Russia takes action against Viagra Spammers

Russia which is usually a safe haven for spammers has taken unprecedented action against an alleged spammer by bringing forward a criminal case against him.

Igor Gusev, the general director of Despmedia is being accused of sending out emails advertising Viagra. Despmedia is a partner of the Russian pill pusher Glavmed, which authorities allege managed to rake in $120 million over the last three and a half years by flogging pills over the Internet.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that a case had been opened against a major spammer, though she declined to name the accused. Gusev's lawyer has confirmed that his client has been fingered and, doing his best to earn his fees, told Reuters that his client was innocent.

The Russian daily Kommersant reports that Gusev is actually being accused ofrunning a business without the required registration.

Moscow police raided Gusev's residence on Tuesday, though one wonders whether accessing his email server and finding emails advertising Viagra will be conclusive evidence.

For a number of years Russia has been seen as a major source and safe haven for spammers. Now it seems the authorities are taking action, even if they have to use various corporation laws to reach them.

Regardless of how the authorities decide to play this, Gusev, just like the Viagra advertisements claim, will likely have a hard time.

Pfizer buys into Brazilian drug maker Teuto

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said Wednesday it has bought 40% of Brazilian drug company Teuto for 238 million dollars as part of its strategy to boost its presence in emerging markets.

The purchase could lead to the 100-percent acquisition of Teuto in 2014, it said in a statement.

The 40-percent stake "allows Pfizer to increase its participation in Brazil's pharmaceutical market," the head of Pfizer Brazil, Victor Mezei, said in the statement.

He explained that the deal could result in Teuto producing generic versions of Pfizer medicines, and Pfizer using Teuto products in its output.

Pfizer is the world's second-biggest pharmaceutical company in the world after US rival Johnson & Johnson, according to Fortune magazine.

The maker of Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction and Lipitor to lower cholesterol, it had 2009 revenues of 50 billion dollars and profits of 8.6 billion dollars.

Pfizer Brazil generated 703 million dollars in revenues last year.

I can only speculate on the reason why Pfizer has ploughed 238 million dollars into a Brazilian pharmaceutical company is because Pfizer still don't have the trade mark on Viagra in Brazil and this move could be a step in the right direction in getting that.

Herbal slimming pill could be Viagra for women

A large number of women who have taken an herbal weight loss drug called Vita-Lean

Have reported an increase in there sexual desire of up to 90%, much the same way as

Viagra works.

The Metro newspaper reports on a lady called Sarah Marshall who said she took Vita-Lean to lose weight ‘and managed to lose a stone in under a month’. ‘But she noticed a side-effect in so far as it’s restored my sex life to the full.

It is believed a key natural ingredient; Irvingia Gabonensis – an extract of the African mango, eaten for its health benefits – could be responsible. A tea-based infusion of the extract has been used for centuries in Africa as an aphrodisiac.

Richard Wylie, the managing director of Vitagetics, the product’s British distributor, stressed the ‘side effect’ was harmless.

‘To a large extent, it could be a placebo but, nevertheless, could benefit many relationships,’ he added.

Vita-Lean promises to help women drop a dress size in just three weeks by tricking the body’s metabolism into staying active. The pill – already a hit in the US – is available online and does not need a prescription.

Armenian crime boss arrested in U.S.

A large network of Armenian criminals and their associates used phantom health care clinics and other means, cheating Medicare out of $163 million, various US news papers have reported.

The operation was under the protection of an Armenian criminal boss Armen Kazaryan, who lived in Los Angeles.

Over 73 people were charged by federal prosecutors in New York. Most of the defendants were captured during raids in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as in New Mexico, Georgia and Ohio.

Kazaryan and two alleged ringleaders-Davit Mirzoyan, 34 and Robert Terdjanyan, 35 were named in an indictment charging bank fraud, money laundering and racketeering conspiracy. They are charged with being involved in stolen credit cards, untaxed cigarettes and counterfeit Viagra.

Viagra helps woman to have first baby

A recent story in the Times of India has reported on a lady called Poonkudi who

was having health difficulties whilst pregnant. In the 24th week of Poonkudi's pregnancy 

Viagra was given due to rising blood pressure complications which was endangering the

life of the unborn child.

Her doctors at Jaslok Hospital said if she managed to deliver a live child after four ill-fated pregnancies, it was Viagra that deserved a pat on the back.

Poonkudi's story began over six months ago. The 27-year-old wife of an electrician came to gynaecologist Dr Sudeshna Ray on the recommendation of a parish friend. "At 221/150, her blood pressure was high when she came to us at three-and-a-half months of pregnancy,'' said Dr Ray. Almost immediately the rush to keep the pregnancy going began: Poonkudi was confined to hospital, with round-the-clock monitoring and tests.

A detailed examination revealed her problem—a narrowed right renal artery that was causing blood pressure to build up.

According to Dr Bahadur, every known anti-hypertensive drug was prescribed to Poonkudi in over the usual dosage. A procedure to put a stent in the shrunken artery was abandoned, as it was found to be unfeasible. That is when Dr Bahadur drew upon his previous experience with sildenafil.

Thus, in the 24th week of Poonkudi's pregnancy, sildenafil was started in double the usually recommended dosage, said Dr Bahadur. "We then managed to get her pressure down to acceptable limits,'' he added. It still wasn't smooth sailing; resident doctors and nurses were worried throughout Poonkudi's four-month hospital stay about a possible convulsion brought on by the rising pressure.

Said Dr Ray, "We had to do extensive research using journals, we talked to experts abroad to ascertain the dosages and we were worried about the child's condition in her mother's womb.'' To ensure that she didn't have pre-eclampsia (very high blood pressure with high protein in urine that needs urgent Caesarean section), weekly Doppler and sonography checks were done.

In the 29th week, the daily Doppler test showed high resistance in blood flow patterns. "So within 24 hours, we operated, and her daughter, weighing just 940 grams, was born,'' she added.

Meds for pets - Viagra now treats dogs heart problems!

Could a famous drug from pharmaceutical giants Pfizer made for man work for man's best friend?

Surprisingly, Viagra is used to treat ailments other than the main thing it is known for erectile dysfunction, including now, heart problems in dogs.

Let’s look at 14-year-old Duchess.  Like Most Airedale Terriers, she is fun, playful, and loves her treats.  Except the treat she gets is Viagra - specifically, a beef flavoured, liquid version of the familiar impotence pill.

"My initial thought was, 'How is that going to help our dog?'" said Duchess' owner, Lauren Blanchard.

But Blanchard says the medicine saved her dogs life.

"She had fluid in her built up everywhere, her heart was failing and the doctor told us it was pulmonary hypertension," Blanchard said.

Veterinarian Lorie Hitchcock has used Viagra to treat dogs suffering from pulmonary hypertension for years.  The drug stabilizes blood pressure.

Sometimes, she said, pet owners even want the drug for themselves…for other reasons.

"I actually had an owner when we prescribed Viagra for the pet go and talk to the doctor about getting a prescription so they could put it on their prescription plan," she said.

But for Duchess, Viagra is a lifesaver.

"Anything to save her," Blanchard said. "We would do anything." 

Vets say Viagra can also be used to treat heartworms in dogs.  And although it does not have the same side effects in our pets, even humans have been treated for pulmonary hypertension using the drug.

Boehringer stops Female Viagra drug After FDA's Safety report

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH abandoned development of its female Viagra like drug “flibanserin” after the FDA said the pill wasn’t proven to be safe and effective enough to be given to the public.

Boehringer is still convinced flibanserin would have helped women, Chief Executive OfficerAndreas Barner said in an e- mailed statement today. “The decision was not made lightly, considering the advanced stage of development,” he said.

Flibanserin showed promise a year ago with late-stage test results indicating women who took it wanted -- and had -- more sex. Questions arose later about whether its effect was big enough to outweigh potential side effects, including depression, anxiety and fatigue. The FDA panel voted unanimously in June against backing the drug after a review.

The decision by Boehringer, based in the German town of Ingelheim, is the latest in a series of failures by drugmakers to influence women’s libidos. Pfizer Inc. abandoned efforts to adapt Viagra for women in 2004, while Procter & Gamble Co. failed to win regulators’ backing for a testosterone patch.

Libido drugs for women may create an annual market of at least $2 billion, BioSante Pharmaceuticals Inc. has estimated.

Boehringer, the world’s biggest family-owned drugmaker, had said flibanserin would drive growth as its prostate drug Flomax and Parkinson’s therapy Mirapex lose patent protection.

The drugmaker said it will still complete the two most advanced patient studies under way with flibanserin, while other research resources will be reallocated to stroke prevention, diabetes and oncology.

Bayer to develop sex drug for older women

German pharmaceutical company Bayer has penned a deal with Quebec's EndoCeutics to develop a new treatment for post-menopausal women experiencing vaginal atrophy that can lead to sexual dysfunction.

The future treatment -- provisionally named Vaginorm -- will boost the steroid DHEA in women's bodies; DHEA levels go lower naturally as people age.

In women's case, that can mean vaginal tissues change somewhat and become drier, which can lead to painful sexual intercourse.

The deal covers the Phase III clinical development of the product and bringing it to market. It could mean as much as 330 million dollars in research spending for Canada, the companies said in a statement.

With the baby boomer generation nearing retirement age, pharmaceutical companies are keen to find an illusive treatment for sexual dysfunction in older women to match the success of Viagra and other drugs for their male counterparts.

EndoCeutics said it hoped to improve the quality of life of some 360 million women worldwide aged 50 or older who it said have vaginal atrophy or dryness.

A 'wafer' that melts on the tongue could be the new way to help impotent men.

The wafer, which is similar to breath freshener strips sold in sweet shops, appears to work quicker than Viagra and contains the same active ingredients as other erectile dysfunction medication, but in smaller molecules, reports the Daily Mail.

Drugs such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra take around 30 minutes to an hour to work, and some times that delay has proved a passion-killer for many couples.

The wafer, on the other hand, released similar amounts of medicine into the bloodstream as a pill, but 30 per cent more quickly.

This is because the tissues lining the mouth are packed with hundreds of tiny blood vessels, which lie near the surface of the cheek, and under the tongue -these provide a quick access route into the bloodstream.

Manufacturer Canadian firm IntelGenx is planning bigger trials to confirm the initial findings, and if successful, could also be used to develop fast-acting ''wafers'' for pain relief, high blood pressure and depression.

"This could benefit a great many men. A similar type of wafer is already used in the treatment of migraine, where it's important to tackle pain quickly. Anything that is able to melt on the tongue will have a faster response time than a pill," said Dr David Edwards, a specialist in sexual medicine from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

Man caught with fake Viagra and cocaine in underwear jailed for two years

A drug dealer caught with fake Viagra tablets and cocaine in his underwear has been jailed for two years.

Tottenham resident James Broughton, 23, was caught with the blue tablets after officers on patrol in Ballards Lane, Finchley, spotted him acting oddly sat in his car in on March 19 this year.

When officers searched his Chrysler PT Cruiser they uncovered the phony sex drugs and a quantity of cash.

A further search at Colindale Police Station uncovered 16 wraps of cocaine in his underwear worth nearly £1,000.

When police searched his house they found more cocaine and digital scales with traces of the drug hidden in his fridge.

On Friday he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply at Wood Green Crown Court and was given the two-year jail term.

DC Nick Harvey the officer in the case said: “A young man, only just married, has now lost his freedom by dealing in drugs.

“It should be clear to those who consider drugs an easy source of money - that there is nothing easy about moving your drugs through Barnet.

“Dealing drugs is hazardous to your liberty and police powers will make it disastrous to your pocket. This case clearly shows the serious consequences.”

New orodispersible levitra passed for Europe

Bayer makes of erectile dysfunction medication Levitra, has now received authorisation from the European Commission to launch its new version of Levitra in Europe.

The new medication, which is a discreet orodispersible tablet with a minty flavour that can be taken without water, is expected to be introduced into European markets in November 2010.

Its efficacy and safety have been verified in a number of international phase III clinical trials, which demonstrated the drug’s effectiveness when compared to placebo.
The European launch of the drug follows its US debut earlier this year, where it is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline and Merck Sharpe and Dohme under the brandname Staxyn.

Dr Flemming Oernskov, head of the women’s healthcare and general medicine business unit at Bayer Schering Pharma, said: “Levitra orodispersible tablets allow men with ED to be prepared anytime, anywhere. This should help to bring spontaneity into the sex life of men with ED.”