VOL. 2 ISSUE 15 July 1, 2002

PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS MEDICAL NEWS

STUDY: FEW NEW DRUGS WERE IMPROVEMENT WASHINGTON (AP) -

Only 15 percent of new drugs approved in the last decade were novel chemicals
that the Food and Drug Administration deemed a significant improvement over
older drugs, a study says.

The vast majority instead were similar to existing medicines. Yet during the
same time, consumer spending on prescription drugs more than doubled to $132
billion - and most of the increase was spent not on the most innovative
drugs, but on the less important or copycats, says the study by the National
Institute for Health Care Management.

The FDA and other groups have long cautioned that major pharmaceutical
breakthroughs are rare. However, the study to be released Wednesday - by an
institute partly funded by managed care - is among the first to rank spending
according to drugs' relative importance to health care.

The findings show patients must be smart consumers, said institute president
Nancy Chockley. "We are all under the impression that 'new and improved' is
always much better," yet that is not always true, she said.

However, the study drew immediate fire from the drug industry.

It "appears to be little more than a political and financially motivated
cheap shot masquerading as science in the public interest," said Richard
Smith of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

The FDA ranks drugs according to different criteria, such as whether they
contain a never-before-used chemical. In addition, FDA-dubbed "priority
drugs" promise a significant health improvement over existing treatments. FDA
deems "standard" drugs that do not promise a significant improvement -
although having options is important, as patients unhelped by one drug may
respond to another, and small differences between competitors can prove
important to individuals.

The institute reviewed 1,035 drugs that FDA approved between 1989 and 2000,
and found that only 153 were both FDA-designated priority drugs and made of
novel chemicals - in other words, a highly innovative drug.

Many other drugs that won FDA approval were modified versions of an existing
medicine, a trend that increased as the decade wore on: Between 1995 and
2000, the FDA approved 304 such drugs, compared with 168 in the previous six
years.

New drugs are often more expensive than their older competitors. But when the
study examined the $132 billion Americans spent on prescription drugs in
2000, it found $44 billion went for drugs approved since 1995 - and only
one-third of the spending was for the most innovative medicines.

The industry's Smith attacked the study's premise that a "standard" drug
isn't very important. He said up to half of depression patients try two or
three antidepressants before finding the one that works for them, and that
many patients would deem very important a new weekly version of a pill they
must take daily.

Copyright 2002 the Associated Press. All rights reserved.

******************************************

CHOLESTROL DRUGS INCREASE RISK OF NERVE DAMAGE

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may increase the risk of nerve
damage called neuropathy.

But the well-known benefits of statins far outweigh the risk of neuropathy,
which remains very low.

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when nerves in the peripheral nervous system --
those outside of the brain and spinal cord -- become damaged. Symptoms vary
but may include tingling, numbness and burning pain as well as decreased
sensitivity to temperature or pain.

Diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disease and alcohol abuse can all lead to
neuropathy, but the nerve damage, known as polyneuropathy when it affects
more than one nerve, may develop independently of these conditions.

As more and more people have started taking statins on a long-term basis, a
small number of patients have developed cases of nerve damage with no
apparent obvious cause. Investigators report the results of a larger study
that seems to confirm the link between statins and neuropathy. In the
population-based study in a Danish county, the researchers identified 166
first-time cases of neuropathy that did not have an obvious cause.

The cases were divided into definite, probable and possible cases depending
on how certain the researchers were that the nerve damage could not have been
caused by some other condition. Nine of the patients had taken statins, with
the average length of treatment being nearly 3 years.

Compared to a "control" group of people who did not have neuropathy, people
who had taken statins were 4 to 14 times more likely to develop
polyneuropathy that did not have a known cause.

Several of the statins taken by patients in the study list peripheral
neuropathy as a possible side effect.

Neurology May 14, 2002;58:1321-1322, 1333-1337

****************************************

AARP JOINS SUIT AGAINST DRUGMAKERS - WASHINGTON (AP)

The AARP, the nation's largest lobbying group for older Americans, is
accusing pharmaceutical companies of paying their competitors not to market
cheaper generic drugs.

The group on Wednesday joined three lawsuits filed last year against six drug
companies, alleging patent abuse, suppression of generic competition and
collusion with generic manufacturers.

"Drug companies are violating antitrust laws when they pay each other not to
compete and delay generic manufacturers from getting drugs to consumers as
quickly as they otherwise would," said Sarah Lock, senior attorney for the
AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons.

Consumer groups, especially those representing the elderly, are increasingly
concerned about the high cost of prescription drugs. Congress has stalled in
its efforts to alleviate the expense of drugs by providing a prescription
drug benefit as part of Medicare.

"We really regret that AARP is walking down the wrong road," said Jeff
Trewhitt, spokesperson for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America. "They've taken up with the nation's trial lawyers, instead of
working with representatives in Congress and the White House in Washington to
reform Medicare and provide drug coverage."

The AARP, which has 35 million members, says it joined the three cases
because they involve drugs widely used by Americans aged 50 and older.

One lawsuit charges Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. of illegally maintaining a
monopoly on BuSpar, an anti-anxiety drug.

Another alleges Schering-Plough Corp., Upsher-Smith Laboratories Inc. and
American Home Products (now Wyeth) conspired to keep off the market a generic
version of K-Dur-20, which treats side effects of high blood pressure
medication.

The third suit says AstraZeneca and Barr Laboratories colluded to keep off
the market a generic version of the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.

AARP attorneys will serve as co-counsel in cases associated with the
Prescription Access Litigation Project, a coalition of consumer and health
groups.

Telephone calls seeking comment were not immediately returned from
Bristol-Myers in New York, Barr Laboratories in Pomona, N.Y., Wyeth in
Madison, N.J., Upsher-Smith Laboratories in Minneapolis and Schering-Plough
Corp. in Kenilworth, N.J. AstraZeneca in London could not be reached for
comment. Copyright 2002 the Associated Press.

**************************************

HOW THE FIVE SENSES CHANGE WITH AGE
By Stephanie Whyche - InteliHealth Staff Writer

Aging seems to have a detrimental effect on all body parts - the heart, the
bones, and the mind- particularly if you don't take care of yourself.
Unfortunately, the aging process also affects the five senses. The ability to
see and hear clearly and to taste and smell fully inevitably declines as
people age. So does the sense of touch.

With some exceptions, this is quite normal.

Even so, a sensory loss, if not corrected or minimized, can adversely affect
your overall health and well-being.

The inability to see clearly, for example, can lead to a host of other
problems, ranging from social isolation to injuries from falls. Such injuries
may require hospitalization. Or worse, they may lead to serious health
complications, which can cause further disability.

Likewise, an older individual with a hearing problem is more likely to become
less physically mobile, less cognitively curious, less communicative and less
social.

If you have trouble tasting or smelling pleasurable aromas, you may lose
interest in food and develop a poor appetite. This can put you at risk of
poor nutrition. Hygiene may be affected if you can't detect unpleasant body
odor. In addition, safety is a concern if scents from harmful vapors or gases
or smoke from a fire go unnoticed.

Like the aging process itself, the speed and the degree of how your senses
decline in later life are highly individual. Genetics, the environment and
your lifestyle all play a role.
The good news is that many types of sensory losses can be corrected or
improved with medical and surgical intervention and/or help aids and devices,
such as eyeglasses, hearing aids and telephone amplifiers. So be sure to
speak with your health-care provider if you are suffering from any change in
vision, hearing, taste, smell or touch.

CHANGES IN VISION
Vision is the process in which light waves from an object being looked at are
registered as an image by the brain. For this to happen, the light waves pass
through the cornea, pupil and lens of the eye. The light waves are then
reflected on the retina, which is located at the back of the eye. The optic
nerve behind the retina picks up the signals from the nerve endings in the
retina and relays them to a part of the brain that processes the image to
make it recognizable.

Various malfunctions in the process of vision may occur as a person ages.
They may be caused by reduced muscle tone. The muscles that control movement
of the eyes can malfunction with age. More commonly, the muscles that support
the skin around the eye sockets and control the upper and lower eyelids may
become too relaxed or weak and lose their firmness and elasticity. Over time,
they become flaccid, causing the supporting connective tissue and skin around
the eyes to droop and sag in ever-thickening folds.

This decrease in muscle tone and functioning can lead to a number of
conditions in the aging eye, although these conditions are not always caused
by aging. Most prominent among these conditions is blepharoptosis, or ptosis
- a marked drooping of the upper eyelid. If left untreated, ptosis may impair
vision and can lead to headaches and fatigue.

Decreased eye lubrication. The lacrimal gland in the eye produces protective
tears with each blink. These tears keep the eye clean and lubricated. With
age, the gland may start to malfunction, decreasing tear production. This can
lead to burning, itchy eyes and other eye irritation.

A common problem that can develop as the eye ages is dry eye syndrome, in
which the protective tear film that coats the eye dries too rapidly. And
because tear production diminishes with age, replenishment of this tear film
is insufficient.

Eye disorders or diseases. Vision problems may result when various structures
in the eye deteriorate or become diseased. The cornea can become less
sensitive to injury as it ages. The pupil can get smaller - as much as a
third of its size by age 60 according to one estimate - altering how (and how
much) light passes through it.

Here are the eye disorders and diseases that most commonly occur with age:

Age-related macular degeneration - this disease is the leading cause of
blindness in people older than 50. Age-related macular degeneration is marked
by damage to the macula area on the retina, an area that makes clearly
defined, central vision possible.

Glaucoma - Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States.
This disease is caused by an abnormal rise in pressure in the fluid-filled
chambers of the eyes, damaging the optic nerve.

Cataracts - Another byproduct of aging is the development of cataracts, a
condition in which the normally clear lens of the eye becomes progressively
clouded, ultimately blocking light from the retina.

Presbyopia - Almost everyone will develop this condition, typically starting
around age 40. In presbyopia, the normally flexible lens of the eye becomes
increasingly rigid and unable to focus on objects close-up.

Night blindness - People with cataracts may suffer from night blindness,
called nyctalopia by medical professionals. It may be hard for some people to
distinguish certain colors, especially blue from green. This may lead to
difficulty driving at night or difficulty navigating the way to the bathroom
in the dark, etc.

To reduce your chances of developing any of these problems at a younger age,
it is important that you have regular eye examinations beginning at age 40.

CHANGES IN HEARING
The process of hearing starts when sound waves travel into the ear and bounce
off the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. The vibrations travel along three
tiny bones in the middle ear, and then move deeper into the inner ear where
they are transformed into nerve impulses or signals. The auditory nerve picks
up the signals and zips them on to the brain to be interpreted.

In later life, some degree of hearing loss is pretty much inevitable as the
intricate structures and nerve network in the middle and inner ear slowly
begin to break down. The auditory nerve itself can undergo changes related to
aging.

In addition, anatomically, there may be a thickening of the eardrum in one or
both ears. Not only can this lead to diminished hearing, but it also can
adversely affect balance.

Some common age-related hearing problems include:
Presbycusis - Presbycusis is one of the most common types of hearing loss
experienced in late life, but it can begin as young as age 40. Changes to the
auditory nerve lead to difficulty in clearly hearing high-frequency sounds.

Tinnitus - Tinnitus is also prevalent among the older population and can lead
to some hearing loss. In this condition, a person periodically or
persistently hears abnormal noise and sounds, such as ringing. Tinnitus can
occur on its own or as a symptom of another condition, such as Ménière's
disease, which is relatively common.

Certain risk factors may play a role in the onset of hearing problems in the
older population. They include chronic exposure to loud sounds, smoking and
numerous middle ear infections. If you notice any change in your hearing, it
is important that you undergo a series of comprehensive hearing tests.

CHANGES IN TASTE AND SMELL
Taste and smell are two separate and distinct senses that often work together
for different purposes. They can detect pleasurable sensations or warn a
person of danger. They also play an important role in the acceptance and
enjoyment of food - the fuel needed to maintain optimal health and
functioning. As the body ages, the keenness of taste and smell naturally
diminishes. Even so, research now suggests that aging alone may not be solely
responsible.

CHANGES IN TASTE: Taste occurs when molecules from food or liquid latch on to
even smaller receptor cells found on the thousands of tastes buds that cover
the tongue. Specialized nerves pick up signals from the receptor cells and
transmit them along to the brain, which then identifies and recognizes these
signals as flavor. Taste buds can recognize some 10,000 different flavors.
Attached to each taste bud are flavor-receiving cells that every 10 days are
replaced with fresh new cells.

In general, the sense of taste diminishes with age. Although it's not
precisely clear how this happens, one theory is that the production of saliva
decreases. This, in turn, can cause a condition called dry mouth, which can
reduce taste perception. Some experts argue, however, that dry mouth is not a
given in old age and that a healthy elderly person can produce as much saliva
as a younger person.

There's general agreement, however, that a host of other factors can
interfere with the sense of taste in older people. These factors include
mouth sores, tooth decay or poor daily mouth care. Certain drugs and medical
treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat cancer

POOR NUTRITION: Diseases affecting the mouth (for example, periodontal
disease) can alter the sense of taste in later years, as can diseases
affecting other parts of the body (such as diabetes, cancer, thyroid disease,
stroke and other neurological conditions).

A diminished sense of taste can lead to poor appetite and nutrition. A person
suffering from a deficiency in taste might unwittingly eat contaminated or
spoiled food that puts them at risk of food poisoning or other illnesses.

It is important to maintain good oral care throughout life to ward off any
problems that could lead to a diminished sense of taste.

CHANGES IN SMELL: The sense of smell identifies and distinguishes aromas and
odors. It works in harmony with the sense of taste in detecting food that is
safe for human consumption and enjoyable. Smell is made possible when
molecules from food are breathed in through each nostril in the nose. These
molecules latch on to specialized receptor cells that send signals to a
specialized area of the brain for identification and recognition. But the
keenness of smell diminishes faster with age than does the keenness of taste.
During a person's 50s, the decline is pretty rapid. In the average
octogenarian, the sense of smell is half as sharp as it was during his or her
youth. Like taste, smell can be affected by a host of factors: Poor nasal
hygiene and nasal congestion, certain drugs and medical treatments, diseases
affecting the nose, nasal passageways or sinuses, as well as neurological
disease.

You may want to talk with your health-care provider if you find that
age-related changes in smell are affecting your quality of life or your
safety.

CHANGES IN TOUCH
When you touch something or someone, or something or someone touches you, the
sensation - be it hot or cold, hard or soft, pleasurable or painful - is
picked up as signals by a network of superficial nerves. These nerves (called
neurons) transmit the signals to nerve receptors in the central nervous
system. From the central nervous system, the signals are relayed to the
brain, which analyzes and interprets them.

In later life, the sense of touch becomes less sensitive - even to pain.
There are a number of reasons why this occurs. First, the outer skin (or
epidermis) takes a beating. After all, it's the first line of defense against
disease, contaminants, and harmful rays from the sun, wind, heat and cold.

The years are also not kind to the deeper, dermis layer of the skin. For
example, elastin and collagen found in the dermis begin to deteriorate. These
two substances give the skin its elasticity and softness.

These changes, working in concert, can cause aging skin to become dryer,
thinner, less elastic and less supple, reducing an older person's sensitivity
to certain pressure, pain and vibrations. There can be a change in
temperature sensitivity, too. A person may feel colder overall, but may have
more trouble distinguishing between an object that is cold vs. cool.

Other health problems, prevalent among older adults, also may explain changes
in the sense of touch. These include poor blood circulation, skin and nerve
damage caused by diabetes or other diseases, and other neurological or brain
disorders and certain mental illnesses. The sense of touch can be affected by
certain drugs and medical treatments.

A diminished sense of touch puts older individuals at an increased risk of
sustaining serious injuries, such as pressure sores, skin ulcers, heat
stroke, burns and hypothermia (abnormally low body temperature).

**************************************

SENIORS' DRUG PRICES TRIPLED June 25, 2002 - WASHINGTON (AP) -

The prices of the 50 most prescribed drugs for older Americans rose, on
average, at almost triple the overall rate of inflation last year, a study
says.

The liberal consumer advocacy group Families USA released the report in
advance of the House debate scheduled to start Wednesday on a
Republican-backed bill that would spend $310 billion over 10 years to provide
seniors with a prescription drug benefit.

"Prescription drugs for seniors are becoming increasingly unaffordable," said
Ron Pollack, Family USA's executive director. "Some of the most popular drugs
increased at intervals of eight and nine times."

Jeff Trewitt, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers
of America, the industry's trade group, said the report was misleading.

"The report completely ignores the fact that retail prices vary widely among
pharmacies in a single community," Trewitt said. "Retail prices of the same
medicine can vary by more than 100 percent within a few city blocks. It is
essential we correct the notion that all elderly patients pay the same price
for the same drug."

Besides, Trewitt said, "the pharmaceutical price tag is almost always far
cheaper than the cost of surgery and hospitalization."

According to the report, the drugs Demadex, a diuretic, and Premarin, an
estrogen replacement drug, both rose 17.8 percent, almost seven times the
rate of inflation last year.

Plavix, an anti-clotting drug, rose 16.8 percent, more than six times the
inflation rate, while the cholesterol-lowering Lipitor rose five times the
rate of inflation.

The report used data from Pennsylvania's state-run prescription drug program
for the elderly, those 65 and older, to develop the list of the 50
top-selling drugs. Price histories were then obtained from a database
published by Medi-Span/Facts and Comparisons.

The rate of inflation used in the report, 2.7 percent, is for January 2001 to
January 2002 and excludes highly volatile energy and food prices.

"There is no reasonable basis for these alarming price increases, which
continue to make prescription drugs unaffordable for too many seniors,"
Pollack said.

The study found that 10 of the 50 most-prescribed drugs for seniors are
generics. The average annual price for those drugs was $375. Nine of those
drugs did not increase in price at all.

The other 40 most prescribed drugs are brand-name medications with an average
annual price of $1,106. Only three of the brand-name drugs did not increase
in price last year.

Pollack said the study showed that "generics are not only cheaper, but they
are generally rising in price at much slower rates than brand-name drugs."

The rapid rise in prices means that even if Congress passes a prescription
drug benefit, it may eventually be too costly even for the government,
Pollack said.
Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.

******************************************

STAPH LINK PROTEIN MAY HELP ARTHRITIS
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID .c The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -

A protein that makes staph infections more dangerous by blocking the body's
immune defenses may help point the way to better treatments for arthritis and
other diseases.

The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus produces a protein that inhibits those
defenses, thereby reducing the normal inflammatory response to infection,
according to Dr. Triantafyllos Chavakis of Justus Liebig University in
Giessen, Germany, and colleagues.

Reducing inflammation is crucial to combating arthritis and other diseases.
The researchers suggest the action of the staph protein could form the basis
for designing new anti-inflammatory drugs.

``Understanding the mechanisms by which bacteria avoid the host immune
response might lead to novel therapies,'' Chavakis said.

The protein encourages staph to bind to host cells by connecting to
receptors. Filling those receptors makes them unavailable to immune cells,
whose movement to the site of the inflammation is then blocked.

The findings were being published Monday in the online edition of the journal
Nature Medicine.

Dr. David A. Fox of the University of Michigan, who was not part of the
research team, said that substances with anti-inflammatory properties often
have applications beyond the body system in which they are initially studied.

Joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis depends on movement of white blood
cells called leukocytes into the joint lining tissue, he noted, so blocking
this migration could be a worthwhile strategy.

Staph is an extremely troublesome bacterium that leads to a variety of
illnesses and is a major source of hospital-acquired infection. Staph causes
such things as the scalded skin disease that strikes infants, toxic shock
syndrome and systemic blood poisoning called sepsis.

Antibiotics once controlled the bacteria, but some strains of staph are now
resistant to the drugs.

The German researchers found that while staph uses the protein known as extra
cellular adherence factor to block the immune defenses, the protein alone
does not cause infection.

Reducing inflammation is a major focus of arthritis treatments. Also, in
recent years, inflammation in the bloodstream has become a suspect in some
heart disease.

Thus, the researchers suggest that it may be possible to use the protein in
the development of molecules that could block immune system leukocytes from
binding to cells, preventing the inflammation in affected areas.

The team tested that theory both in the lab and in mice infected with
peritonitis - inflammation of the abdominal cavity's lining - and found that
the protein reduced immune system response that would increase inflammation.

They now plan to develop and test synthetic molecules called ICAM-1
antagonists, designed to perform the same function. They potentially could be
used in organ transplantation or rheumatoid arthritis, Chavakis said.

``It is very hard to define the time frame for such antagonists to be
available in the clinic,'' he added. Nature Medicine: 06/23/02 Copyright 2002
The Associated Press.

*************************************

RESEARCHERS SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF WHY SOME PEOPLE HAVE CHEST PAIN BUT NO SIGN
OF HEART TROUBLE June 19, 2002 Boston (AP)

Researchers have taken a step toward solving one of modern medicine's
mysteries: why so many people get chest pain without classic signs of heart
disease.

The simple answer: They have unseen heart disease.

The condition, known as cardiac syndrome X, has befuddled doctors since it
was identified about 30 years ago. For all its mystery, it is widespread, st
riking perhaps tens of thousands of Americans, mostly women.

Many doctors have long viewed it as an unexplained form of heart disease. But
others see it a puzzling hypersensitivity to pain - that is, a neurological
problem, not a cardiovascular one.

The latest research, published Thursday in The New England Journal of
Medicine, blames syndrome X on irregular blood flow in microscopic arteries
within the heart wall.

However, there is no evidence that the blood-flow problem raises patients'
risk of a heart attack or other deadly heart trouble, the researchers said.

Syndrome X patients suffer from angina, the common chest pain of heart
disease. Their hearts also show abnormalities during exercise testing on a
treadmill. However, there is no apparent reason for the pain. X-ray angiogram
tests fail to show the blocked blood vessels that choke off blood flow to the
heart in typical angina patients.

Syndrome X itself is not life threatening. However, some doctors, in an
effort to ease the chest pain, treat syndrome X with the same beta-blocker
drugs given to other heart patients. Too often, they do not work.

The scientists conducted the new research at a London hospital, performing
magnetic resonance imaging on 20 syndrome X patients and 10 healthy ones.
Electromagnetic MRI scans, which yield 3-D images, can show blood flow in
finer detail than angiograms.

The images showed poor distribution of blood flow in the syndrome X patients:
too little in the inner heart wall and too much in the outer layer.

The tests suggest poor blood movement within tiny heart arteries, whether
from a biochemical signaling failure, minute spasms or similar causes,
according to chief scientist Dr. Dudley Pennell of Royal Brompton Hospital.

Dr. Julio Panza of Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., said in an
accompanying article that the research adds to evidence that syndrome X is a
heart disease.

But he said the drug adenosine, which was given to the patients to simulate
the stress of exercise, could have caused the effect seen on MRIs. Copyright
2002 the Associated Press.

************************************

FACING INFLUX OF COUNTERFEIT DRUGS IN U.S.
June 18, 2002 WASHINGTON (AP) -

Once a problem mainly in developing countries, counterfeit medicine is
increasingly turning up in the United States, prompting federal health
officials to hunt new ways to keep the nation's drugs secure.

Since March, the Food and Drug Administration has begun investigating six
counterfeit drug cases - from a psychiatric pill replaced with aspirin to
anemia injections that delivered doses 20 times lower than patients were
supposed to get.

The sudden spate is in addition to three still-unsolved cases last year.

There is some good news: New York prosecutors last month announced a big
crackdown, charging seven people and five companies with counterfeiting
Viagra, the wildly popular little blue impotence pill. Some of the pills had
a little of the drug, some had none. The nine-month investigation unraveled a
sophisticated ring that stretched from fake pill mills in China and India to
Internet sellers in Nevada and Colorado.

But "the protected nature of America's pharmaceutical supply is being eroded
somewhat," said Lewis Kontnik of Reconnaissance International, a consulting
firm that specializes in anti-counterfeiting measures.

A big reason for the spate is little oversight of Internet drug sales, he
says. Another may be the popularity of performance-enhancing drugs, because
some of the newest, priciest counterfeits include complex muscle- and
blood-boosting products, he says.

"There is a real intrusion of counterfeits into the U.S." that requires
action to ensure the problem doesn't grow, adds Kontnik. His company is
hosting an international meeting in September where FDA, pharmaceutical
companies and anti-counterfeiting experts will debate how to tackle fake
drugs.

Pfizer Inc., which has aggressively fought fake Viagra for years, says a
chief deterrent may turn out to be headline-making arrests - until now rare.

Prosecutors are "starting to get very aggressive, recognizing this could be
potentially a public health issue," says Pfizer's Geoff Cook.

Counterfeit drugs - a term encompassing outright fakes and tampering with
real medicines - have long been epidemic in parts of the world. One recent
study found a third of malaria pills sampled in parts of Asia contained no
trace of the real medication.

There's no good data on how often counterfeits sell in the United States,
where pharmaceutical regulation is very strict, but experts say while the
vast majority of U.S. drugs are fine, the recent spate does suggest a rising
problem.
Copyright 2002 the Associated Press. All rights reserved.

*****************************************

Editors Note: I am fortunate to have an excellent Rheumatologist who provides
me with the best care possible, and time to discuss my never ending
questions. During my last visit, at his request, I gave his nurses,
information about our web site, and daily e-mail for people with Psoriatic
Arthritis. He and his staff will be passing out this information to PA
patients. If you are interested in what I put together, so you can approach
your Doctor, please send me a private e-mail.

Good Health to All

Jack Nicholas
Newsletter Editor
Cornishpro@aol.com

Issue 2002 7/01/2002-15