Authentic Health & Medical Information

 

Generic Drugs Prices may lower than before:

Jakarta: Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said recently that the government lowered the price of drugs purchased frequently and hiked the prices of those with low production rates. The government has decided on new prices for generic drugs, with most of the prices lower than before. The head of the ministry’s directorate general of pharmacy and health equipment, Sri Indrawati, said the ministerial regulation, which was passed this month, covered the new price of 453 generic drugs.

Pharmacists were also requested to base their generic drug prices on the ceiling retail prices. However, producers and pharmacists were free to mark up the distribution price, which ranges from 5 to 20 percent, according to the regions in which the drugs are sold.  Generic drugs are popular because of their low prices. Some generic drugs cost only half the price of patent drugs. Currently, most generic drugs are produced by state-owned pharmaceutical companies.Earlier this month, the NGO National Health Council reported that generic drugs had become scarce in several regions, with patients complaining they could no longer afford them.

Fujifilm and Mitsubishi will all set to enter generic-drug Market:

Generic drugmakers are taking advantage of government incentives to pharmacists to promote cheaper versions in Japan, the world’s second-biggest pharmaceutical market.The government wants to curb the 7.8 trillion yen ($87 billion) of annual spending on prescription drugs as the population ages.

Fujifilm Holdings Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. will set up a generic-drug venture in Japan to meet demand for cheaper medicines, the Nikkei newspaper said. Toho Holdings Inc., a drug wholesaler, will help market the products, the report said. Generic drugs are generally priced 30 percent lower than branded products in Japan.

Fujifilm, based in Tokyo, agreed to buy 66 percent stake in Toyama Chemical Co. in 2008 for as much as 154.6 billion yen, adding about 10 experimental medicines such as a potential influenza treatment to its medical unit. Japan’s health-care system is based on a universal insurance program requiring working-age citizens and children to pay 30 percent of the cost of treatment, while seniors contribute about 10 percent.

Pfizer To Sell Viagra In Israel Via Internet :

Pfizer has announced an unusual marketing ploy in Israel. For the first time, the company will sell its Viagra drug for treating impotence legally and completely officially on the Internet. This will be the first time a prescription drug is sold in Israeli via the Internet. Internet pharmacies do exist in Israel, but they sell only non-prescription drugs. This Will Be The First Time A Prescription Drug Is sold on the Internet in Israel, in what the company says is an anti-counterfeiting move.

There can be serious consequences of this. Feinmesser relates how a man who used counterfeit Viagra died recently at Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot. "High levels of iron were found in his blood," she says, "They’ll put anything in counterfeit drugs." "The site is secured as well as Pfizer knows how. It will carry the Ministry of Health’s stamp of approval. Doctors will know how to direct patients to the correct site, and our own media campaigns will help, within the limits of legal drug marketing in Israel."

The site www.original-pill.co.il will direct buyers to the Internet pharmacies where they can order original Viagra by scanning or faxing the doctor’s prescription.

Somatoform disorder is a condition in which the physical pain and symptoms a person feels are related to psychological factors. For example, many people have occasional headaches caused by mental stress. But, stress and other mental health problems can cause many other physical symptoms. Individuals suffering from a somatoform disorder are not consciously aware of the psychological factors which are in operation, and they are not "making up" their physical symptoms.

Causes of somatoform disorder:

Pain is one of the most common reasons why people seek medical attention. When we ’somatize’, somehow the mental or emotional problem is expressed partly, or mainly, as one or more physical symptoms.  Like many medical problems, somatoform disorder often runs in families. It tends to come and go over time.

Stress- Family stress is believed to be one of the most common causes of somatoform disorders in children and adolescents.Stress and anxiety may be converted to physical symptoms.

Culture-Cultural influences appear to affect the gender ratios and body locations of somatoform disorders, as well as their frequency in a specific population. Preoccupation with health and the body in general may be culturally influenced and may contribute to the development of these disorders.

Parental modeling-Somatization disorder and hypochondriasis may result in part from the patient’s unconscious reflection or imitation of parental behaviors.

Biological factors-Genetic or biological factors may also play a role in the development of these disorders. For example, people who suffer from somatization disorder may also differ in how they perceive and process pain.

Treatment:

Medication-According to one study, patients with somatization disorder who took the antidepressant   nefazodone   (Serzone) showed reductions in physical symptoms, increased activity levels, and lower levels of anxiety and depression at the end of treatment. Body dysmorphic disorder as been successfully treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants.

Hypnosis-Hypnosis is a technique that is sometimes used as part of a general psychotherapeutic approach to conversion disorder. Once those memories are uncovered, healing can begin.

Physical Therapy-Patients with somatoform disorders are not considered good candidates for psychoanalysis and other forms of insight-oriented psychotherapy.Some patients with pain disorder benefit from group therapy or support groups, particularly if their social network has been limited by their pain symptoms. Family therapy is often recommended, especially in the treatment of children with somatoform disorders. Working with families of chronic pain patients also helps avoid reinforcing dependency within the family setting.

You may feel frustrated if your symptoms continue, but remember that somatoform disorder can be very difficult to treat. Your doctor will do his or her best to help you maintain your health.