Big Pharma: Mo Money
Nov 14 2008 | Comments 3
AstraZeneca receives approval for bipolar drug
liz | 11:21 AM | Uncategorized
The Trouble with Spikol | Make Major Moves | PW Style | Cup o'Joel
AstraZeneca receives approval for bipolar drug
liz | 11:21 AM | Uncategorized
Liz Spikol was born in Philadelphia sometime in the 20th century. She started writing about her experience as a person with mental illness in 1999, while employed at Philadelphia Weekly as the paper’s managing editor. Aside from serving as that paper’s web editor, music editor, staff writer, senior editor, executive editor and a host of other random roles that she couldn’t make up her mind about, she has also worked as a Spanish teacher, as a Certified Peer Specialist during Philly’s system-wide transformation and as a communications specialist for a prison reform organization. Currently, she works at the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania and writes book reviews for PW. This blog — named one of the Top 10 Bipolar Blogs of 2007 and 2008 by PsychCentral — is about medications, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, SAD (and many other acronyms), mad pride, Big Pharma, celebrities, hospitals, stigma and the recovery movement. And other stuff.
This just officially gives approval to something docs have been doing for years. If it helps, good. Just I hope AstraZeneca is upfront about the side effects. As long as the benefits outweigh the side effects, then good, especially for something as nefarious as bipolar disorder. If not, find another medicine.
Hi Liz, I have been following you blog for months and have wanted to blog myself. I feel there are so many mental health blogs about people complaining about their meds and the system it was just getting me down. My own personal experiences have been that of course there is trial and error in getting the meds right and talk therpay is essential. However I live in Europe where universal health care is taken for granted so getting help is very much different and supportive compared with my insight into the system in the US. Of course it doesnt all work and I dont live in my home country Ireland but in Holland and am seeking care and help in another language so at times there is a lot lost in translation. But at least within the European Union there is free movement of people and we are all entitled to equal healthcare in our adopted countries. My question to you is this is my first blog and it is more personal as I wanted to start off with who I am, but I do want to address issues cracks in the system. If you get a minute would you just read through my first posting, I would be really honoured to get your opinion. You can email me or comment on the blog. That is if you have the time.
With grateful thanks
Pat Murphy
“New” vis-a-vie psychotropics is subject to interpretation where the goal is often patent extension, the broadening of approved uses and line extension. This results in “Mo Money” but not necessarily in “Mo Therapeutic Benefit.” Seroquel (quetiapine) goes off patent in September 2011 but Seroquel XR (sustained-release quetiapine) has protection through 2017.
Seroquel XR has received FDA approval for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and bipolar mania. This is not surprising given that Seroquel, which has the same active ingredient, had already been approved for the same.
The “New” in Seroquel XR may well be limited to its once a day dosing.
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