Freedom of healthcare choice has long been an issue when dealing with government-funded healthcare plans like Medicare and Medicaid. For instance, the Watson-Burton legislation attempted to address economically disadvantaged persons who rely on Medicaid for health insurance because they were given no dental freedom of choice. For most families on Medicaid, the choice is either… Continue reading A Legal Challenge to Forcing Seniors into Medicare
Category: Health Autonomy
Are Consumers That Dumb? The Wall Street Journal Thinks We Are
An inflammatory article appeared last week in the Wall Street Journal called “The Touch that Doesn’t Heal .” It deserves a thorough reading and some impassioned letters to the editor. The article, written by Steve Salerno, claims that “Americans pay billions for alternative medicine—with nothing to show for it.”
The Gravy Train Is Ending—Drug Makers Cutting Out Freebies for Doctors
The Promotional Products Association International is a trade group of very unhappy companies facing a severe downturn in business. These companies provide the promotional products which drug makers use to influence physician prescribing habits.
A Definitive Link between Synthetic Hormones for Menopause and Breast Cancer
Researchers from NIH’s Women’s Health Initiative released a study this December tying the use of synthetic prescription hormones to breast cancer.
FDA Reverses Its Order on Antibiotics in Animals
In July 2005, the FDA banned the use of an animal antibiotic called Baytril, citing a threat to human health.
The Use of Ghostwriters by Wyeth is Questioned
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, has repeatedly made the news with his ongoing investigation into drug industry influence on doctors.
Eye-Opening Information Not Published in Clinical Drug Trials
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled “What You Don’t Know About a Drug Can Hurt You.”
Who Will Lead the FDA?
Drug scandals.
First It’s Not Safe, and Then It Is! The FDA Position on Melamine May Give Us All a Case of Whiplash
Melamine was first synthesized by a German chemist in 1834, and melamine resin is used in Formica for countertops and dry erase boards as well as flame retardants. A 1958 patent described the use of melamine as a non-protein nitrogen (NPN) for cattle. Melamine is sometimes illegally added to food products in order to increase the apparent protein content. Standard tests that estimate protein levels by measuring the nitrogen content can be misled by adding nitrogen-rich compounds such as melamine.
Statins and Women: An Update
In the October 21 issue of Pulse of Health Freedom, a number of issues regarding statin drug use were examined. Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD, who is gathering data at www.statinsideeffects.com, has indicated there is little or no evidence to suggest that statin drugs are of benefit for women.In an important update to the story, a… Continue reading Statins and Women: An Update