Chair of Panel Setting Joint Commission Standards on Smoking Cessation for Hospitals is Financially Conflicted

[rothenbj]

Dr Siegel's blog may be of interest to anyone that doesn't follow his posts regularly.

Testing for nicotine usage on being admitted to a hospital is being proposed as a standard, as well as "treatment" during the stay and requiring that every patient be prescribed an FDA-approved smoking cessation drug upon discharge.

What is most disturbing from my reading the blog is that

The panel chair is Dr. Michael Fiore, who is currently receiving grant funding from Nabi Pharmaceuticals, which has a smoking cessation drug in the late stages of development. The drug is a nicotine vaccine which has been given fast track status by the FDA "for use as a therapeutic for smoking cessation."

Now my experience in hospital settings is a bit limited, but I don't recall them asking the patient if it's okay to give them the medicine that's been prescribed. Could a doctor unilaterally decide that his nicotine using patients needed the vaccination?

We've discussed the potential dangers of NicVAX in the past, but this move is very nefarious looking. Someone tell me I'm reading too much into it.

 

[Vap0rJay]

Dr Siegel's blog may be of interest to anyone that doesn't follow his posts regularly.

Testing for nicotine usage on being admitted to a hospital is being proposed as a standard, as well as "treatment" during the stay and requiring that every patient be prescribed an FDA-approved smoking cessation drug upon discharge.

What is most disturbing from my reading the blog is that



Now my experience in hospital settings is a bit limited, but I don't recall them asking the patient if it's okay to give them the medicine that's been prescribed. Could a doctor unilaterally decide that his nicotine using patients needed the vaccination?

We've discussed the potential dangers of NicVAX in the past, but this move is very nefarious looking. Someone tell me I'm reading too much into it.

I have had... medical issues in the past. I do not do well w/ needles, and have actually even slugged a few Dr's/Nurses in the past out of sheer reflex and/or for missing veins. I tell you this -- even when I HAVE to give blood, I tell them they have one shot and if you miss... ima gonna stick you (pulls out sewing needle) right back and wiggle it around a bit too. I've had both Drs and Nurses walk out on me because of it. I DO NOT do needles well @ all.

That being said, let them try to stick me vs my will -- that needle isn't going anywhere but right into the wielder. Think im playing..............

 

[MoonRose]

I refuse to be assimulated into the collective of what is fast becoming a very "Borg" like society. Smacks too much of the atrocities inflicted on people in the German concentration camps.

 

[Vocalek]

I have to wonder if the hospitals will be ready for the slew of law suits brought against them by the former smokers who receive the vaccine and now have apparently permanent impairments in their mood and cognitive abilities. It should not take long for someone to notice that what all these impaired former patients have in common was being given the vaccine.

Of course these impairments are not directly caused by the vaccine, but by the nicotine abstinence syndrome brought on by having been given the vaccine. Since the hospital stongly recommended and administered the vaccine, they would be liable. The manufacturer, too, will be sued, but they have deeper pockets than local hospitals. The manufacturer could also argue that they didn't force anyone to take the vaccine; they merely made it available.

 

[Stubby]

I thought I had heard of a failed phase III trial. A bit of searching brought this up from Wikipedia

In July 2011 the first of two planned phase III trials for NicVAX failed [1], sending the market capitalization of NABI Biopharmaceuticals to below the value of its cash holdings.

I haven't heard much since then

This is also of interest

NicVAX - Nicotine Conjugate Vaccine to prevent and treat nicotine addiction

In December 2008, we reached agreement with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on a Special Protocol Assessment for pivotal Phase III clinical trials. The Special Protocol Assessment is a process by which sponsors and the FDA agree on the design and size of clinical trials. It is intended to form the basic foundation to support approval of a New Drug Application. We also received scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in June 2009 regarding requirements for marketing authorization submission as it relates to the appropriate design of Phase III trials and safety data base. This advice helps to ensure the performance of appropriate clinical studies so that no major objections regarding trial design are likely to be raised during evaluation of the marketing authorization application. EMEA is responsible for the scientific evaluation of applications for European marketing authorization for medicinal products.


In September 2009, we received a $10 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, to further support the continued development of NicVAX, and we initiated the first of two pivotal Phase III trials in November 2009.

The smoking cessation Rx market is young and growing. Datamonitor estimates that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11% and will reach approximately $3.8 billion by 2018. Datamonitor forecasts that nicotine vaccines will account for $2.1 billion of these sales.

Let's hope that never happens. There sure is lots of money being passed around.

As others have stated, this may make Chantix look like a Sunday picnic. As bad as Chantix is at least when you quit you can go back to smoking (likely with a vengeance). With the vaccine, nicotine would be completely unavailable to the system. Of course for those self-medicating with tobacco/nicotine that's a disaster. The really scary part is what could be done to the mentally ill who tend to be very heavy smokers. What happens when clueless doctors advise this for there patients, or worse when institutions mandate its use. The potential harm of a nicotine vaccine is a bit overwhelming.

 

[rothenbj]

I refuse to be assimulated into the collective of what is fast becoming a very "Borg" like society. Smacks too much of the atrocities inflicted on people in the German concentration camps.

I wouldn't go that far, but I would say the brainwashing and mass hysteria that led to the concentration camps is certainly there. The herd effect desired by social engineers is in place, but there certainly still is time to squelch it.

 

[rothenbj]

They're still working on it, probably trying to figure out the why it worked for some and not for others. Then you can recruit appropriate candidates for the next trial. They may have to partner with a major pharma company that knows the game.

 

[house mouse]

I have had... medical issues in the past. I do not do well w/ needles, and have actually even slugged a few Dr's/Nurses in the past out of sheer reflex and/or for missing veins. I tell you this -- even when I HAVE to give blood, I tell them they have one shot and if you miss... ima gonna stick you (pulls out sewing needle) right back and wiggle it around a bit too. I've had both Drs and Nurses walk out on me because of it. I DO NOT do needles well @ all.

That being said, let them try to stick me vs my will -- that needle isn't going anywhere but right into the wielder. Think im playing..............

1. Hospitals do NOT treat patients against their will. Nor do they administer vaccines without informed consent. This is simply saying they will offer it to you. If you say no, they stop. To do otherwise is legally considered battery/assault.

2. If you, the patient, strikes a nurse or Dr. while they are performing duties you have consented to that is also legally battery/assault and believe it or not in this state threatening to harm someone is considered terroristic threatening. At my hospital the type of behavior you are describing will result in you being escorted to jail by the local police department, charges being pressed, court dates and fines. Just say no. Keep yourself out of the pokey.

 

[Vap0rJay]

1. Hospitals do NOT treat patients against their will. Nor do they administer vaccines without informed consent. This is simply saying they will offer it to you. If you say no, they stop. To do otherwise is legally considered battery/assault.

2. If you, the patient, strikes a nurse or Dr. while they are performing duties you have consented to that is also legally battery/assault and believe it or not in this state threatening to harm someone is considered terroristic threatening. At my hospital the type of behavior you are describing will result in you being escorted to jail by the local police department, charges being pressed, court dates and fines. Just say no. Keep yourself out of the pokey.

Then I've been lucky thats all i can say.

 

[Longhorn RN]

"Thus, NicVAX is projected to be the most prescribed smoking cessation medication and the drug to benefit most from the Joint Commission panel's recommendation that every smoking patient leave the hospital with a smoking cessation drug prescription in hand. In fact, giving patients the nicotine vaccine prior to discharge will become the easiest way for hospitals to meet the Joint Commission panel's standards."

Notice that this as well as JCAHO, etc that a smoker must be given/leave the hospital with a prescription in hand. This is to cover their tails because insurance companies put pressure on them by denying reimbursement if the tobacco addiction isn't addressed. It needs to be addressed and offered because many people don't know that their insurance may cover smoking cessation.

NO ONE can make you take a prescription against your will but it must always be offered and made available.

Mental health hopsitals cannot make a patient take medication and they never will be able to enforce it.

Crazy or sane you decide! those articles are little far fetched and I don't agree with him saying physicians will lose their autonomy...what a joke...this smoking cessation guideline is just like screening people for high blood pressure...either takes meds, lose weight, change your diet, etc.

 

[Vocalek]

Doctors tend sometimes to look at each issue in isolation. My blood pressure was not high, but running borderline, and the doctor wanted me to take a diuretic, Hydrochlorothiazide. I declined, because this drug can raise blood glucose levels, and I am also borderline diabetic. I'd rather fight the BP issue by exercise and losing weight than by speeding along becoming a full-fledged diabetic.