Medical Marijuana Inches Closer to Beat Viagra

Seems like Marijuana is taking a medical form to stock up its sales and popularity. It’s a good way to become legal as well, well atleast for those who want to boost the performance of their senses. So now we guess that Viagra maybe facing some stiff competition from this heady plant medicine.

The fascination for marijuana has grown manifold ever since its medical version was introduced. Now people would get a taste of it legally and because of this fact, its sales have reached a whopping $1.7 billion in no time. Compare this to the annual sales of Viagra which is around $1.9 billion and we have a lip smacking clash of the titans, a battle of the drugs indeed. It has been said that in around 5 years time, the sales of the medical marijuana will reach around $8.9 billion, which is just amazing as this drug has been prescribed for various medical problems in many states of the US.

Although under the federal law, the sale of this medical form is prohibited, it remains to be seen as to what will be the future actions of the federal government regarding this drug. If people are being benefited from it and if its side effects are mild and harmless, then medical marijuana should be legalized in all the states.

Judging by its current sales and popularity, it might be likely that this medicine might just beat the blockbuster drug that is Viagra. Well, only time will tell.

Big Pharma Companies, Good and Bad

Big Pharma is both good and evil. Regardless of its motives, Big Pharma has prolonged our lives or kept our lifespan about this same (which is remarkable considering how fat an unhealthy we are). Maybe we all need a wake-up call to realize that a longer life isn't necessarily a better life... I for one would rather die at 70 then to live from 75 - 95 in a nursing home staring at a TV drooling while some nurse changes my poop filled depends twice a day.

If you want to give Big Pharma the proverbial 'middle finger' then put down the fork, the cigs, and get off of your couch and do 30 - 60 minutes of exercising a day (the anti-glutton effect). This will lower your blood pressure (no more ACEs, ARBs, beta blockers, CCBs, alpha antagonists), cholesterol (bye bye statins, niacin, fibrates and zetia), reverse diabetes (no more metformin, TZDs, insuline), and prevent heart attack (adios plavix/effient/brillinta).

Yes, I realize that genetics and other uncontrollable factors cause illness... but many things are preventable by not smoking, eating decent, and exercising. But if you choose to ignore the anti glutton effect fact, then don't you dare b*tch about "Big Pharma" and "Big Medicine."

Generic drugs help defray the cost pharma drugs which I would hope means lower healthcare costs and health insurance premiums. It certainly doesn't address more investment into preventative care. I would agree with many comments that while NIH helps to fund many pharma drug research projects, pharmaceuticals turn around charge health care providers and patients eye-gouging prices that only aid increasing insurance costs. So pharma basically uses the consumer, hospitals and health insurance companies as its piggy bank. Yet, these same companies cannot charge market rate for their drugs in countries with cost controls like Canada. The same Lipitor drug is sold at dramatically different rates. And what is so bizarre is that our government says it's fine to have two different pricing systems for pharma: the US and everyone else. So our government uses our tax money to finance a drug development system that gouges its own citizens. I understand pharmas use clinical developers that fund their own trials and the cost to bring a drug to market can run into the millions. If the government helps, then that cost to consumers should reflect savings proportionate to the aid. Bioethics aside, prevention is preferable to cure.

Drug agency Recommends Lower Dose of Ambien for Women

Ambien was taken for sleep in American’s for almost 20 years. However, FDA- food and drug administration got complaints that taking that drug made them drowsy the next morning and sometimes led to accidents.

After test on drowsiness risk on driving, the agency said on Thursday that woman should take half the drug.
This applies to the drugs containing Zolpidem. Half dose ensures that less drug remains in the blood and people can drive in the morning.

There is an increased usage of these sleeping pills due to the fast life. As per IMS which a healthcare and technology company, it says that in 2011 there were almost 60 million prescriptions, which was 20% then 2006 and 40 million were for products that was having Zolpidem.

The recommendation was mainly based for women because the mobilization takes longer in them as compared to men. Almost 10% to 15% of women will have the drug in their blood after 8 hours and compared to only 3% men, as said by Dr. Robert Temple, Officer, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

There were many reports in regards to problems caused after the use of sleeping pills, and doctors have questioned why it took time for the agency to act so late. The effects are driving in sleep, eating, texting having sex and no memory of the same in the morning, these are all well known.

As said by Daniel Carlat, Associate Clinical professor, Psychiatry, Tufts University, “the agency is behind to pass the recommendation as the doctors are well aware of the conditions like this. This will be good as the patients will ask proper dose.”

Agency said that there were 700 complaints about driving accident and Zolpidem intake, for many years, there was a spike in 2007, when the label was changed and more people complained. But a connection between the report and the drug was not easy to make, as they did not remembered the time of pill intake as they were drinking.

Until the time when agency performed controlled test of Inetrmezzo to get driving simulation, approved in 2011 for walking in mid of night, then they were aware of the risk. The driving simulation was then associated with the quantity of Zolpidem in the blood, if there was 50nanograms/milliliter that can cause accidents, as confirmed by Dr. Ellis Unger, Agency officer, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Dr. Unger also said that all sleeping pills manufacturers have to perform driving trials; however a spokesperson said that it is not necessary. Dr. Unger also added that it is a big problem and he is not sure why this decision was taken so late.

For the immediate release products such as Zolpimist, Edluar and Ambien, the normal dosage needs to be lessened to5mg from 10mg. For extended release it has to be lessened to 6.25mg from 12.5mg. Most of Zolpidem containing drugs are now generic.

For men the label should state that lower dose should be considered.

Patient’s prescribed higher dose should take them but agency said that they should speak with their doctors about lowering them as doctors can again switch to higher one of the lower is not working, as said by Dr. Unger lower doses are available they are used in older patients.

The manufacturer of Ambien CR and Ambien is Sanofi, they said that, it is always recommended to check with your doctor for dosage and also to know what it is; the label has important information. Company is supporting the clinical trials that are required for efficacy and safety.

Dr. Unger said that there are reports that Zolpidem causes sleep walk, hence the lowering of the dose may lower this, though it is not as strong as drowsiness in the morning. One of the patients of Dr. Carlat was gaining weight as was not able to remember the midnight trips that he use to do to the kitchen.

Dr. Daniel Kripke, Professor, Psychiatry, University of California, he agreed to the move with happiness but at the same time he wants the agency to look for other side effects as well.

He said it is a good move and in a right way. He also said that sleeping pills increase the sleep by 20 mins but can hamper the next day’s performance.

Agency’s critic said that on the Intermezzo label, there is a clear warning for women; hence agency was well aware about the problem.

However Thomas Roth, Director, Sleep center, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, also sleeping pills makers’ consultant, said that agency was concerned about the sleepy driving, but now they care more, the lowered dose will surely help in this.

Agency said that every patient will have different dose and they will be prescribed accordingly, however the dosage will be as lowest as possible.

Dr. Daniel J. Buysse, Professor, Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said that he has started telling the patient to take half dose if required by telling to cut the tablet half.

Also said that we will have to be more attentive in this and will not have big effect in what he has done.

Does Alternative Medicines Really Work?

Views are little ambivalent when it comes to alternative medicines. Reason for that is alternative medicine is very broad spectrum. Because of half a dozen varieties it is difficult to understand what really defines alternative medicine.

Alternative medicine or alternative treatment includes herbal remedies, acupressure or puncture, homeopathy, chiropractics etc. So experts classify medicine in two categories, one traditional medicine; second rest. Traditional treatment is evidence based with scientific back ground. Alternative medicine falls into 'rest category'.

One would definitely have got question in their mind on why do alternative medicines work? What is the reason of the success where as it does not have scientifically proven method? Some experts answer these questions with 'Placebo effects'. Placebo is treatment which does not have any effects. In clinical trial placebo concept is used to prove effects of real treatment by comparing results of placebo medicine.

People who oppose alternative medicine give example of recent proven-scam of PowerBalance bracelet. The bracelet was claimed to have increased positive strength and brought balance in one's life. The effects were supposedly caused by so called new holographic technology.

But the product eventually found to be not working when tested. Manufacturer company also confessed to falsifying about the effects of bracelet.

While on other hand, alternative medicine like Homeopathy has been found effective in treating many ailments such as hair loss (less effective than Minoxidil). But nobody has been able to explain its working mechanism. Only fact that has been proven about homeopathy is promising result can be obtained when medicine is administered with extremely diluted form. More dilution more powerful result that too with zero side effects.

Tasimelteon, Sleep Disorder Drug, Shows Promising Result

Tasimelteon was able to pass the second trial which was late stage and the results were good. It is effective against a rare condition called NON-24: Non 24 hours sleep wake disorder.

NON -24 is a sleep cicadian rhythm disorder, the characteristics are like the person falls asleep and gets up hourly late, as the body clock cannot adjust properly to the cycle of dark and light. As a result people feel tired and exhausted during the day. The disorder is rare and can happen to 1 out of 2000 people; however it is common in people who are blind.  There is no approved treatment for it yet.

Vanda’s drug helps to regulate circadian rhythm and act as melatonin agonist. The master clock in hypothalamus is reset, that stabilizes cortisol and melatonin rhythms back to 24 hours cycle of night and day.
To check the safety and efficiency of the drug a study was conducted where people were treated.

Trial result were impressive
Tasimelteon was better as compared to Placebo, in the first late stage. 20mg of Tasimelteon was given to 20 patients for 2 months. The effectiveness of the drug was displayed in the first trial itself showing entertainment melatonin superiorly maintained in Tasimelteon patients.

The second trial had same results, where cortisol rhythm was maintained better in Tasimelteon as compared with Placebo patients. Hence they had normal and better sleep.

As said by Steven W. Lockley, Ph.D. from Division of Sleep Medicine in Brigham and Women's Hospital also he is Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate.

The result prove that Tasimelteon can entertain the circadian clock and to maintain the same the continue treatment is required. The entertainment should be also beneficial clinically and to treat NON-24 the master clock has to be entertainment needs to be maintained.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc shares have gone up after this and they said that approval request will be send this midyear.

Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, CEO M.D and President, Vanda said that –

“We are happy with the result as this will help us to treat blind Non-24 patients. Also the result made a mark that for treating Non-24 chronic therapy is important. Once it is approved we are sure that Non-24 patient’s life will improve.”

Protein Linked to Heart Failure Identified by Bristol Uni Scientists

Heart patients face many risks of life threatening events such as cardiac arrest, stroke, heart attack and cardiac death etc. Calcium plays vital role in monitoring cells responsible for expansion and contraction of heart muscles. A study conducted by scientists has reportedly identified a protein (or a gene) related to heart movement.

Calcium, present in heart cells, enables heart to circulate blood throughout the body. Abnormal release of calcium in heart cells is believed to be responsible for abnormal heart beats. Ryanodine receptor, also known as RyR, controls release of calcium. RyR is a type of calcium channel which maintains selective permeability of calcium ions. This ensures normal and systematic release of calcium. Irregularity in heartbeats is most commonly found in patients of heart disease.

Scientists at Bristol University conducted an experiment with RyR. As a part of the experiment, researchers took out RyR channels from heart cells and planted in artificial membranes. By doing that scientists could measure calcium currents passing through calcium channel.

Experts believe that the finding of the experiment can pave the way for new and promising treatment for heart patients and ward off deaths cause by heart diseases.

During that experiment two genes (FKBP12 and FKBP12.6) were identified which were found to be changing the flow of calcium ions in RyR channels.

Structure of the two proteins was almost similar but their function was quite opposite to each other’s. FKBP12 raised flow of calcium ions in RyR channels and FKBP12.6 protein hampered FKBP12′s effects. Lost balance between the function of the two genes is found in most of the heart patients.

Avastin, a drug for Breast Cancer Patients Found Useful but Restricted

Efficacy of a new drug named Avastin to treat tumors from those suffering from breast cancer at their early stages may get revisited. Avastin is found useful in treating breast cancer.

Avastin is found useful in those who were new to cancer, and as doctors expected it has high efficacy of treating breast cancer. Chemotherapy was done in few women with Avastin plus before they go any surgery. Period of surgery arise, doctors didn’t see any sign any of cancer in them. It was a shocking result for everyone as women doing chemotherapy with Avastin plus were safe than those with only chemo alone.

Regular precautions and research are being made as it not stated that Avastin can continue existence. The drug can also cause harm, said experts.

Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Harry Bear commented against Avastin as it is not specified yet that it will lead them in success. More researches are going on.

Avastin got sanctioned in the treatment for advanced breast cancer by the United States, in 2008. Researchers found Avastin is helpless in increasing life’s validity, heart problems, bleeding and many other problems can occur. Till November the government retracted the consent.

The California-based Genentech, the Swiss company Roche is the manufacturer of the Avastin. Since in few countries it is not recommended by doctors but in nations like Europe and Japan it is still practiced by the doctors for treating advance breast cancer and the charges is $10,000 a month.

The sponsorships for study included support from drug companies and National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Gary Lyman, who is a researcher at Duke University and one of the members at panel which retracted Avastin, commented on Avastin’s positive side of outcome through study.

Minckwitz suggested in breast cancer patients more important is healing.

Looking at results Lyman stated, it was found nearly 200,000 women in U.S every year detect breast cancer.

Women who underwent with Avastin their sample tissues would be studied for genes bio markers to check which women are positive toward Avastin which will help researchers in finding more improvement in the drug.

Dr. Sandra Horning Global Development Chief of Cancer Drugs for Roche and Genentech said, the company is not planning to alter drug Avastin until more proofs are accessible.