Discount Pharmacy Launches Wholesale Prescription Drug Club

 

SmartChoiceDrugStore Announces Wholesale Prescription Drug Plan

Austin, Texas based discount pharmacy launches wholesale prescription drug club in which prescription drugs are sold at wholesale prices. This program benefits millions of US citizens and business owners who cannot afford prescription drug coverage. Call 866-BUY-MEDS for further information, price quotes, or to sign up.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) April 26, 2006 -- SmartChoiceDrugStore (SCD) implements an unparalleled wholesale pricing model, which is completely new for the retail pharmacy industry. The new wholesale pricing model is offered through the SCD Wholesale Club and is priced substantially lower than any other discount, prescription drug program as a way to meet the demands of the underinsured, uninsured and businesses who continue to be devastated by the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. No other United States based pharmacy offers the type of savings that are available through the wholesale prescription club. For more information please call 866-BUY-MEDS.

The retail pharmacy industry and pharmacy discount cards have yet to address the rising costs of prescription drugs and even Medicare Part D does not address all uninsured citizens. In addition, the Canadian pharmacy response to the high costs of prescription drugs cannot address drug costs once they are generic. Therefore, SCD believed it was necessary to implement a new, wholesale pricing schedule for those citizens who cannot afford the astronomical costs of prescription drugs from retail pharmacies.

SCD CEO, Chatrick Clark, says that SCD Wholesale Club’s pricing is substantially lower than any retail pharmacy has offered before. “We are addressing the prescription drug needs of an enormous segment of the population that has been left to fend for themselves. The need for low cost medications has become critical in this nation and our belief is that the SCD Wholesale Club business and pricing model can address this need head on. It’s a win-win situation for both the customer and SCD,” Clark says.

The SCD Wholesale Club also offers business owners the ability to offer prescription benefits to their employees that they could not usually afford either through insurance or supplemental health coverage. While SCD Wholesale club is not insurance, it does offer business owners a way of assisting their employees in obtaining an affordable way to meet their prescription drug needs. The Club makes it possible for employers to offer prescription benefits to their employees at costs that their employees cannot obtain independently. The Club extends this offer to the employee’s family as well. Costs for the Club via the business plan run $60 a year for one employee.

SCD also maintains a discount pharmacy through its web site www.smartchoicedrugstore.com. SCD’s web site does offer substantially discounted pricing when the Club is not the best fit for an individual. “This usually comes about when a customer is in the need of a single, non-recurring prescription like antibiotics and is not on a maintenance medication. In that case, our normal discount pricing is the best fit and is still far less in cost than visiting your local pharmacy,” Clark says.

Currently, club prices, information, and sign-up are done via toll free number at 866-289-6337. The SCD Wholesale Club will be available by mid-May on the SmartChoiceDrugStore web site.

Media packets and information are available by calling Sara Wilkinson at 866-289-6337 ext 102. Texas pharmacy license #24171.


Press Contact: Chatrick Clark
Company Name: SCDRUGSTORE, INC.
Phone: 8662896337
Website: www.smartchoicedrugstore.com

Oncologists Profit On Chemotherapy Drugs They Prescribe To Cancer Patients

 

Cancer Chemotherapy Concession

The April edition of CancerWire focuses on the “Chemotherapy Concession” which allows oncologists to make a profit on the chemotherapy drugs that they prescribe to cancer patients.

(PRWEB) April 19, 2006 -- A recent study published in the journal Health Affairs “Does Reimbursement Influence Chemotherapy Treatment for Cancer Patients” revealed that the so-called “Chemotherapy Concession” is still in effect and that financial reimbursement has a direct effect on which chemotherapy drugs are prescribed to patients.

This study by researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard University found that oncologists who were more generously reimbursed prescribed more costly chemotherapy regimens to metastatic breast, colorectal, and lung cancer patients. The study demonstrated that the chemotherapy concession (doctors making profits from prescribing chemotherapy) that brought Congressional attention several years ago is still with us and is still controlling prescribing patterns.

The Chemotherapy Concession
Unlike other doctors, medical oncologists (doctors who prescribe chemotherapy) can profit directly from prescribing certain drugs. Oncologists can purchase chemotherapy at lower prices than the amounts that the insurance company pays them and then pocket the difference. This mark-up, which can be as high as 86%, is called the chemotherapy concession. The Health Affairs study revealed that this type of reimbursement prompts some oncologists to use more expensive drugs with better mark-ups for the doctor. For example, the study found that for breast cancer patients, a one-dollar increase in a physician’s reimbursement resulted in the use of chemo drugs that cost $23 more. The authors said, "Although reimbursement seems to have little effect on the primary decision to administer palliative chemotherapy to patients with advanced solid tumors, it appears to affect the choice of drugs used."

Why This Hurts Patients
The Chemotherapy Concession can harm patients in at least three different ways: 1) it creates a potential conflict of interest; 2) it may expose patients to more experimental drugs; 3) it may deplete a patient’s insurance benefits (i.e. drug coverage).

Potential Conflict of Interest - The Chemotherapy Concession gives oncologist other reasons to prescribe chemotherapy and select specific drugs. Patients must now ask why their doctor is prescribing more and different chemo. What is behind the decision? Oncologists insist that money has nothing to do with it. But, a New York Times article about the University of Michigan/Harvard Study (“Study links cancer doctors’ pay and their treatment”) cites Dr. Craig Earle, one of the study's authors and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard and an oncologist at the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. According to the Times, Dr. Earle stated that despite their insistence that oncologists’ treatment decisions are based solely on what is best for the patient, these decisions are affected by payment policies and other financial influences, including gifts from drug companies.

Newer Experimental Therapies - Typically more costly chemotherapy drugs with higher reimbursement are those that are newer. Because the newer drugs have less of a track record in terms of safety and efficacy (i.e. less post approval marketing surveillance), there may be less known about their safety and efficacy. Therefore, it is possible that a patient may get a drug that is more dangerous to them or less efficacious because of a monetary incentive.

Patient’s Insurance - Someone is paying to put that extra money in the oncologists’ pockets. Because the costs of premiums are directly related to expenditures, the chemotherapy concession hurts all of us by siphoning money away from patients, employers and payers and into the hands of one class of provider.

What You Can Do
Obviously, a patient wants a clinical decision to be based only on clinical information, not on how much money the doctor gets to keep. If you are a patient, you should know if there are any financial incentives at work in determining what cancer drugs you are being prescribed. Ask your oncologist: Why are you prescribing these drugs? What is their published efficacy and toxicity in other patients with the same cancer? Do you have any research or financial interests in prescribing these drugs? Are these drugs a profit center for you in respect to reimbursement?

Obviously you do not want a confrontational relationship with your doctor. And just because a doctor makes a profit from the drugs they prescribe does not mean that the drugs are inappropriate for you. A trusting partnership between doctor and patient that facilitates informed consent is the goal for many proactive patients. Such a partnership, however, may require an understanding of all the factors that lead to a treatment recommendation.

MORE INFORMATION:

•    To read CancerWire: http://www.cancermonthly.com/cancerwire.asp
•    To subscribe to CancerWire: http://www.cancermonthly.com/newsletter.asp
•    For more information about tests that can help a patient determine which chemotherapy can actually work: http://www.cancermonthly.com/chemotherapy.asp
•    For more information about immune boosting products in cancer: http://www.cancermonthly.com/immune.asp
•    For more information about clinics that treat cancer: http://www.cancermonthly.com/clinics.asp
•    For more information about financial support for cancer patients: http://www.cancermonthly.com/financial.asp
•    For more information about legal options for mesothelioma patients: http://www.cancermonthly.com/legal_services.asp

Of course, none of this information in CancerWire is a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment and you should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to an existing treatment. No information contained in Cancer Monthly or CancerWire including the information above, should be used to diagnose, treat cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor.

Press Contact: Michael Horwin
Company Name: CANCER MONTHLY
Phone: 919-570-8595
Website: http://www.cancermonthly.com

_______________________________________________________
Free trade and professional industry magazines are available at
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_______________________________________________________
Lung Cancer caused by asbestos exposure is known as
Mesothelioma. Learn more about this killer cancer.
Visit http://www.Mesothelioma-Search-Engine.com
_______________________________________________________
JR Roberts, a Security Expert Witness can help you prosecute
or defend your criminal or negligent liability case in court.
http://www.jrrobertssecurity.com/ 
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Pharmacy Packs Pill Perfectly, Bans Bulk Bottles

PrairieStone Pharmacy Introduces the Nation's First and Only Retail Drug Packaging Solution that Pre-Sorts Meds into Easy-to-Use Packets

 

PrairieStone Pharmacy's DailyMed(TM) is the first and only retail drug packaging solution that pre-sorts multiple prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and vitamins into easy-to-use single-dose packets. By eliminating the traditional pill bottle, DailyMed makes it easier for patients to take the right medications at the right time and better manage their health conditions. (Photo: PrairieStone Pharmacy)

 

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2006-- DailyMed(TM) Makes It Easier Than Ever for Patients and Caregivers to Ensure the Right Drug is Taken at the Right Time

 

In response to growing concerns and alarming statistics related to Americans' failure to follow prescription drug regimens, PrairieStone Pharmacy, the nation's most innovative retail pharmacy chain, today introduced DailyMed, the first and only retail drug packaging solution that pre-sorts multiple prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and vitamins into easy-to-use single-dose packets.

 

Prescription drugs continue to be the most cost-effective therapy available to improve quality of life and treat a significant number of both common and advanced ailments. But as Americans take more prescription drugs every day, it is becoming more difficult for many to take the right medications at the right time--especially with an aging population. In fact, failing to take prescription drugs as prescribed has become so rampant and well documented that it can be linked to 125,000 deaths in the U.S. last year alone, 10 percent of all hospital admissions, 23 percent of all nursing home admissions, $100 billion in direct health care costs, and $1.5 billion in lost patient earnings.

 

"There's a real health care crisis taking place all across America, and it's called non-compliance," said Marvin Richardson, R.Ph., president and CEO of PrairieStone Pharmacy. "DailyMed is the only retail drug packaging solution in the nation that addresses this crisis with an inexpensive, easy-to-use, and effective solution that pre-sorts a patient's medications into single dose packets. With DailyMed, we can finally say goodbye to all those pill bottles and those confusing pill sorters."

 

According to Richardson, the average American between the ages of 65 and 69 takes an estimated 14 different prescription medications each year. That number increases to 18 different prescriptions for Americans between the ages of 80 and 84. And according to the National Council on Patient Information and Education, the average number of annual prescriptions per elderly person is estimated to reach 38.5 by 2010.

 

"The problem isn't just non-compliance in and of itself," said Richardson. "The problem is what that non-compliance leads to--hospital admissions, nursing home admissions, increased health care costs, and even death. The problem is that no one is addressing medication mismanagement. The problem is a failure on the part of retail pharmacy as a whole to provide better patient outcomes. By simply changing how we package medications, PrairieStone Pharmacy is mitigating many of these problems and providing a long-awaited and life-changing solution."

 

The goal of DailyMed is to improve the lives of patients who use the dispensing system and the lives of their caregivers. It does this not only by making it easier for patients to take their medications and thereby better manage their health conditions, but also by allowing PrairieStone pharmacists to review their entire drug profile and identify drug interactions, lower cost alternatives, or duplicate therapies.

 

Nathan Synder has experienced the benefits of DailyMed first-hand. His grandparents were taking 17 prescriptions between them, including over-the-counter medications and vitamins. But Nathan noticed their health declining and soon realized they weren't taking all of their medications.

 

"It was very clear to me that I had to get involved. My grandparents had eight and nine different pill bottles to open every day--some pills had to be taken together, some had to be taken with food, some had to be taken one hour after another," said Nathan. "I couldn't even figure out what pills they needed to take when, so it's no wonder they couldn't. With DailyMed, all their medications were pre-sorted for them, so we didn't have to play guessing games anymore. It was such a relief for me to know that my grandparents were taking their medications correctly."

 

DailyMed is approved by the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy and is available in most states by calling 1-800-973-1955. Patients in Minnesota can visit any PrairieStone Pharmacy located within Lunds Markets and Byerly's to sign up for DailyMed.

 

About PrairieStone Pharmacy
Founded in 2003, PrairieStone Pharmacy is one of the nation's fastest growing retail pharmacy chains. Offering a unique model that relies on state-of-the-art technology and automation, the company prides itself on placing its pharmacists closer to its customers as a way to offer exceptional customer service and care. With the launch of its patent-pending DailyMed solution, PrairieStone hopes to further extend its mission of improving retail pharmaceutical care. For more information on PrairieStone Pharmacy, visit www.PrairieStoneRx.com.

 

Contacts
Patty Gibbs & Company PR
Patty Gibbs, 651-653-7302
pattygibbsco@aol.com

New Magazine On Consumer-Focused Healthcare

 

ONE Magazine Launched New Quarterly: Smart Step in Consumer-Focused Healthcare

A new consumer publication – ONE – has launched this month, instantly becoming one of metro Denver’s largest circulation magazines. The 300,000-circulation quarterly magazine focuses on health and well being and establishes HCA-HealthONE LLC as the leading source of healthcare information for area consumers.

DENVER (PRWEB) April 15, 2006 -- A new consumer publication – ONE – has launched this month, instantly becoming one of metro Denver’s largest circulation magazines. The 300,000-circulation quarterly magazine focuses on health and well being and establishes HCA-HealthONE LLC as the leading source of healthcare information for area consumers.

ONE is the insider’s guide to current health and wellness trends. The first issue contains articles of interest to all ages and genders: from knifeless brain surgery to preventing sports injuries and much more. The next issue, due out in January, will continue to serve as a road map for asking the right questions and finding the right answers about healthcare today.

“Until ONE, people in metro Denver haven’t had a reliable, single source devoted solely to medical information and healthcare news,” says Linda Kanamine, HealthONE Vice President of Public Affairs. “I think they’ll be surprised to read about the amazing array of research, treatments and medical technologies that exist right here in their own backyards.”

HealthONE partnered with Wiesner Publishing LLC to publish the glossy, four-color magazine. As the first publication of its kind in Denver, Publisher Maureen Regan says, “It is so encouraging to be a partner with a company that is breaking ground in their efforts to connect with people in their communities and provide information that will ultimately make us all smarter healthcare consumers.”

The medical industry is constantly changing with new technologies, new treatments and new preventions developing every day. “The need to stay informed and to become better educated has never been greater,” Kanamine adds. “ONE was created to be a support system for Coloradans to navigate the complicated world of staying healthy.”

In addition to copies mailed to homes, the magazine can be obtained at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, the Denver Chamber of Commerce or any HealthONE hospital.

HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with 8,700 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians. Recently named Colorado's "Best Company for Working Families -- large business category," the health system was created in 1995 as a 50/50 joint venture between various affiliates of HCA and HealthONE Alliance, a Colorado nonprofit organization.

HealthONE includes: The Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza; North Suburban Medical Center; Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center; Rose Medical Center; Sky Ridge Medical Center; Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital; Swedish Medical Center; seven surgical centers; more than 35 occupational medicine/rehabilitation, Broncos Sports Medicine, specialty, and outpatient diagnostic imaging clinics; as well as AIRLIFE, which provides critical care air and ground transportation for the HealthONE system.

# # #

Press Contact: Amy Santisi
Company Name: HealthONE
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 303-584-6038
Website: http://www.onemagazineonline.net

Shirt Contaminated With Asbestos Worn By WTC Volunteer

 

WTC Volunteer Saves Asbestos-Laden Shirt

A plain white dress shirt, worn by a volunteer who spent about 48 hours at Ground Zero immediately after the attacks, is laden with extremely high levels of asbestos.

(PRWEB) April 13, 2006 -- The New York Post recently reported that a plain white dress shirt, worn by a volunteer who spent about 48 hours at Ground Zero immediately after the attacks, is laden with extremely high levels of asbestos.

The shirt, belonging to community liaison Yehuda Kaploun, was stowed away by the volunteer in a plastic bag just a few days after the attack. Kaploun originally saved the shirt to honor those who had perished in the attacks on the World Trade Center, including his friend Father Mychal Judge. Today, he hopes the findings as to the levels of contamination on the shirt will help 9/11 volunteers get help for the diseases they are likely to develop in the future, such as asbestos-related mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs.

Kaploun, at the time a 35-year-old liaison between the Police and Fire departments and the Orthodox Jewish community, as well as a part-time Hatzolah Ambulance volunteer, was told that the analyzed portions of his shirt collar revealed an extremely toxic concentration of chrysotile asbestos - 93,000 times higher than the average typically found in the environment in U.S. cities. That appears to be even higher than what the EPA said was found in the most contaminated building after 9/11, reports the Post.

The shirt was also found to be contaminated with zinc, mercury, antimony, barium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead and molybdenum, which are just some of the heavy metals that burned in the fires that lasted for nearly four months after the attacks.

In early April, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 62% of the individuals caught in the dust cloud of the fallen towers were suffering respiratory problems. In addition, 46% of those who lived or worked in the area (but avoided the dust cloud) also reported consistent respiratory illnesses.

Though these numbers are staggering, they are sure to worsen as many asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, take 10-40 years to surface. That means, in the next 5 to 10 years, New York City could be facing a serious health crisis.

Visit http://www.asbestos-post.com for current asbestos and mesothelioma news as well as a dedicated asbestos RSS feed.

Press Contact: Steve Rinaldi
Company Name: IIMSNET.COM
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 5857039808
Website: http://www.asbestos-post.com

 
_______________________________________________________
Free trade and professional industry magazines are available at
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_______________________________________________________
Lung Cancer caused by asbestos exposure is known as
Mesothelioma. Learn more about this killer cancer.
Visit http://www.Mesothelioma-Search-Engine.com
_______________________________________________________
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 or defend   your criminal or negligent liability case in court.
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Synoptic Reporting Module Chosen for Canadian Cancer Initiative

 

mTuitive xPert for Pathology™ Chosen for Canadian Cancer Initiative at Lakeridge Healthcare

Lakeridge Health, as part of an initiative sponsored by Cancer Care Ontarion, selected the xPert for Pathology product developed by mTuitive, Inc. for a pilot program to standardize the reporting of malignancies across the province.

(PRWEB) April 12, 2006 -- mTuitive, Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts announced today that xPert for Pathology, an industry-leading synoptic reporting module, has been selected by Lakeridge Health for a pilot program to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care and availability of cancer information for planning, evaluation and research.

The pilot is one of several provincial quality improvement initiatives to evaluate technology and non-technology solutions that encourage and support standardized reporting and tracking of cancer cases. Lakeridge Health, in Oshawa, will implement mTuitive’s xPert for Pathology™ software to collect pathology reports and electronically deliver results to their existing lab system and to a local data repository. This project will assess the ease in meeting the pathology reporting requirements and the ability to automate the data collection process and transmit the results to the provincial data repository.

An article in the March 2006 issue of the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine emphasizes the importance of standardized structured reporting, ‘The use of standardized reporting promotes our participation in multi-disciplinary specialty care’ in a multitude of ways. Standardized reports 1) ensure uniformity of reporting, 2) promote consistency between institutions, 3) guarantee completeness of relevant data, 4) reduce ambiguity, 5) facilitate data collection for research, 6) serve as a quality assurance indicator of quality of care, 7) and save time for the clinicians and their assistants.

mTuitive’s software solution is expected to enhance the quality of cancer pathology reporting by ensuring the completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of standardized pathology reports in a cost effective manner.

“mTuitive’s structured synoptic reporting module is an automated, robust solution complete with cancer checklists that meet the provincial standard,” said Dr. Murray Treloar, Medical Director and Department Chief of Laboratory & Genetic Services at Lakeridge Health. “We expect that reports generated from their system will improve our efficiency by delivering data where it needs to be in real time, reducing the need for transcription of cancer cases and turn around times. Additionally, the engineers at mTuitive have enabled their application to accept data entry via mouse/keyboard, touch screen, handwriting and voice recognition, options which we expect can accommodate each of our pathologists’ preferred workflow. We are confident that this pilot project with xPert for Pathology will help Lakeridge Health meet our clinical quality improvement goals and, above all, have a positive impact on patient care.”

mTuitive CEO, John Murphy said, “mTuitive is honored to be selected and is looking forward to working with the Lakeridge to provide the most advanced, cost efficient model to help them achieve their goals.”

About mTuitive, Inc.:
Experts in medicine, human factors and healthcare software founded mTuitive. At mTuitive, our mission is to bring the power of computers—quality assurance, labor savings and knowledge access—to healthcare workers in a way that enhances, rather than disrupts, their ability to give quality care.

About Lakeridge Health:
Lakeridge Health is one of the largest hospital systems in Ontario, with four hospitals located east of Toronto in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Port Perry and Whitby. Our vision is to work together with health partners to promote health and deliver excellence in care to more than 500,000 people in both our rural and urban communities.

Contact:                       
Mike Valentine                       
mTuitive, Inc.   
VP, North American Sales           
Tel: 508.771.5800                   
mike.valentine @ mtuitive.com   

# # #

Press Contact: Mike Valentine
Company Name: mTuitive, Inc.
Email: email protected from spam bots
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Website: www.mtuitive.com

$10 Million Discount Drug Card Donation

 

Vertrue Announces $10 Million Discount Drug Card Donation

to be administered by local United Way agencies

Norwalk, Conn. (PRWEB) April 12, 2006 -- Vertrue Incorporated (NSDQ: VTRU) today announced the donation of $10 million worth of pharmacy savings cards to uninsured and underinsured families throughout the United States. The Familywize discount prescription drug cards, issued by Vertrue’s Coverdell & Company subsidiary, are valued at $29.99 each and provide point-of-sale discounts on prescription drug purchases at major pharmacies and drugstores nationwide.

Through this partnership with Membership Services Corporation, needy families will receive the Familywize cards through participating United Way agencies. The first $5 million in cards were shipped to United Way agencies this month and the remainder will be distributed throughout 2006.

“Too many American families have insufficient or no prescription drug coverage at all,” said Debbie Flinn, Community Investment Director of the United Way agency of Danville-Pittsylvania County, Virginia. “The Familywize discount prescription drug cards will help families who otherwise could not afford much needed prescription drugs.”

“Vertrue is very excited to partner with United Way agencies and Membership Services Corporation to get the Familywize card into the hands of families who most need the help,” said Gary Johnson, President and Chief Executive Office of Vertrue. “These cards can reduce prescription drug costs by an average of 20 percent.”

“Working with reputable and established charities like local United Way agencies is the best way to reach the people who really need to save money on prescription drugs” said Dan Barnes, President of Membership Services Corporation.

About Vertrue
Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Vertrue Incorporated is a leading Internet marketing services company. Vertrue gives consumers access to services that offer substantial discounts and convenience for important decisions in their everyday lives. Vertrue's valued services span healthcare, personal property, security/insurance, discounts and personals and are all offered online through an array of marketing channels. Vertrue is a premier marketing partner to corporate clients, and its services enable partners to enhance market presence, strengthen customer affinity and generate additional value.

About Membership Services Corporation
Membership Services Corporation of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has specialized for more than 15 years in affinity marketing and strategic sourcing to deliver quality benefits, reliable services and measurable savings.

###

Press Contact: Sandy
Company Name: Vertrue
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 202-486-7575
Website: www.familywize.com

Multiple Myeloma Cancer Of The Blood Could Be Several Different Diseases

 

UAMS Myeloma Researchers on Team Analyzing Disease's Genetic Fingerprints -- Cancer Cell Publishes Work That Could Lead to New Treatments

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) are part of a team that has identified that multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood, could actually be several different diseases at the cellular level with a potential for genetically targeted treatments that could extend to other forms of cancer. The research is published in the April 2006 issue of journal Cancer Cell.

Little Rock, AR (PRWEB) April 11, 2006 -- Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS -- http://www.uams.edu) are part of a team that has identified that multiple myeloma (http://myeloma.uams.edu), a cancer of the blood, could actually be several different diseases at the cellular level with a potential for genetically targeted treatments that could extend to other forms of cancer.

The research is published in the April 2006 issue of journal Cancer Cell. The article, "Tracking genome changes during cancer initiation, progression and treatment sheds light on multiple myeloma," is now available online at http://www.cancercell.org/.

UAMS myeloma researcher John D. Shaughnessy Jr., Ph.D., was one of three lead authors of the study, along with Ron A. DePinho, M.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, and Cameron Brennan, M.D., of Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center. Shaughnessy is director of the Lambert Laboratory of Myeloma Genetics in the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy (http://myeloma.uams.edu), which is part of the Arkansas Cancer Research Center at UAMS (http://www.acrc.uams.edu), and an associate professor in the UAMS College of Medicine (http://www.uams.edu/com).

"The new research, based on analysis of myeloma cells, is a significant step in understanding the genetic basis of myeloma development and progression," Shaughnessy said. "The study suggests that myeloma consists of at least seven different genetic subtypes of disease," he said.

"This represents a watershed in myeloma research since multiple myeloma's genetic complexity had previously kept us from determining if it was actually more than one disease," Shaughnessy said. "Now we can begin to better separate patients by the effect myeloma is having on them at the genetic level and develop targeted treatments based on that knowledge.

"Development of so-called targeted therapies, aimed at specific genetic mutations and biochemical pathways affected within cancer cells is being utilized now in some cancers like chronic myelogenous leukemia and is a hope for all cancers."

Several of the genes identified in the study also are associated with unrelated cancers, including pancreatic, lung, breast and ovarian cancer.

About the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy:

The MIRT (http://myeloma.uams.edu) continues to be at the forefront of myeloma research with this latest publication. Studies of myeloma treatment methods, led by Bart Barlogie, M.D., Ph.D., director of the MIRT, were published in the April issue of Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology as well as the March 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Barlogie's work was recognized in March when the organization responsible for publishing the annual America's Top Doctors named him a national physician of the year. The selection was based on nominations submitted by physicians profiled in America's Top Doctors.

Multiple myeloma (http://myeloma.uams.edu) is a type of cancer that involves plasma cells -- white blood cells that produce antibodies. It is the second most common cancer of the blood.

When plasma cells become cancerous, they reproduce uncontrollably and crowd out healthy red and white blood cells, preventing them from fighting infection and carrying oxygen throughout the body. Bone destruction is a common manifestation of myeloma. The malignant cells also produce a type of protein that can cause kidney failure.

Research at the MIRT has more than doubled the annual survival rate of a myeloma patient upon diagnosis from three years to seven years and beyond.

About the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS):

UAMS is the state's only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, five centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,320 students and 690 medical residents. It is one of the state's largest public employers with almost 9,000 employees, including nearly 1,000 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children's Hospital and the VA Medical Center. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $4.3 billion a year.

Contact:
Andrea Peel, 501-686-8996
Wireless Phone, 501-351-7903
http://www.uams.edu | http://myeloma.uams.edu

###

Press Contact: Shane Tripcony
Company Name: UAMS
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Phone: 501-686-8996
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GANYMED lead antibodies show excellent efficacy and safety in mouse tumor models

direct/ GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG (DE) - GANYMED lead antibodies show excellent efficacy and safety in mouse tumor models
 
Press Release by: GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG (DE) 

 

(openPR) - Mainz, Germany - April 5, 2006 - GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG announced today that several monoclonal lead antibodies directed against the company´s GC182 cancer target have shown excellent efficacy against solid human tumors in mouse Xenograft models. No toxicity was observed. The results fully confirm earlier experiments, where antibodies directed against GC182 proved to be very effective against cancer cells that expressed the target.

 

The GC182 target is a cell surface protein that is involved in cell-cell interactions. It was shown to be expressed with high prevalence and unique specificity in several solid cancers with high medical need (approx. 80% stomach cancers, 30% esophagus cancers, 25% lung and pancreatic cancers). The GC182 cell surface epitope that is targeted by GANYMED´s antibodies is identical in mouse and man, and highly similar in other mammalian species. Thus, mouse Xenograft models with GANYMED´s GC182 antibodies can be considered as highly predictive pre-clinical models.

 

"This excellent animal data fully confirms our earlier analysis based on human immunohistochemistry and cell culture data." said Dr. Özlem Türeci, CSO and co-founder of GANYMED. "The experiments clearly demonstrate that our antibodies are highly effective against tumors that express GC182, without any apparent toxicity."

 

Dr. Rainer Wessel, President and CEO of GANYMED emphasized: "This proof of concept in animals clearly represents a significant value step for the company. We will now move swiftly towards the next step: Clinical Development."

 

GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG is building a sustainable pipeline of monoclonal antibody therapeutics against solid tumors, where current therapies are poor and where there is an overriding medical need. The therapeutic efficacy of current solid cancer therapeutics is severely limited, because their molecular targets are elevated in a subset of a particular cancer but they are also found widely in normal tissues. In contrast, GANYMED´s validated proprietary pan cancer surface antigens are uniquely specific for cancer tissues and can be expected to show greater therapeutic efficacy and better safety allowing significant reduction in time to market. The Company will market its cancer therapeutics after clinical or animal proof of concept has been demonstrated to large pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

 

Contact for further information:

 

GANYMED Pharmaceuticals AG
Dirk L. Sebastian, CFO / COO
Freiligrathstrasse 12
D-55131 Mainz/Germany
T: +49 (0) 6131 1440 100
F: +49 (0) 6131 1440 111
E: info@ganymed-pharmaceuticals.com
W: www.ganymed-pharmaceuticals.com

 

The announcement distributed by directnews.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

New Database Identifies Medical Opinion Leaders Worldwide

 

MedMeme, LLC Announces Launch of ProfileMeme(tm) - A New Database that Identifies Medical Opinion Leaders Worldwide

MedMeme, LLC announces the launch of ProfileMemeTM, a new comprehensive database of the top physicians and scientists working in health care worldwide. MedMeme, with its unique process to identify, profile, and rank established and emerging medical opinion leaders, promises to save clients time and money in their global opinion leader identification efforts.

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 5, 2006 -- MedMeme, LLC announces the launch of ProfileMemeTM, a new comprehensive database of the top physicians and scientists working in health care worldwide. MedMeme, with its unique process to identify, profile, and rank established and emerging medical opinion leaders, promises to save clients time and money in their global opinion leader identification efforts.

Company CEO, Mahesh Naithani, says “using MedMeme’s collective resources and scientific methodology gives ProfileMeme™ an objective and comprehensive advantage that pharmaceutical manufacturers, and others, can depend on as an innovative alternative to the costly, time-consuming and subjective methods currently used to identify Medical Opinion Leaders (MOLs). It is the best, quantifiable, objective method to identify and select the right MOL.”

ProfileMeme’s™ database instantly identifies MOLs using selection criteria such as: disease, indication, treatment interest, and geography, for example. ProfileMeme™ includes more than 200,000 physicians and scientists worldwide, ensuring clients can select exactly the thought leaders most relevant to their needs.

A recent study revealed that in the last seven years, the pharmaceutical industry has seen a 300% increase in physician-led promotional events versus sales rep-led events. As pharmaceutical marketers begin to move away from a strategy of escalating volumes of reps and promotion, companies are exceedingly interested in MedMeme’s more efficient and less subjective methods to identify these all-important physicians.

About MedMeme, LLC

Using independent, authoritative, forward-looking insights into the competitive marketplace, MedMeme™, LLC specializes in collection and analysis of clinical and medical marketing intelligence, an invaluable service for pharmaceutical and medical products companies, physicians, and medical societies. While it uses a broad base of data resources, it focuses on medical conferences because they have rapidly become the important place where professionals and the healthcare industry effectively meet to interact and exchange information, a trend driven by increasing cost and decreasing effectiveness in traditional forms of communication with physicians.

For further information about the Profilememe™ MOL database, please contact Ron Nick at (312) 972-0611 or e-mail at ronaldmnick -at- medmeme.com.

Media contact:
Yan Barshay
Phone: (212) 725-5992
email: yan -at- medmeme.com

# # #

Press Contact: Yan Barshay
Company Name: MEDMEME, LLC
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 212-725-5992
Website: www.medmeme.com

Prescription Drugs Available Free

 

Free Prescription Drugs Available to Households with Incomes as High as $80,000

Drug companies routinely give away free prescription drugs. Free or reduced outpatient prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet enrolled in Part D. But trying to access the programs can be complicated and time consuming. The Free Medicine Foundation shows consumers how to cut through the drug companies' red tape.

Doniphan, MO (PRWEB) April 4, 2006 -- For individuals needing assistance in affording prescription medication, help may only be a few minutes away.

The Johnson’s have no insurance, and can’t afford the 5 prescriptions they must take daily. However, they get all of them free-of-charge, thanks to the efforts of Free Medicine Foundation and drug-makers.

Three of the Nation’s largest drug makers send the Johnson’s their cholesterol, thyroid, heart, pain and blood pressure medication FREE because they participate in these little-known patient assistance programs that are offered by pharmaceutical companies.

The Johnson’s who found a Free Medicine Foundation brochure application in their doctor’s office said, “It’s the best-kept secret in town, we couldn’t take our medications without them…we wouldn’t be able to afford it.” they said.

Although free medicine assistance has been around for over 50 years, most people have never heard about and do not know how to apply for free medicine. The "Free Medicine Foundation" mission is to inform the media and the public of assistance that may be available to thousands of Americans who don't even realize they qualify for such help. Free Medicine Foundation works tirelessly to match patients with hundreds of free or low-cost available programs by scouring available medicine plans to find plans that match applicant needs.

Cindy Randolph, spokesman for the Free Medicine Foundation organization, said that our efforts have proven successful and have helped hundreds of thousands of Americans. Free prescription drugs are available to individuals who are uninsured or underinsured – with no outpatient prescription coverage for some or all prescription drugs you need, (have maxed their insurance out and/or reached the “gap” or “donut hole”), and who meet certain established income criteria for each medication.

"This is an effort to help people who qualify and don't even know it," said Randolph. This includes Medicare beneficiaries who elect not to enroll in a Medicare drug plan. The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) notes that “manufacturer-sponsored Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) need not remove all Medicare beneficiaries from their existing programs to be compliant with federal fraud and abuse laws. Because enrollment in Part D is voluntary, existing PAPs may continue to provide free or reduced outpatient prescription drugs to Medicare beneficiaries who have NOT yet enrolled in Part D.” In addition, individuals who do not meet criteria for income for prescription drug coverage –including Medicare beneficiaries who enroll in the Medicare drug plan – May still qualify for free or low-cost prescription drugs.

Drug sponsors recognize that sometimes exceptions need to be made based on a patient’s individual circumstances. Individuals who do not meet these criteria may still qualify if both they and their physician attest that the patient has special circumstances of financial and medical hardship, and their income is below an established limit. It’s not just poor people who qualify. With each medication the income criteria varies from below the poverty level up to $39,200 for individuals, $52,800 for couples, and as high as $80,000 for a family of four.

Since 1993, Free Medicine Foundation, which is a national program to help patients across the country, access prescription medicines by helping to enroll them in patient assistance programs. The Free Medicine Foundation enrollment center is helping people in need across the united States of America.

According to Randolph, there are hundreds of programs that offer free or nearly-free prescription drugs to those who qualify. Most all prescription drugs are on a free or low-cost assistance program. The biggest issue is letting people know that such programs actually exist and that the process of enrolling is not that difficult.

People interested in attempting to enroll in one of the many programs can simply call 1-573-996-3333 or log on to www.FreeMedicine.com.

The online enrollment is also easy, but will require the individual to have a list of drugs they are taking handy. Applicants can apply for as many drugs as needed, there is no limit. Include a $5 per prescription application processing fee (refundable if no assistance is received) indicating which drugs you need. And once enrolled, patients can continue to receive medication indefinitely as long as programs exist and patient continues to qualify.

For people facing tough prescription drug costs, the Free Medicine Foundation assistance program is a much needed effort. For more information and to access an application, visit www.FreeMedicine.com.


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Press Contact: Cindy Randolph
Company Name: Free Medicine Foundation
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 573-996-3333
Website: http://www.FreeMedicine.com

System Verifies Compounded Medications and Doses,Validates Narcotic Returns

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Selects CDEX ValiMed(TM) to Implement Medication Validation Solution; ValiMed System Verifies Compounded Medications and Doses, and Validates Narcotic Returns

ROCKVILLE, Md. & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2006--CDEX, Inc. (OTCBB:CEXI), announced today that Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota has selected the ValiMed(TM) system to perform end-product testing of compounded intravenous medications in its pharmacy departments, and validation of returned narcotics in its operating room suites and nursing units. The ValiMed medication verification system, which was developed by CDEX (www.cdex-inc.com) and is exclusively distributed by Baxa (www.baxa.com), gives clinicians a quick, cost effective, and simple tool to further ensure medication safety by verifying medications are correctly compounded.

Children's of Minnesota is the eighth-largest children's health care organization in the U.S., with 319 staffed beds at its two hospital campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. An independent, not-for-profit health care system, Children's of Minnesota provides care through over 13,000 inpatient visits and more than 200,000 emergency room and other outpatient visits each year.

In a process that takes only seconds, ValiMed uses patent pending technology to validate compounded doses of high-risk medications prior to dispensing. The solution creates an added level of safety in the medication dispensing process, and is also used to validate narcotic returns as well as identify counterfeit medications.

"At Children's, our top priority is the safety of our patients. With the ValiMed product we will enhance our patient and medication safety by verifying compounded medication and narcotic returns right in the pharmacy," said Christine Koentopp, Director of Pharmacy at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

"We are pleased that Children's of Minnesota has joined a list of nationally recognized healthcare organizations that have adopted this new health safety measure, and is the first healthcare system in Minnesota to use ValiMed," said Jim Griffin, CEO for CDEX. "It is gratifying to see ValiMed being accepted as a life safety and quality control product by healthcare professionals across the nation. The number of prestigious healthcare organizations that are adopting ValiMed to verify compounded medications and doses, and validate narcotic returns continues to grow."

The ValiMed solution uses light energy and a library of unique spectral fingerprints to validate drugs in solution. The device validates that the correct drugs in the correct amounts have been added to the dose during the compounding process. The ValiMed Medication Validation System is distributed under an exclusive agreement with Baxa Corporation (www.baxa.com) of Englewood, Colorado.

About Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

Children's of Minnesota has received national recognition for its work in patient safety, including a recent ranking as one of only eight pediatric hospitals among the "50 Exceptional U.S. Hospitals" by the Leapfrog Group, a consortium of 165 national employers that provide health coverage to 36 million employees. For more information about Children's of Minnesota, visit www.childrensmn.org.

About CDEX, Inc.

CDEX Inc. is a technology development company with a current focus on developing and marketing products using chemical detection and validation technologies. At present, CDEX is devoting its resources to two distinct areas: (i) identification of substances of concern (e.g., explosives and illegal drugs for homeland security); and (ii) validation of substances for anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and quality assurance (e.g., validation of prescription medication and detection of counterfeit or sub-par products for brand protection). ValiMed is one line of CDEX products for the healthcare market. CDEX is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland with its research and development laboratory in Tucson, Arizona. For more information, visit www.cdex-inc.com and www.valimed.com.

Any statements made in this press release which contain information that is not historical are essentially forward-looking. Many forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "plans," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks are detailed from time-to-time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There is no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

Contacts

For CDEX, Inc.
Wills & Associates
Brad Wills, 301-767-1919
bwills@wills-pr.com