Is Provenge the Drug That Even Dendreon Is Having Issues Affording–Laying Off 500

This is the latest chapter with the biotech company which has had a long running soap opera to say the least.  In addition the COO will be leaving.  It was just last month the CEO dumped a bunch of stock before announcing they were not going to be even close to goal.  I guess the Medicare ruling that they will still pay for the $93k treatment still stands or will other treatments, such as the new J and J drug move up in the ranks, which is less expensive but still costs money.   I had a reader write to me about Zytiga and said he had insurance but it was still going to cost him $25,000 for his treatment, again with insurance coverage of some sort. 

Dendreon CEO Dumped $1M Stock Before Admitting They Will Not Meet Their Projections for the Year–Layoffs?

The FDA has just approved the opening of another facility in Atlanta, so will it open?  I’m sure that approval process was long in the works before August arrived with the gloom news about the drug.  In addition Sermo and Fierce Pharma also ran a survey to get the word straight from the doctors about how they felt about prescribing the medication for prostate cancer patients and reimbursement issues mattered. 

When Will MDs Prescribe Life Extending Drugs Such as Provenge–Reimbursement And Delivery Matters

So what remains of Provenge moving in the mainstay with immunotherapy drugs I think remains to be seen.  There are other companies using the same immunotherapy processes in biotech to create similar types of drugs, and the cost associated with some of those are yet to be seen, but one thing after all of this that we know now, the drugs need to be affordable and covered by insurance.  In the meantime, the country still faces shortages for the workhorse chemotherapy drugs across the US that “are” affordable.  BD 

(Reuters) - Dendreon Corp said on Thursday it would cut 500 jobs as it seeks to trim expenses in light of diminished sales expectations for its high-priced Provenge prostate cancer vaccine.

The total employee-related cost of the restructuring is expected to be about $21 million, the company said, citing a need to align staffing "with the shift in the (Provenge) launch trajectory and meet the company's manufacturing requirements."

Investors appeared to be pleased by the moves, sending Dendreon shares up more than 4 percent in extended trading.

"Their SG&A (Sales, General and Administrative) cuts are more than expected and will mean $120 million in SG&A savings," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Michael Yee.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/08/us-dendreon-plan-idUSTRE7876WD20110908?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FhealthNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Health+News%29

Technorati Tags: Dendreon,Provenge,prostate cancer,software,Intellivenge,biotech,FDA,technology,algorithms,active cellular immunitherapy,software as a service

Don’t Get Stuck in the IT Past–Locked in an 8 Track World–VM Limited (Video-Humor)

This is funny and we may guess who VM Limited might be and there’s a company having their big meeting this week with a similar name.  Now I do have to say, “locked in an 8 track world also very well applies to many of our members of Congress too, doesn’t this guy look like some of them <grin>.  I love the van and portable office here too, good work on some funny humor here on selling virtual and cloud services.  BD 

More Congressional Testimonies About Health IT–Members of Congress Could Entertain Getting an “Algo Man” on Staff As Wall Street and Health Insurers Have Them–Don’t Leave Home Without One

Some IT providers claim they have a cloud solution but they really offer something less. They don't offer common management tools that allow you to easily manage and migrate across your private and public clouds. They don't allow you to manage deep within your applications. And they require licensing that charges more, the more you use.
If you're ready to move to a cloud, try a private cloud solution from Microsoft. It's built for the future and ready now. Find out more at http://aka.ms/VMltd.

http://vmlimited.ctp.trafficmgr.com/

Technorati Tags: VMLimited,Microsoft,technology,70s,software,virtualization,cloud computing,Health IT,Humor

Goldman Sachs-The Movie by Civil War Creator Ken Burns Leaked! (Video-Spoof)

This is so funny and I have an idea for the next sequel….how about this guy below over at United Healthcare, the highest paid CEO these days?   These folks are good over at Minyanville.com!  BD 

United Health CEO Compensation Grew 21 Percent–Pay For Performance/Salary Yielded 4.7 Million of An Almost $11 Million Pay Out

Goldman Sachs Leaked Movie–Spoof

Technorati Tags: Goldman Sachs,Ken Burns,money,spoof,video,healthcare,banking,insurance,humor,algoirthms,United Healthcare

The “Poor’s” Free Ride is Over For Those on Medicare and Welfare –Jon Stewart (Video)

This is good, Medicare and Welfare folks are “irresponsible animals”, you have to listen to this one.  Of course let’s not ignore our “digital illiterates” that serve in Congress that come out with these less than intelligent accusations.  I always wonder how they feel when they see themselves on TV with this rhetoric? 

They think they are all playing Jeopardy, and well in a big way they are, jeopardizing all of use with their ignorance instead of using new technologies to become smarter and make better laws and Wall Street beats them over the head and leads the illiterate around by nose, in the news every day.  The problem is us poor people still have some skin and we need to pay more as we control 2.5% of the nation’s wealth!  Good numbers Jon and GOP can’t do math at all:)  He says the numbers say they need to take all the poor’s money to meet the budget.  We’re bad because 99% of us have refrigerators too <grin>.

IBM Watson Capabilities Being Pitched to Financial Industry-Congress Must Not Have Felt They Needed This So Further Behind We Fall With Effective Intelligent Lawmaking

The Daily Show
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The default topic, i.e. something they understand is always abortions and there’s nothing bigger that draw attention to their digital illiteracy than this topic and they don’t seem to even care how they look in the public eye.  Is this the top level of intelligence we can expect from here on?   Earlier today I posted about Chickens for Check ups being back too, really, bring a chicken to the doctor…digital illiteracy exonerated for sure.  BD 

Digital Illiteracy Still Plagues Law Makers–Severe Focus on Abortion Rights Proves It–Is This Where Our Lawmaking Knowledge Leaves Off or Even Begins? Scary…

Technorati Tags: Daily Show,taxes,politics,Medicare,poor,rich,digtial illiteracy,healthcare,budgets

The Vasectomy A Cure for Children–Daily Show Uncensored–Humor (Video)

This is funny and a humor depiction of how he transmitted children to his wife, happens to other people but when it happens to you, it’s real.  This has a few images as the title states it’s uncensored.  The TV doctor helped him out, and what a big baby but video is funny.  BD

The Daily Show - Uncensored - A Survivor's Tale of Survival - I Survived
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In this uncensored survivor's tale, Jason Jones gets a vasectomy and fondly remembers his balls.

Uncensored - A Survivor's Tale of Survival - I Survived - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 08/04/11 - Video Clip | Comedy Central

Technorati Tags: Vasectomy,healthcare,children,balls,Jon Stewart,support group

Duck Gets Fitted For Surf Booties To Protect Feet From the Hot Sand of the Beach

Yup, this is in California, you guessed right and it’s been a while since I had “duck” post and this one fits the bill.  Cute and even walks on a leash.  BD

When it comes to walking around on their own webbed feet, ducks are just ducky. But one quacker in San Diego, Calif., was recently fitted for his own pair of purple neoprene surf booties.

The fashion-conscious fowl came about his new foot attire by happenstance, according to Yvonne Cruz, the co-owner of Surf 'N' Sea Custom Wetsuits, which is located near the shore in San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood.

Duck Gets Fitted For Surf Booties

Technorati Tags: Ducks,surf,boots,sand,beach,San Diego

The Exorcist‬‏ And The Dirt Devil–A Harrowing Possession (Video-humor)

This is just so funny and very well done so when your vacuum cleaner is possessed and you need an exorcist, I wouldn’t count on a lot of help.  This is not false advertising here as the exorcist can’t figure this one out and this might be one appliance that may not adapt well to machine learning technology.  BD

The Possessed Dirt Devil

What an excellent day for an exorcism.
Dirt Devil - Exorcist (90")
Brand: Dirt Devil
Product: Centrino Cleancontrol
Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Creative: Andre Price
Producer: Christian Hergenröther
Director: Andreas Roth
Dop: Roland Stuprich
Music: The German Wahnsinn Team
Editor: Alexander Menkö
Postproduction: lafourmi postproduction, nhb video

YouTube - ‪Dirt Devil-The Exorcist‬‏

Technorati Tags: Dirt Devil,exorcist,humor,need a laugh,vacuum cleaner,devil,commercials

Weiner Rehab - Home for the Horny (Humor-Video) From Jimmy Kimmel

This is so funny, the Pleasant Valley Home for the Horny.  Where do you send someone with symptoms such as the Congressman:)  BD 

Home for the Horny

You do have to laugh at this as on a serious note, what a waste of time and how many other digital illiterates are working there:)  BD

Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York Admits His Behavior on the Web-Time for All Members of Congress to Increase Their Digital Literacy!

Technorati Tags: Weiner,Home for the Horney,Jimmy Kimmel,Congress,Twitter,politics

Kill the Duck on Windows Phone! How Could They Do This to the Medical Quack!

The Aflac Duck and I need to have a little conversation here:)  Actually to be truthful I liked the old Duck Hunt game and it was one of maybe a couple games I would play and I never got very good at it, but nice stress reliever.  I guess I’ll still hold out for my new Windows Mobile 7 phone after all.  Here’s what the game looks like.  At least ducks by nature are not Angry Birds. 

Kill the Duck

Even the Cisco CEO, John Chambers is fascinated with Ducks too, participatory quacking, at least around this blog:)  Event the President was interrupted with a Duck Call during a speech last year so next time it might not be the ring tone, but folks shooting those pesky ducks.  BD 

Cisco CEO John Chambers' Fascinated With Ducks – Participatory Quacking

Cisco CEO Does Duck Calls

Kill the Duck is the game which is really fun and addictive… Your task is to shoot all ducks and don’t let them go away ! Round by round, It will be more difficult to catch them… And be careful, you only should kill ducks ! It’s a game similar to the famous Duck Hunter.

Kill the Duck on Windows Phone 7 : wpseven | Windows Phone 7 | WP7

Technorati Tags: Windows Mobile 7,Kill the Duck,Games,Duck Calls,Cisco,stress,addictive,humor

Center for Disease Control Issues Preparedness 101 for Zombie Apocalypse

This is funny and actually a good bit of public relations here describing on what needs to be done to prepared for an emergency.  This is real and you can visit the CDC website here and check it all out.  BD

“If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine).

It’s likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated. Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas (I will be volunteering the young nameless disease detectives for the field work)”.

In movies, shows, and literature, zombies are often depicted as being created by an infectious virus, which is passed on via bites and contact with bodily fluids. Harvard psychiatrist Steven Schoolman wrote a (fictional) medical paper on the zombies presented in Night of the Living Dead and refers to the condition as Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome caused by an infectious agent. The Zombie Survival Guide identifies the cause of zombies as a virus called solanum. Other zombie origins shown in films include radiation from a destroyed NASA Venus probe (as in Night of the Living Dead), as well as mutations of existing conditions such as prions, mad-cow disease, measles and rabies.

The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder “How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?”

Well, we’re here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing for real emergencies too!

Good basic preparedness advice put in a really accessible format - kudos to someone for doing this! It should go without saying, btw, that your zombie preps are also good if something really weird happens - you know, those unlikely things like flood, fire, tornado, etc...

http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp

Technorati Tags: CDC,Zombies,emergencies,advice,preparedness,cultures,healthcare

Heineken and Pepsi Get Social–Blue Tooth Bottle Opener And Social Vending Machine Vices for Devices(Videos)

We have all read how soda, beer and many other items are bad for you and how we need to improve and do better, well the vices for devices folks are not giving up easy:)  First off here’s the Blue Tooth bottle opener from Heineken that talks to your cell phone and goes right to Facebook once you open a bottle.  Just make sure if you are using a device to record heart rates and anything else, do that first and then open the beer bottle and send all your information to Facebook. 

 

Heineken - The Invite from Max Gebhardt on Vimeo.

You create an event at your location and you can invite friends to RSVP and who ever gets the most wins a free case of beer and you can start all over again.  Keep in mind that all of this is shared so those scraping data and building profiles, depending on how many events you have may see you as a lush and those insurers out there may think you have an alcohol problem or would use it in their risk assessment to give you a score, probably not the kind you want. 

Now for those who don’t want beer, Pepsi has their vice and you can send someone a Pepsi if you happen to stumble across one of their new vending machines.   Now with all of this marketing do you think anyone is going to stop drinking soda and beer?  Not a chance but again it’s stuff out there for someone to profile you with, so just keep that in mind and gee someone could really set you up with all of this as we all know that insurers just can’t get enough data these days and will use any inth of data in a risk assessment.  There’s no social tie in yet with social networks but there are coupons there and online too, and we all know what coupons collect, data. 

Pepsi Game

Aetna and Humana though have better idea, they want you to plop your fanny down and play a Farmville type of game, now who’s wants to do that and yet one big oxymoron with trying to get folks to be healthier so you can’t believe everything you read today and maybe it’s just your data they really want as that’s big money selling it today as Walgreens said their data selling business was worth $800 million so see what the beverage folks are looking at too, maybe:)

Aetna To Offer Online Game Social Game For Personal Wellness- Joins Humana As They Have An Online Game Called FamScape

Here’s a nice idea to start a party: A bottle opener that connects with your Facebook and invites all of your friends, from the moment you crack a bottle!

Heineken: Bluetooth bottle opener | Creative Criminals

Technorati Tags: Heineken,Pepsi,vices for devices,soda,beer,Facebook,email,Aetna,Humana,advertising,blue tooth,data,privacy,marketing

The City of Asbestos In Canada Talks About the Safety of the Mineral They Mine and Export –Daily Show (Video)

I guess there really is a town in Quebec called Asbestos.  The Daily show does their usual routine but until recently the asbestos mine was the largest employer in the town.  The government of Quebec is still defending the industry and a recent newspaper article can be read here. 

For years, Canada and Quebec have been under pressure from scientists and health groups to stop exporting asbestos because of how its toxic elements are linked to cancer.  Most of Quebec's asbestos is exported to developing countries, notably in Asia.  Anyway watch the video and see for yourself here on how the town of Asbestos keeps producing asbestos in Canada.  BD 

Despite all the anti-asbestos propaganda, a Canadian blue-collar town promotes the relatively safe mineral.

The Daily Show - Ored to Death
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Despite all the anti-asbestos propaganda, a Canadian blue-collar town promotes the relatively safe mineral.

Ored to Death - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 05/12/11 - Video Clip | Comedy Central

Technorati Tags: Asbestos,Quebec,Ore,mineral,safety,mining,Canada,Daily Show

And Now A Word About “Redneck Telehealth” Brought to You by Skype and Microsoft

Well I don’t think anyone has missed the new of late with Microsoft buying Skype unless you happen to be living under a rock these days.  The good news with healthcare is now we have a new tool to share information with Skype!  If you are in health IT technology then you are more than fully aware of all the work and time that is presently going into the telehealth efforts, with getting software that can properly make a video connections and also allow for the doctor to properly document and have all of this be HIPAA compliant.  There are many programs of this type either in beta or just being tried currently in the healthcare system. 

Until such time that more “telehealth” communication software and devices come to the market and are available, the good news is we have “Redneck Telehealth” available today, courtesy of Microsoft and Skype!   There are no promises here of having any HIPAA compliance; however it sure can be awfully convenient to use when you want it. 

This notion all started out with a friend who had an outbreak of gout on his foot and was out of town and consulting with his doctor across the US and was ready to board a plane going overseas.  He had called his doctor who was not set up with any of the new telehealth programs and software that is just now becoming available so I said “get your doctor on Skype and put your foot up there for him to see”.  It makes sense to me as as you know with Skype you can easily create a conference video call and show your foot to anyone else who might care to see it too.  Obviously this is not a perfect situation for either side for a real diagnosis, but as the old saying goes a picture is worth a 1000 words and that’s what this would do. 

After finishing the call with the doctor, one could have a video foot conference if they wanted:)    Again this is not an official diagnosis process but it would be just the same as showing your mother, your friend and so forth a video picture of your foot.  At least via video it doesn’t stink either. 

If you were wanting to contact let’s say Mom and talk about your foot and she saw the big ugly toes on the screen, she would tell you to see your doctor as soon as possible as well as tell you to start taking better care of yourself, as that’s what Mom’s do best. 

I did ask Microsoft if they were thinking about doing anything with Skype as far as healthcare and/or HealthVault, and was told, yes they have their thinking caps on as they already have some of their own technologies in house, but realize too that Skype has had the market covered for a number of years and many already know how to use it.  Actually there are some applications in Skype where other companies have done some work already, like Nuance with their being a certified Skype partner so no worries now as Microsoft is more than certified, they own it:)

So for all of you out there who might need a visual or video for whatever your needs are, until we have certified a sophisticated HD telehealth tools out there in numbers, we have “Redneck Telehealth” at our fingertips at any time, again thanks to Microsoft and Skype!  BD

Technorati Tags: Skype,Microsoft,Redneck,telehealth,humor,dictation,video conferencing,healthcare,Health IT,HIPAA,MD,patients,Gout,Toe,HealthVault

Newt Gingrich Announcement–Jon Stewart Commentary About Using Twitter And History on Scamming Doctors for Money (Video)

He doesn’t get those algorithms:)  We know that for sure!  Everything we hear is back to the 70s, which is what makes this video from Jon Stewart so contagiously funny!  At the link below there’s another video that tells the whole story, so if you are a doctor and if these letters are still floating around out there, don’t touch and read the comments below from one doctor who commented about receiving one of them and how he feels Newt even scams HIMMS by showing up to talk:)

Newt Gingrich Scams Doctors With Fake Prize Awards That Costs $5000

“I got that invite! The scam even promises a free meal. I never got to the point where $5000 was requested, but the letter was enticing, making one feel important with the personal handwriting.
Newt is not only a con-artist, but he's a jerk. In the EMR world he is also scamming HIMSS by his support, getting heavy lobbying money which buys him an occasional key speakership roll in the yearly HIMSS bashes. Unfortunately, that eventually affects doctors by giving the EHR industry a backing from the Republican party too.”

American Solutions for Winning the Future is his fundraising group that creates money for Newt.  It will cost you $5000 if you are a doctor to get an invite and an award from Newt Gingrich.  It is funny in the video that they use the a handwriting computer font. 

The Daily Show - The NeverTrending Story
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If you want a little more history on the topic of healthcare algorithms and where he stands and his analytical power, one more link from the Quack archives below.  BD

Newt Gingrich Gets Healthcare Value Bass Ackwards–It’s All About Those Algorithms

Anyway if you read here often enough you know how I feel about those who don’t use any modern day intelligence and have no concept of Health IT infrastructure – FAIL!  John says using Twitter is not going to make young people like him and he is not “cool” <grin>.  The Twitter deal Jon says is not going to work for him as he is “square’.    After reading the comments on the doctor scam, it doesn’t look like they will like him either.  BD 

Cheap Soap Opera Political Antics Again With Newt Gingrich Suggesting to Force Kathleen Sebelius out of HHS And Other Extra Ordinary Tales of Non Participating Illiterates

Newt Gingrich launches his state-of-the-art presidential campaign in a Sears photo studio with Casio accompaniment.

The NeverTrending Story - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 05/12/11 - Video Clip | Comedy Central

Technorati Tags: Newt Gingrich,fund raising,$5000,doctors,awards,digital illiteracy,politics,doctor scam,President,Fail,algorithms,soap opera,Jon Stewart

Extormity Releases Personal Ad Supported EHR–Maximally Invasive-Tapping New Sources of Revenue for Cash Strapped Doctors

Well we have all heard of ad supported so now we have personal ad supported software:)  As far as being certified, the company said we’re not worried about that as it’s all about our revenue and match making for patients, it can make us social again.  BD 

Electronic health record vendor Extormity today announced the launch of "Maximally Invasive", an electronic health record system supported by personal ads. "Max represents a significant departure from our traditional client-server EHR designed to siphon practice revenues directly from customers," stated Extormity CEO Brantley Whittington.

"Since we have driven so many cash-strapped physicians into the arms of acquisition-hungry hospitals, we decided to launch an EHR that taps a new revenue stream."

Dr. Alan Kincaid, a family physician in Omaha, is an early adopter and fan of Max. "While ordering a CBC and a lipid panel, I simultaneously found a SWF AL SD who is into FTA - I'm not sure what that means but we are meeting for coffee next week," says Kincaid. "In just 8 hours, I used my new Extormity EHR to chart three physicals and a case of strep throat, and I used the ad module to find a handyman who does drywall repair, locate a remanufactured carburetor for a Porsche I'm restoring and purchase a first pressing of The Beatles Revolver album."

Maximally Invasive also enables clinicians to see context specific ads that benefit patients as encounters are documented. "I was able set up a date for one of our patients at-risk for diabetes with a fitness instructor who described himself as hot, healthy and into grueling workouts," added Kincaid. "According to my Extormity sales rep, this qualifies my practice as a medical home. The only real problem I have noticed is that the e-prescribing module defaults to a scrip for medical marijuana from a distributor in San Francisco."

Extormity CEO Whittington vigorously defended Maximally Invasive when asked if the presence of advertising in the EHR might be distracting to clinicians. "Our labor intensive EHR turns cognitive thinkers into clerical functionaries. As ads pop up frequently, it gives physicians something interesting to read while typing instead of listening to boring patients incessantly drone on about health problems." When also asked if Maximally Invasive will be ONC-ATCB and CCHIT certified, he expressed surprise, saying, "This is about our earnings and ad revenues, not the alphabet."

About Extormity
Extormity is an electronic health records mega-corporation dedicated to offering highly proprietary, difficult to customize and prohibitively expensive healthcare IT solutions. Our flagship product, the Extormity EMR Software Suite, was recently voted “Most Complex” by readers of a leading healthcare industry publication. Learn more at www.extormity.com

Technorati Tags: EHR,Extormity,humor,ONC,medical records,spoof,meaningful use,Seedie,Upcoding,billing,Health IT