May Canadian Pharmacy News

Issue # May 2005

• University Study Finds The Drug Industry Has Financial Leverage Over the FDA
• 10 Essential Health Tips (The Basics to Practice Every Day)
• Your Comments

University Study Finds The Drug Industry
Has Financial Leverage Over the FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety and effectiveness of medicines.

• In recent months, the FDA has received and continues to receive negative media attention related to drug safety issues.
• A recent FDA whistleblower accused the FDA of shifting to a pro-drug industry position.
• The FDA was accused of deliberately hiding the link between anti-depressants and adolescent suicides.
• It took more than four years, and more than 100,000 deaths to pull Vioxx off the market, and the company, rather than the FDA, initiated the withdrawal.
• Drugs with known deadly side-effects that have been withdrawn by other countries remain on the market in the U.S.
• After 60 years of looking the other way regarding allowing the personal importation of lower cost medications, the FDA is now aggressively siding with the drug companies' profit motives to minimize lower cost medication imports.

In 1992, Congress authorized the FDA to collect funds directly from the drug manufacturers. Now, the FDA is financially dependent on drug industry funds.

This two-year University study offers verifiable information that gives citizens and policy makers an opportunity to objectively determine if the events listed above and other recent pro-drug industry FDA changes can be, in part, explained by the influence of drug industry money (i.e. hundreds of millions of dollars) paid yearly to the FDA.

Please go to following link for further information: http://www.fdastudy.com/

Senate Contact Information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

House of Representatives Contact Information:
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

Contacting the White House

E-Mail

President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Richard Cheney: vice.president@whitehouse.gov

Pharmaceutical Companies Contact Phone Number:

GlaxoSmithKline 1-888-825-5249
Merck & Co. 1-908-423-1000
Pfizer 1-212-733-2373
Aventis 1-800-981-2491
AstraZenica 1-302-886-3000
Wyeth 1-610-902-1200
Eli Lilly 1-317-276-2000

10 Essential Health Tips
(The Basics to Practice Every Day)

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

Your Comments

“Kudos to you for having an alternate plan. I would have to tell my doctor to start weaning me off whatever she could if I couldn't purchase the drugs I need from you. I have a net income of $20K. With a mortgage, 2nd mortgage and car payment taking $8,900 of that away, how could I afford $200 a month for the pills at U.S. prices?? Get another job? Yeah, I'm sixty years old and no health insurance. Like I can afford it? This is middle America, why can't the politicians see us? Yes, I will e-mail the links you provided, but I have a feeling it will not help. So again ----- Thank you so much for being there!! ”
J.U.

“I like your newsletter. Its was very informative, especially the article regarding the possible elimination of drugs from Canada to the US. I have elderly parents who do not have prescription insurance and it is very expensive for them to buy their medications in the US. We have been purchasing their medications for about a year and have been very pleased with the service and prices.”
H.S.

“Thanks for the e-mail newsletter. It's full of very helpful information. Please keep them coming. I also appreciated the information about contacting our senators and representatives asking them to support continuing the ability to purchase medications from Canada. Please keep up the great work!”
C.W.

MediSave Customer Feedback

We would love to hear what you think of this issue of our newsletter. If you have any feedback or suggestions for upcoming MediSave.ca newsletters please let us know via e-mail at:
CustomerService@MediSave.ca

MediSave.ca
1364 Cliveden Ave
Delta, British Columbia
Canada V3M 6K2
Toll Free Tel: 1.877.888.DRUG (1.877.888.3784)
Toll Free Fax: 1.866.364.9987