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Prior to January 2001 Healthy Skepticism Inc was known as MaLAM (Medical Lobby for Appropriate Marketing Inc). Full text of MaLAM International News editions from March 1997 to December 2000 are available from this page. Summaries of all international editions published before then back to January 1995 are also available below. The first international edition was published in November 1983.
Back copies of editions published before March 1997 are available for AUD $ 10.00 each. Contact: peter@healthyskepticism.org
Home: www.healthyskepticism.org
November/December 2000
Vol 18 No 11/12
Changes
Your input is welcome as always
New Management Group
New Methods
New name: Healthy Skepticism
Our aims have not changed
We are moving from paper to the Internet
Free subscriptions
Paid subscriptions
Calendar year paid subscriptions
Subscriber participation
September/October 2000 Vol 18
No 9/10
Gifts:
a transcript of a television report
This edition
provides a transcript of a segment from the Australian current affairs
television program “A Current Affair”. The program was broadcast on 13 September 2000.
The Appendix provides a summary of what has since happened to two members of the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) who appeared on the program
and to one of their supporters.
July/August 2000 Vol 18
No 7/8
Can MaLAM make constructive contributions to improving
guidelines?
Two problems with the WHO-ISH guidelines
1. Are all antihypertensives equal?
2. Should we aim for low BP targets?
Recommendations for the Heart Foundation of Australia lipid guidelines
May/June 2000 Vol 18 No
5/6
Healthy Scepticism about Pfizer’s promotion of
Viagra direct to the public in New Zealand
March/April 2000 Vol 18
No 3/4
Healthy Scepticism about Pfizer and Searle’s
promotion of celecoxib in Australia
January/February 2000
Vol 18 No 1/2
SKB promotes Augmentin (amoxicillin and potassium
clavulinate) in Central America with the claim that "generic producers do not reach
the standard of quality of SmithKline Beecham".
November/December 1999 Vol 17 No
11/12
Ethics vs Morality (We are proud to publish this
beautifully written article about dilemmas for community pharmacists written by Raj
Vaidya, a community pharmacist in Goa, India.)
September/October 1999 Vol 17 No
10/11
The promotion of Rocmaline® (arginine, malic acid) by
Frilab in French-speaking Africa for "symptomatic treatment of asthenia in adults
and children "
July / August 1999 Vol 17 No7/8
Eisai promotes Aricept (donepazil) in Thailand for
Alzheimer’s disease.
May / June 1999 Vol 17 No 5/6
Boehringer Ingelheim promotes Atrovent
(ipratropium bromide) in Russia as first line for chronic bronchitis.
March / April 1999 Vol 17 No 3/4
Memoirs of Methods Used to Sell Drugs
This MaLAM edition presents the memoirs of a former drug company employee regarding the
methods he saw being used to sell drugs.
January / February 1999
Vol 17 No 1/2
Contents
This month: Novartis’ promotion of Zaditen
(ketotifen).
Zaditen MaLAM letter
Zaditen subscribers' letter
News: MaLAM
International editions now available via E-mail /www for free.
September / October
1998 Vol 16 No 9/10
Abbott's promotion of Claribid (clarithromycin) in
India: An example of the use of gifts
July/August 1998 Vol 16
No 7/8
Follow-up UCB's promotion of Atarax (hydroxyzine) MaLAM
apologises but we remain concerned about the promotion of Atarax
Welcome baby Adelaide
MaLAM Inc Annual General Meeting
News
Reports
March / April 1998 Vol 16 No 1/2
3M claims Duromine (phentermine) has "Proven efficacy in general practice" and "A safety profile you have come to trust" but the evidence is thin.
January / February 1998 Vol 16 No 1/2
Our letter about UBC Pharma's promotion of Atarax (hydroxyzine) in the Ivory Coast was based on incorrect information and so has been removed from this Web site. No back issues are available for this issue.
A correction statement will be published soon.
November/December 1997 Vol 15 No 11/12
Reports: An overview of promotion Part 3
Third of 3 parts expanding on a report titled Healthy Profits written by Melissa Sweet for the Sydney Morning Herald.
September/October 1997 Vol 15 No 9/10
Reports: An overview of promotion Part 2
Second of 3 parts expanding on a report titled Healthy Profits written by Melissa Sweet for the Sydney Morning Herald.
July/August 1997 Vol 15 No 7/8
News: MaLAM is overcoming some
problems.
Reports: An overview of promotion Part 1
First of 3 parts expanding on a report titled Healthy Profits written by Melissa Sweet for the Sydney Morning Herald.
This month's letter: SmithKline Beecham's promotion of Ambatrol (nifuroxinde)
Smith Kline Beecham claims Ambatrol "treats the cause"
This month, MaLAM's letter has been prepared by PIMED (Pour une Information Medicale Ethique), the French distributor of MaLAM. It features a promotional brochure distributed in the Ivory Coast by SmithKline Beecham. The illustrations and the claims in this brochure promote Ambatrol (nifuroxazide) as an effective treatment to prevent dehydration and "neutralise microbacterials" in diarrhoea. It is also said that Ambatrol has "a spectrum which covers most enteropathogenic microbacterials, Shigella, Escherichia Coli, Salmonella, Staphylococci, Klebsiella, Yersinia...". We have not found any scientific evidence to support these claims. Furthermore, they are not even consistent with the Product Information which accompanies the advertisement
Follow-up:
March/April 1997 Vol 15 No 3/4
Special edition Improving MaLAM Part 1
1. Introduction
2. Finances
3. Aims
4. Participants
MaLAM must choose to change significantly or die. This edition is part 1 of a series intended to keep you informed and to give you a chance to influence the choices being made.
At the MaLAM Inc Board meeting in September 1996 it was agreed to commence a process of reorganising MaLAM. This edition follows from consultation involving the MaLAM Secretariat staff, our Board, distributors and voting members regarding our aims, finances and the roles of participants. We are also reconsidering MaLAM's methods which will be the subject of another edition soon.
September/October 1996 (Vol 14
No 9/10)
Follow-up: Beaufour-Ipsen is "extremely scandalized" by MaLAM's suggestion that
promotion of Smecta (smectite) may divert both doctors' and families' attention away from
oral rehydration therapy. However they have provided no evidence to support the
symptomatic efficacy of Smecta other than a single study with controversial results.
News: WHO guidelines for drug donations.
July/August 1996 (Vol 14 No
7/8)
Follow-up: IFPMA rulings: "Unsurpassed" dishonesty. The IFPMA's decision on our
complaint about Parke-Davis' promotion of Ponstan (mefenamic acid) for paediatric use in
Pakistan. The claims were "unsurpassed efficacy compared to acetominophen
(paracetamol) in fever control", "faster antipyretic action",
"prolonged duration of action", "better tolerance" etc. Parke-Davis
had earlier agreed to remove the claim of "better tolerance" but continued to
endorse its other claims. The IFPMA ruling was that no breach of the Code had occurred and
"The company points out that the phrase 'Unsurpassed efficacy ...' does not mean
superiority, it means equivalence." Our letter in reply protests.
June 1996 (Vol 14 No 6)
This month's letter: In Pakistan Rhone-Poulenc Rorer recommends that doctors "suspect
amoebiasis/giardiasis in all cases of diarrhoea" and treat immediately with Flagyl
(metronidazole).
News: Profile of Prof. Tariq Iqbal Bhutta, new MaLAM Board member.
May 1996 (Vol 14 No 5)
This month's letter: Hanging comparatives "more copper", "increased
efficacy" and "prolonged reliability" in Organon's promotion of Multiload
Cu375 in India suggest Multiload Cu375 is better than any other intra-uterine device, a
suggestion not supported by the evidence. The Tcu380A appears to have equivalent safety
and efficacy and is much cheaper.
April 1996 (Vol 14 No 4)
This month: Beaufour-Ipsen's promotion of Smecta (smectite) for diarrhoea in Africa and in
France.
Follow-up: Wyeth-Ayerst have not responded to our letter about promotion to the public of
Polymagma (attapulgite) for diarrheoa in the Philippines. Issue to be addressed to the
World Federation of Propietary Medicine Manufacturers.
March 1996 (Vol 14 No 3)
Upjohn persists with its claims that Dalacin C (clindamycin) has "proven safety"
and "a documented history of worldwide use and patient acceptance". A complaint
to the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations and a
follow-up letter to Upjohn regarding its promotion of clindamycin and Lincocin
(lincomycin) for upper respiratory tract infections in the Philippines.
February 1996 (Vol 14 No 2)
Misleading drug promotion and inappropriate drug licensing: a dangerous cocktail.
Follow up letter to Servier re promotion of Arcalion (sulbutiamine) and Duxaril
(almitrine/raubasine) in the Philippines - studies provided failed to support efficacy of
either and almitrine associated with peripheral neuropathy.
January 1996 (Vol 14 No 1)
MaLAM complains to the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
Associations about Parke-Davis' promotion of Ponstan (mefenemic acid) for fever in
children in Pakistan.
December 1995 (Vol 13 No 12)
This month: Follow up letter to SmithKline Beecham re claims in Pakistan that Halfan
(halofantrine) is "effective in all types of malaria", has an "excellent
safety profile" and a "convenient dosage".
News: Prescrire's sales representative monitoring network.
November 1995 (Vol 13 No 11)
This Month: Upjohn's promotion of Lincocin (lincomycin) and Dalacin C (clindamycin) for
upper respiratory tract infections in the Philippines.
Follow up: Replies from Parke-Davis to our letter regarding promotion of Ponstan
(mefenamic acid) for fever in children in Pakistan and from SmithKline Beecham to our
letter regarding promotion of Ashton & Parsons Infants' Powders in the Gambia.
September/October 1995 (Vol 13
No 9/10)
This month: MaLAM Australia project summary. Reports and assesses the results of two years
of MaLAM work in Australia.
August 1995 (Vol 13 No 8)
This month: Parke-Davis's promotion of Ponstan (mefenamic acid) for fever in children in
Pakistan.
News: Profile of Dr Agnès Vitry, Drug Information Pharmacist, MaLAM.
July 1995 (Vol 13 No 7)
This month: Wyeth-Ayerst's promotion of Polymagma (attapulgite) for diarrhoea direct to
the public in the Philippines.
Follow-up on antidiarrhoeals. Reports on results of letters to:
Labofarma, Brazilian branch of Degussa Laboratories about the promotion of Ftalomicina
(neomycin, streptomycin, phthalylsulfathiazole etc.) for diarrhoea in Brazil.
Searle re promotion of Diodoquin (iodoquinol) and Lomotil (diphenozylate/atropine)
Upjohn re promotion of Kaopectato/Kaopectate (kaolin & pectin) in Portugal and the
Philippines
Doms-Adrian re promotion of Dialyl (phthalylsulfathiazole and nifuroxazide) in Africa.
June 1995 (Vol 13 No 6)
Follow-up: Details of MaLAM's continuing correspondence with Sandoz about the promotion,
safety and efficacy of Parlodel (bromocriptine) in lactation suppression.
May 1995 (Vol 13 No 5)
This month: Servier's promotion of Arcalion (sulbutiamine) and Duxaril
(almitrine/raubasine) in the Philippines. Claims of "proven efficacy in all forms of
asthenia" for sulbutiamine. Almitrine/raubasine said to be "the first drug to
improve cerebral arterial oxygen content" and to provide "major benefits in
cerebral symptoms, in visual symptoms, in ENT symptoms" but nothing is said about the
possible occurence of severe adverse effects including peripheral neurological disorders.
News: Follow-up on our June 1994 letter to Hoechst. Hoechst will discontinue Baralgin
(dipyrone/pitofenone/fenpiverinium) in the Philippines as it is unable to prove the
efficacy of the combination product using modern techniques. Dipyrone remains as a single
agent despite unresolved safety questions.
April 1995 (Vol 13 No 4)
This month: Saudi Arabian health professionals ask us to write to SmithKline Beecham about
an advertisement for Augmentin (amoxycillin/clavulanic acid) which claims "Success
that rises above resistance" and pictures the middle ear, sinuses, throat and
bronchi.
News: Our earlier correspondence with SKB about Augmentin, and evidence of persistent
problems with SKB's control of the quality of their promotional materials
March 1995 (Vol 13 No 3)
This month: In Pakistan SmithKline Beecham claims Halfan (halofantrine) is "Effective
in all types of malaria" and has an "Excellent safety profile".
News: Communicating with the MaLAM Secretariat.
February 1995 (Vol 13 No 2)
This month: SmithKline Beecham claims Ashton & Parsons Infants' Powders "relieve
restlessness, fretfulness and similar troubles". A paediatrician working in The
Gambia tells us that the indications on the packet of this product (active ingredient
chamomile extract) "could well be indicating meningitis rather than teething and the
instructions suggest that mothers should persist for 5 days before consulting a doctor ...
poor mothers part with relatively large sums of money in the belief that a British company
like Beechams would not say that it works if it didn't."
News: Profile of Dr. Peter Mansfield, Secretary, MaLAM Inc.
January 1995 (Vol 13 No 1)
This month: Sandoz' promotion of Parlodel (bromocriptine) for lactation suppression. In
Pakistan, Sandoz claims bromocriptine is "safe" and "significantly
effective ... in the prevention or suppression of established lactation". MaLAM asks
why Sandoz have withdrawn this indication for bromocriptine in Canada and the United
States but not in the rest of the world.
News: The contribution of nurses. The MaLAM Inc. Board.
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