Aducanumab: Sticking It To The Seniors And To The Taxpayers (While government does nothing to protect either)

The Federal Drug Advocates (FDA), no surprise, again in bed with the Pharmaceutical Drug Cartel.

The new Alzheimer’s drug that could break Medicare


Public Citizen, as usual, has been on this. A summary of their articles.


“The overall tenor of the FDA’s briefing document for this meeting reveals that the agency is actively working hand-in-hand with Biogen, the maker of aducanumab, to rush to market an unproven biologic drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease that could bankrupt our health care system.

“Two similar large studies compared aducanumab to a placebo. Both studies were stopped early because a planned interim analysis found that they were unlikely to show that the drug works. Nevertheless, Biogen subsequently pursued analyses of data from the studies that were, from a scientific standpoint, highly susceptible to bias. One study appeared to show that the drug works, but the other clearly showed the drug doesn’t work.

“FDA staff and Biogen now are trying to convince advisory committee members and the public that the negative study should be ignored and that the drug should be approved based on the one positive study. Such an approach is seriously biased and unscientific.

“Only the FDA statistician who reviewed the aducanumab study data appears to wisely recognize the recklessness of approving the drug based on the available data, noting the following in her assessment: ‘if we select only the better study, our estimate is very likely biased, and we already know not consistently repeatable in our experience. Thus, excluding data from a large trial without sufficient justification is unscientific, statistically inappropriate and misleading.’

Source/Full Article:
FDA Approval of Aducanumab to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease Would Be a Reckless Disregard for Science, Damage Agency’s Credibility


If the government were serious about tackling Alzheimer's, antiperspirants containing any ingredient starting with alum____ would be banned (different names are given to aluminum ingredients used in antiperspirants). Substances injected into the body would be banned from containing aluminum of any type. Mercury dental fillings would be banned.

Further, there would be comprehensive genuine research on ways of getting aluminum and mercury out of the body. (Actually, there are numerous inexpensive ways of doing that already, but where are the obscene profits and ease of elimination of the Useless Eaters in that?)

TLC

Best VII

"He has called on the best that was in us. There was no such thing as half-trying. Whether it was running a race or catching a football, competing in school--we were to try. And we were to try harder than anyone else. We might not be the best, and none of us were, but we were to make the effort to be the best. 'After you have done the best you can', he used to say, 'the hell with it'."
-Robert F. Kennedy (November 20, 1925 - June 6, 1968)

Tribute to his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, read at his father's funeral by his brother, Edward Kennedy (November 20, 1969)

Break IV

"I get paid for seeing that my clients have every break the law allows. I have knowingly defended a number of guilty men. But the guilty never escape unscathed. My fees are sufficient punishment for anyone."
-F. Lee Bailey
(June 10, 1933 - June 3, 2021)
Los Angeles Times, January 9, 1972.

Censored, To Promote The Customers

The other day I received a notification (copy below) from Facebook that I had violated one of its Community Standards. As usual, Facebook did not give any indication which of its Laws Unto Itself had been breached.

What horrific misdeed had I committed this time? Sharing an article on something natural that might reduce suffering, extend or even save lives.

What is this “something natural”? Pine Tree Needles.

That's right. It violates Facebook Community Standards to mention the needles that grow on pine trees.

Merriam Webster defines “Consumer” as, “one that utilizes economic goods”.

In contrast, Merriam Webster defines “Customer” as, “one that purchases a commodity or service”.

One of the components of a standard business model is building a base with repeat Consumers.

But Facebook's business model is to ban information that might promote repeat Consumers. Dead Consumers don't continue to utilize goods.

On the other hand, the actual Customers will be around, or so Facebook's business plan is, long after the Consumers are maimed or killed.

Facebook is so determined to enforce its actual business plan that it scans Links from TinyUrl to make sure Forbidden Knowledge does not reach its Consumers, because that would counter the goals of its Customers.

Here's a direct Link to the article that the TinyUrl would have taken the Consumer to:

Is pine needle tea the answer to covid vaccine shedding / transmission? Learn about suramin, shikimic acid and how to make your own extracts