5/31/10

Global generic drug industry


Unlike other parts of the pharmaceutical industry, the generics industry has been favored on Wall Street since President Obama unveiled his healthcare plan.

The US represents one of the world’s largest economies. The country’s per capita income and spending are rated among the highest in the world. On the back of rapidly growing consumer spending on branded products, total healthcare spending of the US reached up to an estimated value of around US$ 2.5 Trillion in 2009, which appears very high when compared to the population. The government is now emphasizing to minimize the healthcare spending by using generics drugs and promoting other low cost healthcare. This has created huge opportunities in the country’s generics industry.

The US generics market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 8.8% during 2010-2013, says our recent research report “Booming US Generic Drug Market”. Currently, the market growth is largely fuelled by the emergence of new products as patents of branded drugs are getting expired, and the trend is likely to continue over the next 3-4 years also. Anticipating the future growth, big pharma players are making deals with some generics manufactures from the Asian countries, like India, to access their products and market them in the US. This trend will emerge more strongly during our forecast period, providing opportunities to the local players to widen their product portfolios.

All of the top five rated generic drug companies and over two-thirds of the 44 companies in the index are based outside of the United States; so a Global Generic Drug ETF would provide investors with access to this rapidly consolidating industry. Most of the companies in the index are small and mid caps with Teva Pharma (TEVA) as the industry leader in terms of market cap and sales, which is about to get even bigger with its pending acquisition of Barr Pharma (BRL).

Trends in favor of the global generic drug industry include the following: nearly $70B in brand name drug sales with looming generic competition through 2012, push to increase generic substitution rates from 65% of all prescriptions dispensed to over 70% to save money for the consumers and the government (through Medicare Part D spending), continued industry consolidation of small and mid-caps by industry leaders such as Teva and Mylan Labs (MYL), and the potential for legislation next year regarding generic versions of high-cost biological agents – with Momenta Pharma (MNTA) as a pure-play in this space with a pending ANDA for a generic version of the injectable blood thinner Lovenox, which had nearly $4B in sales last year for Sanofi-Aventis (SNY).

5/18/10

How do you live with manic depression?


Depression often results from combination of factors - personal experiences, financial problems, tension or trauma in personal life. Whatever be the cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain too. Depression is associated with an imbalance of neurotransmitters (chemicals that carries signals in your brain and nerves) in the brain.

Manic depressive - What does it mean?
Manic depressive refers to mood swings from overly “high” (manic) to overly “low” (depressed). Another name for manic-depressive illness is bipolar disorder. This refers to a person’s mood alternating between “poles” of mania (highs) and depression (lows). Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual changes in the person’s mood, energy, and ability to function.

About 700,000 Britons suffer from some form of the illness. Not only does it have a desperate effect on their lives, but on their families, too.
During the manic period, patients lose their sense of judgment and sense of what is normal, explains Dr Tuhina Lloyd, the consultant psychiatrist at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS trust who is overseeing Andrew's treatment.

They often think that they are immune from the usual rules of law, from death or social restraints, and so take risks that they would not usually consider, which can make them a danger to themselves and others,' says Dr Lloyd.

The depressive cycle is characterized by sadness, sometimes suicidal tendencies, or simply an inability to face the world. It affects people from all walks of life, but many of them go undiagnosed.

Often they don't suffer the acute manic phase that puts them in hospital and gets them diagnosed.
In many people, the mania is not so obvious and may take the form of irritability or anger or agitation - and people can easily go through life being thought of simply as very difficult to live with.
Often, when a diagnosis is made, it can be a relief for family members, and although it doesn't make living with the illness easier, it helps them to rationalise what is happening to the person they love.'

Paciants usually feeling better when sticking to the drug regimen - which includes mood stabilisers lithium and sodium valporete, and antidepressants.

Before you buy antidepressants online do not forget to consult your doctor for your individual depression treatment.

5/5/10

Abortion is NOT Birth Control



The teen pregnancy rate in the USA rose 3% in 2006, the first increase in more than a decade, according to data out today. The data also show higher rates of births and abortions among girls 15-19.
The numbers, calculated by the Guttmacher Institute, a non-profit group that studies reproductive and sexual health, show a clear reversal from the downward trend that began in the 1990s.
About 7% of teen girls got pregnant in 2006, a rate of 71.5 pregnancies per 1,000 teens. That's up slightly from 69.5 in 2005, Guttmacher says. In 1990, when rates peaked, about 12% got pregnant.

A new survey from the Guttmacher Institute reveals that poor women are obtaining abortions in greater numbers than women from other income brackets.

The survey occurred during an economic recession, which may account for some of the substantial increase in poverty among abortion patients between 2000 and 2008…. More indirectly, recent studies have found that because of financial constraints, women want to delay childbearing or limit the number of children they have, but these same constraints have made it harder for them to access contraceptives and to use them consistently. In these situations, poor women may have found it more difficult than better-off women to buy contraceptives online and prevent unintended pregnancies. Additionally, when confronted with an unintended pregnancy during the recession, poor women who might have felt equipped to support a child (or another child) in financially stable times may have decided that they simply were not equipped to do so now.

Help to Prevent Abortion.
The world of contraceptions nowadays is much more variable than several decades ago. Among all of them a woman should find what is the most suitable for her. This may take time in order to try different variants and finally chose the best. The main factors a woman should pay her attention to are: effectiveness of the drug, safety, comfortability, price and quality of the medication. Before starting a treatment, gather facts about your general health, lifestyle and types of personal relations you have. It is advisable to consult your doctor about all possible kinds of contraceptives.

You can find detailed information about contrateptives and buy contraceptives online at any online pharmacy store. Keep in mind that the most popular contraceptive online is Yasmin

Suicidal Risks Among Antidepressants

Antidepressants have risen to the top spot as the most commonly prescribed class of medications in the U.S., according to a report published last year in the Archives of General Psychiatry. While there are a multitude of options when it comes to prescription antidepressants online, they all have one thing in common: a similar risk of suicide.

While antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and must carry a "black box" warning stating that they can increase a person's likelihood of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, there is very little difference between the many drug choices. The benefit is that doctors do not have to factor in this issue when prescribing an antidepressant, but rather base their choice on the needs of the patient and what they think will work best for them.

A recent study reviewed data on 287,543 adults living in Canada who had been prescribed antidepressants between the years 1997 and 2005. Of that group, 751 had attempted suicide and 104 completed the act. Evaluating the medications of those 854 individuals found that there was no discernable difference in risk between the more common SSRI meds (Prozac, Zoloft, Lexipro, Paxil, etc.) and tricyclic antidepressants (Elevil, Equilibrin, Noveril, among others).

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are very often used to treat depression. Research published last December showed that patients who took this kind of antidepressant experienced more positive emotions, were much more outgoing and more emotionally stable in the long run. They showed substantial improvements in their depression when compared to those that were taking a placebo, and saw a significant decrease in neuroticism and an increase in extroversion when compared to those that were taking the placebo.

According to Columbia University researchers, there were around 27 million Americans the age of six and older by 2005 taking antidepressant medications. Also of note is the fact that antidepressant drug usage has increased, and the use of psychotherapy has decreased. In the past, medications in conjunction to psychological treatments were prescribed for treating depression, but prescription therapy is the more common approach these days.

With the growing concerns of Americans on the economy, increasing unemployment rates, foreclosures, and bankruptcy filings, the number of people developing depression symptoms is set to continue its climb upwards. Depression is a serious condition and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Seek medical attention if you or a loved one shows signs of depression.

5/3/10

What You Need to know About Depression Medication


If you’re suffering from major depression, antidepressant treatment may relieve some of your symptoms. Antidepressants aren’t a silver bullet for depression, and they come with their own side effects and dangers. Plus, recent studies have raised questions about their effectiveness.

Learning the facts about antidepressants and weighing the benefits against the risks can help you make an informed and personal decision about whether medication is right for you.

Experts agree that depression involves much more than just “bad” brain chemistry. Serotonin is just one of many factors that may play a role in the disorder. New research points to other biological contributors to depression, including inflammation, elevated stress hormones, immune system suppression, abnormal activity in certain parts of the brain, nutritional deficiencies, and shrinking brain cells. And these are just the biological causes of depression. Social and psychological factors – such as loneliness, lack of exercise, poor diet, and low self-esteem – also play an enormous role in depression.

Researchers agree that when depression is severe, medication can be helpful – even life saving. However,research shows that antidepressants fall short for many people. A major government study released in 2006 showed that less than 50 percent of people become symptom-free on antidepressants, even after trying two different medications. Furthermore, many who do respond to medication slip back into major depression within a short while, despite sticking with drug treatment.

Other studies show that the benefits of depression medication have been exaggerated – with some researchers concluding that, when it comes to mild to moderate depression, antidepressants are only slightly more effective than placebos.

If you have severe depression that’s interfering with your ability to function, medication may be right for you. However, many people buy antidepressants Zoloft online when therapy, exercise, or self-help strategies would work just as well or better – minus the side effects. Therapy can also help you get to the bottom of your underlying issues and develop the tools to beat depression for good.

Questions to ask yourself and a mental health professional

  • Is my depression severe enough to justify drug treatment?
  • Is medication the best option for treating my depression?
  • Am I willing to tolerate unwanted side effects?
  • What non-drug treatments might help my depression?
  • Do I have the time and motivation to pursue other treatments such as therapy and exercise?
  • What self-help strategies might reduce my depression?
  • If I decide to take medication, should I pursue therapy as well?

Questions to ask your doctor

  • Are there any medical conditions that could be causing my depression?
  • What are the side effects and risks of the antidepressant you are recommending?
  • Are there any foods or other substances I will need to avoid?
  • How will this drug interact with other prescriptions I’m taking?
  • How long will I have to take this medication?
  • Will withdrawing from the drug be difficult?
  • Will my depression return when I stop taking medication?