It’s just another day …

June 11, 2008 – 7:02 pm

as Oingo Boingo would say.

Yesterday I saved my health and my sanity by not trying to brave Manhattan in the heat wave. This is what I was going to hear in person.

Today was an all-day editorial calendar meeting. And when I got back to my desk, there were even more e-mails about BIO 2008 to go through. There have been fairly frequent phone calls from PR people eager for me to meet some senior VP or CEO from one of the many start-up biotech companies attending the convention. Most of these offers, I’ve had to turn down. My schedule very quickly filled up a month before the convention. Suffice it to say that I will be running all over the San Diego Convention Center for the two days I am there. My husband thinks this will be a leisurely business trip. Hah, I say. I’m packing good walking shoes, for I will surely need them. And I wonder if any of the booths will be giving away foot soak. They seem to be giving away everything else, from a chance to win tickets to the Beijing Olympics at the China Pavilion to Omaha Steaks at the Iowa Pavilion. And that’s just on Tuesday. Yowza.

Anyway, onto the blogs … I missed a lot of stuff while entombed in the conference room today and dealing with editing yesterday.

At Pharmalot, some of the interesting items posted by Ed Silverman include the news one of the defenders of Harvard child psychologist Joseph Biedermann actually has ties to him and Roger Clemens is a fan of Viagra. He also interviews Mike Krensavage about his hedge fund for drug stocks; looks at how Amgen is thumbing its nose at shareholders; reports how GlaxoSmithKline is cutting its R&D jobs; points out that consumers are reporting more adverse events than doctors; and reports that doctors want simpler patient assistance programs. He examines a new brochure for Gardasil that seems to be aimed at getting teens’ info for market research; reminds us that Schering-Plough job cuts begin this week; and reports that Pennsylvania Republican Senator Arlen Specter is accusing Health and Human Services of undermining funds for FDA.

Hopping over to the Wall Street Journal Health Blog, Theo Francis also looks at how Mr. Specter criticized FDA for not even being able to ask for money properly; reports that St. John’s wort is not good for ADHD but is still good for the blues; and picks up some speculation as to who may be FDA’s next commissioner; says direct marketers may soon get California prescription information. Joe Mantone picks up a study from JAMA that cigarette sales are down but snuff sales are up. Scott Hensley also laughs at Roger Clemens’ unintended Viagra endorsement.

John Mack at the Pharma Marketing Blog is another one making “wood” jokes at Roger Clemens’ expense. But he makes an interesting point. “Why is it that Viagra is always mentioned by name in these kind of stories when we all know that its competitors may be just as effective in such off-label uses?” Mr. Mack wonders. “Could it be that Pfizer wines and dines reporters more than its competitors do? I know Pfizer invites reporters to ’roundtables.’ Did Pfizer invite the NY Daily News reporter and/or blogger who wrote the above stories to a nice dinner with Derek or Roger? Inquiring minds want to know!”

Dr. Robert Goldberg at DrugWonks says Pfizer is connecting the dots by funding basic research at the University of California. Check out his “Pharmalot principles.” Snerk. Meanwhile, Peter Pitts at the same blog criticizes the critics of the Office of Criminal Investigations.

Rich Meyers at World of DTC Marketing criticizes Pfizer’s DTC campaign for Chantix. “This is really bad DTC that ignores the environment and tells rather than engages in conversation,” he says. “Shame on the Chantix DTC team.”

Dr. Daniel Carlat at the Carlat Psychiatry Blog talks about money laundering’s perfect storm.

Dr. Derek Lowe at In the Pipeline says GlaxoSmithKline has a money-green outside and pink-slip inside, and shares additional thoughts on the layoffs.

Merrill Goozner at GoozNews also looks the increasing reports from consumers of adverse drug events. He proposes a way to help keep consumers vigilant. “…the FDA should move rapidly to put a prominent warning label on every drug container and package,” he says. “It should state that the drug may cause unwanted and as yet unidentified side effects, and it should provide a 24-hour 800 number to call should such events occur. A similar warning should be contained on every direct-to-consumer print and broadcast ad. Such labels cost manufacturers nothing. But they will generate additional anecdotal evidence that could help regulators identify the hidden dangers in some prescription drugs.”

Fard Johnmar asks PR agencies to read this post about blogger relations. Mr. Johnmar, I would say this post also applies to anyone who spams their media lists. I am still wondering why I am getting scads of releases about Sony video games.

Ellen Licking at the InVivo Blog says the Daiichi/Ranbaxy combination will be eating Big Pharma’s lunch.