"New drug boosts women's sex drive"

"Is it any surprise that the topic of this "news" has attracted such wide media pickup? The drug company that succesfully markets a "pink Viagra' stands to make billions. What is distressing is the number of media agencies that have bought this non-event hook, line and sinker, and are essentially pre-selling flibanserin even before any trials are published.

I'm curious about the "satisfactory" rating in your Disease Mongering category, as I've read a number of credible sources who question whether female sexual dysfunction even exists. It's ironic that this particular piece was run by CBC, given the success of their 'Passionate Eye' broadcast of the landmark documentary, Orgasm Inc. - that essentially debunks the diagnosis. More at http://ethicalnag.org/2009/11/15/boehringer-desire-drug/"

"I think you have a good point. We should re-examine our rating of satisfactory under disease-mongering."

"UBC professors question effectiveness of Cold-fX"

"The main ingredient in Cold-FX is North American Ginseng root. Sounds to me like most of you people posting on here are having an allergic reaction to the Ginseng. Ive never taken this product daily, Echinacea and Vitamin C is much better for that. I have taken it in the 3 pill dose, 2 pill dose, 1pill dose sequence though, over three days, and have only noticed a shorter duration of my cold/flu symptoms. I still get sick, sometimes very sick, but I think this product does one thing only and that's shorten the duration of the flu. Ginseng is known for causing asthma attacks in several asthmatics, and elevating blood pressure in some. There are a number of prescription and over-the-counter drugs which may be rendered ineffective or combine dangerously with ginseng. These include aspirin and other anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofin, anticoagulants such as warfarin, drugs that treat diabetes by lower blood sugar
and a variety of anti-depressants. HMM I wonder how many of you took aspirin, or ibuprofin while you had the flu and were taking Cold-FX. Do some research and use your brains before you bash this product."

"Shingles vaccine approved for use in U.S. but not here yet"

"I too echo Louise Kelly's comment that I hope that Canada will soon O.K. the use of this vaccine. Both my wife and I have had chicken pox as children. We have seen what this scourge can do when it reasserts itself as Shingles, as her mother suffered terribly from her attack which lasted several months.

Sincerely,

Malcolm"
(this comment has been moderated)

"New drug may help aggressive prostate cancer: study"

"my dad, Melvin Leo has prostate CA . He is lupron resistant. His PSA is rising. He has no symptoms now, but will have them soon.
The chemotherapy options are not good. They only buy you 3 months and you get very sick from the treatment. Abiraterone seems like the best option. His prostate oncologist says it is a good treatment but is not available right now. I there anyway to purchase this med? His oncologist would give it to him if it were available. I would be willing to travel to any country where abiraterone is available. Can I order some from Canada or United Kingdom or anywhere else?"

"I don't believe its available in any country yet."

"Single pill combining five heart drugs appears safe"

"This would really help heart patients and stroke patients to recover at the time of emergency. As many people are dying only because of heart and stroke attacks, some noteworthy steps like this creating a pill to thwart heart attacks and strokes might be a boon for them who are on the verge of facing a heart attack. But sometimes people fail to understand and recognize the indications of pre-heart attack symptoms. Sometimes, a little knowledge regarding the immediate actions to be taken may help your near and dear ones to survive in such incidents. The response a person takes to treat a victim decides the probability of his/her survival. It's been my personal experience fighting to survive against a heart attack. Because of having many heart problems, I was enrolled in a concierge Healthcare program from elite health. I was attacked by a severe heart attack in a party, luckily surrounded by many people. Some of the sudden changes in my body was recognized by me and anticipated immediately. I got a very severe chest pain which was almost unbearable for more than a minute. I got the suspicion that I might be having heart attack, and immediately called my physician on the phone, and explained my condition and its severity. Because of the immediate guidance, I was directed immediately to have an aspirin which I used to carry with me as prescribed by my physician. It was quite a frightening experience for me to face such a heart attack, but somehow I managed to be calm until 911 arrived. I was immediately taken to the nearest hospital, where already my physician were present and have got everything setup according to my medical history. And it was in some matter of seconds that everything was in control. A doctor, who already have the complete knowledge of the medical history and fitness of the person, extra ordinarily ameliorate your recovery process. Hence such a concierge level program from Elite health, helped me a save my life, like many others."

"The medical device you always dreamed of"

"I hate to say I'm an old pro at sleep apnoea but 15 years ago I was diagnosed, had and the surgery. My next sleep study confirmed I was clear but now I have gained my 150 lbs. back and here I go again!
I always assumed that it was a real problem with real health risks but I can't say for sure. I just know that it has returned and I'm dozy, depressed can't focus and have no energy but I'm 60 now and 360 lbs again.
It would be great if the product worked but the doctor I have now knows nothing and I'm even having trouble getting him to book a sleep study and refer me to a specialist."

"Study: Statins increase life expectancy"

"Your blog is interesting!

Keep up the good work!"

"Pill may help fight gambling addiction"

"A pill will not work when it comes to treating troubled gamblers.

For more information on how a pill just becomes an addiction switch be sure to read "The Heart of Addiction" by Lance Dodes MD. He does a good job of explaining how addictions to pills, alcohol, gambling, drugs etc. affect the addictive process of thinking.

In order for tools of treatment and treatment to be effective for troubled gamblers it should be measured for it's abilities to:

Help the client (patient) to abstain from gambling, remove tempation and desire to gamble from thinking, increase productivity at work, improve relationships with friends and family, manage money more effectively including recovering from debts and financial adversities caused by gambling loss, improve self esteem and sense of self worth.

A pill - can't do that.

Shawn Jordan
21 Steps to STOP Gambling"

"Thanks for your comments."

"Stomach balloon may offer key to weight loss"

"I have reviewed information on gastric balloning. I am a Disabled Veteran
and I am willing to become a patient or subject for any studies on gastric balloning!
Please contact me as soon as you can to do the base study so I can be included
in these procedures or studies. It appears finally a terrific alternative to positive
weight lost is at hand without the complications of surgery.

Many Thanks,


J R Avanti
609-618-6274
Height 5' 2"
Weight 265 lbs"

"Antioxidants may protect cancer tumours, report says"

"This sounds more like another Pharma and College of Physician attack to protect their assets and their jobs because more people are seeking out these forms of therapy and having incredible successes and recoveries due to them.

Another example of how media is benefiting from the large profits of the Pharma industry at the cost of the lives of Canadians"

"Pain medications may ward off Parkinson's"

"Just discovered your site through the PLOS article. I posted a comment on this very article. My comment was that although the article was very poor, it did, in fact, rather closely approximate the press release from the American Academy of Neurology. It was the press release that was unbelievably poor, coming from a medical source. Can we expect journalists to fill in the critical missing info that medical associations neglect?"

"New treatment approved for kidney cancer"

"Nice! Well done! Many thanks. I found lots of intresting things here. All the best!
lortab http://codeine-best77.blogspot.com/ lortab
auf baldiges Wiedersehen!"

"HIV Testing Urged for All Pregnant Women"

"Testing HIV positive means one, presumably, has been exposed to the virus that is alleged to cause AIDS. More than 70 different conditions - including pregnancy, malnutrition, multiple infections, multiple sclerosis, measles, and exposure to a flu or hepatitis B shot - are known to trigger a false HIV positive.

The techniques of the HIV test have not been standardized, and the magnitude and consequences of inter laboratory variations have not been measured. Results require interpretation, and the criteria for the interpretation vary not only from lab to lab, but also from month to month.

Because of so many variables involved, the many HIV tests are seriously flawed and invalid. The consequences of this fact are that many people, including pregnant women and newborns, are being treated for a condition they do not have. In fact, the disclaimer by the manufacturers of the test kits specifically states that the tests are not to be used to diagnose or treat HIV/AIDS. They are not licensed for that purpose.

Virus tests without virus isolation? Since HIV/AIDS emerged in the early '80s, all known and accepted scientific investigative techniques have failed to prove the existence of a virus. No electron photograph (micro graph) of an isolated HIV particle has ever been published. Virologists like Robert Gallo have yet to develop a vaccine - from what they claim is HIV - that does not kill or cause serious adverse reactions. According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (Washington Post, May 9, 2006) no safe and effective HIV vaccine exists for adults or small children.

Read the label on AZT, Nevirapine and other so-called anti retro viral drugs - these are metabolic poisons being promoted and used to treat a virus that - if it did exist - unlike bacteria, yeast, fungus and other parasites has no metabolism to poison..

No virus, no vaccine and no Nobel Prize."

"Estrogen guards against heart disease"

"A classic case of press release journalism. These press releases land on reporter's desks daily, and the not-yet tuition free but also mortgage-laden reporter knows what is expected. She will call the sources helpfully given by the pharma marketing department from whence this drivel originates, re-arrange the prose or boldly shuffle the sentences somewhat and shazam! part of her daily quota is done, leaving time for the, possibly, one story that will make A1 if she can just get the contentious city councilor on the line with his comments about the major's new initiative."
(this comment has been moderated)

"We do consider "reliance on press release" to be an important quality in determining the thoroughness of a story. Over-reliance on the press release is not good journalistic technique so would generally agree with the sentiment present in your comments."

"Diabetes drug can dramatically raise heart attack risk, study finds"

"in response to your forum on diabetes drugs i've been diagnose of having type II diabetes
in June 1985 i"ve been dealing with this illness for twenty two years , I know people who
have been coping with the same illness for years who are willing to try anything to better
their condition or even cure them of this illness that plague so many . shame on the drug
companies who profits from these drugs includes sulfonyurea, biguania, thiazolidinedione
and meglitinide, and of course theres insulin,they are just a bandage to a bigger problem.
and now I've read about Diamaxol, have you heard about it !!!! is this another one of the
pharmaceutical companies unexpected benefits."
(this comment has been moderated)

"I haven't seen a media report yet on Diamoxol, but if there is a media report you can refer us to, we'll review it."

"Statin use urged to reduce heart risk in diabetic patients"

"Hello! Good Site! Thanks you!"
(this comment has been moderated)

"New drug marks COX-2 comeback"

"Here is another interesting or even funny fact about the introduction of this new drug by Novartis.
As we speak,they have their PREXIGE launch national meeting in, get this LAS VEGAS the gambling paradise. Is there a message there for us or just coincidence? Yes any introduction of new product even drug is risky, but maybe a gamble?
As suggested above, lets watch what happens while those who always must have the newest and latest take it for their pain. We hope they are not GAMBLING, again."
(this comment has been moderated)

"We will continue to monitor this and other Cox-2 drugs as they appear in the media."

"Cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce the risk of cataracts"

"Just because 2 things seem to happen at the same time does NOT mean they are related by cause/effect. I would need a lot more evidence and some hard facts to buy this."

"The report of the study does say that there is no proof for cause and effect. We too would want to see better evidence in order to 'buy' a causal relationship."

"Anti-smoking pill receives U.S. federal approval"

"I would like to know when this new drug Chantix will be available to people in Calgary, Alberta and if there are any test research trails being held. I've been a smoker for over twenty years and would like to try this new method because I have not been successful with other methods.
Thank you
Denise"

"If we review a story on this treatment we may learn when it will be available. You may wish to contact the manufacturer yourself."

"Coffee may lower some breast cancer risks"

"Nice site, though safe alternatives to drugs and other usually exist and are cheaper and less painfull to boot. The addition of honest revies of the best of these in conjunction w/ your reviews would be a great service, one that could save many lives...

www.doctoryourself.com is a good source for such articles, including the newsletters listed on the left side of the site. www.mercola.com is also good, especially for stories on the dangers of soy, which are numerous and potentially very deadly, especially with the rise of usage of soy in much of todays processed goods."
(this comment has been moderated)

"We will try to review coverage in the media of the effects of alternative treatments, whenever possible. Thank you for your feedback."