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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cannoli on November 25, 2002, at 9:54:19
There was a good article in Friday's NY Times on drug company research. Among other things, it reports that drug research is increasingly being done not by academic researchers but by companies that are owned by advertising agencies. They also ghost-write articles for scientific journals. For anyone who is on Lexapro, there are some interesting facts about Lexapro marketing and the "Gorman study," too. You can read the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/22/business/22DRUG.html . Registering with nytimes.com is free.
I mentioned this article on Psycho-Social last week and someone suggested that I post it here for people who don't follow Psycho-Social. Followup posts should probably go there rather than here.
Posted by mopey on November 25, 2002, at 14:17:41
In reply to NY Times article on drug research (and Lexapro), posted by cannoli on November 25, 2002, at 9:54:19
Very interesting -- and disturbing.
You sometimes forget that doctors are getting all sorts of pressure to prescribe certain drugs, assuming that they are impartial and simply concerned with your health.
Posted by Jaynee on November 26, 2002, at 11:15:33
In reply to Re: NY Times article on drug research (and Lexapro), posted by mopey on November 25, 2002, at 14:17:41
I wouldn't call it pressure, the drug companies give lots of free stuff to doctors to try and buy their loyality to prescribe their drugs. Personally, I think it should be illegal for the drug companies to give out pro-sport game tickets, expensive dinners, etc, etc, etc, to doctors. Can you imagine what that appox 8 billion dollars bought for those doctors. Bloody awful.
I wait for the doctor to give me what diagnosis he/she thinks I have and then I decide which medication I want to take, or if I even agree with the doctor's diagnosis. I have lost most of my faith in doctors. I have been mis-diagnosed so many times, with some close calls, that I've had to educate myself. I am getting tired of knowing more than most of the GP's out there. It's like they get out school and they think they don't have to read up on any new developments in the medical world.
Sorry, I am starting to rant, just my experience. But the whole Drug Company, Doctor relationship is putrid.
Posted by jane d on November 28, 2002, at 13:02:28
In reply to NY Times article on drug research (and Lexapro), posted by cannoli on November 25, 2002, at 9:54:19
> There was a good article in Friday's NY Times on drug company research. Among other things, it reports that drug research is increasingly being done not by academic researchers but by companies that are owned by advertising agencies. They also ghost-write articles for scientific journals. For anyone who is on Lexapro, there are some interesting facts about Lexapro marketing and the "Gorman study," too. You can read the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/22/business/22DRUG.html . Registering with nytimes.com is free.
I found this part interesting.Jane
From the article:For Forest and its ad agency partners, selling doctors on Lexapro is crucial.
Lexapro is not an entirely new drug, but rather a chemically refined version of Celexa, an antidepressant that accounts for 70 percent of the company's sales. Wall Street is counting on Forest to persuade doctors to switch Celexa users to Lexapro, because the older drug will lose its patent protection in 2004. Once the patent expires, Celexa sales will plummet, as generic companies begin offering low-priced versions of the drug.
But Forest can point to just one study concluding that Lexapro offers patients an advantage over Celexa — a study that the company paid to have published, and has promoted at dinners like one Dr. Brown attended at a Manhattan steakhouse, just two weeks after the meal at Daniel.
The paper, by Dr. Jack M. Gorman, until recently a professor at Columbia University and now on the faculty of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, pooled the results of three studies and concluded that Lexapro "may have a faster onset" than Celexa. Dr. Gorman's paper was published in CNS Spectrums, a medical journal he edits.
Forest said that it paid Medworks Media, a small medical marketing company that publishes the journal, to print Dr. Gorman's article in a special supplement.
Other researchers find the data less convincing. The Medical Letter, a nonprofit newsletter respected for its independence from the pharmaceutical industry, reviewed the same clinical trials as Dr. Gorman and concluded in September that Lexapro had not been shown to be better than any other antidepressant, including Celexa.
Posted by BrittPark on November 28, 2002, at 17:08:08
In reply to Lexapro marketing, posted by jane d on November 28, 2002, at 13:02:28
And look how well the marketing is going for Forest. Just count the number of posts on PB about switching to or starting lexapro.
Posted by Alan on November 28, 2002, at 17:18:11
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing, posted by BrittPark on November 28, 2002, at 17:08:08
> And look how well the marketing is going for Forest. Just count the number of posts on PB about switching to or starting lexapro.
===========================================
Not to mention a Lexapro pharm rep dispensing advice here. Isn't this pretty much unprecedented at PB?Alan
Posted by pork chop on December 2, 2002, at 13:16:27
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing » BrittPark, posted by Alan on November 28, 2002, at 17:18:11
i recently stopped taking lexapro, under the care of my pdoc, and i am having HORRIBLE side effects. For the lexapro rep on PB, i have awful "electric shock" like jolts and major vertigo. i feel like a magnet is pulling apart my limbs at times. i was only on 20 mg. and tapered down to 10 mg. for a week. any advice?
> > And look how well the marketing is going for Forest. Just count the number of posts on PB about switching to or starting lexapro.
> ===========================================
> Not to mention a Lexapro pharm rep dispensing advice here. Isn't this pretty much unprecedented at PB?
>
> Alan
>
>
Posted by Bill L on December 3, 2002, at 8:57:02
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by pork chop on December 2, 2002, at 13:16:27
I know that docs give Prozac while weaning patients off of Effexor. Prozac has a long half life and works very well for this purpose. My guess is that it would be good in your situation also while discontinuing Lexapro.
Posted by markmn on December 3, 2002, at 9:03:02
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by pork chop on December 2, 2002, at 13:16:27
I can understand your contempt of Pharmaceutical companies. I'm currently weaning myself off of Paxil, while switching to Lexapro. I was told by my doctor at the time there would be no problems getting off of Paxil. Well that was a lie. However, for every bad experience on an anti-depressant there are countless positive ones. Lexapro is doing a fabulous job. Thank god for Forrest to bring this to the market. PS- The son of the CEO of Forrest has suffered from crippling depression for many years, hence Celexa and now Lexapro.
I would also like to address the comment about pharmrep. I think it is good that someone from Forrest even gives a rip about what we are experiencing on their drug. You think SmithKline gives a hoot? I've read most of what he/she has written and it has been surprisingly objective.
I don't mean to write that your views are not valid ones, they are. I just hope you had looked into these areas before you wrote about them.
I would also like to address the comment about pharmrep. I think it is good that someone from Forrest even gives a rip about what we are expiriencing on their drug. You think SmithKline gives a hoot? I've read most of what he/she has written and it has been suprisingly objective.
I don't mean to write that your views are not valid ones, they are. I just hope you had looked into these areas before you wrote about them.
I hope you get better soon. I have found that Amino Acid vitamins works extremely well in warding off withdrawal side-effects. Take care.mark
Posted by pork chop on December 3, 2002, at 9:14:57
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by markmn on December 3, 2002, at 9:03:02
just wanted to update that my discontinuation symptoms have subsided since my last post. i guess i just needed to come off the lexapro more slowly. phew!
Posted by sjb on December 3, 2002, at 14:21:08
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by Bill L on December 3, 2002, at 8:57:02
OOOH, I don't know about that. I could be wrong, but you're talking about combining 2 SSRIs, whereas, Effexor is in a different class and not really a classic SSRI.
Posted by pork chop on December 3, 2002, at 15:38:48
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by sjb on December 3, 2002, at 14:21:08
My intention is to discontinue Lexapro and begin with Lamictal. I didn't think Lamictal was an SSRI. Am I wrong?
Posted by BrittPark on December 3, 2002, at 15:54:21
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by pork chop on December 3, 2002, at 15:38:48
Lamictal is not an SSRI nor yet an antidepressant. It's an anticonvulsant which is used as a mood stabilizer for peopble with BP. It's also used as an augmentation agent for unipolar depression (that's why I'm taking it.) There may be some people who are taking Lamictal as monotherapy for BP or Depression. Hopefully, other people with experience of Lamictal as monotherapy will comment.
Feel better,
Britt
Posted by pork chop on December 3, 2002, at 16:28:46
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation » pork chop, posted by BrittPark on December 3, 2002, at 15:54:21
Thanks for your post. I'm really interested in what other people's experiences are with Lamictal.
I was prescribed Lamictal for BP.
Posted by sjb on December 4, 2002, at 8:57:30
In reply to Re: Lexapro marketing and discontinuation, posted by pork chop on December 3, 2002, at 16:28:46
I thought somewhere in this thread I remember someone recommending two SSRIs. No, as the previous poster said, Lamictal is not an SSRI. My apologies if I misunderstood.
I tried Lamictal and hated it. I did not have the patience to stick with it until I got to theraputic dosage, 'cause I was tired all the time. I realize that it is supposed to have a more stimulant effect for most folks, but it didn't for me.
This is the end of the thread.
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