Monday, May 27, 2013

Love 101: The Ring of Fire that Compounding Pharmacies and Pharmacists Have Created

I just finished watching Ring of Fire.  I am watching it a second time. I have a fascination with  or love of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash and their love for each other.  Having grown up with music all my life and a dad who played electric guitar on the radio and at numerous dances and events how could I not love music..it has always been a part of my life and always will be.  I would be lost without music.  What really amazes me about Johnny and June is June's love for Johnny despite his faults.  In Ring of Fire it is about June's love for Johnny and what she will do for him at all cost. One of my favorite parts is where June says “I nursed him back from the grave,” she cries to the family’s counselor. “I hate him. I hate him. And that is just the truth of it. … I’m the one who has to stay strong and protect the kids and hold it all together. I want to ask God: What about me? I need help.” The counselor responds something like: You hate the disease; you love the man...that is what we all have in common here.

Love of anything whether it be a person, money, or a thing can cause a lot of people to do just about anything to hang on to that  person, money or thing. It can cause people to do things they wouldn't normally do. It can cause people to cross lines they normally wouldn't cross.  People fall into a Ring of Fire.  I sense that is what has happened in the compounding world.

Consumers love compounded drugs...they work well for them when properly prepared.  Consumers don't want to lose their right to purchase and use compounded medications.  They fear losing this right if the federal government takes over the regulation of compounding.  That fear is unfounded.  Compounded drugs are needed and necessary.  The federal government no matter what legislation it passes will not take away compounded drugs.  Pharmacies and Pharmacists that compound drugs now may no longer be allowed or choose to compound medications.  They may choose not to because they don't want to comply with the requirements of the federal government.


Pharmacies and Pharmacists like compounding medications.  Some do it for the right reasons--to help people and pets who need these compounded medications, but I suspect more do it for the love of money--GREED--after all some reports indicate that the compounding industry is a 5 billion dollar industry and in truth it may be worth a whole lot  more.  NECC is a perfect example of that greed in the human world. Franck's is a perfect example of the greed in the animal world. The love of the money and the desire to do whatever it takes to keep that money coming in...corners are cut, reports are doctored (one test is done and the date is changed repeatedly for that report--so that the pharmacy doesn't have to spend money, some don't test at all, some place beyond use dates on the medications to make more money, and some lie--yes- lie to their compounding sales reps or marketing reps in order to continue to make their money.  I feel sorry for these sales reps who have no choice but to rely on what they are told by the pharmacists. The sales reps who need the jobs to feed their families and keep a roof over their head. I do not feel sorry for the sales reps who know the truth  and for the love of money are  intentionally part of the Ring of Fire.   Those sales and  marketing representatives have sold their souls to the devil and are just as guilty as the owners, pharmacies, pharmacists, etc.  I suspect Congress has just scratched the surface of what  is really going on in the compounding world.  Organizations are now complaining that the FDA changed the rules...but wait...wasn't those organizations' position not too long ago that the FDA had no authority or jurisdiction whatsoever (ie. their position in Franck's).. so how did the FDA change the rules if there were no rules?  You now cry foul because violations and problems have been uncovered.  The volume of the protest from the compounding world makes one wonder what really is in that Ring of Fire.  What is it you are afraid will be found out or uncovered...will it be that the love of something will cause you to do things immoral, unethical, incomprehensible ...all the while professing to be so clean and pure--whether it be a pharmacy owned by venture capitalist or just a small mom and pop pharmacy.

June Carter Cash said it best--we hate the disease (the unsafe compounds sold and the lives changed and lost by bad compounds), but we love the man or in this case what compounded medications can do for us and our pets when the compounded medications are done right--when pharmacist are ethic, honest, and do what is right so that people and animals can be help.

I fear "This Ring of Fire" has flames far higher than anyone has seen yet.  I just hope more people and pets don't fall in and lose their health or worse their lives before Congress and the FDA are able to rein them in.  

No comments: