Drugwatch Podcast: Recent Episodes
Michelle Llamas
Listen to health care professionals share their expertise and tips to help you live a better life. Formerly known as Drugwatch Radio, the podcast also features the personal stories of everyday men and women who suffered life-changing side effects from drugs and devices.
It’s no surprise that the public hates Big Pharma. They rank just under the government on most Americans’ despised institution list.
The public cites high drug prices and a lack of transparency with data from clinical trials as the reason why drug companies are so unlikable.
Gunjan Bhardwaj CEO of Innoplexus is my guest on this episode of the Drugwatch Podcast. Innoplexus uses artificial intelligence to gather and organize data across a variety of industries, including pharma.
About half of men who are 50 or older suffer from male-pattern baldness. Some men may even start losing their hair in their 20s.
Merck introduced Propecia (finasteride) to treat hair loss in 1997. It was an instant hit. Nearly half a million men filled prescriptions for it within a year if its release.
But what Merck didn’t tell men was that the drug could cause permanent side effects. These include sexual, mental and hormonal problems.
Mo, a Propecia victim from California, is my guest on this Drugwatch Podcast.
Filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Herdy join me on this episode of Drugwatch Podcast. Dick and Herdy are two of the creative forces behind Netflix’s original documentary The Bleeding Edge.
The film does a deep dive into the powerful medical device industry. It highlights the lack of regulation and testing of medical devices.
Medical device safety advocate Angie Firmalino joins me on this episode of the Drugwatch Podcast. She is the founder of Essure Problems, a support group for women injured by Essure birth control.
The group started out as a way for Firmalino to warn family and friends about a dangerous device. Now, it is a global movement.
The original Facebook group has more than 36,000 members. They call themselves the E-Sisters.
The E-Sisters have been instrumental in getting a warning and patient checklist added to Essure packaging. They have also gotten Congress members to sponsor medical device safety bills.
Firmalino also appears in a Netflix documentary called The Bleeding Edge. The film highlights the dark side of the medical device industry and the victims of untested devices.
In this episode, Firmalino shares the experience of turning her Essure tragedy into a force for change.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines such as Gardasil and Cervarix to prevent cervical cancer and other related diseases. Children as young as 9 years old may get the vaccine. The most current formula of the vaccine requires a series of two doses. The HPV vaccine is very safe, and research shows the benefit outweighs the risk of complications, according to the CDC.
But, some controversy remains. There are parents and health care workers who are not convinced of the government’s safety figures. Some parents have even contacted Drugwatch to share their stories about rare, crippling side effects after receiving Gardasil.
Because of a law that took effect in the 1980s, people injured by certain vaccines cannot sue drug companies. Instead, they must apply for compensation through a government program called the National Vaccination Injury Compensation Program (VICP).
On this episode of the Drugwatch Podcast, our guest is former nurse Deborah “Devi” Jennings.
February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. Each day, 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease — that’s about one death every 38 seconds.
What people may not know is that some prescription heartburn drugs like Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid can increase the risk of heart problems. These drugs are called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
About 15 million Americans take PPIs each year — potentially putting themselves at risk for heart problems.
In this Drugwatch Podcast, holistic health practitioner and Drugwatch expert Rebecca Montrone explains how PPIs may cause heart problems and other side effects.
My guest on this episode of Drugwatch Podcast is award-winning investigative journalist Jeanne Lenzer. She has appeared in and written for media outlets and journals, including The New York Times, The Atlantic and the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
It’s National Influenza Vaccination Week, and the 2017-2018 flu season has officially started.
On this episode of the Drugwatch Podcast, Dr. Cammy Benton of Benton Integrative Medicine in North Carolina talks about the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine.
On this episode of the Drugwatch Podcast, Dr. E. Scott Sills discusses his book Essureal Journey: Concepts, Concerns and Considerations for Hysteroscopic Sterilization. Nova Science Publishers released the 155-page book in July 2017. The book, edited by Sills, features chapters written by a woman who had Essure implanted, an adverse-event data analyst, doctors and lawyers.
Jerry Conway joins me on this episode of Drugwatch Podcast. Prior to taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics Cipro and Levaquin, he was an active, fit 57-year-old man with a good career. But, after he suffered an aortic dissection, he lost everything.
Urogynecologist Dr. Christopher Walker discusses complications from transvaginal mesh implants, what to expect after revision surgery and alternatives to mesh for treating pelvic organ prolapse or incontinence.
Patient advocate Joyce Peterson has spoken to hundreds of people affected by defective hip implants. She talks about complications that can occur from metal-on-metal hips and treatment options.
After Teresa Sawyer received a transvaginal mesh implant for incontinence, she suffered a number of serious complications. She and her husband David founded TVT-NO!, an advocacy group dedicated to informing women about the risks of mesh implants. The Sawyers talk about what it is like to live with mesh.
Physical therapist Amy Robinson of Clear Passage Physical Therapy talks about pelvic floor physical therapy and how it can help women dealing with pain before and after transvaginal mesh removal surgery.
Dr. Bert J. Thomas, chief of Joint Replacement Service at UCLA Medical Center, discusses hip replacement surgery, the advancements in implant design and complications caused by metal-on-metal implants.
Lisa McGiffert of Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project talks about medical device safety and why implants such as hips and knees should come with warranties. This is part one of two in a series.
Lisa McGiffert of Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project talks about medical device safety and why implants such as hips and knees should come with warranties. This is part two of two in a series.
Transvaginal mesh survivor Christy Hammond shares her personal experience with mesh implants. After receiving mesh surgery to prevent urinary incontinence after hysterectomy, the mesh damaged her organs, caused severe pain and damaged her nerves. She warns other women to be informed consumers and talks about lawsuits against manufacturers. Part one in a two part series.
Transvaginal mesh survivor Christy Hammond shares her personal experience with mesh implants. After receiving mesh surgery to prevent urinary incontinence after hysterectomy, the mesh damaged her organs, caused severe pain and damaged her nerves. She warns other women to be informed consumers and talks about lawsuits against manufacturers. Part two in a two part series.
Hip implant lawyer G. Sean Jez of Fleming, Nolen and Jez talks about what happens when a hip implant fails because of manufacturer negligence. Jez discusses the lawsuit process.
Dr. Michael Carome, director of the Health Research Group (HRG) at the public advocacy group Public Citizen, talks about the dangers of diabetes drugs and hip implants. He also touches on the regulations of the FDA and Obamacare. Part one in a two part series.
Dr. Michael Carome, director of the Health Research Group (HRG) at the public advocacy group Public Citizen, talks about doctors' independence, the FDA and Obamacare. Part two in a two part series.
Dr. Sidney Wolfe, founder of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, warns men about the dangers of testosterone replacement drugs such as Abbvie’s AndroGel. According to research, testosterone drugs may increase the risk for stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular issues.
TreatmentDiaries.com founder Amy Ohm created the website after she received a melanoma diagnosis. The site allows patients to share their stories and support each other while keeping their information private.
Teresa Sawyer suffered serious complications after her doctor used a transvaginal mesh sling to repair a leaky bladder. Her experience gave her and her husband David the motivation to advocate for other women who received mesh.
Just four years after long-distance truck driver Don Dupuis received a Wright Conserve hip implant, it failed, causing his femur to break. In addition to pain and weakness in his leg, he is now permanently disabled. He warns others to do their research before getting a hip replacement.
Estelle Tasz describes the physical and emotional complications she suffered after receiving transvaginal mesh to repair a prolapsed bladder. The side effects Tasz suffered include chronic infections, serious bleeding, severe pain and a blocked bladder. She advises other women to do their research and not to give up on getting a proper diagnosis.
Dr. Alexander Bingham, a licensed clinical psychologist, talks about what he calls “psychological distress” and offers alternatives to pharmaceutical treatment. He discusses the findings of his extensive research on the popular drug Prozac and how studies lack data to show it is effective.
Dr. Christopher Walker talks about how power morcellators, transvaginal mesh and Mirena IUD can cause serious injury to women. He discusses treatment options for women suffering complications including mesh erosion, IUD organ perforation and power morcellator worsening of undiagnosed uterine cancer.
Carole Herman, the founder of the Foundation Aiding the Elderly (FATE), tells people how to spot signs of nursing home abuse and neglect what they can do to stop it.
Caregiving expert Elaine Sanchez talks about how to identify and avoid nursing home and elder abuse. She also provides caregiving tips to people caring for elderly or disabled loved ones.
Attorney Ellen Relkin talks about Xarelto blood thinner complications and why people are filing lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer.
Dr. E. Scott Sills talks about Essure birth control device complications and Essure removal surgery.
Physician’s assistant and patient advocate Sarah Salem-Robinson talks about the dangers of power morcellators. She shares her experience with the diagnosis and treatment of leiomyosarcoma that spread after she had surgery with a morcellator.