Everybody hates Abbott

Abbott Laboratories is under fire for its business practices in the field of HIV yet again--but not from the usual suspects. Typically the target of patient activist groups and third-world governments, this time Abbott is being sued by other businesses.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Safeway Inc., Walgreen Co., Kroger Co., New Albertson's Inc., and American Sales Co., all of which carry Abbott's HIV drug Norvir in their pharmacies, are suing Abbott for having "unlawfully extended its monopoly as the sole provider of Norvir." What does that mean? In this case, it means that Abbott raised the price of Norvir by 400% in 2003.

Why did Abbott hike the price? Norvir, rather than fighting HIV directly, is used in small quantities with the class of anti-HIV drugs known as protease inhibitors; Norvir increases the concentrations of those drugs within the body and thus boosts their effectiveness. There are several protease inhibitors now on the market, and one of those is Abbott's medication Kaletra -- the only protease viagra that also contains Norvir. All of Kaletra's competitors require a separate purchase of Norvir in order to get boosted efficacy; therefore, the Norvir price hike was a strategic move in an effort by Abbott to insulate Kaletra from competition. Now, Kaletra is cheaper than taking another protease cheap cialis, such as Reyataz or Prezista, in combination with the higher-priced Norvir. (Additional scenarios considered were to discontinue the capsule form of Norvir and sell only its oral formulation, which is said to taste like vomit, and to take Norvir completely off the market.)

I do not wish to defend Abbott's decision. But I will defend Abbott's perfect moral right to make that decision.

It's bad enough that HIV activists and governments believe that patients have the right to a pharmaceutical company's products at whatever price they choose to pay (or for no cost at all), just because the patients need the drugs. But it's even more distasteful that the businesses that sell these drugs to consumers are joining in the fray. One would think that other businessmen would understand the right of a producer to offer his product at whatever price he chooses to ask. Patients do have rights here -- they can choose to take their protease inhibitors without Norvir (an option that many patients take even without considering the price difference), or they can choose to take a regimen that doesn't include a protease inhibitor at all. They can protest Abbott's pricing decision peacefully. What they must not do is use physical force (i.e., the government) to coerce Abbott into selling Norvir at their preferred price. The same goes for pharmacies: Just because the management is unhappy that it can't offer Norvir as cheaply as it used to, it doesn't mean that they can force Abbott to sell Norvir at the old price at the point of a gun.

One would also think other businessmen would understand the danger of letting the government decide at what price Abbott should be allowed to sell Norvir. If Norvir is to be sold at a lower price because patients need it, or because Albertson's supermarkets want to increase volume by selling the drug more cheaply, why shouldn't the government then be able to force Albertson's to sell its groceries at cost, because after all, what do human beings need more than food and drink?

This lawsuit should be dismissed for the farce that it is. There is no such thing as "unlawfully extending monopoly" when that monopoly is not government-enforced.

The Ambien excuse, Delta flight threat suspect took sleeping pills

See also: cialis | 


A former Air Force intelligence specialist is in custody undergoing competency tests, after he told air marshals he was carrying explosives in his boots, backpack and laptop. The incident caused a Delta flight bound from Paris to Atlanta to make an emergency landing in Maine.

Court documents obtained by CNN claim the suspect Derek Stansberry told the air marshals that he had taken eight tablets of the sleeping drug Ambien along with some valium. When he was later interviewed by the FBI he changed his story. He claimed he took only one Ambien.

The commonly-used hypnotic continues to be the scapegoat for strange and even dangerous behavior. Chances are the media will speculate this week's Delta incident will be blamed on Ambien sleepwalking

Earlier this month, a Fox News affiliate asked the question “is ambien creating a nation of zombies.”

The AASM recognizes Ambien as a safe and effective short-term solution to insomnia, if used as prescribed. However, it appears the Air Force vet who made the threat misused the drug by taking eight cheap cialis and combining them with valium.

To learn more about the sleeping drug, and other treatments for insomnia go to the Ambien section of our blog.

Andropause and Bio-T Blood screening

See also: cialis | 


As many of my friends are over the age of 45, I find myself concerned about their sexual health as they enter this phase of their lives. Natural production of testosterone declines after a certain age, and there are symptoms associated with it. I found a very nice Canadian website called andropause.ca that not only helps men understand what it is and what the treatment options are, but it addresses the issue that most doctors are not familiar with this condition, including your family doctor. There is a list (by province) of doctors who specialize in andropause.



I mentioned andropause to a few clients (over age 65) who have complained about weak erections and lowered libido, a few symptoms of the condition. They mentioned it to their (female) doctor, who discounted the possibility without doing a blood test that measures the bio-available testosterone in the sample. I felt sad and compelled to provide an outside source of information and a list of sympathetic doctors (at least to my Canadian friends).



Men that I know who are on supplemental testosterone have more energy, more life, and enjoy more their visits with me. When sex hormones are balanced these guys feel better than normal, and fatigue never seems to get to them like it did before supplementation. They don't accumulate body fat as fast as before, and their dicks get as hard as a rock like it did before. Erection drugs like Viagra and order cialis work better, and that aspect makes sexual activity less worrisome.



Worrying about getting erections remove the mental energy that is needed for letting go and having fun. But with preparation and participation in adjusting to the natural changes that occur to everyone that ages, sex can get better than you remember because of the appreciation factor.



You can fully appreciate something when it is gone, and when you get it back after some effort, you will never let it slip away again. Sex is something joyful that we must never lose touch with. But when sex does leave a person's life, people around you can tell. You should witness the subtle transformation my friends undergo when they leave my apartment. Simply put, it's a good feeling for everyone!