Analysis of:
Insurers Expect Health-Care Costs To Rise More Than 10% Next Year (online.wsj.com)
10% increase in medical spending when the overall cost of living is 1/2 of medical costs and we are happy??
Analysis of:
UK Says Kidney Cancer Drugs Are Too Pricey (www.pharmalot.com)
Pfizer’s Sutent, Wyeth’s Torisel, Bayer’s Nexavar and Avastin, sold by Roche and Genentech have been deemed too expensive to be paid for by UK agencies
Analysis of:
Salmonella Is Tested To Fight Cancer Cells (online.wsj.com)
Salmonella targeting cancer cells? In humans???
Analysis of:
Panel Urges End to Prostate Screening at Age 75 (www.nytimes.com)
Since treatment may be worse than the disease it is being recommended that routine prostate cancer screening be stopped after the age of 75.
Analysis of:
Recent Popular New Reports About Senator Ted Kennedy's Brain Tumor (www.cnn.com)
Nothing fascinates the public interest and imagination more than news about prominent and famous media stars who suffer illness or disaster. This is the way things are, but perhaps, at least in the case of healthcare issues, it could be beneficial to society to discuss these cases in detail, from both...
Analysis of:
Amgen Told to Reword Drug Label (www.nytimes.com)
Amgens Aranesp sales fell 26% and J & J's Procrit sales fell 23%."Yaron Werber, a biotechnology analyst at Citi Investment Research, estimated that the new label could reduce the use of Aranesp for cancer patients in this country — the drug is also used by people with kidney disease — by an additional...
Analysis of:
Corrections Weaken Cancer Study (online.wsj.com)
Lung cancer screening does not appear to prevent death at least in this study.
Analysis of:
Roche Files Avastin for Wider Label in EU (www.therapeuticsdaily.com)
Avastin ( Roche/Genentech) extended time to progression when combined with Docotaxel ( Sanofi-Aventis) in patients with metastatic breast cancer as compared to Docotaxel alone, but did not prolong survival. Unlike approval by the FDA,the EMEA is more cost conscious and may be reluctant to...
Analysis of:
Roche Files Avastin for Wider Label in EU (www.therapeuticsdaily.com)
"The filing is supported by data from the phase III Avado trial, which investigated Avastin in combination with docetaxel compared wwith docetaxel alone in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer, Roche said in a statement."
Analysis of:
Pricey Drugs Put Squeeze on Doctors (online.wsj.com)
Doctors can not remain in the middle between pharmaceutical companies and insurance and health plans. Reimbursement for oreal and IV drugs should be comparable , in order to avoid over-prescription of IV drugs , even if they are not as efficacious or more toxic. The patient's helath plan ( the government...