Overprescribed

The FDA recently approved a new form of the opioid drug sufentanil, an opioid that has been around for a while in IV (intravenous) form. However, won't this just add to the already hard-to-fight opioid crisis??  Public Citizen, a nonprofit based out of Maryland, weighed in on this and we're talking about their position. Show note links: To review the Public Citizen's press stance on the FDA's decision, click here. Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch NOTE: The podcast will be shifting to monthly episodes until further notice.  Our next episode will be available in December 2018.

We're talking about flu shots. Are you getting one?   Show note links: Flu Vaccines Won't Improve Without a Massive Incentive for Big Pharma - Wired.com Yes, You Should Get a Flu Shot in 2018 - Time CARB-X is accelerating global anti-bacterial innovation. Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch *Advertisement* Support a good cause while going green by buying a pair of dope kicks. For the month of October, Vita Shoes is running a campaign to raise $1000 to support free housing for cancer patients & their families. You can support today by buying a pair of shoes www.vitashoesco.com/hope and for every pair of their

This is a continued share/discussion on the new, independent report released last month from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) where they pointed out four adverse drug reactions that stood out from all others in the 2017 FDA data of adverse drug reactions reports received by the FDA.  From severe muscle damage to a deadly viral infection of the brain, their annual report covers it all and we're talking about it.  (This is part 2 of a 2-part episode) Show note links: Some of the specific drugs mentioned in this episode = nivolumab, sacubitril-valsartan, aripiprazole, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Tramadol, lamotrigine, ciprofloxacin, natalizumab, rituximab, fingolimod, mycophenolate Drug classes of note = statins, antipsychotics, pain meds, epilepsy meds, oncology meds, antidepressants, opioids The annual report we're talking about can be found here -->> ISMP QuarterWatch Annual Report There were 4 serious adverse drug events highlighted in this annual report, namely... *Rhabdomyolisis (life-threa

In a new, independent report released last month from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, four adverse drug reactions stand out from all others. From severe muscle damage to a deadly viral infection of the brain, their annual report covers it all and we're talking about it. (This is part 1 of a two-part episode. Tune in next week for part 2.) Show note links: The annual report we're talking about can be found here -->> https://www.ismp.org/quarterwatchtm/annual-report-Sept-2018 Email:  talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. www.patreon.com and search for "Overprescribed" podcast  Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch   *Advertisement* Support a good c

Have you ever heard of biohacking?   Show note links:   Today’s show was inspired by this article by Stephanie Marsh from The Guardian. Check it out: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/21/extreme-biohacking-tech-guru-who-spent-250000-trying-to-live-for-ever-serge-faguet   ———- Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page.   Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

Are U.S. kids in foster care being mis-medicated with psychiatric medications?   Show note links: "Many foster kids were drugged without oversight: report" by Nicole Karlis "The U.S. has a long history of drugging distressed kids in its custody" by Erin Schumaker Children's Rights is a child welfare non-profit organization based out of New York and you can read the foster care statistics they've compiled here. Contact your local and state politicians to find out what can be done to ensure foster care children in your state are not being mis-medicated, particularly as it pertains to psychiatric/psychotropic/anti-psychiatric medications. ---------- Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Your small donation would help to support production! Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Repo

We're resurrecting the topic of pharmacogenetics to gather a pharmacist's perspective on what it means and why it's relevant (and going to grow in relevance!) for patients in every part of America. If you listened to episode #3 "What is Pharmacogenetics?" then you will definitely want to tune in to this one. Show note links: Our guest today is Dr. Saeed Alzghari. Saeed Alzghari, MS, MBA, PharmD, BCPS (www.saeedalzghari.com) is the Director of Clinical Pharmacy at Gulfstream Diagnostics (www.gulfdiagnostics.com), a company at the forefront of toxicology and pharmacogenetics.  Saeed knows pharmacy and describes himself as a collaborative pharmacist advancing patient care with strong expertise in clinical and translational research. He's also an active member of the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC).  His pharmacogenetic focus is in organizing and optimizing complex drug regimens, building relationships with patients and physicians on how to approach personalized therapies, and leading a

Malaria impacts millions of people every year and if you're traveling to a malaria-prone part of the world, chances are you're going to be prescribed an anti-malarial drug.  However, some people take anti-malarials and then develop a disease called "quinism" (pronounced kwin-iz-uhm) which is directly linked to the use of medications from the quinoline class of drugs.  Dr. Remington Nevin joins the show to talk about this and what needs to be done to protect public health. Show note links: Dr. Remington Nevin is a Vermont-based physician epidemiologist and expert consultant in the adverse effects of antimalarial drugs, particularly mefloquine (previously marketed as Lariam®) and tafenoquine (marketed as Krintafel® and Arakoda™). Dr. Nevin is board certified in Occupational Medicine and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine and Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.  A former U.S. Army Major and Preventive Medicine Offi

It was announced this week that one lot (affecting about 46,000 bottles of pills) of Abbott Healthcare's hydrochlorothiazide tablets will be recalled due to a "mis-labeling" issue. That's fine, but what does this mean for U.S. consumers and are drug recalls common? Show note links: Read the FDA's announcement about this hydrochlorothiazide recall. Learn more about the definition of a drug recall here. ---------- Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Without YOUR report. So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

Is it possible for consumers to improve the experience of pharmacists while also improving the patient and pharmacist relationship ...or do pharmacists just complain too much? We countdown our top 10 most surprising pet peeves of retail pharmacists.  -------------------- Show note links: Read pet peeves at Pharmacy Times and search for "pet peeves" from their search bar to find more. Interested in learning more about the pharmacist workforce landscape in America? Check out these stats. --------------------- Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Without YOUR report. So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

In a major legislative move, the state of New York is doing something that only one other state (Washington) has decided to do, so far, about unused drugs - - and they're going to make drug manufacturers pay for it. Show note links: Do you want to know more about this new law?  Read more on the specifics about NY's statewide Drug Take Back Act (Senate Bill S9100) which will become effective January 6, 2019. Interested in learning more about how to start a drug take back program in your area? Check out this link. Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reports.  So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

We're talking about some of the upcoming shows we have planned.  

In Episode #11, we're talking about another QuarterWatch report (May 2018) from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, or ISMP.  The report touches on the topic of antidepressant effectiveness, a big public health issue related to the popular anti-diarrheal medication Imodium A-D, and the crazy confusion and dispensing errors related to four product inhalers currently on the market and being sold under the brand Ellipta. Show note links: To read the QuarterWatch May 2018 report, click here. To learn more about the ISMP, click here. "In the News" --> Amazon bought PillPack! Read about it here. Got a news story, question, or insider tip on a medication issue threatening consumer health? Email us at talk@overprescribedpodcast.com

Some people who take antibiotics under the fluoroquinolone class of drugs are being "floxed".  Meanwhile, the FDA just recently issued a safety announcement about these types of medications. Show note links: Drugs mentioned in this episode: Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin), Avelox (moxifloxacin), Baxdela (delafloxacin), Factive (gemifloxacin), Ofloxacin (ofloxacin). FDA's July 2018 safety announcement for entire drug class of fluoroquinolones. Full title of the announcement >>> FDA reinforces safety information about serious low blood sugar levels and mental health side effects with fluoroquinolone antibiotics; requires label changes When antibiotics turn toxic by Jo Marchant Use of Fluoroquinolones Only as Last Resort for Some Infections from the American Academy of Family Physicians Cipro, Levaquin & Avelox article by Emily Miller at Drugwatch.com What's an antibiotic? per Wikipedia The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Toxicity Syndrome Network (FATSN) is a nonprofit founded by individuals whose

Gout, a type of arthritis, is not only incurable but affects an estimated 8 million people in America. There's a drug on the market right now called febuxostat (brand name: Uloric) that has been used to treat hyperuricemia in patients with gout, but one nonprofit is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to immediately remove it from the market for very compelling reasons.  Show note links: Learn more about gout, including signs, symptoms, causes , how it's diagnosed & more by checking out these CDC Arthritis Basics. What is hyperuricemia? Learn more here. To read the full 23-page petition to the FDA from Public Citizen, read here. Gout is more common in men vs. women and is more prevalent in African Americans vs. white patient populations. Read more about the gender and racial disparities here. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch  

We're talking about several things that people should know about new FDA-approved medicines (also called novel medicines) that hit the market for the first time. We're also taking a quick look at 3 recent examples: two new skin cancer drugs for melanoma and 1 new drug that was recently approved to treat smallpox. Show note links: Drugs mentioned in this episode (click links to access the Drug Trial Snapshots for each drug directly from the FDA's website)... BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) MEKTOVI (binimetinib) TPOXX (tecovirimat) Check out skin cancer statistics on melanoma from the Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Academy of Dermatology. MEKTOVI's FDA approval letter. BRAFTOVI's FDA approval letter. Check out this YouTube clip on what one of the BRAFTOVI/MEKTOVI clinical trial investigators has to say about these new drugs. View the public-facing clinical trial summary on MEKTOVI and BRAFTOVI from the ClinicalTrials(dot)gov website. Self.com article "Why Are Black People Less Likely To Get Melanoma But More Li

Did you know that if you're misdiagnosed then there's a very real chance that you'll also receive the wrong medication?  It's true and on episode #13, writer, author & patient advocate, Helene Epstein, shares her personal stories of family members who not only received the wrong medication but also experienced issues with being overmedicated.  From her father's courageous battle with Parkinson's disease to her beloved son's struggle with an ADHD medication due to misdiagnosis, Helene's story truly embodies what it means to be an empowered consumer navigating our health care system. Show note links: To contact Helene, her helpful tips for parents & patient resources, resources, and more: visit www.hmepstein.com Helene's biography --> Helene serves on the Board of Directors of Brightpoint Health (www.brightpointhealth.org), a nonprofit provider of integrated health care and social support services to the neediest in New York City. As a member of that board, she serves on the Quality Improvement committe

In Episode #12, we're taking a quick moment to speak directly to those who have been harmed by medications. We're also reminding people about World Benzodiazepine Day which happens on July 11. Show note links: We've shared these before (when we talked about benzodiazepines on Episode #6) but sharing again... World Benzodiazepine Day is July 11. Learn more and participate now. www.w-bad.org  Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (another great resource). www.benzoinfo.com Report your side effects (also called adverse drug reactions) to the FDA. Don't wait. Do it today. Call 1-800-FDA-1088 or 1-800-332-1088. www.fda.gov/medwatch. Both patients and health care providers can report and if you're a family member of a patient, then you can report on their behalf. The FDA is unable to monitor drug safety without your reporting and there's a nationwide under-reporting of side effects. So please help and spread the word! If you enjoy listening to Overprescribed, please leave us a review and/or share the show, or your f

The U.S. population is growing but not nearly as fast as the rate at which prescriptions are being prescribed.  Why is this happening and does it represent a statistic worthy of concern? Show note links: Research from The Commonwealth Fund titled "Paying for Prescription Drugs Around the World: Why is the U.S. an Outlier?" CDC annual number of new cancers 1999-2015 - no big decrease in numbers Prescriptions dispensed 2009 - 2016 Prescription drug expenditure (how much are we spending in the U.S. on prescriptions) 1960 - 2018 From today's "In the News" segment: More than a third of American adults take prescription drugs linked to depression, study says by Carolyn Y. Johnson Questions rise over Accutane side effects following a woman's murder by Rick Sallinger. The brand name Accutane was discontinued back in 2009 but the generic name isotretinoin is still on the market under other brand and generic names. Read what the FDA has to say about this drug's safety. Government-funded treatment center forcibly inject

On Episode #9, Psychiatric medication may work for some people but many people have had different experiences or aren't willing to take the chance, given some of the devastating and debilitating side effects that may occur from taking commonly prescribed pharmaceutical medications like Lyrica, Seroquel, Cymbalta, Vyvanse, Latuda, Invega and Pristiq. Listen in as we talk with holistic health practitioner, Judy Meyer, about alternative mental health treatment that involves holistic options which are often safer and more personalized to an individual's needs. Show note links: Check out the 2016 list of top selling psychiatric medications on Statista.com (Lyrica was on the list with over $4 billion dollars in revenue) Connect with Judy on Instagram (Holistic_Depression_Coach) and/or Twitter (@altmentalhealth). You can also visit her websites at: www.AlternativeMentalHealthRevolution.com, www.HolisticDepressionCoach.com To visit the Alternative Mental Health Revolution blog, click here To read "healing stories" fr