Wednesday, November 14, 2018

The Chronicles of Streptococcus Pneumoniae

The Secret of Streptococcus Pneumoniae That Nobody Is Discussing

streptococcus pneumoniae

The Downside Risk of Streptococcus Pneumoniae

It is at least as important to prevent antibiotics if your doctor doesn't think you get a bacterial infection. It would be better to seek advice from a doctor for appropriate therapy. First of all, if you have to deal with the indications of epiglottitis, it's important to seek advice from your physician.
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/bacterial-infections
Treatment is dependent on what kind you've got. Your treatment will be contingent on the sort of pneumonia you've got, how severe it is, and your general wellness. Furthermore, some respiratory treatments might also be performed, if needed.
Fungal infections are cured with the aid of antifungal medicines. They are among the most frequently prescribed medications in modern medicine. Since they always come with side effects, you may choose natural treatment as a sinus solution.

Understanding Streptococcus Pneumoniae

It may be an infection. The indications of Chlamydia pneumonia are like that of other respiratory disorders or even flu. It is among the 2nd most frequent cause of nosocomial pneumonia.
The infection on account of the very first type, that is Haemophilus influenzae was reduced through vaccination. Streptococcus pneumonia is the top cause of bacterial pneumonia. Pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most typical type of bacterial pneumonia.
There are two sorts of meningitis infections. Such a pneumonia is frequently more resistant to antibiotics and more is tough to treat than CAP. The most frequent sort of bacterial pneumonia is known as pneumococcal pneumonia.

Streptococcus Pneumoniae Explained

Additionally, there are particular strains of GAS which are more likely to cause severe disease than others. For example, the multidrug-resistant kind of tuberculosis has come to be an integral pathogen in developing and industrialized countries. Antibiotics may be used for a brief while because prolonged use eventually ends in resistance, an extremely undesirable trait (Wright, 593).
Correct identification of bacterial species is necessary for treatment. Whether the microorganism will lead to pneumonia or not depends on the condition of that person's lungs and general wellbeing. The virus can hide in the human body and can attack people at a subsequent time.

Finding the Best Streptococcus Pneumoniae

In the event of an infection like Staph, it's always vital that you prevent the spread of the infection so far as possible. In this instance, it's not merely a single form of bacterium which causes this infection. Unique forms of infections are brought on by different kinds of bacteria, and that means you should not take antibiotics without consulting your physician.
Dilatation of the lymph vessels is called lymphangiectasia. A lung infection happens when the pathogens enter the lungs and begin multiplying. The surrounding lymph nodes might become swollen.
Pneumonia can make it hard for your body to get sufficient oxygen to your blood, which may cause cells to not do the job properly. Although the respiratory syncytial virus is among the typical causal agents, influenza virus could also bring about bronchiolitis. Various vaccines target various forms of pneumococcal bacteria.
As per a study, infection is the most frequent cause of this medical condition in pregnancy. It's therefore an infectious disease. In the event the indications of bronchitis is aggravating, the patients have to be re-examined to decide if there's any bacterial infection.
It is a good idea to take continual treatment of anti biotic to totally complete the infection. The infection demands effective diagnosis to set up the intensity of the condition in order to get a trusted medication. Lungs infections are among the most frequent varieties of diseases, and can normally be cured entirely by taking the correct medications at the most suitable time, and are also termed as lower respiratory tract infections.
An individual must keep an eye out for a reddish-purple skin rash. Some types are somewhat more likely to cause infections particularly portions of the body than others, like the sinuses and the ear. Dead or damaged skin should be removed because it's a perfect spot for infection to develop.
Some folks are at higher chance of complications and might want to get hospitalized for two days to a week. Many people won't feel ill enough to visit the doctor should they have walking pneumonia. Younger adults that are smokers or who have certain medical conditions mentioned previously should also have PPSV23.
The possibility of any complications linked to your kid's pneumonia is uncommon and will depend on several elements. Observe your kid's eating habits, if you're looking for at least 1 symptom of pneumonia. Also make sure that you ask your physician or nurse to supply you with a record card including all the dates of your child's shots and don't forget to bring it to every visit.
Specifically, meningitis remains a severe problem in children in locations where Hib vaccine isn't utilized. Two sorts of pneumonia vaccines can be found in the usa. It can occur at any time during the course of HIV-1 infection.

The Number One Question You Must Ask for Vibrio Cholerae

The Ultimate Vibrio Cholerae Trick

vibrio cholerae

Vibrio Cholerae Secrets That No One Else Knows About

OK, it is not strictly diseases and public wellbeing, but you're going to be amazed to discover an 82-year-old political novel can provide you the shivers on the latest day of the year. When someone drinks too much water in a brief time period, the kidneys can't flush it out fast enough and the blood gets waterlogged. Death may come in 3-4 hours in the event the patient isn't adequately rehydrated.
One of the greatest methods to avoid cholera is to clean your youngster's hands often. Pregnant women and kids under the age of 5 are more inclined to this disease. So be sure you do everything that you can when it comes to eating right.
https://medlineplus.gov/antibiotics.html
Of both virulent serotypes O1 occurs more frequently than O139 and ought to be tested for first. O139 organisms make a polysaccharide capsule but don't produce O1 LPS or O1 antigen. There are quite a lot of strains of V. cholerae, a few of which are pathogenic and a few of which are not.
Predictive factors for mortality in primary septicemia or wound infections due to V vulnificus are accessed utilizing an assortment of parameters. Usually, it refers to Vibrio Vulnificus which can result in a terrible skin infection. The best method to treat Vibrio vulnificus is via aggressive antibiotic therapy, although treatment is not essential for less severe circumstances.

The Argument About Vibrio Cholerae

If you're worried your circulation is not especially good, particularly in the feet, then have a check up with your physician. A number of precautions and one can avoid developing a severe infection to some degree. A number of these conditions don't have any indicators or symptoms so you might not know you're in danger.
It is hard to identify at a young stage as its symptoms are very similar to other digestive system diseases. Conditions connected with hormonal imbalance have far-reaching results on all systems of the human body, including the intestines. In the event the disease has spread deeper and to a bigger portion of the body, limb amputation could be required to be carried out.

How to Find Vibrio Cholerae Online

Public Health regularly issues warnings about various varieties of Vibrio bacteria connected with shellfish. There's also a risk for people that like eating food that wasn't prepared sanitarily. It is brought on by ingesting food or water which has been contaminated by the bacterium.
It's meant for point of care testing for TB and rifampicin resistance, employing the exact same cartridges as the ones used in the recent Genexpert machine. Though a bulk of bacteria in the body are countered by the immune system, there are some which are pathogenic in nature. It's advised that everyone uses alcohol-based hand sanitizers, germ protection handwash or antibacterial soap on a standard basis to make sure efficient hand hygiene and to minimize the danger of infection.
The nutrient agar medium ought to be checked via the test. The organism may also survive freezing. If it is susceptible to the antibiotic, they will not grow near the disk.

The Argument About Vibrio Cholerae

Considered among the most dreaded contagious diseases in the planet, tuberculosis causes nearly 2 million deaths annually. In america, a couple instances of cholera are sporadically reported. Since 1817, it has become pandemic, spreading into a multitude of countries.
There are lots of good bacteria that live on and within the body systems. Based on our findings, using streams for bathing, recreation and irrigation needs to be discouraged as this might bring about health hazards. Turbid water should be filtered prior to chlorinating.
The previous supply of these infectious diseases is by way of soil. There is, in addition, the chance of these bacteria infecting another individual as a result of bad sanitation or should they have contact with infected water. Person-to-person transmission is not likely.

Vibrio Cholerae - Is it a Scam?

There's thus a need to recognize alternative drugs which are effect in treating this disease. Usually treatment isn't necessary and there's no evidence that antibiotic treatment decreases the severity or the period of the illness. It's wiser to prevent infection instead of seek treatment.
Testing is too costly, and not readily offered. Smoking may also cause many kinds of cancer like throat cancer and lung cancer. Severe instances of the disease has to be treated in hospital.

What Needs to be Done About Vibrio Cholerae Before You Miss Your Chance

It's a symptom of several different diseases. It is often a mild illness with ordinary diarrhoea, and it can even evolve without any symptoms at all. In rare instances, viral infection could result in chronic illness.
If encountered, a healthier immune system will combat infection and could only bring about mild symptoms. The intestinal absorption of particular foods might become impaired due to several facets leading to chronic diarrhea. The genuine disease symptoms are due to an exotoxin made by the bacteria.
Therefore, it could never be defined on the basis of clinical and epidemiological grounds without taking into consideration the specific organism. All these pathogenic agents can cause various diseases and conditions. Less number of such pathogens have the propensity to cause significant health difficulties.
There are a lot of enzymes generated by the bacterium that assist in the infection. Bacteria are extremely little organisms, which are typically present in nearly every habitat on Earth. For instance, the diphtheria bacteria contains bacteriophage which has a gene for toxin production.

The Basic Facts of Vibrio Cholerae

The indications of cholera are much like those of food poisoning. The oral cholera vaccine was discovered to be 5060% effective over 2 decades. It has been found to be 50a60% effective over 2 years.
Treatment stays the same. Effective disease surveillance can guarantee that cholera outbreaks are recognized whenever possible and handled appropriately. Treatment Oral rehydration is crucial whenever possible.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Healing Autoimmune Conditions With Functional Medicine

New frontiers are created on your road to better health when you treat your autoimmune disease with functional medicine. You are able to get real reasons as to why you may be feeling very bad, heal your body in natural and non-invasive ways and accept a new life that's filled with energy, vitality and health. It's very okay to feel skeptical about this or that it sounds too good to be true.

Functional medicine is different from the numerous medications that you may have gotten from the different doctors. It is focused on discovering and then treating the real root causes of diseases. It is now gaining popularity quickly because more and more people now know that it works.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/jayfortune/healing-autoimmune-conditions-with-functional-medi-3jtf4


immunehealthsystems.com
ncqltc.org

socalano.com

upmcchautauquawcal.org

Image result for Healing Autoimmune Conditions With Functional Medicine






 

Autoimmune diseases

Our bodies have an immune system, which is a complex network of special cells and organs that defends the body from germs and other foreign invaders. Many diseases of the immune system, also known as autoimmune diseases, are more common in women than in men. Learn about the different types of autoimmune diseases that affect women.

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/autoimmune-diseases


















Sunday, May 6, 2018

Pros and cons of the new digital pills that connect to your smartphone



The disadvantage here is the patient’s privacy as this will be given away by the technology. Is it necessary to bring on board bio medics into the patient doctor confidential agreement? A kind of agreement is signed by the patient but it does not stop the patient being watched by a third party.
The challenge is that some patient’s will readily go against this due to privacy challenge, secondly patients might begin to miss time of visits to their physician since they believe they are already being monitored.
Another big one is the question of the data banks for all these information. The new age which makes it possible for big companies to get hacked, safety of the patient’s privacy is termed as relatively low.
 http://blogs.rediff.com/markterry/2018/05/01/pros-and-cons-of-the-new-digital-pills-that-connect-to-your-smartphone/

 Image result for Pros and cons of the new digital pills that connect to your smartphone inurl:gov

Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment

Technology has opened a new frontier in mental health support and data collection. Mobile devices like cell phones, smartphones, and tablets are giving the public, doctors, and researchers new ways to access help, monitor progress, and increase understanding of mental wellbeing. Mobile mental health support can be very simple but effective. For example, anyone with the ability to send a text message can contact a crisis center. New technology can also be packaged into an extremely sophisticated app for smartphones or tablets. Such apps might use the device’s built-in sensors to collect information on a user’s typical behavior patterns. If the app detects a change in behavior, it may provide a signal that help is needed before a crisis occurs. Some apps are stand-alone programs that promise to improve memory or thinking skills. Others help the user connect to a peer counselor or to a health care professional.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/technology-and-the-future-of-mental-health-treatment/index.shtml

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Prescription Drug Pricing Is Totally Broken


 Image result for Prescription Drug Pricing Is Totally Broken inurl:gov




Some new applications like GoodRx can help the patients to compare prices of drugs from various pharmacies and programs in different locations before committing to buying them, and this way they can get up to 75% off on the market price of the medication they need.

Solutions to the pricing problem that is affecting generic drugs-drugs that are supposed to be a safe and cheap alternative for the masses-are direly needed. More than 50% of Americans are struggling with a chronic illness, and the majority of them cannot afford the exorbitant prices of drugs. It is not only essential, it is necessary that healthcare reforms target this area of drug pricing so that drugs can be accessible to the average American who needs them. The high cost of drugs in America is a problem that needs swift and decisive solutions now, rather than later.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/maximmaider/prescription-drug-pricing-is-totally-broken-even-3be9o

Appeals if you have Medicare prescription drug coverage

You have the right to do all of these (even before you buy a certain drug):
  • Talk to your prescriber - your doctor or other health care provider who's legally allowed to write prescriptions. You can ask:
    • Whether the plan has special coverage rules
    • Whether there are generic, over-the-counter, or less expensive brand-name drugs that could work as well as the ones you're taking now.
  • Get a written explanation (called a coverage determination) from your Medicare drug plan. A coverage determination is the first decision made by your Medicare drug plan (not the pharmacy) about your benefits, including these:
    • Whether a certain drug is covered
    • Whether you have met the requirements to get a requested drug
    • How much you pay for a drug
    • Whether to make an exception to a plan rule when you request it
  • Ask for an exception if:
    • You or your prescriber believes you need a drug that isn't on your plan's formulary.
    • You or your prescriber believes that a coverage rule (like prior authorization) should be waived.
    • You think you should pay less for a higher tier (more expensive) drug because you or your prescriber believes you can't take any of the lower tier (less expensive) drugs for the same condition.
     
https://www.medicare.gov/claims-and-appeals/file-an-appeal/prescription-plan/prescription-drug-coverage-appeals.html

Sunday, April 1, 2018

One Stop Information for Generic Drugs


It’ no longer a secret that healthcare can be very expensive in this country. It can lead you into financial burden when you don’t have proper health insurance. One of the reasons medical treatment so expensive is the high medicine price. The manufacturers of those medicines argue that high investment to cover research to all procedures until a medicine is ready to market is the main reasons of the high priced medicines.
http://ehealthservices.eu.org/one-stop-information-for-generic-drugs/



FDA Guidelines for Medication Guide Distribution
 The e-pedigree law requires
a track and trace system for all
prescription drugs sold in California,
tracing ownership of the smallest
saleable unit of each prescription
drug from manufacturer to dispenser.
The pedigree must be initiated by
the manufacturer and electronically
appended at every change in ownership
by wholesalers, pharmacies or other
dispensers. The law was based on a
2004 report of the FDA’s Counterfeit
Drug Task Force which had been
formed to establish a federal level
solution to safeguard the nation’s
prescription drugs. This report
recommended a system that would
electronically identify each product as
it moved through the supply chain. A
unique number was to be placed on
the saleable unit by the manufacturer
that could be electronically read. An
interoperable computer system would
allow the e-pedigree to be appended
at each sale with required elements,
including a statement by the seller that
it is selling the unit to a specific buyer,
and a corresponding statement from
the buyer that it is buying the product
from the specific seller. This creates a
locked chain of custody of the product,
electronically tracing all owners back
to the manufacturer.
http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/publications/13_mar_script.pdf


Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Some people with HIV are starting to live as long as people without it




The publishers of the new research studied the results of 18 studies about patients living with HIV in Europe and in North America. Factors such as the amount of virus that iswas present (lower is better) and CD4 white blood cell count (higher is better), which are normally used to measure the severity of the infection was considered. These measures improved in people who started treatment in cohort groups that started treatment afterwards.
The real difference appears to come from the medications that have been not very harmful over time, and better devotion to taking them. However, people living with HIV may experience other complications, warns Scott Turner, a neurologist at Georgetown University who studies HIV and is not affiliated with the new research. For instance, he says, “Since aging is a major risk factor for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), we may expect to see a parallel increase in HAND in coming years.” Turner has treated more than a few patients who have lived with HIV long enough to have Alzheimer’s even though they may have presented it earlier than usual as a result of the HIV virus and treatment.

https://article.wn.com/view/2018/03/13/Some_people_with_HIV_are_starting_to_live_as_long_as_people_/



The Stages of HIV Infection

Without treatment, HIV infection advances in stages, getting worse over time. HIV gradually destroys the immune system and eventually causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
There is no cure for HIV infection, but HIV medicines (called antiretrovirals or ARVs) can prevent HIV from advancing to AIDS. HIV medicines help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission (the spread of HIV to others).



There are three stages of HIV infection:
  1. Acute HIV Infection
    Acute HIV infection is the earliest stage of HIV infection, and it generally develops within 2 to 4 weeks after a person is infected with HIV. During this time, some people have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and rash. In the acute stage of infection, HIV multiplies rapidly and spreads throughout the body. The virus attacks and destroys the infection-fighting CD4 cells of the immune system. During the acute HIV infection stage, the level of HIV in the blood is very high, which greatly increases the risk of HIV transmission.

https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/19/46/the-stages-of-hiv-infection

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

GENERIC DRUGS AND THE FDA


Generic drugs are replicates of brand-name drugs that come with the same dosage, intended use, effects and side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original (patented) medication. Generic drugs usually are more affordable than the brand name drugs they have patterned after.

This situation occurs for a number of reasons. The first is that the manufacturer of parent medication has spent considerable resources on the research, development, marketing, and promotion of the drug.  Hence these incident costs are usually included in the final price of the drug. On the other hand, generic medicine is developed after its parent drug runs the course of its patent rights, which often spans close to 20 years. For example: co-aleva. A generic drug comes to the market quicker and cheaper because it bypasses most of the base costs/processes associated with producing the parent drug from scratch.

http://groupspaces.com/genericdrugs/

Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA)


An abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) contains data which is submitted to FDA for the review and potential approval of a generic drug product. Once approved, an applicant may manufacture and market the generic drug product to provide a safe, effective, lower cost alternative to the brand-name drug it references.
A generic drug product is one that is comparable to an innovator drug product in dosage form, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use. All approved products, both innovator and generic, are listed in FDA's Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (Orange Book).
Generic drug applications are termed "abbreviated" because they are generally not required to include preclinical (animal) and clinical (human) data to establish safety and effectiveness. Instead, generic applicants must scientifically demonstrate that their product is performs in the same manner as the innovator drug. One way applicants demonstrate that a generic product performs in the same way as the innovator drug is to measure the time it takes the generic drug to reach the bloodstream in healthy volunteers. This demonstration of “bioequivalence” gives  the rate of absorption, or bioavailability, of the generic drug, which can then be compared to that of the innovator drug. To be approved by FDA, the generic version must deliver the same amount of active ingredients into a patient's bloodstream in the same amount of time as the innovator drug. 
https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/HowDrugsareDevelopedandApproved/ApprovalApplications/AbbreviatedNewDrugApplicationANDAGenerics/default.htm

Saturday, February 24, 2018

GENERIC DRUG PRICING AND THE END GAME

Generic drugs have been hailed for the impact they have had on the United States healthcare industry. These group of medicines has ensured that Americans have access to affordable yet qualitative prescription medicine, thereby ensuring improved healthcare delivery.
At its most basic, a generic drug is a copy or replica of a brand-name drug, dispensed with the same dosage, intended use, effects and side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original (patented) drug. Unlike the original medication, a generic drug enters the market at much less a cost compared to that for a brand name due to lower production costs and less stringent regulatory approval routes/paths.

http://www.postpoems.org/authors/artic1904/prose/1060242

The Business Dynamics of Generic and Brand name medication
While the usage statistics for generic drugs means that Americans can access cheaper yet effective medicine, the returns on investment for generic drug production may prove to be its death knell.  Consider that supply chain dynamics for generic drugs give a return on investment of 64 percent, while brand name manufacturers posts as much as /retain over 76 percent of revenue.
While these numbers do not differ to large extents, the impact is telling. This is because of the nature of the two markets involved- generic and brand name.  It is important to note that the brand drug industry is generally controlled by one manufacturer with exclusivity (patent rights for a period of time), while the generic industry follows a multi-competitor model with drug prices decreasing as more competitors enter the marketplace, given the less expensive/arduous path to market entry.
http://www.medicalmingle.com/doctor1970/blog/2018/02/24/generic_drug_supply_chain_and_other_matters

 Image result for Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. on new steps to facilitate efficient generic drug review to enhance competition, promote access and lower drug prices


Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. on new steps to facilitate efficient generic drug review to enhance competition, promote access and lower drug prices

In the United States of America, the figures are more compelling. The FDA continues to propose and enforce regulatory policies that give great traction to the development and deployment of generic medicine. Some of these policies include the following:
1. Improving the efficiency of the generic drug approval process.
2. Providing advisory services to developers of generic medicine in capacity and knowledge building.
3. Creating policies that favor the development of a new class/category of generic drugs referred to as complex drugs.
As a result of these efforts, the US has achieved impressive figures with the use of generic medicine.

https://www.bloglovin.com/@teddyredwings/generic-drugs-savings

This new MAPP does not alter the important Generic Drug User Fee Amendments II review goals or program enhancements, nor does it alter the regulatory requirements for ANDA approval. Rather, the goal of the MAPP is to guide FDA staff to help ensure we work more efficiently with the goal of improving review times.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

THE PROS AND CONS OF GENERIC MEDICINE


According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a generic drug is a medication that is identical, or bioequivalent, to a brand name drug in dosage structure, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. In other words, while generic drugs are chemically similar to the original patented medicine, they are often sold for far less. Statistics show that generic drugs save consumers an estimated 8 to 10 billion USD a year at retail pharmacies. The FDA touts generics as the way to go in the provision of qualitative yet affordable medicines to the consuming public.

https://www.minds.com/blog/view/812928478460022784

 Pie Chart of Total Health Care Spending

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Health care is a vital service that daily touches the lives of millions of Americans at significant and vulnerable times: birth, illness, and death. In recent decades, technology, pharmaceuticals, and know-how have substantially improved how care is delivered and the prospects for recovery. American markets for innovation in pharmaceuticals and medical devices are second to none. The miracles of modern medicine have become almost commonplace. At its best, American health care is the best in the world.
Notwithstanding these extraordinary achievements, the cost, quality, and accessibility of American health care have become major legislative and policy issues. Substantial increases in the cost of health care have placed considerable stress on federal, state, and household budgets, as well as the employment-based health insurance system. Health care quality varies widely, even after controlling for cost, source of payment, and patient preferences. Many Americans lack health insurance coverage at some point during any given year. The costs of providing uncompensated care are a substantial burden for many health care providers, other consumers, and tax payers.
This Report examines the role of competition in addressing these challenges. The proper role of competition in health care markets has long been debated. For much of our history, federal and state regulators, judges, and academic commentators saw health care as a "special" good to which normal economic forces did not apply. Skepticism about the role of competition in health care continues.
 https://www.justice.gov/atr/executive-summary

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Is generic medication as good as name brand?


Brand name drugs are registered under patents, but those patents are limited. When they expire, the drugs and their manufacturing process become “public property”, in a manner of peaking. Other licensed pharmacological companies can then duplicate these drugs under different names. The duplicated copies of these drugs are called generic drugs. They are created to be exactly the same as the name brand originals.
The brand name original of the drug does not just stop being made either; it remains in circulation alongside the generic versions of it.

http://www.imfaceplate.com/Mark1950/is-generic-medication-as-good-as-name-brand


When getting a prescription filled, you might have been asked whether you would prefer the generic alternative. Understanding the differences between generic and brand name medicines can help you make an informed choice.

Are generic medicines the same as brand-name medicines?

In the way they work, yes. In other ways, maybe not.
Every medicine has a brand name, which is given by the pharmaceutical company that markets the drug, and a generic name, the drug’s ‘active ingredient’ that makes it work.
When a medicine with a new active ingredient first appears, it is protected by a patent for several years. The patent is designed to allow the company to make enough profits to recover the money it spent developing the medicine, or on buying the rights to market it.

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/generic-medicines-vs-brand-name-medicines

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

BIOAVAILABILITY OF GENERIC DRUGS

Generic drugs are copies made from an already existing template of a particular medication. They do not pass through testing, innovation and approval like the original drugs on which they are based did. They are produced after the patent on an original drug has expired, after which drug manufacturing companies can apply to get approval to produce these drugs at a cheaper rate.

Generic drugs are common because of their availability and relatively cheap cost. The manufacturers do not have to spend money and time on the drug innovation and development, and so they are produced chiefly to be more accessible. This is why most doctors and patients prefer the generic drugs, because they save money.

There are, however, some concerns raised when it comes to the consumption of these drugs. "This is why they have to undergo rigorous testing and approval by the FDA before they can be deemed a safe alternative to a name brand medication".
http://groupspaces.com/BIOAVAILABILITY/


Evaluating the bioavailability and bioequivalence of generic medications.

 By law, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is permitted to approve generic versions of brand-name medications without necessarily requiring that research be conducted to prove them safe and effective, provided that a number of criteria are met. The most important criterion is bioequivalence. Bioavailability refers to the rate and extent to which the active ingredient is absorbed from a drug product. Maximum drug concentration (Cmax) is the parameter used to characterize the absorption rate. The area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve (AUC) is the parameter used to characterize the extent of drug absorption. Bioequivalence means that there is an equivalent rate and extent of absorption of the same active ingredient from two or more drug products. For a generic drug to be approved, both Cmax and AUC must vary only within a certain limited range compared with those for the brand name medication. Information about generic and pharmaceutical alternative drugs can be found in the Orange Book and via Drugs@FDA.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20102127

Friday, February 9, 2018

Generic Drugs Uses and Side Effects


Generic drugs are copies or replicas of brand-name drugs that are dispensed with the same dosage, intended use, effects and side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original (patented) drug. Generic drugs are often substantially cheaper than the brand name drugs they take after.  This happens for a number of reasons. The first is that the manufacturer of parent medication has spent considerable resources on the research, development, marketing, and promotion of the drug.


The said drug is protected by exclusivity and patent rights for a period of time (usually set at 20 years) whereby the original producers of the medicine can recoup the funds invested. Toward the end of the patent expiration, the manufacturer and other producers can apply to develop a generic version of the drug, with incurring the base costs associated with producing such medicine from scratch. https://diigo.com/0bf3y8

 

 What is meant by generic medications?

Generic drugs are deployed under close scrutiny and regulation from government agencies tasked with the responsibility of oversight. A major stipulation for this class of medicines is that generic drugs must contain the same active ingredients as the patented brand name formula of the original manufacturer. In other words, a generic drug must fall within the same bioequivalence for the active ingredients associated with the original formulation. However, there could inconsequential differences in terms of color, form, flavors or a difference in non-active ingredients.

In ensuring fairness to initial manufacturers of medicines, generic drugs are only available after the expiration of the patent rights accorded the brand name formulation. Most countries peg the duration of this protection window at 20 years; although nations like the U.S.A might grant an extension to this window by as much as 5 years.

http://www.medicalmingle.com/doctor1970/blog/2018/02/10/what_is_meant_by_generic_medications

Definition and Classification of Generic Drugs Across the World

The World Health Organization (WHO), during the World Health Assembly in 1975, published a resolution to develop means to assist Member States in formulating national drug policies. Since then, and following the recommendations of the WHO, many countries have developed their own national drug policies. The framework of these recommendations is often considered to be built around improving access to “essential drugs” that in most cases mirror the Essential Medicines List from the WHO, currently in its 18th edition . According to the WHO, this list includes the most efficacious, safe and cost-effective medicines for priority conditions. Most of the drugs included are off-patent and available as generic products, which are often offered at lower prices than the innovator branded product, potentially reducing costs for patients and the healthcare system . The use of generic pharmaceutical products is then promoted, in order to reduce costs and increase access to healthcare . But, despite highlighting the need for rigorous quality and safety assessments for pharmaceutical products in order to achieve these goals, the quality of pharmaceutical products available in the market in many developing countries varies, in part because of the lack of clear and specific requirements for generic pharmaceutical products.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4519628/

Friday, February 2, 2018

Generic drugs and patents



Let's just say a patent is a monopoly right that's usually bestowed on the people or companies that own an invention. This right is given by the Government to ensure that the invention is not copied or used by other people without the inventors knowledge or consent in that country where the patent has been obtained.Whilst protecting the invention, a patent owner is able to exploit and maximize the patent power in many ways. One of the ways includes licensing the patent to third parties for high commercial returns, raising funds for business or even selling the patented invention for a lofty sum of money. A patent usually takes about 20 years from the date of filling the application for the patent before it expires.
https://www.bloglovin.com/@teddyredwings/generic-drugs-patents-464395

BIOAVAILABILITY OF GENERIC DRUGS

Generic drugs are copies made from an already existing template of a particular medication. They do not pass through testing, innovation and approval like the original drugs on which they are based did. They are produced after the patent on an original drug has expired, after which drug manufacturing companies can apply to get approval to produce these drugs at a cheaper rate.
Generic drugs are common because of their availability and relatively cheap cost. The manufacturers do not have to spend money and time on the drug innovation and development, and so they are produced chiefly to be more accessible. This is why most doctors and patients prefer the generic drugs, because they save money.
http://groupspaces.com/medications/item/1160531

Generic Drugs Differences and Benefits

Generic drugs are usually cheaper than their brand name counterparts and that's one of the reasons why people sometimes like to settle for it. Generic medications are designed and structured to function the same way as an approved brand named drug.
 
They work the same way in terms of safety, strength, stability, dosage form, performance characteristics, quality, and route of administration. Both generic drugs and brand name drugs use the same active ingredients and so they have the same benefits and risks. So in essence, a generic medicine is a brand name drug that uses a different name so it's safe to say they work just the same as Brand name medicines.

http://www.postpoems.org/authors/artic1904/prose/1059089

ACOG Committee Opinion No. 375: Brand versus generic oral contraceptives.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers generic and brand name oral contraceptive (OC) products clinically equivalent and interchangeable. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports patient or clinician requests for branded OCs or continuation of the same generic or branded OCs if the request is based on clinical experience or concerns regarding packaging or compliance, or if the branded product is considered a better choice for that individual patient.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17666623

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Difference between branded and generic drugs

A brand name medication is the innovative medication and most definitely the first of its kind on the market. The manufacturers of the brand name drug get to decide on the name of the drug. A drug that has just been discovered would has two names
• The first is the drugs generic name. This is the drugs common scientific name.
• A brand name serves as an identity for the drug in the market and is chosen by the brand name drug manufacturer.
You might then ask; how does a medication become the brand name?

https://www.minds.com/blog/view/804562836570013696

Mental Health Issues Overlooked in College Transition

Teens are more stressed and anxious than in the past, yet their parents will send many off to college with little thought about the mental health issues they might face while there, according to a new WebMD/Medscape survey in collaboration with JED.

The survey, “Preparing for College: The Mental Health Gap,” includes more than 500 health care professionals, along with 700 parents and guardians of high school students planning to attend college or other post-secondary school, and of students already in their first year.
Among health care professionals surveyed, a strong majority said they had seen more mental health issues among teens in the past 5 years:
  • 86% said the teens have had more anxiety and stress.
  • 81% saw more anxiety disorders.
  • 70% reported seeing more mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.
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https://www.webmd.com/special-reports/prep-teens-college/20180125/parents-teens-survey