Eric Crampton • Sep 06, 2016 •
I knew that genetic testing service 23andMe was having FDA trouble in the US: the FDA restricted 23andMe from providing health advice based on its genetic tests except where the FDA approved the specific tests. As Gizmodo put it, you’re getting less service for more money, but with an FDA seal of approval on those tests you … Read More
Alison Campbell • Jan 20, 2016 •
Black salve. A slightly ominous name, but to some people it seems to be the best thing since sliced bread. A colleague has just pointed me at a discussion (on FB, where else?) around the use of ‘black salve’ to heal a self-diagnosed melanoma. (That bit’s important – the person concerned never saw a doctor & never had a biopsy, … Read More
Mark Hanna • May 31, 2015 •
In 2007, the Ministry of Health undertook a review of the “complementary medicines industry” in New Zealand, and found that a significant majority of companies weren’t complying with consumer protection legislation. The review was never made public, but when I saw it mentioned in a recent article in North & South magazine I asked the […] … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Mar 09, 2010 •
I see an number of doctors are voicing their concerns of the government interest in a Pharmac-like organisation to take over hospital based purchases. Not without good reason, I might add. The Pharmac model has a major flaw. That flaw is that the model is based on the free availability of cheap “equivalents”. There is no [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Mar 08, 2010 •
Not satisfied with rendering cold and flu medicines ineffective by removing pseudoephedrine from general sale, Medsafe continues it’s onslaught on cold and flu meds by trying to remove all the syrups and infusions from supermarket shelves. Apparently they are concerned about the use of them in under sixes (despite the fact that fatalities are very [...] Related posts: … Read More