Gadling covers the Olympics

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Posts with tag IAA

The pharma water cooler

The CafePharma message boards are for pharmaceutical sales professionals and those interested in the pharmaceutical industry. A former Lilly sales rep started a thread about Eli Lilly and the lies they've told over the years. Pro Lilly responses flooded in, as did the anti-Lilly responses. Yesterday, however, two comments seemed to hit the message board with a vengeance.

Comments #23 and #24 epitomize the anatomy of a good old fashioned debate. Comment #23 is an Eli Lilly sales rep who claims to have helped with the successful launch of rDNA insulin, and the conversion of patients on pig and cow insulin to Humulin. He remarked from the perspective of a salesman that it was a successful venture resulting in unilateral domination. In response to his yesteryear achievement - commenter #24 raised some wonderful counter-points for modern day consideration. The following paragraph summarizes the results 25 years after the market saturation of Humulin and genetically modified human insulin.

The adverse events include: (1) Complications of diabetes are increasing. (2) Dead-in-bed syndrome is up over 300%. (3) Traffic accidents caused by people using rDNA insulins are increasing (especially in Type 2). (4) rDNA insulins are producing immunogenic responses in the same manner and numbers in the diabetic population as did pig and cow insulins. (5) No long-term studies have ever been conducted to define the dangers of the synthetic insulin hormones relative to cancer and other diseases.

Of course my favorite point is the fact that recent studies have shown that the culprit in many Type 1 diabetics may actually be the human insulin antibody produced by the diabetic. This may be self-serving beyond Type 1 diabetics needing insulin - it's giving Type 2s the very same problem.

Reaching out from the shadows of diabulemia

When TIME magazine does a piece on your plight - it's definitely gaining public interest. The fact that 1 in 3 people affected by Type 1 diabetes manipulate their insulin to lose weight is an eye-opening statistic. This lethal coping mechanism is termed diabulemia and a major national TV show is seeking diabulmics for a "sensitive, accurate portrayal of the condition" - at least that is what they told me.

I volunteered myself for the interview. I've struggled with diabulemia for the past 15 years until I did something a doctor would NEVER recommend. I called the station back - it was CNN. I divulged what a day in the life was like when I practiced diabulemia -- and I was good at it! When I told the interviewer that I noticed a world of difference when I changed my insulin from human synthetic to natural animal, she was surprised (so was my doctor). The key to mitigating my angst with insulin was getting the message to my brain at the same time the rest of my body was getting the glucose. This is less effective in newer insulin analogues. Big Pharma does not profit by selling natural vertebrate insulin even if it is better for hormonal response in suppressing appetite and preventing your body from entering ketoacidosis (DKA). Big Pharma profits if they own the patent for the specific insulin analogue you use. In my land of milk and honey - I realized Big Pharma is not my mom, not my dad and not my best friend. Big Pharma is not personal -- Big Pharma is business. So I took my business elsewhere because I didn't like the way Big Pharma was handling my business.

I don't mind explaining my abusive relationship with insulin if it helps anybody struggling with diabulemia. It's a shameful thing but it doesn't have to be. It's controversial but it's all true. For those of you considering your 15 minutes for diabulemia -- don't be concerned about your privacy. The TV show is planning to shoot the interview in shadow. If you wish to learn more about contributing to this documentary, please see The Sugar Shock.

Mad Money says Novo Nordisk SELL SELL SELL

Mad Money is a stock show on CNBC hosted by Jim Cramer - a well-known iron fist on Wall Street. He has a following of stock enthusiasts who regard his recommendations (buy or sell) as gospel. Why is he so good at what he does? He just wants to help you make money.

And to this end -- the reason I bring Cramer's passionate drive to The Diabetes Blog is simple: last week he called Novo Nordisk as a SELL. Cramer said he's beginning to worry about a backlash on drug stocks. He advised that viewers should not be greedy and should take gains in Novo Nordisk (NVO).

Perhaps the NY Times article raised some eyebrows at Big Pharma. It appears doctors are receiving handsome gifts and stipends for handing out samples of drugs that were not all that safe for most patients. The payments give physicians an incentive to prescribe the medicines at levels that might increase patients' risks of heart attacks or strokes. In light of this blood curdling synopsis Novo got a dishonorable mention. Novo Nordisk professes to operate their company in two parts: biopharmaceuticals and Diabetes Care. The Diabetes Care segment provides insulin analogues, human insulin and insulin-related products, and oral antidiabetic drugs.

The cross examination of the C-peptide disappearing act and mysterious insulin auto-antibodies appearing where they shouldn't is just getting started. Thanks for making them sweat, Cramer!

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