Re: FW: Cytotec
From: art fougner, md (evsono@pipeline.com)
Mon Sep 25 09:02:16 2000
Amen! and score one for Ob-Gyn-L collectively as well.
art
At Mon, 25 Sep 2000, Luis Sanchez-Ramos, MD wrote:
>
>Great job, Rick. You should be proud of your accomplishment.
>
>LSR
>
>At Mon, 25 Sep 2000, Richard Chudacoff, MD wrote:
>>
>>This is from the District VII Junior Fellowship Chair
>>
>>Rick
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Ted L Anderson, MD, PhD [mailto:t.anderson@nashville.com]
>>Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2000 6:25 PM
>>To: Richard Chudacoff, MD
>>Subject: Re: Cytotec
>>
>>Dr. Rick,
>>
>>I spoke with Dr. Al Strunk (ACOG VP for Practice Affairs) and Dr Benson
>>Harer (current ACOG President) this weekend during the ACOG District VI
>>meeting we all attended. They expressed considerable dismay that Searle
>>broke from the tradition of virtually all pharmaceutical companies by not
>>discussing practice issues with the physicians affected. Of note,
>>together with Dr Stanley Zinsberg (ACOG VP for Education), they essentially
>>petitioned the FDA to "encourage" Searle to enter into dialogues with ACOG,
>>which has begun.
>>
>>You will be pleased to know that ACOG is coming out with an endorsement of
>>the continued use of misoprostil (Cytotec) for labor induction, which will
>>appear in the upcoming issue of ACOG Today and reference the ACOG bulletins
>>that already endorse its use. It is probable that Searle will subsequently
>>circulate a letter that "modifies" its prior position with respect to this
>>use of cytotec, as a result of ongoing "discussion" with ACOG.
>>
>>ACOG has taken this issue seriously and acted expeditiously. Thank you for
>>forwarding your concerns. I am happy to convey this positive outcome to
>>you.
>>
>>Ted
>>
>>At 09:08 AM 9/21/00 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>>Thanks for the quick response. Let me know if I can do anything.
>>
>>Rick
>>
>>Richard Chudacoff, MD
>>
>>Chudacoff Obstetrics & Gynecology, PLLC
>>
>>**********************************************************************
>>
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>>--
>>**********************************************************************
>>Neither the confidentiality nor the integrity of this message
>>**********************************************************************
>>
>>can be guaranteed following transmission on the Internet.
>>
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>>
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>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Ted L Anderson, MD, PhD [ mailto:t.anderson@nashville.com]
>>Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 7:24 PM
>>To: Richard Chudacoff, MD
>>Subject: Re: Cytotec
>>
>>Richard,
>>Thanks for your note. I agree with your sentiments. I will certainly bring
>>this up at the advisory council meetings
>>
>>Ted
>>
>>At 05:28 PM 9/20/00 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>>Ted L. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D.
>>
>>ACOG District VII Junior Fellow Chair
>>
>>2222 State Street, Suite A
>>
>>Nashville, TN 37203
>>
>>Dear Dr. Anderson
>>
>>By now you have read, like thousands of other Obstetricians and
>>Gynecologists in our country, the letter from Searle regarding the use of
>>Cytotec (Misoprostol) for induction of labor. Never before has a drug
>>company come out with such a negative letter against a medication that,
>>while being used off label, has such overwhelming evidence for its safety
>>and effectiveness. Even our own American College of Obstetricians and
>>Gynecologists endorsed its use in both a Committee Opinion and Practice
>>Bulletin in the November 1999 green journal.
>>
>>Today the Risk Management Department and the Perinatal Division at the main
>>hospital I deliver have placed a moratorium on the use of this cost
>>effective and therapeutically effective medication, until further notice,
>>forcing me to abandon a method of induction I feel comfortable with, and
>>will result in increasing my cesarean section rate.
>>
>>As District Chairman I plead with you to contact ACOG, that they may issue a
>>rebuttal letter to Searle, advocating the continued use of Cytotec for labor
>>inductions, for the benefit of our patients. If not, this therapeutic option
>>will go the way of Bendictin, where we saw a dramatic increase in
>>hospitalizations for hyperemesis once it was wrongly pulled from the market.
>>We still do not have as safe and as effective medication for hyperemesis as
>>we did in that safe, Category A medication. If we lose this battle, what
>>will we lose next? Terbutaline and Indomethacin for preterm labor? Nitrates
>>for uterine tetany?
>>
>>Now is the time to take a stand for our patients, rather than cower in the
>>shadow of legal manipulation. At some point we physicians need to stand up
>>for ourselves; to do what is right by and for our patients; and not recoil
>>under another rock by the cover-your-ass fervor that overwhelms our
>>practices today. Again, I plead with you to help us clinicians recover our
>>right to use Cytotec for induction of labor.
>>
>>If there is anything I can do to facilitate this request to the leadership
>>at ACOG, please do not hesitate to contact me without delay.
>>
>>Respectfully yours.
>>
>>Richard Chudacoff, MD
>>
>>Chudacoff Obstetrics & Gynecology, PLLC
>>
>>15200 Southwest Freeway, #270
>>
>>Sugar Land, TX 77478
>>
>>Tel: 281-277-3900
>>
>>Fax: 281-277-3901
>>
>>CC. Junior Fellow Board
>>
>>rchudacoff@mylinuxisp.com <mailto:rchudacoff@mylinuxisp.com>
>>
>>Richard.Chudacoff@obgyn.net
>>
>>**********************************************************************
>>
>>**********************************************************************
>>--
>>**********************************************************************
>>Neither the confidentiality nor the integrity of this message
>>**********************************************************************
>>
>>can be guaranteed following transmission on the Internet.
>>
>>**********************************************************************
>>
>>**********************************************************************
>>**********************************************************************
>>
--
art fougner, md
A series of 1000 cases begins with but a single anecdote.
