Georgia grapples with medical cuts

Recent tax cuts are forcing Georgia to cut its budget, including money for health programs. Legislators on both sides of the aisle are not happy about that.

One of the most-discussed cuts is to grants awarded to county public health departments, which work to prevent epidemics, reduce health risks and perform other tasks that may vary from county to county.

Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey has said there will be no reductions in services in her department, or minimal reductions. If freezing open positions doesn’t do the job, she said, to keep things stable, county departments can spend more of their own money or fundraise.

Celebrity news

Former hip-hop star “Marky Mark” Wahlberg was on hand for the opening of the new Walmart Health Center in Calhoun.

Now is when you need your APhA immunization certificate

Show your patients (and your boss) that you’re all about giving the best possible advice and treatment.

GPhA is offering “APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery: A Certificate Program for Pharmacists” on Sunday, March 29, from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the GPhA classroom (6065 Barfield Road, Sandy Springs [map]).

This is always one of our hottest courses, so get to GPhA.org/2020immunization fast before the class fills!

Survey shocker

A survey from the American Society of Human Genetics finds that Americans “strongly support human genetics research.”

What the FDA really told Purell

You’ve seen the story that the FDA says Purell can’t claim it prevents Ebola or the flu. Actually, it’s a bit more nuanced.

What FDA says Gojo (Purell’s parent company) did wrong:

• Claimed Purell kills the Ebola virus, the flu virus, MRSA, and norovirus (it’s not been proven, even if it seems to be common sense)
• Claimed that killing X percent of germs reduces the chance of infection (there isn’t a definitive number)
• Claimed using Purell reduces absenteeism

What Gojo can do:

A) Prove those marketing claims and ask to reclassify Purell as a drug — applying for approval, with all that entails, or B) stop making those claims.

Depression and substance abuse: a common thread

Depression and alcohol abuse are linked — not just anecdotally, and not (necessarily) by cause and effect. Instead (say Michigan State researchers), there are two personality traits common to both: impulsivity (“I want the immediate reward”) and low tolerance for distress.

[T]hey found that high rates of delay discounting and low ability to tolerate stress not only increases the likelihood that a person would have one of the diseases but also increases the likelihood that a person would have both diseases.

Purdue’s kickback scheme uncovered

Let’s say you’re Purdue Pharma, and your opioid sales are taking a hit. Great idea: Pay a $1 million kickback* to Practice Fusion — a company that makes electronic health records software that also suggests treatments. You have Practice Fusion rig its software to convince those docs to prescribe your product.

The docs think the software is giving legit advice. What they don’t know is that that Purdue (“Pharma Company X,” although it’s since come out that it’s Purdue) is paying Practice Fusion to make sure the program really, really likes to recommend opioids.

The software also encouraged doctors to repeatedly ask patients about their pain, which Pharma Co. X anticipated would lead to an increase in opioid prescriptions, prosecutors said. The drugs were even suggested for patients who didn’t experience severe pain, or who experienced isolated episodes of acute pain over several months but didn’t suffer from round-the-clock discomfort.

Practice Fusion will pay fines totally about $145 million, the largest such fine in Vermont history.

Purdue is currently considered an “unindicted co-conspirator” until charges are filed.

* That’s the prosecutors’ word, not ours. And the company has admitted to it.

Apocalypse Watch

3M says it’s ramping up production of its respiratory protection products to meet demand because of the Wuhan coronavirus that really needs a name can we get on that already? (The story contains this useful bullet point: “3M makes masks that are used to cover people’s noses and mouths.”)

If you thought Purdue University had PR trouble because of Purdue Pharma, think how the folks at Corona Beer are feeling right now.

Side note: While everyone panics over a virus that has about 4,700 cases and about 100 deaths worldwide, the flu has already infected 15,000,000 Americans this season alone and killed more than 8,000.

Medical news* to make you go “Whoa”

A cobbler in England has had his amputated thumb replaced by one of his big toes. Bonus: Cool photo!

Toes serve as a near perfect substitute for fingers because both digits share a similar structure and range of motion, as well as sensitive skin and nails for pinching.

* No, it’s not pharmacy, but it’s too good a story not to share.