Daily aspirin once again proves to be of no use and also deadly

Update January 13, 2015- Yet another study was published highlighting the risks of daily aspirin.  Read more »

The deadly risks of TAVR being downplayed to patients by hospitals

January 18, 2015- By Steven E. Greer, MD

On July 20th, 2011, the FDA convened an advisory committee to help it determine whether to approve the first ever TAVR device called the Sapien, made by Edwards Lifesciences. I was a public speaker raising the Read more »

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat AK’s

September 2, 2014- Interviewed by Steven E. Greer, MD

Gayatri Patel, MD MPH discusses her JAMA paper comparing the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) versus liquid nitrogen cryotherapy to treat actinic keratosis of the face.

 

Violent video games and aggressive behavior

March 30, 2014- Interviewed by Steven E. Greer, MD

A recent JAMA paper connects the dots between violent video games and aggressive behavior. Author Craig Anderson, PhD, from Iowa State, reviews the findings.

The CDC discusses Gardasil HPV vaccine safety

Produced and interviewed by Steven E. Greer, MD

Dr. Barbara Slade of the CDC discusses her recent JAMA article on the safety and adverse event reports for Merck’s HPV cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil. Back in 1976, a swine flu vaccine caused Guillain-Barrė syndrome and this has led to subsequent vaccines being under scrutiny for any neurologic adverse events.

Hemorrhagic Complications Associated With Aspirin

Best viewed in full screen mode

July 23, 2012 By Steven Greer, MD

An article in the June, 2012, JAMA reported the findings of a large meta-analysis of the use of daily aspirin for primary prevention of myocardial infarctions and ischemic stroke. The authors concluded, “Despite important reductions in nonfatal MI, aspirin prophylaxis in people without prior CVD does not lead to reductions in either cardiovascular death or cancer mortality. Because the benefits are further offset by clinically important bleeding events, routine use of aspirin for primary prevention is not warranted and treatment decisions need to be considered on a case-by-case basis.”

We interviewed the author of the companion editorial, Dr. Jolanta Siller-Matula. She explains why the European cardiology guidelines now no longer recommend aspirin for primary prevention even though the American guidelines still do. She explains the “Number Needed to Treat” concept and why the risk-benefit ratio is not favorable for aspirin.

Christoph Correll, MD: antipsychotics in children

Are Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Abilify overprescribed in children?

Update: June 11, 2012

Since our extensive coverage of the marketing strategies that led to wide misuse of antipsychotics, JNJ agreed to pay nearly $2.2 Billion in penalties to settle the DOJ investigation.

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January 12, 2010  By Steven Greer, MD

The antipsychotic drug market is one of the largest in the drug business. Zyprexa is Eli Lilly’s largest drug with an estimated $4.6 B (USD) in revenue for 2009 (Barclays estimates). Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Abilify is an important drug to the company with estimated 2009 revenue of $2.4 B. The Risperdal franchise for JNJ, at $2.3 B, and AstraZeneca’s Seroquel, at more than $4 B, are also vital to the respective companies.

Accompanying this massive revenue stream is one of the most powerful marketing and lobbying strategies in the world resulting in several million Americans now taking antipsychotics. Is classic schizophrenia with delusions and hallucinations really that prevalent or are these drugs being overprescribed in unapproved indications?

Evidence is growing that off-label prescribing of antipsychotics is leading to inappropriate usage of these drugs in the elderly nursing home setting and in the pediatric setting. More troubling, in the pediatric population, disadvantaged minority children are far more likely to be prescribed these drugs, leading to a lifelong sequelae of disease.

Pediatric psychiatrist. Dr. Correll, discusses whether drugs like Abilify, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Fanapt, Seoul, etc are overprescribed.

Recent studies have added to the literature showing the severe adverse events caused by antipsychotics (weight gain, diabetes, elevated lipids, suicide, etc.). In our previous story (below), Dr. Correll detailed the metabolic syndrome that arises rapidly in children on antipsychotics.

Antipsychotics in children associated with significant weight gain and elevated lipids

The use of antipsychotics in children is controversial for many reasons. The data to support this practice is scant and biased by industry funding. The U.S. Senate has documented this at length. Data are now mounting that show antipsychotics create significant adverse events, including large weight gain and elevated cholesterol, or “metabolic syndrome” in many cases. Given the ages of the children, these adverse events are harmful to development and may shorten lifespan.

Christoph Correll, MD, pediatric psychiatrist and recent author of a white paper in JAMA on this topic, discusses the adverse events in children associated with antipsychotic usage.

Topics discussed:

• Is Abilify unique in not causing weight gain?
• Which drugs caused the most weight gain and elevated lipid levels?

David Wofsy, MD: Guidelines for industry funding of medical societies

Dr. Wofsy discusses the recent article in JAMA, which he co-authored, on the handling of industry payments to medical societies. A similar paper a few years ago caused significant changes in the way academic medical centers handled industry payments.

The IOM recently published a similar report.

Senator Grassley and others have also been targeting corruption in medicine. All of these factors make it likely that industry-funded research, academic publications, and medical meetings will continue to undergo major transformations.

Bankole Johnson, MD: Topiramate (Topamax) for alcohol dependency therapy

Dr. Bankole Johnson, Chair of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia and addiction therapy specialist discusses his paper in JAMA regarding the use of Johnson and Johnson’s Topamax to treat alcohol dependency.