Warlords Sing for Viagra
Posted in Hard to Swallow on 28 December 2008
IT’S NOT LIKE they’re just wantonly doling out sex pills. When CIA operatives in Afghanistan trade Viagra for information they use discretion …
hard to swallow
news that's tough going down
The FDA Weighs in on Wellbutrin vs. Budeprion
Posted in Hard to Swallow on 17 March 2008
YOU NEVER KNOW what you’ll stumble upon on the Internet. Yesterday, for example, I came across a radio broadcast that had aired in December. To my surprise, the topic-the sometimes problematic differences between generic drugs and their brand counterparts-had been inspired by my LA Times article from the previous day. To my even greater surprise …
60 Minutes Gives 20 Minutes to Trasylol Travesty
Posted in Hard to Swallow on 17 February 2008
A TELLING EXCERPT: “Doesn’t a drug have to be proven safe before the FDA allows it on the market?” CBS correspondent Scott Pelley asked medical researcher Dr. Dennis Mangano on 60 Minutes tonight.
“No,” he replied …
A Note About My Huffington Post Post
Posted in Hard to Swallow, Medication Nation on 29 January 2008
AS PillGirl, I felt compelled to share some thoughts about Heath Ledger’s unfortunate death, particularly regarding the stock of pills found in his apartment. I blogged about it on the Huffington Post yesterday, in a piece called “The Contraindications of Our Pill-popping Ways” …
Not in the Pocket of …
Posted in Hard to Swallow on 9 January 2008
A FEW DAYS AGO, I received the following e-mail:
I’ve just finished your piece from the L.A. Times regarding branded Wellbutrin XL vs. Bupropion LA. The arguments put forth sound a great deal like what the drug companies have been saying about generic drugs, so I began wondering if you receive any funding from any brand pharmaceutical houses?
PillGirl Strikes a Nerve
Posted in Hard to Swallow on 4 January 2008
IN THE PAST few weeks, I’ve received lots of e-mail responses to an op-ed I wrote for the LA Times in December. The piece was about how, despite what the FDA and many doctors, pharmacists, and health insurers say, there are differences between certain generic drugs and their brand counterparts—differences that can range from mildly to extremely problematic for patients. You can read …
Generic Drugs’ Hidden Downside
Posted in Hard to Swallow on 18 December 2007
reprinted from the Los Angeles Times, December 17, 2007
Think There’s No Difference Between Generic Drugs and Brand Names?
Better Think Again.
IT’S A DRAG when you suffer from depression. And it’s really a drag when the medication you’ve been treating your depression with effectively for years suddenly leaves you feeling anxious, nauseated or even suicidal. Even more of a drag? When you realize those symptoms began when you switched from your brand-name antidepressant to its generic version. But it’s downright depressing when your doctor, pharmacist and health insurance provider insist that you’re wrong …
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