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17 Jan 2012 20:48

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Culture: Marketing experts: Paula Deen’s diabetes switch-up a weird branding choice

  • I think it’s completely gross that Paula Deen made $$$ pushing food that makes you sick and will now make $$$ pushing the medication for it.
  • Twitter user @BradWalsh • Discussing TV chef Paula Deen’s decision to announce that she suffers from diabetes — and at the same time using the opportunity to play spokeswoman for a major diabetes drug company, Novo Nordisk AS. Branding experts think this is an poor way to handle the issue. “It’s a big change to expect consumers to buy into,” said Allen Adamson, managing director of branding firm Landor New York. We’re with the branding dude. It’s as if she’s trying to reboot herself because she’s in a corner. source

14 Nov 2011 23:21

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World: Just in case we needed another reminder to exercise once in a while

  • 552 million people could have diabetes by the year 2030 source
  • » That’s 1 in 10 people worldwide. The World Health Organization says that the rise in diabetic adults will most likely be due to an aging world population, not the increasing rate of obesity. Most cases are Type 2 and come from “weight gain and a sedentary lifestyle.” Count this number as inspiration for 2012’s resolutions.

27 Jan 2011 14:14

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U.S.: CDC issues dire estimate of American diabetes

  • 105 million people with diabetes or prediabetes, CDC claims source

14 Jul 2010 10:37

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Biz: Glaxo’s diabetes drug Avandia proving to be a huge headache

  • 1.5% the share of Glaxo’s revenues the diabetes drug accounted for in 2009
  • 39% the average percentage that Avandia increased the risk of heart attacks in numerous studies
  • $460M the amount Glaxo agreed to pay to settle thousands of annoying lawsuits source
  • » And it could get worse: Today, a group of Food and Drug Administration advisers will suggest whether or not the drug should go off the market. If it’s banned, expect the massive drug company to be on the hook for even more lawsuits.

22 Feb 2010 10:07

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Biz: U.S. to Glaxo: Uh, you should pull Avandia from the market

  • The drug has long been linked to heart attacks. The Senate Finance Committee released a report over the weekend containing internal FDA documents recommending it should be pulled from the market. Glaxo, though, is trying its hardest to avoid the pulling of the diabetes drug, and is in the midst of a blind test with another drug, Actos, to show how safe it is. That’s despite the use of a fear-of-God “black box” warning on the drug, and despite a study noting a 43 percent increase in heart trouble for Avendia users. The report suggests Glaxo knew the issues but kept the drug on the market anyway. Yikes. source

03 Sep 2009 10:40

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U.S.: Are taxes needed on junk food to offset their effect?

  • $147 billion the estimated cost of treating and preventing obesity-related illnesses
  • $50 billion could be raised over ten years by adding a 3¢ tax to soda source