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‘Fat stigma’ goes global but the United States fights the trend (Morning Read)

Read current medical news from today, including: research on the global fat stigma (and how the United States is tolerant), J&J drug recalls force a reorganization, Novo Nordisk oversteps with its diabetes drug, and the FDA Makena backlash.

By Chris Seper on March 31, 2011 8:27 am

Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about the healthcare industry.

Global ‘fat stigma.’ Big is not beautiful anywhere in the world anymore – even in countries that used to view large body sizes positively, according to new research. Of the countries in the survey – Samoa, Mexico, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, the United States, Tanzania, Iceland, Argentina, Puerto Rico and New Zealand – the one most tolerant of obesity was the United States.

FDA Kavena backlash. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has moved on earlier criticism of the K-V Pharmaceutical price hikes on Makena: essentially allowing specialty pharmacies to make an end run around the K-V drug and make their own versions.

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Evil. Big. Healthcare. Here’s a breakdown of the latest journal article asserting healthcare in the United States is “now is driven by the priorities of large organizations whose interests at best may disregard and at worst may conflict with providing the best possible care for individual patients.”

J&J revamp after recall. JNJ will make its over-the-counter business a separate company in the wake of $900 million in product recalls in 2010.

Novo Nordisk overreached. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has said Novo violated industry codes while promoting its diabetes drug Victoza: promoting the drug before it was approved and distributing bad information about the medication.