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March 9, 2006
Wonder Drug, Indeed
Posted by Derek
"Wonder Drug Inspires Deep, Unwavering Love of Pharmaceutical Companies":
"Many individuals today lack the deep, abiding affection for drug makers that is found in healthy people, such as myself," Pfizer CEO Hank McKinnell said. "These tragic disorders are reaching epidemic levels, and as a company dedicated to promoting the health, well-being, and long life of our company's public image, it was imperative that we did something to combat them". . .
. . .PharmAmorin is the first drug of its kind, but Pfizer will soon face competition from rival pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb. The company is developing its own pro-pharmaceutical-company medication, Brismysquibicin, which will induce warm feelings not just for drug corporations in general, but solely for Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Now that last one would be a real challenge. Of course, you've got to wonder what your rodent efficacy model for something like this would be. . .
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1. NJBiologist on March 10, 2006 7:10 AM writes...
How to do an animal model? I imagine you'd have to use a conditioned place preference model with the different corporate logos on the walls, and measure time spent under the BMS logo vs. the Pfizer logo, etc.
This is just about the funniest thing the Onion has done since... well... Sucrosa(TM).
Permalink to Comment2. Doc Bushwell on March 10, 2006 7:21 AM writes...
As a news vehicle aimed at a general audience, The Onion fails to mention the mechanism of action for PharmAmorin and Brismysquibicin. The biological target is found within the gene family of GPRRs (Good Public Relations Receptor). Because of stringent species specificity, no rodent efficacy models exist, and clinical trials were direct to man. Still, non-human species tox studies must be performed, and from an insider’s perspective, I can tell you that those for Brismysquibicin were most disconcerting. A vivarium tech was found smothered in the residue of rat-love. It was ugly, man...ugly.
Permalink to Comment3. Phil-Z on March 10, 2006 8:32 AM writes...
This post is about 3 weeks early, isn't it?
Permalink to Comment4. Doc Bushwell on March 10, 2006 8:35 AM writes...
...to clarify, the off target activity of Brismysquibicin is the enzyme rattusunnaturallustase (EC 1.2.3.45).
Permalink to Comment5. Robin Goodfellow on March 10, 2006 1:06 PM writes...
The problem with Brismysquibicin is that it has a limited shelf-life. What happens when Bristol-Myers-Squibb inevitably becomes Bristol-Myers-Squibb-Pfizer, or somesuch, for example?
In a more serious note, slightly, I think that the advent of ED drugs like Viagra has probably done more for big-pharma PR than anything else. Which is very ironic when you think about it. Coming up with life-saving wonder cures for AIDS, cancer, and other diseases merely earns heaps of scorn for having the gall to charge money for the stuff. But quality of life fun-pills like Viagra win respect, admiration, and thanks.
Permalink to Comment6. Katherine on March 10, 2006 4:35 PM writes...
I fail to understand how PhRMA can be doing such a colossally bad job of PR. It has plenty of money and great source material, and yet the individual pharmas are the ones putting out warm-fuzzy ads and advertising their own patient assistance programs. I don't get it.
Permalink to Comment7. Anonymous on March 12, 2006 6:15 PM writes...
I'm sure that a "critical thinking inhibitor" could have many other uses as well. Seems like something that a politician would love to have, for example.
Permalink to Comment8. Jack on March 16, 2006 11:10 AM writes...
While drugs certainly play an important role in our society,i'd like to see more emphasis put on individuals taking better care of themselves through diet and exercise.
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