected but still nasty new item.

#3 Bayer’s Birth-Control Problem Is Exploding: 1,100 Lawsuits Allege Yaz Causes Blood Clots

Bayer’s 2009 annual report reveals that more than 1,100 lawsuits have been filed against it, claiming that birth control pill Yaz causes birth defects.

#4 FDA panel backs Bristol transplant drug

On March 1, an FDA advisory panel voted 13-5 that Belatacept should be accepted later by the FDA, noting that potential concerns could be monitored for after approval.

Belatacept is a novel treatment for preventing rejection of kidney transplants.  Final voting will take place on May 1rst.

#5 Bristol-Myers Operating Chief To Replace Cornelius As CEO

Bristol-Myers Squibb is changing its leadership.  It revealed on Tuesday that Lamberto Andreotti will be the new CEO, replacing James Cornelius who is retiring.

#6 Controversy on PSA Test for Prostate Cancer

This week had more controversy for once dearly viewed diagnostic tests.  The question raised is, do tests for Prostate Cancer save lives through better detection?  Considering the extremely high rate of false positives in prostate cancer screening, the answer is not so easy.

#7 1/4 Parents Believe Vaccines Cause Autism

One out of four parents believe that some vaccines cause autism.

#8 Gene Test Aids Breast Cancer Treatment

Innovative research shows that 6 genes can point to response to traditional chemotherapy or not in patients being treated for breast cancer.  This is important because of how common breast cancer is and because it may pave the way to genetic testing for improved treatment of other cancers as well.

#9 New Breast Cancer Subtype?

The Drug Discovery Opinion reports on the possible discovery of a new subtype of breast cancer.  This may lead to new treatment options for triple negative breast cancer women.

Related posts:

1. Digital vs Film-Screen Mammography for Breast Cancer
2. Tamoxifen for Breast Cancer & Side Effects

We at Health and Life took a corporate visit to the local Quik-E Mart and used our company credit card to purchase a pack of Trident Wintergreen Gum, along with a banana, hoping accounting won’t notice (we’re pretty sure they don’t read the blog).

The question we had to answer.  Is Trident chewing gum – and gum in general – safe?

We wanted answers and it seemed the only way we could get them was by obtaining the product in question, no matter the cost.  Once procured, we got to work.  We went through all the ingredients and ran them through some medical databases.

We do not believe that there is the risk of synergy among the ingredients; that if one is safe by itself, it won’t be toxic in combination with another safe ingredient.

We also read some research papers on the safety and use of chewing gum in general.

Here are our conclusions:

Let’s start with the positives.

First, it’s important to note that chewing gum has been proposed by fairly reputable sources as a way to reduce cavities in children.  This, of course, only applies to gum that doesn’t have sugar in the form of sucrose.

Chewing gum increases salivary flow that is typically high in bicarbonates.  This makes your saliva more basic, the opposite of acidic, and can harm bacteria.  Additionally, the saliva induced by chewing gum may be supersaturated with important minerals, again if sucrose free.

Chewing gum may also improve your memory.  Some studies have shown that people who memorize a list of words while chewing gum and are asked to remember it (again while chewing gum) do so better.  That said, there are studies that show no benefit for memory.

Now the possible issues.

The Trident chewing gum we looked at contains a variety of ingredients.  Our analysis is that it is most likely safe at typical levels but at much higher levels may cause gastrointestional issues.  Let’s go through each of them and see what problems there may be.

Xylitol: this is made by the body as part of some metabolic processes.  It has been shown in many studies to not be carcinogenic.

Sorbitol: very similar to xylitol

Asparatame: while this sugar substitute has a bad reputation, the FDA said about it that it is “one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives” and that it is safe.

Acesulfame Potassium: not much evidence for it either way.  We think it is the weakest link, while still probably being very safe, because studies have shown it is safe at concentrations less than 3% and the gum label says it is present at less than 2%.

We are in the process of obtaining the exact levels in gum.

BHT: this is a freshness preservative that has raised some concerns.  It’s important to note that the studies that raise concern were at extremely high levels while it is present in gum at levels of parts per million or parts per billion.

Gastrointestional issues

There have been reports of people who experienced diarrhea and other digestive issues because of high consumption of chewing gum along with other foods containing artificial sugars.

Studies in dogs have shown that xylitol can cause gastrointestinal issues and morphological changes.

Our analysis is that you should be fine if you consume less than 10 sticks of gum a day as those levels are well within target ranges.  That said, if you chew gum and experience stomach or digestive issues, it might make sense to cut back.

Remember, we are not Doctors, although one of us is studying Toxicology.

No related posts.

At least one of these facts will be so surprising that you’ll never forget it.  There’s some weird stuff going on.

1) Chewing gum is a valid medical treatment with research papers written and clinical trials run for its use in treating ileus.

2) DBCP is a pesticide that was used on over 40 crops in the United States until 1977.  It turns out it can, at fairly low doses, make men sterile.

3) Some medical schools don’t require Doctors to promise that they should “first, do no harm” to patients anymore.

4) Researchers let hundreds of black men suffer from untreated syphilis for 40 years.  The poor men had no idea why they were sick and trusted that the researchers were giving them the best healthcare possible.

This “Tuskgee syphilis experiment” only ended in 1972.

Maybe there was a reason for number 3?

5) They sometimes say that they don’t make men like they used to.  Turns out that might be true.

In the old days, men would make 20 million sperm on ejaculation.  Some studies have shown that number has dropped by half to “just” 10 million.  This has absolutely nothing to do with number 2.

6) You might not know that cows are known for being animals that chew food, swallow it, then spit it back up to be eaten again.  That’s weird enough.  But here’s the kicker.

It turns out that people can do the same thing.  It’s a condition called “rumination.”  And the best part?  A possible treatment for rumination consists of chewing gum.

7) A handful of Botulism toxin can kill millions of people.

8) A central tenant of toxicology is that anything whatsoever can be poisonous if given at high enough levels.  That includes water.

9) Plato, a famous Greek philosopher, believed that being scared could cause birth defects.

10) Half of the studies into some antidepressants show that they are no more effective than placebo.  Companies aren’t required to report studies that show their med doesn’t work when seeking FDA approval.

11) For a long time, Doctors wouldn’t wash their hands or instruments.  They could go from operating from a patient with a fatal infectious disease to using the same instrument on you.

The first Doctor to realize that this was a problem decided to do something and made those he knew start washing their hands.  Fatality rates plummeted.  But get this.

When the Doctor decided to make public his idea – that Doctors should wash their hands – the reaction wasn’t good.

It ended with him beaten and thrown into an insane asylum, where he died.  People don’t like being told that their bad habits are killing someone else.

12) Thalidomide has been described as being the cause of the worst health failure of the entire 20^th century – it was a medication that caused thousands of children to be born with serious birth defects like having minute flippers for arms.

One woman at the FDA had a bad feeling about Thalidomide and stopped it from entering the US.  She was a hero.

Yet recent events have shown that Thalidomide might be a useful medical treatment after all.  Thalidomide is now a standard treatment for leprosy and some types of cancer.

You might like:

20 Fun Facts about Alcohol

The 10 Worst Diseases Ever

Related posts:

1. The 14 Weirdest Medical Facts I Know

Concerta vs Adderall XR

Concerta and Adderall XR are two very common and popular treatments for ADHD.

How well do they work?  And how do they compare?

Concerta

Concerta is a long acting form of Ritalin.  Ritalin is chemically known as methylphenidate, and acts on dopamine and norepinephrine receptors.  It temporarily blocks their ability to remove those neurotransmitters from the space in between cells.

And since dopamine and norepinephrine stay around for a longer time, they have a stronger effect.  This leads to better focus concentration and motivation.

Adderall XR

Adderall XR is a long acting form of Adderall.  Adderall is a mix of different amphetamines, including both the l and the d form.  Amphetamines, like Ritalin, also act to prevent the removal of dopamine and norepinephrine from the space inbetween cells.

Unlike Ritalin, however, Adderall may also cause the cell to pump out dopamine.

Efficacy: Concerta vs Adderall XR

About the same percentage of people will get benefit from Concerta as will from Adderall XR.  They work at almost the exact same rates.  Around 70% of those who use either medication along with therapy will have very significant improvement in ADHD symptoms.

That said, it is possible that someone will respond better to Concerta than to Adderall.  Dr. Tuckman, a clinician with significant ADHD experience, reports that roughly 1/3 of patients will respond best to a Ritalin type medication, 1/3 best to an amphetamine, and 1/3 will respond equally to both.

Long lasting form

It is important to note that both Concerta and Adderall XR are long lasting forms of stimulant medication.  They both last for an extended period of time, roughly 10-12 hours.

This is important because clinicians report superior treatment results with long lasting forms as opposed to the instant release.  Studies are also starting to strongly support the superiority of long lasting treatment versus short lasting.

In one study of 70 patients, for instance, 97% preferred the long acting form of Ritalin over the short acting.  In another, 44% of those on long lasting form of medication had ADHD symptom remission, as opposed to only 16% of those on short acting.

Side Effects

Both Concerta and Adderall XR have similar rates and similar types of side effects.

The most common side effects from both include anxiety, insomnia, and trouble eating.  Some studies have indicated that side effects for the medications tend to diminish over time.  This may be due to the body becoming used to the med.  It may also be because those for whom it is a significant issue, discontinue use.

It is possible that long term use of either medication is associated with slight decreases in weight and/or height in children.

Related posts:

1. Adderall vs Ritalin – Benefits, Problems
2. Intuniv for ADHD: Efficacy, Side Effects
3. A Full List of Medications for ADHD

Another week, another Pharma News Update from Health and Life.

#1 Glaxo Strikes Back At Critics – But It’s a Swing and a Miss

The biggest health news item over the last two weeks is what is shaping up to be yet another major health disaster.  Avandia, a popular diabetes medication, may have caused many heart attacks.

A medication in the same class, Rezulin, was removed from the market in 2000 due to liver problems.

Last week, Glaxo, its maker, tried to defend itself, but this piece argues it was a swing and a miss.

Seven of [the nine studies sponsored by GSK] showed either that there were some increased side effects in patients taking Avandia, including heart attacks, or that Avandia wasn’t as effective as other treatments.

#2 Back-and-forth on Seroquel as trial begins

Seroquel, an extremely popular antipsychotic, likely causes metabolic issues that can lead to diabetes.  It’s just something that – unfortunately – the antipyschotics tend to do.

This major lawsuit, the first one to put Seroquel on trial, alleges that AstraZeneca suppressed that risk in favor of aggressive marketing.

AstraZeneca’s lawyers said that Seroquel doesn’t cause diabetes, blaming plaintiff Ted Baker’s disease on his diet and lifestyle.

#3 The Most Expensive Drugs Today

Forbes reports on the most expensive drugs, with Soliris, costing $409,500 a year, coming in first.  Wowza.

But remember, some of these medications are for sickness that are very, very rare.  Some of which are so rare that there are only several thousand people with them in the world.

#4 These Drugs Generated Most Adverse Event Reports

PharmaLot, an excellent source of industry news, provides this analysis of which medications caused the most adverse event reports in the third quarter 2009.  Not surprisingly, Avandia is on there.

#5 An Untouched Market Waiting to Be Captured

30% of prescriptions for diabetes medications like Januvia or Actos are not filled.

28% of prescriptions for cholesterol medications like Lipitor or Crestor are not filled.

This represents a huge opportunity for Pharma companies.  Orders for their product are being made just not filled.  Marketing that increases the rate of prescriptions that are actually filled could be an easy way to make more money.  (And presumably improve the health of those taking them.)

#6 Transplanting Future Revenue

Belatacept is an exciting and promising new medication for preventing organ transplant rejections.  There has not been much innovation in this field for a while, and it is fairly important.  When you get a kidney transplant, you’d prefer that your body not try to kill the new kidney.

That said, documents released on Monday raise concerns about Belatacept’s potential to lead to complications like progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

#7 Scientists Find Possible Cause of Tamoixfen Resistance

Who can forget that magical moment when the Human Genome Project finished sequencing the first human genome?  The only problem is that since then treatments based off genetics have been somewhat slow to come.

It seems that resistance to Tamoxifen, a very common treatment for breast cancer, may be predicted by the presence of a gene.  Breast cancer is extremely common and any treatment improvements can make a major difference.

#8 Extended-Release Mirapex Approved for Parkinson’s Disease

Mirapex ER, an extended release form of Pramipexole, was approved last week as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease.

#9 Hints of Cancer Risk from Diabetes Drug Victoza

Will Victoza, a new diabetes medication, succeed?  Despite having some advantages, there has been a lot of complications that are getting in its way.  And it is likely only a matter of time before a once weekly form of Byetta, its competitor, is approved.

Some animal models have hinted at carcinogenicity in Victoza.  Such models aren’t necessarily examples of good science but this certainly won’t help Victoza in its extremely competitive market.

Related posts:

1. The Weekly Pharma News Update
2. The Weekly Pharma News Update #3
3. Lipitor: Unusual Side Effects