Drug Dealing

[John Gill]

Yesterday I received a letter inviting me to participate in a 'clinical research study'. It is for a new drug, a statin, as yet unregistered and not sanctioned by NICE, the nhs drug watchdog. The name of the drug is 'alirocumab' and the research is being funded by a French drug company and is being programmed worldwide to 18000 people who have experienced a cardiac event. The nhs is organising the project in the UK. I take statins and was admitted to hospital with chest pains a couple of years ago and after a angiogram was diagnosed with unstable angina. Medication seems to control any symptoms and with little in the way of side effects. The programme is set to last for 68 months ( that's almost three MANZ runs) and involves numerous visits to hospital and self medication involving sub cutaneous injections every week. Added to this is that the programme includes a 'double blind' system whereas a random selection of patients receive a placebo and the rest the full hit. The patients ( or lab rats) would never know which. even after the research is ended. The risks and possible side effects fill two foolscap pages of the letter, and the drug has hitherto only been tested on mice and some human volunteers, (probably death row prisoners in Texas with nothing to lose) It would be interesting to hear if any members have had this offer, (which is entirely voluntary) and perhaps some thoughts or comments.
Gilly

[John Pruden]

john I was asked a few years ago for a drug to be tested on and they told me I was not eligible for the drug thought nothing of it at the time?? going for blood tests in my doctors a month later on the doctors computer the nurse told me you have caused mayhem here mr p.. why is that I asked the so called registered nurse that took my blood pressure should have sent you strait to hospital not told you that you were not eligible for the test your bp was over 215/120/90 so the surgery will not deal with any of these companies again?? so Mr Gill be very careful volunteering for any tests and any doubt you may have steer clear of them? you may be helping them by killing yourself mate? just sit with a large rum and smoke that cigar{you are better off}..jp

[Red Lead Ted]

John, I tend to agree with J,P, Regarding becoming a lab rat, Would you say the NHS is in good shape if things took a turn for the worse right now. If your cholesterol is under 5 with the statins you already take which mine is if I get the offer I will tell them I will stand behind Mr Cameron in line to sign up after he does. Give it the wide berth mate if you feel healthy enough why change a winning side Regards John Terry.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, A friends life was saved by a drugs trail, He was asked to go on one for some major drug swiss company {heart } he had to have many tests before hand to prove he was good enough to go on this trail { it was very well payed} and private hospital .He did not pass the medical tests he was very ill, but he was put into the fast lane for major surgery it saved his life. Statins I cant take them had them all I have trouble walking my legs and arms go like jelly, and I passed out loads of times a few other side effect? Could not lift a pint glass with one hand, so not allowed to take them any more ? I know many people on statins with no ill effect for years. I am just unlucky.

[Captain Kong]

I certainly would never be a guinea pig for any chemical company.
The only way would be if I was terminal and a new untried drug for my complaint may or not save my life.
My blood pressure was always for years 200plus over 150 ish.
ready to explode, a heart attack or stroke was always iminent.
A beautiful young Doctor , first year, joined the practice. I am in love with her.,Tara is her name.
She looked at the computer with the graph of my BP, You are on the wrong medication says she,
She changed my tablets and since then I have felt great and my BP Is always level, at 120 over 65.
Cholosterol has always been around 3,8, ish.to a decimel point.
I guess she has saved my life.
BP can be controlled to safe levels with the right medication. I have one Lisinopril, one Spironactil, and one Amlopodine a day., so no problems now,
I work out every day with my weights and exercise bike so not bad for a guy who is 80 next birthday.
Cheers
Brian.

[happy daze john in oz]

Be very careful of any such experiments, for that is what they are. There has been a big push here in Oz to reduce the reliance on Statins. many are used to control Cholesterol but doctors are now seeing the long term effect of some of this and it is not all good. I have been approached on numerous occasions since my prostate op last year, Cancer council i am happy with but some of the others I just ignore. I am doing one for the Cancer council, a heavy dose of Vitamin D once a month, a tablet which my GP tells me could well be a placebo. But once thsy begin to talk of injections etc I would be asking the question, WHY?

[cappy]

there is no doubt statins save thousands of lives ....but they are not suitable for many ......i had not been to the doctors for many years and on retiring i moved to a small village in yorks.....there is a surgery there and you can walk in and see a doctor any day ....i was told go and get a check up ...i was enjoying a good drink and had stopped smoking 50 to 60 a day since i was a boy at sea .......the nurse took my blood pressure ......then took it again ......dont move she ses and brings in a doctor who takes my bp again ......i think you need immmediate heart surgery .........gives me 7 pills and ses come back this evening ........by the evening i could not stand or walk more than 7 or 8 steps...couldnt lift my arms etc .......over the next few weeks i just slept and felt awful.......i told them i would rather be the way i was before the tablets......slowly the tablets were changed i kept going back and slowly came round to normal after a few months .....i had a heart monitor on for ithink it was 48 hours and they seemed quite pleased ...i was down to 3 tablets......and after changing tablets over a period ...and changing the statins almost monthly got bact to feeling more normal.......i think if i had been in a busy surgery ie a city ....they may not have had the time to spend changing my medication.......i now suffer fromfew probs with the pills and am a happy bunny........but statins gave me big probs but by changing them i eventually got a balance.....regards cappy