Smoking is its own punishment.
But many smokers are doubly punished these days with 1) a smoking cessation drug that could actually be worse for you than smoking, and 2) a new vaccine recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s enough to make you stop smoking just to get these ruthless drug dealers off your back! The Associated Press reported that the pneumococcal vaccine protects against some strains of pneumococcal bacteria, but in the 25 years since its first year, it has not been very effective in preventing pneumonia or to rule out diseases pneumococcal disease in people whose immune system is weakened.
Okay, I get it – it is an ineffective vaccine is somewhat effective if you have a strong immune system. What kind of makes you wonder if immune function is strong does all the heavy lifting in this equation.
A panel of the Advisory Committee on Immunization has recently recommended that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should encourage all smokers to get pneumococcal vaccine. The CDC is expected to sign for the recommendation. Then stand aside and let the trucks rolling through the next vaccine.
And as usual, some drug manufacturers giant will make a small tidy package to this recommendation questionable. And the winner is. . . Merck & Co. – manufacturers of Pneumovax, which costs about $ 30 per dose.
Meanwhile, over at Pfizer, things are not so rosy.
A few weeks ago, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has announced a grim milestone: The number of serious drug reactions and deaths reported to the FDA has established a new record in the first quarter of 2008 – nearly 21,000 Severe reactions have been reported and more than 4,800 dead.
Two factors explain these high figures: 1) batches of contaminated blood thinner heparin imported from China, and 2) the Pfizer drug Chantix to stop smoking.
In previous e-Alerts I’ve talked about the evils associated with Chantix. Some side effects noted on the website of Chantix include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness (which would not be dizzy after the first four side-effects?), Chest pain, depression and hypertension .
Earlier this year, the FDA issued a warning about “reports of suicidal thoughts and aggressive and erratic behavior among patients who took Chantix.”
Apparently, this warning was right on the money.
ISMP notes that not only account for 1001 Chantix reports on serious (the largest number of any nonprescription drug), but the number of serious reactions linked to the use of Chantix was higher than all 10 brand name drugs better name for the sale of handsets.
A report by the Associated Press included this interesting note: “Officials are not sure whether reports are up because problems are getting worse, or simply due to greater awareness about drug safety .
Riiiight. This is not the drug that is the problem is the realization that drugs are a problem – that’s the problem. Got it.
The announcement ISMP urged the FDA to warn Chantix users with force they could face blackouts – a side effect serious enough when you are driving or flying. Therefore pilots FAA has already banned use of Chantix.
A spokesman for Pfizer told the AP that the results of clinical trials show the drug’s benefits “clearly outweigh its risks.” Or – in other words – our medicines are not as dangerous as smoking, which represents more than 400,000 Americans died each year.
So the moral of this story is that if you smoke, chew or dip. . . STOP. Treat yourself to 3 days and get rid of this habit. Stay away from junk like Chantix, it’s just another drug to replace a drug with side effects to replace the side effects.
Jonathan “Joni” Bell has dedicated much of his time to research and provide information on alternative vitamin supplements that have proven themselves in the prevention and treatment of cancer. More info
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