4 ms·

Unfortunately, that does work in most cases. I'm curious what the success rates would be if all zithromax (?) prescriptions were replaced with sugar pills. I've

by douche 10y ago

Unfortunately, that does work in most cases. I'm curious what the success rates would be if all zithromax (?) prescriptions were replaced with sugar pills. I've gotten that drug many times for what may or may not have been strep or bronchitis.

Fomite 10y ago
There is actually a company doing this. They were handing out samples at IDWeek. It's called the "ZeePack" or something of the sort (a play on the the azithromycin/zithromax 'Z-Pak') and is essentially vitamins and herbal supplements you can give to cold patients so they feel like they have been given something.
rscho 10y ago
The "success" rate would still be very high, as most people would surmount the infection. However, the "failure" rate (people dying) would be much higher as well... I am sure you can see that would be an ethical and practical problem. Where would you put the "safety" cutoff of not giving zithromax?
- douche 10y ago
  Really, what are the rates on people dying from tier 1 infections like that
  - rscho 10y ago
    https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4829a1.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4829a1.htm That kind of rates. In the 1918 influenza pandemics for example, many people died of a bacterial pneumonia following the flu infection. So you see, the impact of "1-tier" infections is very real without antibiotics. EDIT: by all means, downvoters, make your point explicit!
fuzzfactor 10y ago
Perhaps healthier hearts? http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm341822.htm http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm341822.htm Seems like one of the primary features of this antibiotic was to have a chemical that was new at the time, so patent protection could be enjoyed from that point forward. Different features can have different priorities at different times, sometimes there's nothing "engineering" can do about it, it's a marketing thing. Wherever cardiac health might fall on the priorities list, it's probably not way up there for this compound. disclaimer: haven't worked for a drug producer since I was first out of college

by douche 10y ago

Fomite 10y ago

There is actually a company doing this. They were handing out samples at IDWeek. It's called the "ZeePack" or something of the sort (a play on the the azithromycin/zithromax 'Z-Pak') and is essentially vitamins and herbal supplements you can give to cold patients so they feel like they have been given something.

rscho 10y ago

The "success" rate would still be very high, as most people would surmount the infection. However, the "failure" rate (people dying) would be much higher as well... I am sure you can see that would be an ethical and practical problem. Where would you put the "safety" cutoff of not giving zithromax?

douche 10y ago
Really, what are the rates on people dying from tier 1 infections like that
- rscho 10y ago
  https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4829a1.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4829a1.htm That kind of rates. In the 1918 influenza pandemics for example, many people died of a bacterial pneumonia following the flu infection. So you see, the impact of "1-tier" infections is very real without antibiotics. EDIT: by all means, downvoters, make your point explicit!

fuzzfactor 10y ago

Perhaps healthier hearts? http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm341822.htm http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm341822.htm Seems like one of the primary features of this antibiotic was to have a chemical that was new at the time, so patent protection could be enjoyed from that point forward. Different features can have different priorities at different times, sometimes there's nothing "engineering" can do about it, it's a marketing thing. Wherever cardiac health might fall on the priorities list, it's probably not way up there for this compound. disclaimer: haven't worked for a drug producer since I was first out of college