Posted on 11/30/2006 8:41:45 PM PST by neverdem
An expert panel of doctors for the National Kidney Foundation plans to assess whether hundreds of thousands of patients with kidney disease are being dangerously overtreated with drugs for anemia.
The decision to convene the panel comes two weeks after studies in The New England Journal of Medicine suggested that kidney patients whose anemia was more aggressively treated were more likely to die or suffer heart problems than those who were allowed to remain more anemic.
As a result, the panel, which will meet early next year, may recommend less aggressive treatment of anemia, potentially hurting sales for Amgen and Johnson & Johnson, which market the drugs, which are among the world’s best-selling prescription medicines.
“There are substantial sums of money involved here,” said Kerry Willis, vice president for medical and scientific activities of the National Kidney Foundation. The foundation, in response to a reporter’s question, confirmed the panel’s plans to meet. The panel’s recommendations would not have the force of law. But they are certain to be closely watched by kidney doctors as well as administrators of the federal Medicare program, which is by far the largest buyer of the drugs worldwide.
Sold under the brand names Epogen, Procrit, and Aranesp, the anemia drugs will reach almost $10 billion in sales worldwide in 2006. Medicare will spend $2 billion on them for kidney dialysis patients alone, and a similar amount for cancer patients and patients with kidney disease not yet on dialysis.
Nearly one million Americans, including 500,000 kidney patients, receive the drugs every year.
But some independent scientists say they believe that kidney patients are receiving too much of the drugs, in part because dialysis clinics make bigger profits for providing higher doses. The clinics make little profit on the actual dialysis services they provide for Medicare enrollees...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The link goes to the abstract. The numbers speak for themselves.
California medical clinic doctors are being told by the pharmaceutical companies which drugs to prescribe, rather than using their own ability to determine what is best for the patient. It used to be the insurance companies would try to influence treatment, but physicians in this state tell me the pharmaceutical companies are excercising an unhealthy control over patient care in most clinics and hospitals.
There is a problem with pharmaceutical companies and their unconstitutional public-private partnerships pushed by both the Clinton and Bush administrations. They have way too much authority over the care of patients, and it is to the detriment of the patient.
Don't forget the pharmaceutical companies charge Americans the highest prices for their products, so they can, as required by "free trade" supply 'least developed countries' with drugs at little or no cost. Who knows what is behind their zeal to push these anemia drugs on patients? Are they trying to make money there, while giving away the same medicine in Africa or elsewhere? Or are the anemia drugs subsidizing other drugs or programs? This is the question you should ask.
It also works for chemo patients for red blood cells and with "Neupogen" it will increase the white blood cell count in order to fight infections without antibiotics...
It's all the same BS...go after the deep pockets.
any company that has had profit growth within the last 10 years should expect the same treatment from the left and those in congress. It's all a shakedown.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list. Anyone can post any unposted link as they see fit.
What ever physician told you the drug companies tell physicians what to use is bound to be a lefty anti-drug company entity. They have no control over what I prescribe. NONE. I write the dang prescriptions they can NOT do that. Did you notice the hidden truth that Medicare barely pays for dialysis. Medicare is a horrible system. That is no excuse for fraud. And if you want free trade in medicines then gripe at socialist nations like our friends in Canada. They have price controls. We subsidize their medications.
I know that the Medicare write off is really hurting the Dr.'s, but has really paid well for my husband's cancer treatment, including several thousand dollars every 21 days for a drug designed to slow down the growth of the tumor's.
Her treatment is based on blood type. There are many types of treatments that warrant being examined. I do not envision myself with ever receiving cancer treatment by a conventional doctor.
The most suspicious part of treatment by conventional doctors is that most of them NEVER seem to even try a natural treatment before prescribing drugs.
I know for a fact that many of these treatments work but doctors have too much of a closed mind to even consider trying them.
Good. You're informing yourself. Do you go to cancer message boards?
Some doctors have been known to "fudge" the lab results or to "forget" to do the labwork before administering the epogen.
My once-a-month injection of Aranesp retails for $1140, but I'm sure my insurance company does not pay that. I pay $10 per dose. Before taking Aranesp, I got so anemic that I could not breathe and had to be rushed by ambulance to the emergency room and was hospitalized. My dosage keeps my hemoglobin around 13.0, so perhaps I should take it less frequently according to the article.
No! It has never occured to me. Can you help, or at least point me in the right direction?
Maria
We demand a copy of the CBC every week.
I agree. The amount it pays my nephrologist and internist are pitiful and way too low. It rips them off for their time, talent, experience, and knowledge. However, my podiatrist bills Medicare $560 for shoes I could buy at Foot Locker for $75. Medicare pays him about $340 and I have to pay him $60. This is a racket. My dermatologist also has a good racket. Every time he sprays a freezing solution on a skin defect, he gets paid for "surgery" -- and he LOVES to spray. Judging by the ads I see on TV, there is also a good racket selling Medicare-paid electric scooters.
I'll try. I have an interest in this as my beloved grandson had testicular cancer two years ago. I want my grandson alive years from now. The phony yardstick of five years means nothing to me. I want 50 years. I have some book marks.
The best to your grandson!
Thanks!
Maria
Are you a private phsysician or associated with a medical foundation of any sort?
Private. And you are right Medicare is a racket for certain industeries. Ie. The free shoes for Diabetic patients is a scam. But every patient I have on Medicare makes dang sure they get their pair every year. Even if they have plenty of money to buy them themselves. The same with diabetic supplies. Scam. Plus we do all the paper work. And do not get me started on the FREE motorized wheelchairs. I am surprised they do not throw in a FREE cell phone so they can be sure to be able to dial 911.
Epogen. Great stuff...but 700 dollars a shot.
The alternative is to give blood transfusions, like we did in the old days.
We are also now using it to treat anemia from certain blood cancers and for "chronic disease" anemia....I had a lady with Rheumatoid Arthritis and skinny and weak...after having to transfuse her on and off, the hemotologist (blood specialist) suggested epogen...it took us six months to get her on medicaid/disability to get the drug paid for, but once that was done, it worked fine, but took about two months to work.
And I wonder if the "increase" in heart attacks is real, or if it's just that people feel so much better they over work.
Increased CHF makes sense to me. Maybe you can use the CME/CE?
Thanks! That's a good site. I intend to steal ideas for my own.
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