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

# posted by PPC Meso @ 12:20 PM 0 comments

Head Off the Pain

"Not tonight, dear, I have a headache." Those words have become the universal stop sign for bedroom romance. Sometimes it’s not true but many times headaches can just stop you in your tracks. The “new” Sinol Nasal Spray for headaches is here and it really works.

Newtown, CT (PRWEB) April 25, 2006 -- There are nearly 28 million headache sufferers in the United States 12 years or older. This means one in every four U.S. households has a migraine sufferer. More than half of these sufferers have never received a physician diagnosis and most are not receiving appropriate treatment, despite new and effective therapies designed specifically to treat the pain and symptoms of migraine. There have been no dramatic changes in the way physicians approach the treatment of migraine in the last ten years. Twenty-four percent of migraine sufferers report headaches so severe that they have sought emergency room care.

There is good news for those chronic sufferers, there’s a new nasal spray in town and it works quickly. Sinol Nasal Spray for headaches is all natural and is made from the pepper. Sinol is the first OTC nasal spray for chronic headaches and there is nothing else like it. The pepper in Sinol is called “capsaicin” which is clinically proven to reduce pain, swelling and quickly relieves migraines and cluster headaches.

“Our Sinol nasal spray for headaches has been an unbelievable break through,” said Paul Carpenter, President of Sinol USA, Inc. located in Sandy Hook, CT. Carpenter came across capsaicin when his cousin told him that their grandfather used cayenne pepper on top of a shot of bourbon to relive his symptoms. After a few years of research and working with EMS Labs, a FDA licensed laboratory in Pennsylvania, the perfect formula was born. “It took us many formulations to create what we have today,” Carpenter said. “We have a group of physicians and pharmacists that are using Sinol in private practices all over the country with outstanding results.”

“Some people experience premigraine warning symptoms, including blurred vision, "floating" visual images, and numbness in an arm or leg. Our Sinol Nasal Spray works very quickly and headache customers are telling us it relieves their headache pain before it can get to a full blown problem. As anyone with a migraine can attest, migraines are almost always accompanied by nausea- sometimes severe nausea- and vomiting. Taking any medication by mouth is often impossible. That's why so many of the prescription medications come in injections and nasal sprays. The onset of action is much faster with a nasal spray than for an oral medication, AND there is the great advantage of patients being able to administer Sinol without having to swallow it and keep it down,” Carpenter stated.

Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City has proven that Intranasal medications for the treatment of headaches are significantly more effective than by digestive means. In an “Open Label Safety Assessment” performed last October, Sinol Nasal Spray was 85% effective in relieving headache sufferers and 90% in relieving allergy symptoms.
“I am very glad that we are able to assist people with an all natural product that works extremely well. Antibiotic resistance is a HUGE issue in medicine right now in America and around the world. The more we use antibiotics in people and animals, the more resistant bacteria is becoming,” Carpenter said.

About Sinol USA, Inc.
Sinol USA, Inc. is changing the way consumers think about health care and their well-being. Sinol is a high growth, “all natural” and over-the-counter health care company engaged in the development and marketing of products that utilize old-fashioned yet unique methods to relieve chronic health care problems. For more information, please visit http://www.sinolusa.com

###

Press Contact: Paul Carpenter
Company Name: SINOL USA INC
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 1-800-632-2824
Website: www.sinolusa.com

# posted by PPC Meso @ 8:23 AM 0 comments

Defective Heart Valves, Pacemakers, and Defibrillators Propose New Risks to Weak Heart Patients

Millions of men and women have heart devices implanted to save them from heart attack not increase their risks of heart attack

New York City, New York (PRWEB) April 20, 2006 -- In the last few years, the technology of heart devices has advanced but many recalled devices are being surgically removed after the discovery of fatal defects.

Patients with heart defects or disorders of the aortic or mitral valve may need a mechanical heart valve. Mechanical heart valves simulate real heart valves to maintain the proper flow of blood into and out of the heart. These patients must take anticoagulation medicine, like Warfarin (coumadin) to prevent deadly blood clots.

Years after their removal from the market, St. Jude’s Silzone and Bjork Shiley’s Convexo-Concave heart valves are still causing serious problems in patients. To support patients with St. Jude or Bjork Shiley heart valves or other recalled heart devices, LawyersandSettlements.com accepts consumer complaints at: Bjork Shiley Heart Valves
Or
Silzone Mechanical Heart Valves

The St. Jude Silzone Heart Valve was implanted into patients from 1997 to 2000 and was recalled due to leaking and device failure linked to serious fatal risks. One study showed that Silzone heart valves increased a patient’s risk of thrombosis/blood clot, embolism, and stroke.

Bjork Shiley distributed their Convexo-Concave (BSCC) heart valves from 1979 to 1986 but over 86,000 defective valves are still implanted in patients worldwide. These valves have remained in thousands of patients due to fatal risks associated with the surgical removal process. These valves have been linked to hundreds of deaths when the defective valve fractured and weaken the device.

About Online Legal Marketing (OLM) and www,lawyersandsettlements.com
OLM is a privately held Internet marketing company. LawyersandSettlements.com offers up-to-date information on legal news, class action lawsuits, personal injury cases, settlement details, product recalls, and more. Consumers can complete free case evaluations and subscribe to free newsletters. Justice for Everyone

Visit us at:
LawyersandSettlements.com

Contact us at:
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Press Contact: Scott Wurtele
Company Name: ONLINE LEGAL MARKETING LTD.
Phone: 604-608-3435
Website:  Lawyersandsettlements.com/case/bjork_shiley_heart_valves

# posted by PPC Meso @ 1:16 PM 0 comments

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
http://www.consultant-directory.tradepub.com
_______________________________________________________
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/ 
 __________________________________________________
http://www.legal-search-engine.com
http://www.vioxx-search-engine.com
http://www.drug-store-directory.com
__________________________________________________

# posted by PPC Meso @ 10:05 AM 1 comments

Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch Allegedly Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke

With 60% more estrogen than birth control pills, the health risks of Ortho Evra Patch are increased

New York City, New York  - April 17, 2006 -- The popular, widely promoted birth control patch contains more hormones than the traditional birth control pill and these hormones, progestin, estrogen, and norelgestromin, are delivered directly into the blood stream via a transdermal skin patch.

Whether caused by the high levels of hormones or the delivery method, Ortho Evra has been linked to blood clots, heart disease, stroke, and death in young adult women.

With reports of women dying from unexpected heart problems, the FDA recently asked the maker of Ortho Evra to revise the label to warn against the risk of blood clot, stroke, or heart attack. A woman’s risk of these side effects also increases with age, smoking habits, and pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

A leading law firm, advertising on LawyersandSettlements.com, offers free case evaluations to women who have suffered blood clots, stroke, or other side effects from Ortho Evra; for more information, go to:
www,lawyersandsettlements.com/case/ortho_evra

About Online Legal Marketing (OLM)
OLM is a privately held Internet marketing company. LawyersandSettlements.com offers up-to-date information on legal news, class action lawsuits, personal injury cases, settlement details, product recalls, and more. Consumers can complete free case evaluations and subscribe to free newsletters.

Visit us at:
www,lawyersandsettlements.com

Contact us at:
1-604-608-3435

###

Press Contact: Scott Wurtele
Company Name: ONLINE LEGAL MARKETING LTD.
Phone: 604-608-3435 
www,lawyersandsettlements.com/case/ortho_evra

# posted by PPC Meso @ 9:12 AM 0 comments

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
http://www.consultant-directory.tradepub.com
_______________________________________________________
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/
__________________________________________________
http://www.legal-search-engine.com
http://www.vioxx-search-engine.com
http://www.drug-store-directory.com
__________________________________________________

# posted by PPC Meso @ 10:27 AM 0 comments

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
Phone: 508-771-5800
Website: www.mtuitive.com

# posted by PPC Meso @ 11:31 AM 0 comments

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.

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

# posted by PPC Meso @ 7:45 AM 0 comments

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
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 501-686-8996
Website: http://myeloma.uams.edu

# posted by PPC Meso @ 7:07 PM 0 comments

New Smoking Cessation Program Resolves the Real Reason that People Smoke

New discovery addresses the real reason why 84% of smokers fail when they try to quit. According to EFT, the driver behind most addictions is the need to tranquilize or medicate emotions. EFT is an easy to learn acupressure technique that successfully addresses the emotional drivers that fuel the ongoing addiction.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 11, 2006 -- Smokers typically use nicotine replacement or they “go cold turkey” to quit smoking. They also typically fail. In fact the US FDA reports that 70% of smokers want to quit, but more than 84% of them are unsuccessful in their attempts. Gary Craig, Stanford trained scientist and founder of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) explains that, “conventional smoking cessation systems don’t work because they do not address the real reason that people smoke which is to tranquilize emotional issues like anxiety or low self esteem.”

Craig initially developed Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) as a self-help tool for people with emotional difficulties but soon received reports from smokers who said that their craving for cigarettes subsided or disappeared while performing EFT for their emotional issues. These results didn’t surprise Craig who maintains that, “smokers are tranquilizing their emotions with tobacco and will find quitting enormously difficult until those emotional issues are resolved.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that people suffering from nicotine withdrawal have increased aggression, anxiety, hostility, and anger. However, Craig doesn’t attribute these emotional responses to nicotine withdrawal. He says, “smokers become anxious and irritable when they try to quit smoking because the unresolved emotions they had been trying to suppress with cigarettes come bubbling to the surface as nicotine exits their system.”

Craig maintains that using EFT to resolve these emotions will help smokers to conquer this life threatening addiction permanently. “If emotional issues aren’t properly resolved, the smoker feels overwhelmed and eventually turns back to cigarettes to pacify the emotional pain.”

EFT is a simple technique that combines focused thought with gentle fingertip tapping on key acupressure points. Craig says, “The main cause of all negative emotions is not where psychologists have been looking. Instead, it involves the disruption of the energy pathways in the body. Once these pathways are balanced, the emotional drivers behind smoking and other addictions start to fade.”

Dr. Carol Look is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and EFT Practitioner who has helped many clients quit smoking. Dr. Look reports, “While I used hypnosis successfully for many smokers, I found that treatment using EFT gave the client more control, empowerment, and an active tool they could pull out and use whenever they wanted.”

Pat Farrell is another Clinical Hypnotherapist who prefers to use EFT for smoking cessation. One woman came to Farrell because she had quit smoking many times but had recently resumed smoking around the occasion of her wedding anniversary; a painful time since her husband had left her three years previously for a younger woman.

With EFT, Farrell helped her client collapse feelings of overwhelming sadness and betrayal as well as her immediate physical cravings for cigarettes. Farrell also addressed the woman’s habitual craving for cigarettes with her morning coffee. They worked together for about an hour and only spent three minutes on the actual cigarette craving. The rest of the time they addressed the emotional drivers fueling the woman’s need for cigarettes.

Two weeks after treatment, Farrell’s client still had no desire for a cigarette. She accomplished this without psychotherapy or nicotine replacement.

Anybody can learn to use EFT to eliminate cigarette cravings and even to quit smoking entirely. Gary Craig explains, “smokers generally expect to fail when they set out to quit. But when they use EFT, most experience an instant reduction in their cigarette craving. Their level of hope increases as their cravings decrease. If they persistently use EFT to address the emotional component of their addiction, they are likely to have a high success rate.”

If smoking cessation programs incorporated the proper use of EFT, Craig predicts that their success rate would be about between 50 and 80 percent - instead of the current 84% failure rate.

More than 225,000 people have downloaded Craig’s free training manual and another 5,000 to 10,000 download it each month. Known as The EFT Manual, it has been translated by volunteer practitioners into nine languages. The EFT website is the sixth most actively visited natural health site in the world.

The EFT Manual gives anyone all the basics so they can apply it right away. It can be freely downloaded at…

http://www.emofree.com/downloadeftmanual.asp?ref=prw-smoking

For further information contact Gary Craig at 707-785 2848

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Press Contact: Gary Craig
Company Name: EFT
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 707-785 2848
Website: http://www.emofree.com?ref=prweb-smoking  

 

# posted by PPC Meso @ 9:01 AM 0 comments

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

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

# posted by PPC Meso @ 9:56 AM 0 comments

Licensing Opportunity Available to Pharmaceutical Companies

Med Services Europe reports progress in partnering prescription pharmaceuticals registered for Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Zurich, Switzerland (PRWEB) April 4, 2006 -- Med Services Europe GmbH, a “Virtual European Headquarters” announced progress out-licensing a portfolio of prescription pharmaceutical products registered in several European markets for Hormone Replacement Therapy. (http://www.MedServicesEurope.com).

“Distributors have now been signed for several markets,” explained Dr Emmer. “However, rights are still available for other world-wide markets including several in Eastern and Western Europe and the Mid-East”.

Dr. Emmer explained further about the opportunity that this portfolio presents to pharmaceutical companies “The distributors that we have signed understand that the market for HRT products is very large and growing and is hungry for new launches. They agree that this portfolio offers many interesting advantages for the market”.

Dr Emmer encourages pharmaceutical companies to learn more about the opportunity to in-license this portfolio of products. “This is a unique opportunity to obtain marketing rights to an exciting portfolio of products, which are currently registered in several European markets”
Pharmaceutical companies interested in obtaining more information are encouraged to contact Dr Emmer at Med Services Europe in Switzerland.

About Med Services Europe:
Med Services Europe GmbH is located in Zurich, Switzerland and specializes in Sales, Marketing and Business Development for Pharmaceutical and Medical manufacturers. Med Services acts as a virtual European Headquarters by developing and managing distribution networks for its clients. For more information: http://www.MedServicesEurope.com or +41764249963

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Press Contact: Dr. Gene Emmer
Company Name: MED SERVICES EUROPE GMBH
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: +41764249963
Website: http://www.medserviceseurope.com

# posted by PPC Meso @ 9:40 AM 0 comments

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

# posted by PPC Meso @ 8:16 AM 0 comments

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

# posted by PPC Meso @ 1:07 PM 0 comments