The FDA and drug companies: Must read
Comments
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grannydukes: I can relate to your stomach issues. I have/had suffered for years from acid reflux and IBS. I found that red delicious apples (skin removed) and pure/raw honey cured my acid reflux, so no more purple pill and that in turn cured my IBS. The purple pill was eliminating all my stomach acid. You need acid to break down food in the stomach before it passes to the intestines. Diverticulitis is very painful and caused by pockets in the intestines that trap food particles. Digestion in the stomach is vital so that larger food particles do not make it into the intestines. Give it a try. It really worked for me and I was the poster child for IBS. Must be pure honey, not clover. A few teaspoons a day.
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Re "....The FDA supposedly pulled red yeast rice off the market."
Before anyone whips themselves up into a frenzy about this MISinformation,it really would be so much more useful and beneficial to do some basic fact-checking instead of quoting supposed conspiratorial hearsay.
I looked it up. I read what the FDA has to say about red yeast rice. Have you?
This is a perfect illustration about why NOT to consider sources like NaturalNews, Mercola, Mike Adams, etc. credible sources. They're all about sensationalism, conspiratorial fearmongering, and intentionally creating controversial headlines to cause a stir and create income for themselves. They rely on fear, desperation, and misinformation rather than facts and research.
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Pharmanex's brand of red yeast rice is supposedly (to Pharmanex!) one of the highest quality products available. You can order it from their website. Or at least, that was the case a few years ago.
I would be careful of products from China, for the potential of impurities and tainting.
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Grannydukes, have you been allergy tested? I had a case of "IBS", and it turned out to be a gluten intolerance (an allergy). I also found out that I have problems digesting milk products as well. Just one of the many things that have changed for me in the past decade!
An immunologist or allergist might be able to help you pinpoint trigger foods.
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good points, anne and marianna. Food allergies can cause a lot of problems. Often what we are allergic to is what we crave the most..and I agree that buying from China is dicey, I was pointing out that red yeast rice has been used in China for thousands of years
thenewme, of course I have looked it up. Here's another link, same info, which is that the FDA does not happen to like the FACT that Lovastatin, the natural ingredient in red yeast rice, is the ingredient in their statin drugs. They want to be the sole drug lord of that drug. But I'm glad you brought it up because that is what this thread is about: the FDA blocking the sale of natural, supplemental and herbal formulas not out of a concern for public safety, but rather concern for their PROFITS. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2007/ucm108962.htm
Here is is, again....what I said before. If the FDA was concerned for the public's health there wouldn't be a slew of unsafe drugs currently in use. Please, educate yourself. Red yeast rice is approved by Health Canada which lucky for Canadians isn't controlled by Big Pharma and FDA.It is also approved for use around the world in most countries who put people before profits.
tucker
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Tucker:
FDA does not make any profits; they do not manufacture drugs.
For lovastatin (generic Mevachor), there are virtually no profits for drug companies. This drug went generic years ago and is now available for $4/ month (about 13 cents/day) at Target at other pharmacies. At $4/ month, (including the cost of buying and dispensing the product/record keeping/pharacist and technician salaries - there is virtually no profit to the store selling it, and perhaps just a few cents of profit to the generic drug manufacturer.
So your statement that desire for profits influences FDA's stance on red rice yeast - is just not true.
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Really, TuckerTwo, I need to educate MYself? I have abolutely zero interest in changing your mind about anything. Nor do I have any interest in what supplements you use. My "agenda" is factual information. Pure and simple. Misinformation has no place here. You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
FICTION: "The FDA supposedly pulled red yeast rice off the market."
FACT: They did no such thing. It's quite readily available. The FDA sent warning letters to specific companies who were making untrue claims about their products and/or trying to cheat the system by selling DRUGS as supplements.
FICTION: "....the FDA blocking the sale of natural, supplemental and herbal formulas..."
FACT: The FDA is NOT trying to block or ban sales. It is trying (rather unsuccessfully, unfortunately) to enforce accuracy and transparency in safety labeling and marketing of products. It is trying to make sure that the product is really what it says it is, and that it is marketed using factual claims rather than junk pseudoscience and testimonials. It's all about truth in advertising, and how anyone can argue that is beyond me.
FICTION: "...not out of a concern for public safety, but rather concern for their PROFITS. "
FACT: Knowing exactly what substance and how much and what it really does of it is pretty important for public safety, in my opinion. Otherwise, I could start bottling sawdust from arsenic-treated wood and selling it as a miracle cure for constipation using the fact that it is fiber, after all.
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A LITTLE bit of information is a dangerous thing! I was having a pedicure last week and the esthetician and I were talking about Dr. Oz. Her mother is a faithful watcher, and told her daughter that perhaps she shouldn't eat apples anymore because Dr. Oz says they contain arsenic.
Well, apple pits do contain cyanide, and the rest of the apple also contains acetone and isopropanol -- added by nature, which makes apples "natural", right? -- along with about 300 other naturally occurring compounds. (This is not to suggest that many apples are not free of man-made chemicals too).
Anyhow, aresenic-laced sawdust sold as constipation relief just tweaked my funnybone and reminded me of how a little info is a dangerous thing!
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Actually, it was a warning about the level of arsenic in apple juice from Dr Oz, and after further testing, it turned out that the levels were a whole lot higher than anyone expected.
http://gma.yahoo.com/arsenic-juice-study-prompts-action-084002586.html
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thenewme said: 'I have abolutely zero interest in changing your mind about anything.'
Seems you spent some time trying to do just that.
You may believe whatever you choose in your fairytale world. In that world, the FDA is only there to protect the public, and politicians never lie.
I have some land in Florida for sale, you interested?tucker
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Tucker - I was thinking along the same lines for you.... I have some fiber capsules for sale - are you interested?
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from wikipedia:
In 2003, red yeast rice products began to reappear in the U.S. market. As of 2010, there are at least 30 brands available. Many of these avoid the FDA restriction by not having any appreciable monacolin content. Their labels and websites say no more than "fermented according to traditional Asian methods" or "similar to that used in culinary applications." The labeling on these products often says nothing about cholesterol. If they do not contain lovastatin, do not claim to contain lovastatin, and do not make a claim to lower cholesterol, they are not subject to FDA action. Two reviews confirm that the monacolin content of red yeast rice dietary supplements can vary over a wide range, with some containing negligible monacolins.[6][7] In 2007, the FDA sent Warning Letters to two dietary supplement companies. One was making a monacolin content claim about its RYR product and the other was not, but the FDA noted that both products contained monacolins. Both products were withdrawn.[8][9] The FDA also issued a warning press release (see Further Reading; FDA 2007). The crux of the release was that consumers should "...not buy or eat red yeast rice products...may contain an unauthorized drug that could be harmful to health." The rationale for "...harmful to health..." was that consumers might not understand that the dangers of monacolin-containing red yeast rice might be the same as those of prescription statin drugs.
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So in order to offer consumer red yeast rice and avoid the FDA the manufacturers can sell red yeast rice in the US but the ingredients that lower cholesterol have been removed.
It also says, 'red yeast rice mght be the same as those of prescription statin drugs'. Of course, that affects sales of statin drugs which if you buy them by prescription are not cheap. Drug companies want the profits and the FDA works to please them.
orange, you haven't got much of an argument, do you? Anyone with a minescule of knowledge knows that fiber is good for you. Don't you two, the newme and yourself, have some drug rep prep to do?
tucker
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Hello ladies,
Red Yeast Rice Plus by Max Nutrition is on my list - just remember Granny that Red yeast rice should not be taken with cholesterol-lowering medications
Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/red-yearice-000323.htm#ixzz1ncFG4eit
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Disease Awareness
Writing for the British Medical Journal, Moynihan joined physicians David Henry and Iona Heath in warning that drug company marketing campaigns over-emphasize the benefits of medication.
"Alternative approaches--emphasising the self-limiting or relatively benign natural history of a problem, or the importance of personal coping strategies--are played down or ignored," they wrote.
Conventional wisdom says that drugs are developed in response to disease.Often, however, the power of pharma PR creates the reverse phenomenon, in which new diseases are defined by companies seeking to create a market to match their drug.
A decade ago, the late journalist Lynn Payer wrote a book titled Disease Mongering, in which she described the confluence of interests of doctors, drug companies and media in exaggerating the severity of illness and the ability of drugs to "cure" them. "Since disease is such a fluid and political concept, the providers can essentially create their own demand by broadening the definitions of diseases in such a way as to include the greatest number of people, and by spinning out new diseases," she wrote.
Pharma PR practitioners are sometimes quite candid as they discuss the art of creating a need for a new product. "Once the need has been established and created, then the product can be introduced to satisfy that need/desire," states Harry Cook in the "Practical Guide to Medical Education," published by the UK-basedPharmaceutical Marketing magazine.
Sometimes patient groups are created out of whole cloth to boost a new drug that is about to emerge from a drug company's "pipeline." Most of the time, however, drug companies woo existing non-profit patient groups.
"Partnering with advocacy groups and thought leaders at major research institutions helps to defuse industry critics by delivering positive messages about the healthcare contributions of pharma companies,"explains Teri Cox from Cox Communication Partners, New Jersey, in a September 2002 commentary in Pharma Executive.Corporate-sponsored "disease awareness campaigns" typically urge potential consumers to consult their doctor for advice on specific medications. This advice works in tandem with corporate efforts to influence doctors, the final gatekeepers for prescription drugs.
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Wow..so much info.Im trying to understand all of it.
Right now I am not at home.Tomorrow I will speak with my wellness center who works with the real meds along with the alternative.I am so sick and tired of all the do this,NO dont do this that my head is realing.I have not takin the crestor in over a week and the leg cramps stopped.
Thank you for this overload of info.I shall read it all when I get home.hugggggs K
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"veggies run throu me real fast.You name it and i have it.whatever pertains to stomach...have it for over 30 yrs.And yes i have tests all the time including colonoscopies regularly.Now i just got irritable bowel disease on top of the acid reflux,colitius that is in remission,diverticular disease and i had an abces on my colon.I have to be real careful with everything i eat."
My God Granny, I am so sorry, this all sounds so awful; I know how painful diverticulitis can be, a friend's mother had it and it made her so very miserable
Have you tried grinding your nuts and seeds, maybe that would help, worth a try. Protein is very important as well as chlorophyll in veges. Have you tried raw organic green powder blends, i.e.:
"Organic Green Power Blend is a synergistic blend of potent, concentrated plant foods (green vegetables), naturally packed with nutrients that encourage optimum health. It is a complete green supplement packed with all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that our bodies desperately need, provided by the spirulina, which is 60% vegetable protein; barley grass, which is naturally rich in copper, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, enzymes and chlorophyll. The ingredients in this supplement provide the antioxidants that are so important for our overall health and well-being, and help alkalize, energize and nourish our cells, as they also balance our body's pH level. Organic Green Power Blend is specially formulated to help the body convert its own reserves of energy for use, and can stimulate and enhance vitality.
Ingredients: Organic Barley Grass Powder, Organic Wheat Grass Powder, Organic Spirulina, Organic Spinach Powder, Organic Alfalfa Leaf Powder, Organic Kelp Powder, Organic Dulse Leaf Powder, Organic Barley Grass Juice Powder, Organic Orange Peel Powder, Organic Beet Root Powder, Organic Dandelion Leaf Powder, Organic Lemon Peel Powder, Organic Ginkgo Leaf Powder & Organic Wheat Grass Juice Powder"
There are many many brands out there, this one is really comprehensive
All really good stuff, you can add it to your smoothies or vege juices. Cheers !
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I did try DIM and 13C.I was glued to the bathroom...I tried each one just once.I could not take the pains in my stomach....
what to do?I really do not know .....but what i do know is that i am not doing the right thing for my body.
I value each and ever one of your posts.Thank you.hugggs K
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The accusation that thenewme is a drug rep has already been answered. She is not.
tuckertwo, perhaps you were not around for tha discussion but that false accusation raised quite a ruckus here. I am interested in the information here but do not want to witness that battle again.
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ROFL here. Just imagining a world where I can get the Google experts out here on a webex to present their beautifully harnessed web research capabilities (a la Wikipedia). It would give some of our readers a kick just to find out how well versed some of our resident "experts" are in their scientific studies. Let's put it on the calendar, ladies!!!!
Sh&t yeah, that'd be a doozy of a presentation!!
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Granny, are you referring to my post, because if you are, it's not DIM I wrote about. It's a substitute for you to get your greens which are so so important. I am so sorry that you are so very limited in what you can eat. If you could keep this drink down or up ? it would go such a long way toward detoxing and rebuilding your system, you know ? I would start with very little, a few ounces, and work my way up, it would be wonderful, Hugs Granny
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Granny: Have you tried juicing the veggies and fruits. This process takes all the fiber out of them and you have only the nutritional dense juice which does not harm the stomach. Cancer patients on the Gerson Diet drink up to 13 glasses of this daily and tolerate it well. Some are very sick and haven't been able to eat in a long time. You need a good masicating juicer to do this, like an Omega or a Champion. That and a good probiotic might help to put your system back to near normal. It will help with your colesterol levels too.
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grannydukes,
maud and kaara are right. Probiotics and green powder would help you so much. Start out with a small amount and build slowly. It takes awhile to get your system balanced when it's been out of whack due to illness and a variety of drugs.
huggs back to you,
tucker
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marianna,
Yes, I know what you mean. I look at a variety of sources and don't exclude wikipedia. We'll see what the wizards come up with about all of this information.
rosemary, I don't plan on any battles so maybe people who are into that can go elsewhere. We plan to keep having civil discussions here on this thread. Honestly, though, some of these people who post as breast cancer survivors are a little suspect. This board/forum no doubt attracts a certain amount of trolls and pharmas sniffing around to see who's taking what. Just because someone says they are not representing drug companies doesn't mean they are telling the truth.
Whatever.
Back to the topic!
tucker
Bad Karma for Big Pharma
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Anyone on Fosamax? Looks like the FDA let another one slip by:
If you have been harmed by the drug Fosamax, or its generic form alendronate, we understand the significant stress and pain that can come with the drug's adverse side effects. Legal action may be an option if you, or someone you love, has suffered a broken bone, dead jaw or any other adverse side effect as the result of Fosamax.
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Check out a defective drug attorney if you have had these problems.
tucker
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Commercial break :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgoB2h_Wkco -
Tucker -
You wrote: "orange, you haven't got much of an argument, do you? Anyone with a minescule of knowledge knows that fiber is good for you. Don't you two, the newme and yourself, have some drug rep prep to do?"
Don't you have a coffee enema to do?
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A coffee enema? I believe I will! Thanks for the reminder!
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Oh brother. Not this "thenewme-is-a-drug-rep" thing again. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's the classic straw-man argument. I guess in the absence of critical thinking skills and comprehension capacity, it's easier to try to divert the discussion than to discuss facts.
PS. Hey Orange1, don't you go trying to capitalize on my constipation remedy! I'll be happy to PM you an application, though, to get in on the ground floor of this marketing opportunity!
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From NPR regarding the FDA and drugs, especially for the elderly and other pertinent topics regarding drugs:
http://www.npr.org/templates/archives/archive.php?thingId=126567381
tucker
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Hi Circles,
Isn't the IGNORE button great??!!
tucker
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Maud---thanks for the info.I never heard of Organic Green Powder.Right now i will not try anything cause my stomach is in bad shape.As soon as i get it on track I will try it.
And yes Kaara & Tucker...i did try juicing.just 1x.same reaction.all day in the bathroom.My GD has the juicer and I was stayin with her.
I called my internist and spoke to the nurse about the red yeast rice.I told her i was off the meds and i want to try it.She is gonna call me back.
Once again I want to thank all of you for putting this info out there.It seems I really still need lots of education.
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