I have only done one diary, ever before, so please be kind in your comments, if you have any. This is a subject that is personal for me, so I just had to post it. I searched to see if anyone else has done a diary on it, but didn't find anything, and apologize now if it has been done already.
On to the issue:
Please help stop Wyeth from getting the FDA to restrict pharmacies from compounding medications for people that need them, because the big pharmaceutical companies don't offer medications that will do the job. The deadline for comments is April 4, 2006, so the sooner contacts are made the better.
This is an effort by Wyeth to stop pharmacies from compounding medications that are customized for each patient. This includes bio-identical hormones that do not cause the side effects of the synthetic hormones.
(more below)
THE FACTS: Recently, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, makers of Premarin and Prempro, filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking them to impose harmful restrictions on the compounding and dispensing of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
This petition would eliminate the availability of compounded bio-identical hormones, which are prescribed by healthcare providers and prepared by pharmacists, to meet the unique needs of each individual patient. Unlike Wyeth's products, bio-identical hormones are identical to what the body produces.
In addition to the petition, Wyeth has unleashed an organized campaign to fuel support for it's efforts. Several Wyeth-affiliated, nationally knows organizations have filed comments i support of Wyeth's petition.
THE FUTURE: Wyeth's petition asks for strategic restrictions that, if granted, would put an end to all pharmacy compounding. These restrictions would severely restrict or limit the ability of healthcare providers to treat all of their patients, not just men and women on BHRT. With your help, Wyeth can and must be defeated in it's attempt to restrict you right to choose "compounded" medications.
Go to http://www.savemymedicine.org/ to sign and add to their petition.
Also, please go to http://www.house.gov/... to contact your representative and to http://www.senate.gov/... to contact your senator about it.
This is an attack on our freedom to choose what works for us, and the freedom of the pharmacies and health care providers to supply what works, all in the name of more profits for the big pharmaceutical companies. I know this is not an earth-shaking issue for most of you, but for those of us whose bodies are not compatible with the synthetic world of pharmaceuticals these days, it is extremely important.
Thank you for any help you are willing to provide.