Overprescribed

The FDA recently approved a new form of the opioid drug sufentanil, an opioid that has been around for a while in IV (intravenous) form. However, won't this just add to the already hard-to-fight opioid crisis??  Public Citizen, a nonprofit based out of Maryland, weighed in on this and we're talking about their position. Show note links: To review the Public Citizen's press stance on the FDA's decision, click here. Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch NOTE: The podcast will be shifting to monthly episodes until further notice.  Our next episode will be available in December 2018.

We're talking about flu shots. Are you getting one?   Show note links: Flu Vaccines Won't Improve Without a Massive Incentive for Big Pharma - Wired.com Yes, You Should Get a Flu Shot in 2018 - Time CARB-X is accelerating global anti-bacterial innovation. Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch *Advertisement* Support a good cause while going green by buying a pair of dope kicks. For the month of October, Vita Shoes is running a campaign to raise $1000 to support free housing for cancer patients & their families. You can support today by buying a pair of shoes www.vitashoesco.com/hope and for every pair of their eco-friendly shoes sold, Vita Shoes will donate $10.  Use the discount code "PRESCRIBED" for 10% off your purchase!

This is a continued share/discussion on the new, independent report released last month from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) where they pointed out four adverse drug reactions that stood out from all others in the 2017 FDA data of adverse drug reactions reports received by the FDA.  From severe muscle damage to a deadly viral infection of the brain, their annual report covers it all and we're talking about it.  (This is part 2 of a 2-part episode) Show note links: Some of the specific drugs mentioned in this episode = nivolumab, sacubitril-valsartan, aripiprazole, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Tramadol, lamotrigine, ciprofloxacin, natalizumab, rituximab, fingolimod, mycophenolate Drug classes of note = statins, antipsychotics, pain meds, epilepsy meds, oncology meds, antidepressants, opioids The annual report we're talking about can be found here -->> ISMP QuarterWatch Annual Report There were 4 serious adverse drug events highlighted in this annual report, namely... *Rhabdomyolisis (life-threatening breakdown of skeletal muscles, causing high risk for kidney failure) *Serotonin or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (life-threatening disruptions of the central nervous system) *Stevens-Johnson syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or SJS/TEN (severe skin disorder caused primarily by drugs, reveals as blister-like lesions on areas like the face, eyes, and genitals but can extend beyond these areas) *Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy, or PML (a small DNA virus that harmlessly exists in 50% to 70% of the population and is considered latent when harmless...however, once "activated" by certain drugs, for example, can harmfully spread to the brain causing changes in behavior, confused thinking, problems speaking, impaired gait, visual disturbances and even death) Show credits: Many thanks to the authors of the annual report over at the ISMP.  To learn more about this nonprofit, visit www.ismp.org Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch *Advertisement* Support a good cause while going green by buying a pair of dope kicks. For the month of October, Vita Shoes is running a campaign to raise $1000 to support free housing for cancer patients & their families. You can support today by buying a pair of shoes www.vitashoesco.com/hope and for every pair of their eco-friendly shoes sold, Vita Shoes will donate $10.  Use the discount code "PRESCRIBED" for 10% off your purchase!

In a new, independent report released last month from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, four adverse drug reactions stand out from all others. From severe muscle damage to a deadly viral infection of the brain, their annual report covers it all and we're talking about it. (This is part 1 of a two-part episode. Tune in next week for part 2.) Show note links: The annual report we're talking about can be found here -->> https://www.ismp.org/quarterwatchtm/annual-report-Sept-2018 Email:  talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. www.patreon.com and search for "Overprescribed" podcast  Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch   *Advertisement* Support a good cause while going green by buying a pair of dope kicks. For the month of October, Vita Shoes is running a campaign to raise $1000 to support free housing for cancer patients & their families. You can support today by buying a pair of shoes www.vitashoesco.com/hope and for every pair of their eco-friendly shoes sold, Vita Shoes will donate $10.  Use the discount code "PRESCRIBED" for 10% off your purchase! 

Have you ever heard of biohacking?   Show note links:   Today’s show was inspired by this article by Stephanie Marsh from The Guardian. Check it out: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/21/extreme-biohacking-tech-guru-who-spent-250000-trying-to-live-for-ever-serge-faguet   ———- Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page.   Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today.  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reporting and you can report suspected & confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

Are U.S. kids in foster care being mis-medicated with psychiatric medications?   Show note links: "Many foster kids were drugged without oversight: report" by Nicole Karlis "The U.S. has a long history of drugging distressed kids in its custody" by Erin Schumaker Children's Rights is a child welfare non-profit organization based out of New York and you can read the foster care statistics they've compiled here. Contact your local and state politicians to find out what can be done to ensure foster care children in your state are not being mis-medicated, particularly as it pertains to psychiatric/psychotropic/anti-psychiatric medications. ---------- Email: talk@overprescribedpodcast.com Twitter: @_overprescribed Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Your small donation would help to support production! Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Report suspected and confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

We're resurrecting the topic of pharmacogenetics to gather a pharmacist's perspective on what it means and why it's relevant (and going to grow in relevance!) for patients in every part of America. If you listened to episode #3 "What is Pharmacogenetics?" then you will definitely want to tune in to this one. Show note links: Our guest today is Dr. Saeed Alzghari. Saeed Alzghari, MS, MBA, PharmD, BCPS (www.saeedalzghari.com) is the Director of Clinical Pharmacy at Gulfstream Diagnostics (www.gulfdiagnostics.com), a company at the forefront of toxicology and pharmacogenetics.  Saeed knows pharmacy and describes himself as a collaborative pharmacist advancing patient care with strong expertise in clinical and translational research. He's also an active member of the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC).  His pharmacogenetic focus is in organizing and optimizing complex drug regimens, building relationships with patients and physicians on how to approach personalized therapies, and leading advances in medication therapy management to achieve precision medicine. We were honored to have him on today's show to share his pharmacist perspective on pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, as well as the future of pharmacogenetics testing. ---------- Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Your small donation would help to support production! Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Report suspected and confirmed adverse drug reactions. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch    

Malaria impacts millions of people every year and if you're traveling to a malaria-prone part of the world, chances are you're going to be prescribed an anti-malarial drug.  However, some people take anti-malarials and then develop a disease called "quinism" (pronounced kwin-iz-uhm) which is directly linked to the use of medications from the quinoline class of drugs.  Dr. Remington Nevin joins the show to talk about this and what needs to be done to protect public health. Show note links: Dr. Remington Nevin is a Vermont-based physician epidemiologist and expert consultant in the adverse effects of antimalarial drugs, particularly mefloquine (previously marketed as Lariam®) and tafenoquine (marketed as Krintafel® and Arakoda™). Dr. Nevin is board certified in Occupational Medicine and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine and Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.  A former U.S. Army Major and Preventive Medicine Officer with extensive travel medicine and policy experience, Dr. Nevin serves as Executive Director of The Quinism Foundation.  The Quinism Foundation (www.quinism.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization that promotes and supports education and research on quinism, the family of medical disorders caused by poisoning by mefloquine, tafenoquine, and related quinoline drugs. Symptoms of neuropsychiatric quinism (also known as chronic quinoline encephalopathy) can mimic those of several psychiatric and neurologic disorders including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Read up on this one investigation about vets who took an anti-malarial drugs:  "Vets say anti-malarial drugs they were ordered to take caused devastating side effects" by WUSA television reporters Andrea McCarren and Chelsea Cirruzzo. ---------- Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Without YOUR report. So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

It was announced this week that one lot (affecting about 46,000 bottles of pills) of Abbott Healthcare's hydrochlorothiazide tablets will be recalled due to a "mis-labeling" issue. That's fine, but what does this mean for U.S. consumers and are drug recalls common? Show note links: Read the FDA's announcement about this hydrochlorothiazide recall. Learn more about the definition of a drug recall here. ---------- Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Without YOUR report. So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

Is it possible for consumers to improve the experience of pharmacists while also improving the patient and pharmacist relationship ...or do pharmacists just complain too much? We countdown our top 10 most surprising pet peeves of retail pharmacists.  -------------------- Show note links: Read pet peeves at Pharmacy Times and search for "pet peeves" from their search bar to find more. Interested in learning more about the pharmacist workforce landscape in America? Check out these stats. --------------------- Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without these reports.  Without YOUR report. So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

In a major legislative move, the state of New York is doing something that only one other state (Washington) has decided to do, so far, about unused drugs - - and they're going to make drug manufacturers pay for it. Show note links: Do you want to know more about this new law?  Read more on the specifics about NY's statewide Drug Take Back Act (Senate Bill S9100) which will become effective January 6, 2019. Interested in learning more about how to start a drug take back program in your area? Check out this link. Enjoying the show?  Support our Patreon page. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today!  They are limited in what they can do and how quickly they can act to help protect Americans from harmful adverse drug reactions without your reports.  So, call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

We're talking about some of the upcoming shows we have planned.  

In Episode #11, we're talking about another QuarterWatch report (May 2018) from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, or ISMP.  The report touches on the topic of antidepressant effectiveness, a big public health issue related to the popular anti-diarrheal medication Imodium A-D, and the crazy confusion and dispensing errors related to four product inhalers currently on the market and being sold under the brand Ellipta. Show note links: To read the QuarterWatch May 2018 report, click here. To learn more about the ISMP, click here. "In the News" --> Amazon bought PillPack! Read about it here. Got a news story, question, or insider tip on a medication issue threatening consumer health? Email us at talk@overprescribedpodcast.com

Some people who take antibiotics under the fluoroquinolone class of drugs are being "floxed".  Meanwhile, the FDA just recently issued a safety announcement about these types of medications. Show note links: Drugs mentioned in this episode: Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin), Avelox (moxifloxacin), Baxdela (delafloxacin), Factive (gemifloxacin), Ofloxacin (ofloxacin). FDA's July 2018 safety announcement for entire drug class of fluoroquinolones. Full title of the announcement >>> FDA reinforces safety information about serious low blood sugar levels and mental health side effects with fluoroquinolone antibiotics; requires label changes When antibiotics turn toxic by Jo Marchant Use of Fluoroquinolones Only as Last Resort for Some Infections from the American Academy of Family Physicians Cipro, Levaquin & Avelox article by Emily Miller at Drugwatch.com What's an antibiotic? per Wikipedia The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Toxicity Syndrome Network (FATSN) is a nonprofit founded by individuals whose lives have been forever interrupted and changed by severe adverse reactions to Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics: Avelox - Cipro - Levaquin - Floxin. As an international community of individuals, families, and friends, FATSN continues to grow, and strives to spread awareness of Fluoroquinolone toxicity symptoms, and the syndrome it leaves in its wake. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch

Gout, a type of arthritis, is not only incurable but affects an estimated 8 million people in America. There's a drug on the market right now called febuxostat (brand name: Uloric) that has been used to treat hyperuricemia in patients with gout, but one nonprofit is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to immediately remove it from the market for very compelling reasons.  Show note links: Learn more about gout, including signs, symptoms, causes , how it's diagnosed & more by checking out these CDC Arthritis Basics. What is hyperuricemia? Learn more here. To read the full 23-page petition to the FDA from Public Citizen, read here. Gout is more common in men vs. women and is more prevalent in African Americans vs. white patient populations. Read more about the gender and racial disparities here. Got side effects? Report them to the FDA today. Call 1-800-332-1088 or report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch  

We're talking about several things that people should know about new FDA-approved medicines (also called novel medicines) that hit the market for the first time. We're also taking a quick look at 3 recent examples: two new skin cancer drugs for melanoma and 1 new drug that was recently approved to treat smallpox. Show note links: Drugs mentioned in this episode (click links to access the Drug Trial Snapshots for each drug directly from the FDA's website)... BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) MEKTOVI (binimetinib) TPOXX (tecovirimat) Check out skin cancer statistics on melanoma from the Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Academy of Dermatology. MEKTOVI's FDA approval letter. BRAFTOVI's FDA approval letter. Check out this YouTube clip on what one of the BRAFTOVI/MEKTOVI clinical trial investigators has to say about these new drugs. View the public-facing clinical trial summary on MEKTOVI and BRAFTOVI from the ClinicalTrials(dot)gov website. Self.com article "Why Are Black People Less Likely To Get Melanoma But More Likely To Die From It?" For more on SIGA Technologies (the company that manufacturers the smallpox drug), check this out on Wikipedia. CBS news article on this recently FDA-approved smallpox product, TPOXX. Do you want to dig deeper into the research surrounding this new smallpox drug? Check out this very detailed, SIGA-drafted FDA Advisory Committee Briefing Document from an advisory committee meeting re: TPOXX (tecovirimat) that was held on May 1, 2018. Are you experiencing unwanted or undesired side effects? Report to the FDA. Call 1-800-332-1088 or visit www.fda.gov/medwatch

Did you know that if you're misdiagnosed then there's a very real chance that you'll also receive the wrong medication?  It's true and on episode #13, writer, author & patient advocate, Helene Epstein, shares her personal stories of family members who not only received the wrong medication but also experienced issues with being overmedicated.  From her father's courageous battle with Parkinson's disease to her beloved son's struggle with an ADHD medication due to misdiagnosis, Helene's story truly embodies what it means to be an empowered consumer navigating our health care system. Show note links: To contact Helene, her helpful tips for parents & patient resources, resources, and more: visit www.hmepstein.com Helene's biography --> Helene serves on the Board of Directors of Brightpoint Health (www.brightpointhealth.org), a nonprofit provider of integrated health care and social support services to the neediest in New York City. As a member of that board, she serves on the Quality Improvement committee. She’s also a member of the Patient Engagement Committee for the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM, www.improvediagnosis.org). She also serves as the sole patient advocate expert on the advisory panels for three national studies on diagnostic error. Helene’s been a published writer for over 20 years, is a member of both the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ). Starting this Fall, you can read her new column on what patients need to know about getting properly diagnosed. You can also follow Helene on Twitter @HMEpstein

In Episode #12, we're taking a quick moment to speak directly to those who have been harmed by medications. We're also reminding people about World Benzodiazepine Day which happens on July 11. Show note links: We've shared these before (when we talked about benzodiazepines on Episode #6) but sharing again... World Benzodiazepine Day is July 11. Learn more and participate now. www.w-bad.org  Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (another great resource). www.benzoinfo.com Report your side effects (also called adverse drug reactions) to the FDA. Don't wait. Do it today. Call 1-800-FDA-1088 or 1-800-332-1088. www.fda.gov/medwatch. Both patients and health care providers can report and if you're a family member of a patient, then you can report on their behalf. The FDA is unable to monitor drug safety without your reporting and there's a nationwide under-reporting of side effects. So please help and spread the word! If you enjoy listening to Overprescribed, please leave us a review and/or share the show, or your favorite episode, with your friends and family. Lastly, check us out on Twitter @_overprescribed and Facebook "Overprescribed". We'd love to connect with you.

The U.S. population is growing but not nearly as fast as the rate at which prescriptions are being prescribed.  Why is this happening and does it represent a statistic worthy of concern? Show note links: Research from The Commonwealth Fund titled "Paying for Prescription Drugs Around the World: Why is the U.S. an Outlier?" CDC annual number of new cancers 1999-2015 - no big decrease in numbers Prescriptions dispensed 2009 - 2016 Prescription drug expenditure (how much are we spending in the U.S. on prescriptions) 1960 - 2018 From today's "In the News" segment: More than a third of American adults take prescription drugs linked to depression, study says by Carolyn Y. Johnson Questions rise over Accutane side effects following a woman's murder by Rick Sallinger. The brand name Accutane was discontinued back in 2009 but the generic name isotretinoin is still on the market under other brand and generic names. Read what the FDA has to say about this drug's safety. Government-funded treatment center forcibly injected immigrant kids with drugs: legal filings by Megan Cerullo  

On Episode #9, Psychiatric medication may work for some people but many people have had different experiences or aren't willing to take the chance, given some of the devastating and debilitating side effects that may occur from taking commonly prescribed pharmaceutical medications like Lyrica, Seroquel, Cymbalta, Vyvanse, Latuda, Invega and Pristiq. Listen in as we talk with holistic health practitioner, Judy Meyer, about alternative mental health treatment that involves holistic options which are often safer and more personalized to an individual's needs. Show note links: Check out the 2016 list of top selling psychiatric medications on Statista.com (Lyrica was on the list with over $4 billion dollars in revenue) Connect with Judy on Instagram (Holistic_Depression_Coach) and/or Twitter (@altmentalhealth). You can also visit her websites at: www.AlternativeMentalHealthRevolution.com, www.HolisticDepressionCoach.com To visit the Alternative Mental Health Revolution blog, click here To read "healing stories" from people who have used holistic options as an alternative to psychiatric medications, visit AlternativeMentalHealthRevolution.com or click here Also mentioned in this episode... To access practitioners/providers who are supportive of alternative mental health options: www.MadInAmerica.com, www.AlternativeMentalHealth.com Map your 23andMe or AncestryDNA results to NutraHacker.com for "cutting edge nutrition" recommendations customized to your unique genetic profile. Curious to know more about tardive dyskinesia (mentioned in the first few minutes of the show)?  Check out this on Wikipedia.

In Episode #8 host, Mika Pollack, talks about clinicaltrials.gov; a website managed by the federal government that lists both completed and uncompleted clinical trials. The site is well intentioned and is meant to be very helpful for anyone to access, but is it really...and what's happening with the clinical trial results that should be reported on the site per mandated federal law requirements?? Show note links: To visit the ClinicalTrials.gov website, click here. Check out a timeline of history, policies and laws related to ClinicalTrials.gov. From this page you'll also be able to read more on the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997, the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2007 and the 2016 Final Rule for Clinical Trials Registration and Results Information Submission. Curious to know who is sharing their clinical trials results? Check out the FDAAA Trials Tracker website ran by the Evidence Based Medicine DataLab at the University of Oxford. They're tracking who's non-compliant with the FDAAA law of 2007 and bringing attention to the public health problem of non-reporting of clinical trial data. In the News: Semi Driver Allegedly Overmedicated Before Crash with Bus from HOPE Christian School by Jesse Garza Traces of Opioids found in Seattle-area Mussels by Vanessa Romo #alprazolam #xanax #sertraline #zoloft #pugetsound Join us next week for special guest, Judy Meyer, a board certified holistic health practitioner, who will be talking about alternative mental health approaches. Do you have a news story to share or a show topic or question? Then contact us. Twitter : @_overprescribed Email: talk(at)overprescribedpodcast.com

On Episode #7 we talk about digital pills and some of the associated ethical concerns with this new product that's already on the U.S. market. Show note links and additional reading on digital pills: NY Times article "First Digital Pill Approved to Worries About Biomedical Big Brother" by Pam Belluk Wikipedia blurb about Otsuka Pharmaceutical, makers of Abilify Press release from Proteus Digital Health's website that announced the FDA approval on the digital pill Abilify MyCite, a collaborative effort between Proteus and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Healthcare Analytics News article by Ryan Black "Can the Digital Pill Quiet Pharma's R&D Nightmares?" Forbes article by the Forbes Technology Council "The Potential Consequences of the New FDA-approved Digital Pill" In the News (a brand new segment debuting on the show today!): Check out what Worcester Polytechnic Institute (aka WPI) students and their professor are doing by Using Data Science to Help Predict Adverse Drug Reactions by Thomas Coakley Roseanne Barr blames a prescription drug for her controversial tweet that lit up the Twitterverse and beyond, Vulture article by Hunter Harris New published research data on synthetic drugs vs. opioids and which one (spoiler alert***** synthetic drugs) caused more deaths in 2016, article by Steven Ross Johnson As always, to reach us: email -- talk(at)overprescribedpodcast.com / Twitter: @_overprescribed

Dr. Christy Huff is a cardiologist who has her own personal story, as a patient, with a class of drugs called benzodiazepines that is both eye opening, shocking and candid. Listen to what she has to say and find out what she's doing to help millions in order to prevent further injury and devastation from these drugs that are being taken as prescribed by people all around the world, not just the United States. Show note links: To learn more about the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC), visit www.benzoinfo.com To contribute a tax-deductible donation to BIC which will help them to do the work to raise awareness, initiate research and ultimately lower benzo injury and harm, click here. Are you taking a benzodiazepine and looking for a healthcare provider that will help you with safe tapering? Access a list of supportive benzo doctors from BIC's website who are willing to work with patients on a slow taper (list is organized by state). If you are a doctor/healthcare provider or know one that should be on the list, email the BIC team: bic(at)benzoinfo.com To access the benzodiazepine withdrawal support group mentioned in this episode, visit BenzoBuddies. Learn more about World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (July 11) by visiting www.w-bad.org

The FDA keeps approving drugs that have been tested on groups of patients that are not really diverse and this is a problem. Listen in and find out why.    Show note links: Drug Trials Snapshots page from the FDA's website where you can learn about what these snapshots are about, how to use them, snapshot limitations and sort the table of snapshots to find the newest drugs that made the list in 2018 (so far) 2017 Drug Trials Snapshots Summary Report  2018 new drug FDA approvals mentioned in this episode: Akynzeo Crysvita Tavalisse Ilumya Trogarzo Erleada Symdeko Biktarvy Lutathera   *****BONUS links: USA Today article on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study 45 Years Later The FDA's press announcement (released March 2018) on the new drug approval for Trogarzo which was approved based on clinical data results of 40 patients via Fast Track, Priority Review, Breakthrough Therapy designation and Orphan Drug status Join our private Facebook group - Consumers Unite!

Have you ever wondered what sort of side effects or adverse drug reactions are being reported to the FDA and how experts may interpret that data?  Well, then this is the episode for you.  Here we take a report that is probably more accessed by people who work in healthcare vs. the general public (even though it is a publicly accessible report) and dissect it in order to pull out some of the juiciest parts that may not be known by American consumers. The report is an annual report that was written last year by a non-profit called the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) as part of their QuarterWatch report releases. Show note links: Drug Safety Labeling Changes - visit this page on the FDA's website to find out which medications have newly released black boxed warnings or other labeling updates of importance! Here's the link to the QuarterWatch Annual Report Issue that we focus on during this episode. It's 25 pages long. So grab your glasses, coffee, your highlighter and be prepared to take in a bunch of information that could completely change your perspective on a number of drugs. Here are the links to the two other reports that have been released since this annual report was released: the first report is dated November 2017 and is titled Safety Signals for Two Novel Drugs and the other report is dated January 2018 and is titled Safety Profiles of Newer Contraceptives. As always, here's the link to report your side effects , also called adverse drug reactions, and if you prefer to call instead: Call 1-800-332-1088) because there's a severe under-reporting of side effects occurring in the U.S. primarily due to the voluntary nature of reporting (voluntary for healthcare providers and patients, not for manufacturers...or at least during the manufacturer's "normal course of business").  So, please do your part to improve this public health problem and report!

In this episode, we touch on the fascinating science of pharmacogenomics & pharmacogenetics for the first time (but not the last) by talking about what each means and how pharmacogenetics testing has the potential to change how you decide which drugs to take and which drugs you probably want think twice about before ever consuming . We also talk about why pharmacogenetics lab testing is important and the barriers to why while you can get a pharmacogenetics test today,  it's not being implemented into "standard of care" across every corner of the U.S. Show note links: PharmGKB - a U.S. federally funded pharmacogenomic knowledge resource on specific content related to pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics. Curious about interesting differences in how individuals react to medicines? Then check out this article. Wanting to read more on pharmacogenomics? Then read this Wikipedia perspective on the science ( includes more on the history, nice facts on specific drug-metabolizing enzymes, and some case studies too). Awesome article by Carolyn Abraham at The Globe and Mail that contains more detail on what's going on with a legal matter in Hawaii that could create a ripple effect across the U.S. 

In Episode 2, we talk about drug labels and the 7 things we think every consumer should know, at a minimum, about their drug labels.  Our goal? To inform you, while making you feel more comfortable and empowered to read every drug label you receive from this day forward. Show note links from overprescribedpodcast.com: "Drugs@FDA" - to access Medication Guides/drug labeling information, just enter the medication you're looking for in the search field to start finding the information on a drug that you may need FDA Guidance to Industry on what should go on a drug label regarding adverse drug reactions or side effects Report your side effects or adverse drug reactions right on the FDA website (side effect/adverse drug reaction = any undesired effect you're experiencing while taking a medication) -- Click "Consumer/Patient" link if you're not a healthcare professional and are reporting for yourself or on behalf of someone like a family member To view drug safety label changes for a specific drug on the FDA website, click here.

In this episode join host, Mika Pollack, as she introduces the show, gives listeners an idea of what to expect and talks about what inspired the podcast.