On November 3rd, pro-marijuana ballot measures flourished. A Vox video by Madeline Marshall and Melissa Hirsch.
More:
“How marijuana legalization made strides across the US in this election,” Richard Luscombe, The Guardian
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Video by The Lincoln Project.
After returning from Walter Reed’s deluxe Presidential Suite to another exclusive, publicly-funded clinic at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Donald Trump hyped an experimental antibody cocktail he’s on. It’s called REGN-COV2, but he thinks it’s called Regeneron, since that’s the name of the firm that makes it. Regeneron’s CEO, Dr. Leonard Schleifer, is Mr. Trump’s golf buddy and Westchester neighbor.
In a remarkable coincidence, Regeneron was awarded a $450 million contract to manufacture and supply a few thousand doses of the antibody treatment as part of “Operation Warp Speed,” the federal government’s Covid-19 vaccine program. REGN-COV2 is not a vaccine, it’s a monoclonal antibody cocktail. REGN-COV2 is still in trials, and has not been approved for use by the FDA. Even if the the drug cocktail is proven effect in treating or preventing COVID-19, there is no way a monoclonal antibody drug could be produced in sufficient quantities to be broadly available to America, let alone the world, meaning it might just go to the rich and powerful. Even though Trump didn’t pay for his antibody treatments, don’t think you’ll get them for free.
After the president’s White House infomercial, Regeneron’s stock price is surging.
More:
“Trump pushes FDA to quickly clear coronavirus antibody treatments, erroneously calling them a ‘cure,’” Carolyn Y. Johnson, Laurie McGinley and Josh Dawsey, Washington Post
“Trump is promising free antibody treatments for everyone. It won’t be that simple.” Zachary Brennan, Politico
“Regeneron execs go on a whirlwind media tour after Trump takes COVID-19 antibody cocktail,” Beth Snyder Bulik, Fierce Pharma
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Bill Cosby, a once-beloved entertainer now convicted of sexual assault and a registered sex offender, has been sentenced to 3 to 10 years in a Pennsylvania prison. Earlier, Mr. Cosby admitted obtaining Quaalude prescriptions in order to surreptitiously administer the sedative to women so he could have sex with them. Quaaludes, the “date-rape drug” of the Disco Era, were made a controlled Schedule 1 drug in 1985. Bill Cosby made a public service announcement for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids in 1990.
That’s not the only irony. Bill Cosby’s otherwise family-friendly 1960s comedy act had a routine where he described his teenage fantasy about slipping Spanish Fly, a legendary aphrodisiac, into women’s drinks so he could have sex with them. Nothing funny there, after all.
On Tuesday, Rep. Tom Marino (R, PA-10) withdrew his name from consideration as America’s drug czar, tweeted President Trump, who nominated him. This followed a devastating 60 Minutes/Washington Post report on Mr. Marino’s role in sponsoring a bill that prevented the DEA from pursuing the crooked drug wholesalers, pharmacies and doctors responsible for illegal distribution of opioids, highly-addictive prescription drugs. Last year, opioid overdoses killed more Americans than died in the entire Vietnam Conflict.
Mr. Marino was one of the 23 sponsors and co-sponsors of the DEA-hampering bill who divvied up $1.5 million in Big Pharma campaign contributions. Of course, drug enforcement isn’t the only thing Republicans want to deregulate, but the others don’t send 40 Americans to the morgue every day. They’ll kill you more slowly.
Related:
“How big pharma’s money – and its politicians – feed the US opioid crisis,” Chris McGreal, The Guardian
Updates:
“Opioid Lobbyist Left a Digital Fingerprint on a Campaign by ‘Patient Advocates,'” Lee Fang, The Intercept
“Opioid Commission Member: We Worry Trump Won’t Act To Address Drug Crisis,” Esme Cribb, TPM Livewire
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“With this groundbreaking, clinically proven treatment, you can simply sit back, relax, and let your mind do the rest.”
Directed by Elizabeth McDonough and Myles Kane; written by Elizabeth McDonough and Kate McManus.
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Bill Cosby’s 1960s stand-up comedy act had a family-friendly reputation, but that overlooks a routine where he described a teenage fantasy about slipping Spanish Fly, a legendary aphrodisiac, into women’s drinks.
In sworn court testimony from 2005 recently obtained by AP, the comedian admitted obtaining seven Quaalude prescriptions in the 1970s:
”When you got the Quaaludes, was it in your mind that you were going to use these Quaaludes for young women that you wanted to have sex with?’ lawyer Dolores M. Troiani asked. ‘Yes,’ Cosby answered ….'”
— “APNewsBreak: Cosby said he got drugs to give women for sex,” Maryclaire Dale, Associated Press.
William Henry Cosby received a Doctorate in Education, but seems to have confused it with Cliff Huxtable’s medical degree.
Quaaludes, the “date-rape drug” of the Disco Era, were made a controlled Schedule 1 drug in 1985. Bill Cosby made a public service announcement for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids in 1990.
Writer and physician Ben Goldacre is coming to the USA and Canada this month:
“Ben Goldacre’s Bad Pharma North American Tour,” Scott Gavura, Science-Based Pharmacy
Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong was forced to abandon his Livestrong foundation, but he seems to have found a new pet charity: Oprah Winfrey’s money-losing OWN video venture. OWN has been bleeding money at an alarming gush, over $300 million as of last May. Oprah’s exclusive Armstrong interview will be a powerful shot in the arm, and the Queen of Confessions is hyping it for all it’s worth.
As for the interview subject himself, here’s the best take:
“Lance Armstrong Admits To Using Performance-Enhancing Drugs To Show Remorse,” The Onion
Lance who?
“Lance Armstrong deserves to be forgotten, says UCI,” First Post
More:
“Armstrong ‘has no place in cycling,’” Euronews
“World Cycling Body Strips Armstrong of Titles,” John Revill and Vanessa O’Connell, Wall Street Journal
“Lance Armstrong Is Stripped of His 7 Tour de France Titles,” Juliet Macur, New York Times
“Cycling’s governing body agrees to strip Lance Armstrong of his 7 Tour de France titles,” AP via Washington Post
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Image: Parody Livestrong bracelet from The Onion.
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“The word ‘alleged’ should now be dropped from any description of the way doping permeated and enabled Lance Armstrong’s cycling career.”
“The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s release of its ‘reasoned decision’and staggeringly voluminous supporting documents that resulted in its move to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and ban him from elite competition for life — charges he opted not to contest — changes all that, and rewrites Armstrong’s sporting epitaph from alleged to proven user of performance-enhancing drugs and techniques.
There is no other logical conclusion. After today, anyone who remains unconvinced simply doesn’t want to know.”
— “Case closed: Armstrong doped,” Bonnie D. Ford, ESPN.com
Related:
“Anti-Dope Testing in Sport: The History and the Science,” Larry D. Bowers, The FASEB Journal
“Lance Armstrong’s Cat-and-Mouse Game,” Eric Niiler, Discovery News
“Lance Armstrong’s Guide to Cheating a Drug Test,” Daniel Honan, Big Think
“The Lance Armstrong Foundation Celebrates 15 Years,” Livestrong.org
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Image: Parody Livestrong bracelet from The Onion.
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