The teaching and practice of pharmacy

There is evidently a new anti-HIV agent, OPC-8212, made by Otsuka
Pharmaceuticals, Japan, about to enter clinical trials here.
It’s progress should be rapid: according to the info I heard,
it has already passed a lot of the basic toxicology stuff (phase 1)
in trials as a treatment for heart disease. It also has supposedly
had some phase 2, and even 3 trials in the US . It is licensed for that
indication in Japan. Some sharp character figured out that it is
also a potentially very effective HIV Tx. In addition to direct
anti-viral activity, it is also a down-regulator of TNF and IL-6,
thus intervening on some of the more credible immunopathological
processes in HIV disease.It is supposedly antagonistic to the
nucleosides, although that mechanism is unstated. I find it
hard to believe that this should be so for all the nukes,as the
only common point it would make sense for there to be antagonism
would be at phosphorylation, where (correct me if I am wrong)
those enzymes that are common to the phosphorylation of both
the purine and pyrimidine nucleoside analogues are also highly
necessary for all kinds of desirable processes. (2p->3p)

It is an oral drug, and trial are starting at UCLA, Cornell, and ARCA
(Atlanta). That’s what I know….Does anybody else know more?

Carlton
 _____________________________________________________________________________
 |                                                                          |
 |    Carlton Hogan  (carl…@gopher.ccbr.umn.edu)                          |
 |    Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS Statistical Center   |
 |    Coordinating Center for Biometric Research                            |
 |    Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health                    |
 |    University of Minnesota                                               |
 |    2221 University Ave SE, Suite 200            Voice: (612) 626 8899    |
 |    Minneapolis  MN 55414                         FAX: (612) 626 8892     |
 |                                                                          |
 |The opinions stated are entirely my own, and do not necessarily represent |
 |Those of the U of MN or NIAID…And that’s a very good thing: If they did,|
 |I would probably have to wear a suit and tie everyday!                    |
 |__________________________________________________________________________|

An article in the Los Angeles Daily News’ financial section, while primarily
talking about Abbott Laboratories stock,  mentioned that Abbott "plans
to file a new drug application for a revolutionary product called
Zileuton that combats asthma and ulcerative colitis".

Does anyone have answers to any of the following questions?

 What kind/class of drug is Zileuton?

 What other drugs is it related to?

 What is it’s mode of operation?

 Why is it believed to be helpful for ulcerative colitis?

 What effects might it have on Crohn’s disease?

 What side effects might it have, or be expected to have?

 Why is it called "revolutionary"?

 What kind of research/studies/testing have been performed to date
 or are in the process of being performed?

- Michael Bloom
  m…@tti.com

———————————————————————–

Hello friends:

Does anybody know for a long effect ACE inhibitor which drug is better:

ENALAPRIL (VASOTEC)  or  LISINOPRIL (PRINIVIL or ZESTRIL).

As far as I know in term of their pharmacology they don’t have that much
difference.  ENALAPRIL is metabolized to an active metabolite.  However, for
for LISINOPRIL there is no metabolism.  Do they have any other
differences? Anybody with a clinical experience of these two drugs for  of
the treatment of essential hypertension?

Thanks in advance

SeyedE-Mail: B…@MUSICB.MCGILL.CA

i started working as a pharmacist tech a few months ago and still having
trouble with SIGs – could anyone provide me with a basic list of the most
common ones and their meanings?

sean ;(

For you pharmacy experts out there…

I have chronic allergies & sinus congestion for which I take 75mg
time-release phenylpropanalamine twice a day to (usually from
dexatrim – since straight time-release PPA isn’t available in
any cold/allergy medications).

I’ve noticed that when I take the PPA regularly, it also seems
to help solidify GI problems I have with loose stools.  I haven’t
seen this effect documented anywhere.

Is this a direct effect of the PPA or possibly an effect of
having less mucous getting into the digestive tract?  What
is the mechanism at work?

thanks!

————————————————————————-
To find out more about the anon service, send mail to h…@anon.penet.fi.
Due to the double-blind, any mail replies to this message will be anonymized,
and an anonymous id will be allocated automatically. You have been warned.
Please report any problems, inappropriate use etc. to ad…@anon.penet.fi.

                Pharmaceutical Remuneration
         Paying Pharmacists to meet Patients’ Needs

                2nd December 1993

                at the

                Royal Pharmaceutical
                Society of Great Britain

Programme

9.00 am    Registration

9.45 am     Chair’s Introduction
            Dr Philip Strong

9.50 am     Principles of paying for pharmaceutical services
            Professor Steven Schondelmeyer

10.25 am    European options chosen for paying pharmacists
            Dr Christine Huttin

11.00 am    Coffee

11.20 am    The British Perspective

            Changes to the British payment system in the last 10 years
            Professor Peter Noyce

11.45 am    What do patients need from pharmaceutical services ?
            Dr JIll Jesson

12.10 pm    Distribution and access to community pharmacists
            Dr Alex Hirschfield

12.35 pm    Implications of consumer demand and payment systems for
            community pharmacy
            Lord Peston of Mile End

1.00  pm    Lunch

2.00  pm    Impact of the new medical contract on GP Services
            Professor John Howie

2.35  pm    Designing pharmaceutical payment systems to meet consumer
            need
            Dr Michael Rupp

3.00  pm    Issues and conundra in paying for pharmaceutical services
            in primary care
            Dr Alexander MacGuire

3.30  pm    Close

About the Seminar

Aims and Objectives:    to consider payment options for the
                        development and provision of pharmaceutical
                        services in primary and community care

                        to review patient requirements for community
                        pharmacies

                        to review present arrangements for
                        remuneration and reimbursement of community
                        pharmacies in the UK in the light of patient
                        need

                        to consider principles and issues involved in
                        devising a functional payment system for
                        community pharmacists that addresses patient
                        needs

Who should attend ?     Pharmaceutical Advisors and policy makers

                        Purchasing Authority directors

                        FHSA Chief Executives & professional advisors

                        Pharmacy owners and practicising community
                        pharmacists

Organization :          The seminar has been organized by the
                        Pharmacy Practice Research Resource Centre.

Venue :                 The seminar will take place at the Royal
                        Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain,
                        1 Lambeth High Street, London. SE1 7JN.

Cost :                  The seminar registration fee is stlg55 sterling

Enquiries :             All enquiries and bookings should be made to
                        PPRRC (Administration), The College of
                        Pharmacy Practice, Barclays Venture Centre,
                        Univeristy of Warwick Science Park, Coventry.
                        England. CV4 7EZ.  Tel 0603 690064

About the Speakers

Dr Philip Strong        is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the London
                        School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He
                        chairs the Management Team of the PPRRC.

Prof S. Schondelmeyer   is professor of Pharmaceutical Management and
                        Economics, University of Minnesota, USA.

Dr Christine Huttin     is Associate Professor in the Dept of Business
                        Policy, University of Paris X – Nanterre,
                        France.

Prof Peter Noyce        is Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University
                        of Manchester, UK.

Dr Jill Jesson          is an independent research consultant based in
                        Birmingham, UK.

Dr Alex Hirschfield     is Director of Urban Research and Policy
                        Evaluation, regional research laboratory, Dept
                        of Civic Design, University of Liverpool, UK.

Lord Maurice Peston     of Mile End is Professor of Economics at Queen
                        Mary College, University of London & a member
                        of the RPSGB council.

Prof Michael Rupp       is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at
                        Purdue University, Indianapolis, USA.

Dr Alexander MacGuire   is Senior Lecturer in Economics at City
                        University, London, UK.

Moclobemide (Manerix, Aurorix).

Moclobemide is a new monoamine oxidase inhibitor, reversibly inhibiting
MAO-A.  As such it does not induce the unpleasant and dangerous side effects
characteristic of the older, irreversible MAOIs but is said to be effective
in all types of depression including atypical, and also to be useful in
anxiety disorders.

I was wondering if anyone on the net has personal experience of this drug,
whether professional or personal.

Thanks,
Michael.

–
___________________________________________________________________________
Michael Diffin
JANET: mdif…@uk.ac.mrc-crc    PHONE: +44 (0)345 333111 Pager No. 0406653
INTERNET: mdif…@mrc-crc.ac.uk, mc…@mbfs.bio.cam.ac.uk

The following Q&A (by Steven Fowkes) was originally published in
"Smart Drug News: The Newsletter of the Cognitive Enhancement
Research Institute" Vol. 1 No. 10 of December 1992. Make of it
what you will.

If you have any questions, direct all correspondence to Q&A
ATTN: Steven Fowkes: P.O. Box 4029, Menlo Park, California 94026
USA, or call (415) 321-CERI and (415) 323-3864 for FAX messages.

Ever forward,

David <dcose…@netcom.com>

(the following is republished with permission from the author)
—

 Question: In the question and answer section of your November
1992 issue (Vol. 1, No. 9) Mr. Dean states, "Personally, I would
not purchase anything from the Life Extension Foundation,
because of their history of questionable ethical practices." Mr.
Fowkes adds, "I also have serious questions about the quality of
the Life Extension Foundation’s products."
 Could you please be more specific? I have been a member of
the Life Extension Foundation for over a year, and have been
using their supplement products extensively. I have no
complaints with the quality of the products or the service I
have received. The only ethical question raised against the Life
Extension Foundation and its founder Saul Kent, as far as I
know, are attempts by the FDA to destroy Mr. Kent and his
organization. If you have other information, I am most
interested in hearing about it. However, your vague reference to
improprieties and poor quality seems unprofessional and not up
to the level of reporting I have come to expect from Smart Drug
News. I was preparing a to renew my subscription when these
remarks caught my eye. I am now having second thoughts about it.
DW

 Answer: The Life Extension Foundation’s (LEF’s) unethical
and possibly illegal activities date back ten years. Some of
those activities involve unfair business practices, mail fraud,
impersonating a Federal agency (the FTC), forging Denham
Herman’s signature to a phony American Aging Association
document, mailing an anonymous "child molester" letter to
competitor’s customers, plagiarism, and numerous other frauds.
These activities have been exposed in articles I have written in
*Forefront* — *Health Investigations* (Vol. 3, No. 2; and Vol.
3, No. 5) which culminated in the formal withdrawal of
MegaHealth’s recommendation of the Life Extension Foundation in
the fall of 1987.
 Please understand that our regard for Kent and Faloon is
*not* based on the FDA’s indictment of them. If you’ve read John
Morgenthaler’s and my book *STOP the FDA*, you know I would not
want to legitimize the FDA’s war on health freedom in any way.
Frankly, we hope Saul and Bill beat the FDA. I have been
secretly providing strategic recommendations to their legalŠdefense team through members of the AIDS underground. In my
opinion, Kent and Faloon are not doing anything with FDA-
unapproved life-extension and smart drugs that the AIDS buyer’s
club aren’t doing with FDA unapproved AIDS drugs. The FDA’s
prosecution of Kent and Faloon is blatant "selective
enforcement." It certainly meets our definition of harassment.
 From what I have been able to determine about the Federal
case against Kent and Faloon, they are not being charged with
any of the unethical and possibly criminal activities about
which I reported. The current charges by the FDA involve Kent
and Faloon’s dealings with the Hauptmann Institute, a mysterious
"mail-drop" supplier of overseas drugs who’s supposed founder,
Dr. Karl Gustav Hauptmann, is unknown professionally
*anywhere* in the world. According to my analysis and that of a
handwriting expert, the signature of "Dr. Hauptmann," the
Vitamin Factory "President," the phony FTC officer, and Saul
Kent (on a Project 2000 flyer from LEF) are made by the same
person. Although this person was *not* Saul Kent, the Feds
believe it was Bill Faloon himself.
 Hauptmann literature contained a photograph of "Dr.
Hauptmann," which tuns out to be a piece of clip-art used by the
Nevada Medical Society. The photograph of the "Institute" in
Europe is actually a house located in southern California.
Hauptmann mailing labels were printed on the same green-and-
white striped computer paper used by the Life Extension
Foundation for their own mailings, with the same misspellings of
names and addresses as on LEF labels and the same print-head
defects in the dot matrix pattern.
 One of the Federal charges is the alleged destruction of
printing plates for Hauptmann literature at a Hollywood, Florida
printing shop. The Feds call this *obstruction of justice*, but
we wonder if this kind of crime is more akin to the century-old
English crime "lurking with intent to loom" and its modern US
equivalent "*conspiracy* to lurk with intent to loom." The Kent-
and-Faloon trial has just begun in Federal Court in Florida.
 I possess substantial documentation of all of these past
unethical activities. The most recent incident involves an LEF-
published book which is a word-for-word, paragraph-for-paragraph
plagiarism of Ward Dean’s and John Morgenthaler’s book *Smart
Drugs & Nutrients*. Although Faloon was informed of the
plagiarism, the plagiarized material has been subsequently
reprinted — without change and without permission.
 My reservations about the *quality* of LEF products stems
from 1) a single analysis of LEF’s Life Extension Mix which
turned up substantial deficits, 2) reports from several LEF
employees about LEF’s quality-control procedures (or lack
thereof) during the pre-1987 time period, 3) taste tests by
myself and others. I do not know whether their past
practices are still in effect today.
 Although I usually think their newsletter *Life Extension
Report* (formerly *Anti-Aging News*) valuable and timely
reporting state-of-the-art developments in life-extension
research, they have on several occasions made some ludicrous and
fallacious assertions which seriously undermine their
credibility. The one *faux pas* that most sticks in my mind isŠtheir assertion that all iron-containing vitamin supplements are
carcinogens. SWF
 I have been (and continue to be) a member of the Life
Extension Foundation (LEF) since it’s inception. I am a former
member of the foundation’s Advisory Board. I believe in the
*principals* of the foundation, and support their battle with
the FDA.
 However, I have serious reservations with regard to the
ethical standards of the two principals of the foundation, Bill
Faloon and Saul Kent. These reservations stem from a long
history of questionable tactics
and activities.
 I first became concerned about the quality of LEF products
shortly after the introduction if the Life Extension Mix. This
product actually tasted great! I knew from past experience that
high-potency nutrient formulas taste *terrible*. If you want
proof, empty a tablespoon full of Durk and Sandy’s *Radical
Shield* in a glass of orange juice, and taste it. Add as much
sugar as you want. It *still* tastes awful. Dr. Richard Kaufman
tried numerous methods to make his powdered formula *Age-Less*
palatable, including massive doses of fructose and natural
appricot powder. He finally gave up and went back to capsules
and powder. Twin Lab’s *Maxi-Life* is just *barely* tolerable
when mixed in V-8 Juice. I suspected that was on the Life
Extension Mix label was *not* what was in the product. My
suspicions were subsequently confirmed by the assay described
above by Steven Fowkes, and by the reports of a former LEF
employee who confided that not only did the products *not*
contain dosages as claimed on the label but that few LEF
employees consumed LEF products. Instead, they too supplements
manufactured by other companies, believed to be reliable (like
Twin Labs).
 After the reprehensible attempt by LEF to destroy Vitamin
Research Products as described above, I requested that the
foundation remove my name from its Advisory Board. I sent
several registered letters and made several phone calls
requesting that my name be deleted from the masterhead of their
newsletter. For nearly a year, they ignored my requests. It was
not until I threatened legal action (and I like lawyers about as
much as I like the FDA, DEA and IRS) that they acquiesced and
removed my name from their Advisory Board.
 The most recent example of questionable ethics of LEF in
their book, *The Physician’s Guide to Life Extension Drugs*. On
first reading of their book, I was favorably impressed. Some of
the writing in the book was so good that I found myself
thinking, "I wish I had written that." Then, I dumbfoundedly
realized that I *did* write it. I compared *The Physicians Guide
to Life Extension Drugs to Smart Drugs & Nutrients* and found
over 40% of their book was copied *word-for-word* from *Smart
Drugs & Nutrients*. Even some of the mistakes in our book were
included in theirs. I notified the publishers, who informed
Bill Faloon of their violation of copyright. Despite this
notification, *The Physician’s Guide to Life Extension Drugs*
has been reprinted and continues to be distributed. This is not
only a clear violation of U.S. copyright laws, it is alsoŠindicative of sleazy ethics.
 Again, I support the principals of the foundation and their
justifiable battle with the FDA. Support them with a donation if
you wish, but I would be leary about trusting my health with
their products. WD
 We have recently heard of an FDA "hit list" of people
considered to be conspirators in the promotion of smart-drugs
sales in the U.S. Rumor is that we (Fowkes, Dean and
Morgenthaler) are on that list, along with Kent and Faloon. We
have received one report of an FDA investigator looking for
"targets" which might justify all the money wasted in FDA raids
over the last few years. The FDA may be worried about their
failing "enforcement" image. There is a serious chance that they
will loose their entire case against Kent and Faloon. The
defense has successfully subpoenaed key members of the AIDS
underground who will testify about FDA collaboration in the
importation and the sale of unapproved AIDS drugs. They have
also subpoenaed FDA Commissioner David Kessler and former
Commissioner Frank Young. Kessler is allegedly fighting tooth
and nail to avoid having to comply with the subpoena and testify
under oath about his involvement. If Kent and Faloon’s defense
team succeeds in documenting open FDA assistance in violating
Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act regulations against importation and
sale of unapproved AIDS drugs, the government’s case against
Kent and Faloon for doing the same thing with smart drugs and
life extension drugs should collapse. There is a constitutional
prohibition against uneqal enforcement of the law.
 Regardless of how this case ends, it is clear to us that the
FDA is selectively violating both Constitutional law and its own
regulations in its senseless campaign to protect Americans from
themselves. Although Kent and Faloon are on the right side of
their battle with the FDA, it remains to be seen whether they
have truly abandoned their past methods of doing business. Until
they do so to my satisfaction, I will not recommend their
products or services. *Caveat emptor*. SWF

Do
Does any body know how to get iformation about Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I am particularly interested to find out what drugs or new medical devices and products have been submitted to FDA for approval. Any info on how to get this online or by other means (publications, etc) will be appreciated.

Please send e-mail to:   meh…@atlanta.emna.slb.com

Mehran Mikailizadeh

Keywords:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

> As the following is being posted to several lists, please excuse the overlap.

>                       ———————————
>                                CALL FOR PAPERS
>                       ———_______________———-

>                        IMPACT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ON CANCER:
>                       Risk Assessment, Prognosis, and Therapy

>                              September 24-26, 1994
>   University of Massachusetts Medical Ctr – Biotechnology Park – Worcester, MA
>   —————————______________________—————————

>   Papers reporting experimental and clinical research in progress are sought
>   by the program committee of this international symposium designed for update
>   and critical appraisal of the rapid advances in the following areas:

>   1.  Molecular Biology of Cell Proliferation
>   2.  Experimental Hematopoiesis
>   3.  Assessment of Cancer Risk and Prognostic Indicators
>   4.  Therapy of Hematologic Neoplasms and Clinical Use of
>       Hematopoietic Growth Factors
>   5.  Solid Tumor Therapy
>                           =============================

>                                 Program Committee:
>   G Chihara, M Czech, R Kamen, HE Nieburgs, PJ Quesenberry, L Santi, VE Valli
>                                     Sponsors:
>        University of Massachusetts Medical Center, BASF Bioresearch Corp,
>        National Cancer Institute Advanced Biotechnology Ctr, Genoa Italy,
>                International Society for Preventive Oncology, and
>           "Cancer Detection and Prevention" (ISSN 0361-090X CRC Press).

>   Abstracts of reports proposed for poster, oral presentation, or roundtable
>   discussions should be submitted for review to the program committee.
>   Authors may also prepare a full paper for publication in the symposium issue
>   of "Cancer Detection and Prevention."

>   If you are interested to participate you should request abstract and
>   program-related information from:  H.E. Nieburgs MD,
>   * Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Box20
>     55 Lake Avenue North,  Worcester, MA 01655 USA

>   * Telephone (508) 856-1822/1823             Fax (508) 856-1824
>   * Electronic Mail: Herbert=Nieburgs%PATHOLOGY%UM…@BANYAN.UMMED.EDU

>   Symposium Topics include, but are not limited to:

>   1. Molecular Biology of Cell Proliferation
>   * CELL CYCLE CONTROL BY PROTEIN KINASES * REGULATION OF CELL PROLIFERATION
>   * SIGNALING MECHANISMS IN T-LYMPHOCYTE MITOGENESIS * ras ONCOGENES * GROWTH
>    FACTOR RECEPTOR SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION

>   2. Experimental Hematopoiesis
>   * STEM CELLS * STROMAL REGULATION * CYTOKINE REGULATION

>   3. Assessment of Cancer Risk and Prognostic Indicators
>   * PRECURSOR LESIONS * FAMILIAL PREDISPOSITION * p53 AND Ki ras MUTATION
>   CARRIERS * ONCOGENE AND TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENE AMPLIFICATION * CYTOGENETIC
>   ABERRATIONS * USE OF DNA ADDUCTS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF EXPOSURE TO CARCINOGENS  * GENETIC BIOMARKERS AS INTERMEDIATE ENDPOINTS

>   4. Therapy of Hematologic Neoplasms and Clinical Use of Hematopoietic
>      Growth Factors
>   * MOLECULAR GENETICS OF LYMPHOID NEOPLASIAS * CLINICAL USE OF ERYTHROPOIETIN,
>   G-CSF AND GM-CSF, IL6 * TREATMENT OF LEUKEMIA * ADULT AND CHILD CHEMOTHERAPY
>   * BIOTHERAPY OF ACUTE PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA * MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE MODULATORS
>   5. Solid Tumor Therapy
>   * CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY * GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTORS * NOVEL CYTOTOXIC ANTITUMOR
>   AGENTS * PREDISPOSITION, DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT * RECOMBINANT IMMUNOTOXINS
>   * MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE * USE OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES * GENE TRANSFER
>   * GENETIC MODIFICATION OF TUMOR INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES

>   6. Other Topics
>   * CLINICAL APPLICATION OF DNA TECHNOLOGY * PROGNOSTIC TESTING * DETECTION OF
>   OCCULT NEOPLASTIC DEVELOPMENT * NUCLEIC ACID PROBES IN FORENSIC STUDIES AND
>   RETROSPECTIVE PATHOLOGY * DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION OF in situ HYBRIDIZATION
>   AND PCR * IDENTIFICATION OF INHERITED GERMLINE MUTATIONS OR DELETIONS OF
>   SPECIFIC GENES * ASSESSMENT OF XENOBIOTIC-INDUCED NEOPLASTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY
>   * ASSESSMENT OF RESPONSE TO THERAPY