September 30, 2005

Pharma, Meet Patients; Patients, Meet Pharma

We all bitch about meds because meds have got their problems. The side effects suck and many of us wonder how effective the meds actually are. Don't read that as an anti-meds argument. It is just an honest assessment of the facts for those of us who have to live with mental illness long-term. When you take psych meds for "maintenance" as opposed to short-term crises, then the side effects really blossom in a way that they just don't in the 4 to 8 week studies that are often the basis for both gaining FDA approval for Med X. When you take Seroquel for a year as opposed to two months, it's a different equation.

I don't think Big Pharma gets that. I don't think they have the least motivation to make meds that work better; ie, treat us without side effects. That's because they are already making gobs of money as things are now.

I think it's time for us patients out here to have a summit with the pharma companies. They need to listen to us. They need to listen to us in an environment that is unfiltered by governmental agencies. We need to set up a meeting where we all can show up and tell them what's what.

Would Big Pharma show up?

Posted by Philip Dawdy at September 30, 2005 02:08 AM
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Comments

Hey,
Nice website. I am going to forward it to a bunch of people if that is okay. Thanks for the update on the a-typicals. I have minimal side effects from Seroquel but I have been on it for 3 years. In the beginning it was a rough road though. Thanks for this website.....

Posted by: Angela at October 2, 2005 09:28 AM

I completely agree that pharmaceutical companies are more interested in filling their own pockets than they are about helping people who need medication.

But you have to remember: EVERYONE is more intersted in MONEY.

Take for instance the American Heart Association. If you haven't noticed, those guys are smacking their symbol on everything nowadays. And the reason why is obvious: the more smymbols they smack, the more people buy the product, the more money they make. Come on people, are they really interested in helping your heart? On the contrary, there have been plenty of studies which have shown that sugar is downright bad for you -- that it spikes your insilin level which in turn messes up how your body proccesses glucose, which makes you gain weight -- yet almost ALL of the foods the the AMA approves of is LOADED with sugar, indluding grape juice, fruit loops, and nonfat milk.

Which brings me to another money-muncher orginization: The American Dairy Assocation. Got milk? Well, if you do, that's probably not a good thing, yet those diary people, are making SO much money off their 'drink 8 servings per day' and their 'it prevents osteoperosis' and all that garbage. Studies from the New England Journal of Medicine, dating back to the 20s suggest that because of its sugar content, milk actually expels calcium from the body, not the other way around. So why is this crazy milk faze going on? Of course it's to make money off of ignorant suckers like us.

And that brings us back to our lovely FDA. The FDA knows darn well that today's health food regimen is propoganda, that the food pyramid is dirt, that it's why Americans are actually getting fatter -- yet, they're more interested in making money than they are about anything else. They know that protein is healthier than carbohydrates, yet, they ALSO know that it only costs 3 cents to produce a box of cereal, whereas for meat, manufactuors are only making a minimal profit. They know that sugar kills, yet they also know that if people were buying only chicken and vegitables and tofu, their business would go down the drain.

Don't mean to digress, but I think I'm only solidifying your point: pharmo comapnies, just like everyone else is only in it for the money. They don't give a damn about anyone.

Welcome to America!

Posted by: Gwen Davis at October 6, 2005 08:27 PM

"Would Big Pharma show up?"

No. I decided to read your first couple of posts for shits and giggles and considering that I'm on Lamictal for "maintenance," I've been wondering about how I've been feeling lately, i.e. dizzy, night sweats, constant fatigue.

I went for a blood test and my Lamictal levels seem to be OK. It feels like it's working, but if I'm just tricking myself into believing it's working, that's OK too.

I wish doctors would prescribe more placebos.

Posted by: Marissa Miller at April 25, 2007 09:12 AM

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