Alexandria, VA November 5, 1999 More than seven thousand pharmaceutical scientists from around the world will gather in New Orleans November 14-18 to share the latest scientific research. Below are summaries of papers to be presented at the AAPS Annual Meeting "Quest for the Magic Bullet: An Astounding Century".
Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Influences Doctors' Prescribing Habits -- It's been almost a decade since the American Medical Association reversed its policy regarding direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). To measure the impact of DTCA, University of Mississippi researchers polled physicians regarding how pharmaceutical ads influenced patient requests for advertised prescriptions. A few of their findings follow:
- Half of the physicians polled feel pressure to prescribe products patients have seen advertised
- On average, six patients per week ask doctors questions about a specific drug and 36% of the time they prescribe the product in question
- 77% of physicians linked patient requests to TV advertising, 51% to print
Link Between Aspirin Use and Acid Reflux Disease-- Researchers have found that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents like aspirin and ibuprofen are strongly associated with the presence of GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. GERD is an involuntary reflux recently linked to throat cancer. Using Medicaid patients in Georgia as their sample, researchers also compared the incidence of GERD among different racial groups. They found that white female Medicaid patients are 57% more likely to experience GERD than their black counterparts. This new data is a red flag for patients who rely heavily on aspirin or ibuprofen for pain relief.
Contraceptive Gel Prevents Spread of AIDS, Herpes and Chlamydia -- Using cellulose sulfate (CS), a clinically proven contraceptive agent in the 1960s and 70s, scientists have developed a patented new compound that hinders sexually transmitted diseases in animals. In vitro tests suggests this new antimicrobial-contraceptive agent does not allow the transmission of the herpes simplex virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), chlamydia trachomatis or the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Anti-Nausea Remedy for Cancer Patients -- During cancer chemotherapy treatment, many patients suffer from severe nausea. Some attempt to stop the nausea by taking an anti-nausea agent orally, only to find they can not keep the medication down. The problem could be solved by administering an existing FDA-approved medication (Zofran) in a nasal spray form, which by-passes the stomach and enters the circulatory system as rapidly as an intravenous injection.
Inhalable Insulin for Diabetes Sufferers--Freedom from painful self-injections may be close to reality for the 16 million Americans who suffer from Type I and Type II diabetes. Researchers have developed a very stable formulation delivered by a spray that disperses insulin into the bloodstream through tissues in the mouth. This is revolutionary for several reasons: 1) it doesn't need refrigeration like conventional insulin 2) it is inhaled through the mouth 3) it is tasteless. The device called pMDA™ is poised for human trials.
AAPS is a professional, scientific society of more than 9,000 members employed in academia, industry, government and other research institutes worldwide. Founded in 1986, AAPS aims to advance science through the open exchange of scientific knowledge, serve as an information resource, and contribute to human health through pharmaceutical research and development. For more information about AAPS, visit AAPS Online at http://www.aaps.org .
Editor's Note: For more information on the above research or to set up interviews with researchers, please contact Hannah Elinson ( elinson@nixongroup.com ) or Marie Bertot at 305-573-9955 ( bertot@nixongroup.com ). Abstracts of data can be previewed in a fully-searchable database on AAPS Online ( www.aaps.org ) or for complete up-to-date meeting information, please check out the AAPS Newsroom at http://www.aaps.org/sciaffairs/news.html . For the period of November 14 18, contact Lisa Mozloom or Hannah Elinson at the press room in New Orleans at 504-670-6100.