Editorial: Musings on the "V-O-T-E"

In England, John Morley had just finished a campaign address with the request that his listeners vote for him. A man suddenly jumped angrily to his feet and shouted, "I'd rather vote for the devil!" "Quite so," replied Morley with a smile, "but in case your friend declines to run, may I count on your support?"

An applicable quote from former President Dwight D. Eisenhower is appropriate. "Our American heritage is threatened as much by our own indifference as by the most unscrupulous office or by the most powerful foreign threat. The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter."

Some thoughts can be generated by the following poem by John Pierpont:

"A weapon that comes down as still
As snowflakes fall upon the sod,
But executes a freeman's will
As lightning does the will of God,
And from its force nor doors nor locks
Can shield you-'tis the ballot-box."

Please remember, men and women have died so we can "vote"!


Loyd V. Allen, Jr., Ph.D., R.Ph.
Editor-in-Chief

This is a professional position responsible for supporting the execution of the Compounding Pharmacy Expert Committee's work plan. The position includes the responsibility for critical evaluation of relevant literature, scientific method development, and drug stability studies regarding compounding monographs and compendial methods.

Requirements include a compounding pharmacist with a Ph.D. in Chemistry or Pharmaceutics with a minimum of five years of experience or a Masters degree and seven years of experience working with analytical development and standards. Experience with a broad set of analytical techniques for characterization, such as separations (HPLC, GC, etc.) is highly desired. An equivalent combination of experience and education may be substituted. Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills.

For detailed information and/or to apply for this position, please visit the USP website www.usp.jobs and apply online!

New Puerto Rico Offshore Tax Protested by Medical Device Industry
Medical device companies that are not headquartered on the island of Puerto Rico will face a 4 percent tax, as the result of a law signed October 25. This new tax is drawing fire from the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. This new tax has prompted immediate responses from lobbying groups for healthcare-related industries, which have a significant presence in Puerto Rico.

These industries provide more than 15,000 jobs, or roughly 13 percent of the island's manufacturing jobs. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has complained about the new tax. America's biopharmaceutical companies invested more than $65.3 billion into the research and development of innovative life-saving and life-enhancing new treatments last year.

This new tax increase may affect the decision-making of foreign corporations as they consider whether to continue to do business and deploy their capital in Puerto Rico. The new tax is set to take effect Jan. 1 and levies a 4 percent tax in 2011, then 3.75 percent in 2012, 2.75 percent in 2013, 2.5 percent in 2014, 2.25 in 2015, and 1 percent in 2016, after which it will lapse.
http://www.massdevice.com/news/medical-device-industry-protests-puerto-rico-offshore-tax

DOJ Fraud Settlements Topped by the Pharmaceutical Industry
The pharmaceutical industry repeatedly was named the most profitable industry in the world in the 1990s. Just ten short years later, the industry tops the list of the No. 1 source of fraud-related settlements with the Department of Justice.

In 2009, pharmaceutical companies made up eight of the government's top 10 settlements related to fraud. An insurer and a hospital chain completed the list. Topping the list was specialty drugmaker Allergan Inc., followed by AstraZeneca, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Forest Laboratories, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

Much of the activity has been related to off-label marketing by the companies. Approximately 80 percent of the $3.1 billion collected last year came from healthcare companies, including insurers and hospitals.

Despite the large number of payouts by drugmakers in recent years, some advocates say steeper penalties are needed to curb industry behavior; pointing out that for drugs like Seroquel-which generates billions of dollars annually-a multimillion dollar penalty represents just a fraction of total sales and may be considered the cost of doing business.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/25/AR2010102502546.html

Flu Shots: Doctors Pitted Against Drugstores
In Michigan, doctors are complaining that they are being mistreated when drugstores receive the flu vaccine before they do. Consequently, the Michigan State Medical Society plans to propose a resolution at the November's AMA meeting, advocating that doctors get vaccines first, before the drugstores and urgent care clinics.

According to a 2007 survey by CDC, medical sites provide 70 percent of the shots nationwide, pharmacies account for 6 percent of all vaccinations, but the workplace is the largest of the nonmedical locations at 15 percent.

Doctors argue that the problem with pharmacies is that some don't maintain the detailed patient vaccination records they need to be able to determine which people are vaccinated and whom they need to target with the second round of their marketing campaigns.

Problems, however, should be minimized this season with the largest supply of flu vaccine in the nation's history.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20101022/BIZ/10220367/1044/LIFESTYLE07#ixzz13lJgaiAT

�that someday we hope to be wise enough to get the vitamins that wild animals get by eating what they like?

Political Education
Maybe politicians can learn from the following: "A businessman is judged by the company he keeps solvent!"