Drug Side Effect Awareness Low
One-third of surveyed patients with bipolar disorder were not aware that some of their medications are associated with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and elevated blood glucose. Bipolar patients are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and yet fewer than half of those surveyed had regular cholesterol or glucose testing, according to the survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of an academic working group that included Dr. Gary Sachs of Harvard University, Dr. Paul Keck of the University of Cincinnati, and Dr. Andrea Fagiolini of the University of Pittsburgh. Side effects such as weight gain led 55% of patients to discontinue a therapy, according to the survey of 300 patients, 105 psychiatrists, and 101 primary care physicians. The vast majority of physicians surveyed said they discussed side effects with patients, but even so, 70% of patients said they wanted physicians to provide more information. The study was sponsored by Pfizer Inc.
Teen Drug Chatter Pervasive
A sampling of 10 million messages posted by teenagers on online forums such as MySpace.com, ym.com, and teenspot.com found that at least 160,000 of those conversations were about drugs or alcohol. Nielsen BuzzMetrics used proprietary software to eavesdrop on the teens' online conversations. The vast majority of the illicit discussions mentioned alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and LSD. The top behavior discussed was having sex while drinking. More girls talked about sex with alcohol, while boys mostly shared drunken experiences. The analysis was conducted for Caron Treatment Centers, a nonprofit addiction treatment provider.
Failed Mental Health Mission
The Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health has found that the military is failing to provide adequate mental health care to service members. The task force report, which was issued in June, will be used to “develop and implement a corrective action plan” within 6 months, according to a statement from the DoD. The report states that according to the most recent Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment (PDHRA), given to service members 90–120 days after returning from deployment, 38% of soldiers and 31% of Marines report psychological symptoms. Almost half of National Guard members said they had such symptoms. The task force also found that: Many service members are afraid to reach out for assistance because of a perceived stigma; mental health professionals aren't accessible; and, the military does not have enough “resources, funding or personnel to adequately support the psychological health of service members and their families.” The report is available at
www.ha.osd.mil/dhb/mhtf/MHTF-Report-Final.pdf
Limiting DXM Abuse
A small congressional group is attempting again to keep dextromethorphan out of the hands of teenagers who abuse the ingredient, found mostly in over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. The Dextromethorphan Distribution Act was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and in the House by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Miss.). The House passed a similar bill in 2006, but the Senate never took action. The new proposal would make it illegal for anyone not registered with the Food and Drug Administration or a state regulatory authority to possess or distribute unfinished DXM.
New FDA Risk Panel
Following an Institute of Medicine recommendation, the FDA has created a new advisory committee that will be charged with helping the agency better communicate the risks and benefits of pharmaceuticals and other products it regulates. In 2006, the IOM's report, “The Future of Drug Safety: Promoting and Protecting the Health of the Public,” urged Congress to establish a new advisory panel that would weigh in on the FDA's communications about safety and efficacy to health care providers and the public. The agency found an administrative process that let it establish the committee without congressional action. The FDA is now seeking 15 members to serve on the Risk Communication Advisory Committee, including experts on risk communication, social marketing, health literacy, journalism, bioethics, and cultural competency.
DTC Ads Still Fall Short
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements emphasize individual drugs over conditions, don't do enough to emphasize risk, and minimize the importance of underlying health issues, according to a panel that reviewed such advertisements for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. The review was undertaken to determine if consumer-directed marketing is meeting PhRMA's voluntary guiding principles, adopted in 2005 to address “many of the concerns publicly expressed about DTC advertising.” The four volunteer panelists–a pharmacist, a nurse, and two family physicians–also urged drug makers to include more information in their ads about assistance programs that provide low-cost or free medications. In a separate report, PhRMA said that comments it received from consumers on DTC ads indicated that many were confused about the ads' contents and thought they did not present a balance of risks and benefits. The organization received 458 comments from July to December 2006, mostly from consumers; 10% were from health professionals. The comments go to PhRMA's Office of Accountability, which forwards them for responses from individual drug makers.