Bottle of Lies-generic drugs

[folken]

New book out about the generic drug boom, and how at best they may be weak dosage, and at worst contain carcinogens.

the book name is Bottle of Lies: The Inside story of the Generic Drug Boom-- by Katherine Eban

you can find short interviews with the author or book essays around, but I will give a short summation here.

- basically as more and more generics are made in India and China, the quality and scrupulous testing has gone out the window.

- over the last 10 months ( in the US ) dozens of generic blood pressure drugs like valsartan, lorsartan and irbesartan have been recalled. The active ingredients in some manufactured in China, contained a carcinogen used in the making of rocket fuel.

- ceftriaxone < an antibiotic > was found to be half strength, and patients have died from improper dosage before the Dr. discovers the drug came from China.

- while the weak antibiotic kills the weaker microbes it leaves the strongest ones intact to go on to reproduce, and capable of resisting even potent medication.

- antipsychotic drugs like haloperidol < generic form of Haldol > and diazepam < Valium generic > have been found to be 10 times weaker than stated strength.

- while everyone recognizes that low cost generics is essential for global health- low quality- does more harm than good.

- we need routine testing of the generics and legal enforcement of standards through international laws and treaties- similar to the airline industry - is one suggestion.

Keep informed people and stay safe............... I leave you to check out the full articles.

Folken

[JK1976]

I believe damn bastards don’t care about us.

[killingstress]

Nice catch and summary . Yes, basically, to see how bad are the synteshis in China, you can test some Creatine from Germany ( creature trade, many brand use this one ) and the generic ultra cheap creatine from China. Just seeing it, you can tell which one is the purest one . Not even tell if you mix it on water, etc.

[thepianist]

This would easily explain why one particular brand of vallys (from one particular vendor) has ALWYS given me a headache/migraine after a single dose (obv I don’t take them anymore, just sitting in a jar) and the 4-5 others I’ve had are perfectly ‘fine’.

Though I obviously can’t know for sure, but that never happens with this medicine...

Edit: and yes, the ‘brand’ causing problems is a common generic not from US.

[folken]

Just the numbers please...…..

90% of prescriptions in the U.S. are generic drugs

80% of active ingredients in brand name and generic drugs come from outside the U.S.

1,021 generic drugs received FDA approval in 2018



Folken

[thepianist]

Folken, what is ‘just the numbers please......?’ In your above post supposed to mean?

Was it an abstract summary for your post? About the very basic statistics of # of generics inside/outside the US? If so, it would be cool to see a report or paper in which you found those numbers bc it’s quite rare for real large numbers in %ages to be divisible by 10.

If your were passive aggressively implying that my post on personal experience has no place in this thread, as I initially read it, then you should try to realize that I offer up my opinions and experiences to try and help others. And specifically in this case, to provide anecdotal support to your original post about an authors’ finding of tainted generics to be common from certain regions of the world.

I hope I interpreted wrongly and your intention was the former.

[Audrey Hepburn]

Folken, what is ‘just the numbers please......?’  In your above post supposed to mean?

Was it an abstract summary for your post?  About the very basic statistics of # of generics inside/outside the US?  If so, it would be cool to see a report or paper in which you found those numbers bc it’s quite rare for real large numbers in %ages to be divisible by 10.

If your were passive aggressively implying that my post on personal experience has no place in this thread, as I initially read it, then you should try to realize that I offer up my opinions and experiences to try and help others.  And specifically in this case, to provide anecdotal support to your original post about an authors’ finding of tainted generics to be common from certain regions of the world.  

I hope I interpreted wrongly and your intention was the former.

Hi the pianist
I do think that you misinterpreted Folkens comment. I don't think it was meant as a dig at you. This article is stunning and something I thought was true before reading this. I feel this info needs to be made very public, especially if our President's next "pet project" is going to be finding "cheaper sources for American drugs."
Good find Folken.

[Charon]

Actually I had made a post without numbers. So I deleted mine. I figured it was directed at me.

And, It is their thread. So i guess i caused the problem.

[thepianist]

Charon, I’ve never seen you cause any problems, only mitigate to solve them. Hope you’re doing well and if you for whatever reason believe this thread is controlled and operated by the OP, with no ‘rules’ or specific replies asked of other members in a direct way, specifically over a ‘type’ of post regardless intention, then so be it.

I’ll follow your lead on that one. I only come to try and help family, I’ll kindly walk out of this one without slamming any door.

[Audrey Hepburn]

The Pianist, my intention was nor meant to offend you. I apologize if I did.