Writers Awarded for Smearing Oprah and Bioidentical Hormones (1) 

by Jeffrey Dach MD

Endocrine Society Gives Award to Newsweek Writers for Smearing Oprah and Bioidentical Hormones. (1) 

According to an Endocrine Society press release, Barbara Kantrowitz and Patrice Wingert received the Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism at the annual ENDO meeting.  The press release goes on to say that the writers produced a scientifically-based piece on the risks and benefits of hormone therapy.

Hold Your Horses !! 

We have previously revealed in plain English that this Newsweek article was a Smear Job with the usual comedy of errors and deceptions, one of which was a blatant attempt to equate bioidentical hormones with synthetic hormones. There was no balanced discussion of the risks and benefits of hormone therapy in the article. The Newsweek Smear Job was a paid promotion for synthetic hormones (which are dangerous), and attempt to discredit the much safer and more effective bioidentical hormones. It's not about science, it's all about money. Bioidentical hormones are the major financial competitor to synthetic hormones and drugs.

If this Newsweek Smear Job is science based, then the moon is made of green cheese, and I have a bridge to sell you. So why on Earth would a group of Endocrine doctors give an obviously biased and blatantly wrong award?

Here is Why

The Endocrine Society is funded by the Pharmaceutical Industry.  As a matter of fact, the entire annual ENDO meeting is up for sale.  Here is the brochure for the 2010 ENDO meeting listing the prices for buying each part of the meeting.  The pharmaceutical industry has a 20 billion dollar annual budget for marketing to physicians, and a lot of this money goes to meetings like the ENDO Meeting.  Some of this 20 billion awards those who promote the drug industry agenda of synthetic hormones (such as Kantrowitz and Patrice Wingert.
(And, Yes that's 20 BILLION Dollars.)

I Was Shocked At The $2,000 Award Money

With 20 billion dollars to give away, I must say I was shocked that Barbara Kantrowitz and Patrice Wingert were each given only $2,000.  On the other hand, it's a lot of money for a journalist.

Embarrassing and Vulgar Circus of Drug Sponsored Medical Meetings

Not everyone is so happy about all this drug money floating around.  After all, this is tantamount to bribery and corruption. Cash has transformed the Endocrine Society  into a paid mouthpiece for the drug industry. 

Just Show Me The Money.

Jerome P. Kassirer, a Columbia Law professor, says this: "Professional societies should also find ways of reducing the vast, embarrassing industry involvement at their national meetings, especially the vulgar circus-like displays and the drug company-sponsored symposia.  We must reduce commercialism and restore professionalism to our medical meetings."  The ENDO Meeting is a good example of this type of corrupting influence.  Any chance for reforms? Don't hold your breathe.

Endocrinologists Under the Influence of the Drug Industry

Mary Shomon, author of a popular thyroid blog weighs in  with her article,
Is Your Endocrinologist "Under the Influence?" Conflicts of Interest With Drug Companies and Physicians. By Mary Shomon, About.com May 07, 2007

"In 2000, for example, the industry sponsored 314,000 events specifically for physicians. Moreover, industry contracted with many hundreds of physicians to serve on advisory boards or speakers bureaus. The purpose behind such industry contacts with physicians is unmistakable: drug companies are attempting to promote the use of their products. Quoted from JAMA article."


Why Not Skip the Middle Man?

Why not skip the middle man, and have the Drug Industry give the money directly to Barbara Kantrowitz and Patrice Wingert ? It would set a good example for the rest of the journalists. You want an article promoting the drug company agenda? No problem, Man. Corruption in Journalism is Good. Bribery at the ENDO Meetings? That's Good too.

The Medical Evidence

To read the medical evidence showing that bioidentical hormones are safer and more effective than synthetic, see The Bioidentical Hormone Debate by Kent Holtorf MD.

Articles with related content:

Newsweek Attacks Oprah and BioIdentical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

Oprah Winfrey Praises BioIdentical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

The Evidence for Bioidentical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

FDA Declares War on BioIdentical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

The Importance of BioIdentical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

The Safety Of Bio-Identical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

The Battle for BioIdentical Hormones by Jeffrey Dach MD

BioIdentical Hormones, Cook Book or Tailor Made? by Jeffrey Dach MD

Breast Cancer Prevention and Iodine Supplementation by Jeffrey Dach MD


Jeffrey Dach MD
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Links and References

(1) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154463.php
Newsweek Magazine Reporters Win Second Annual Endocrine Society Award For Excellence In Science And Medical Journalism. 18 Jun 2009

Today, The Endocrine Society announced Newsweek Reporters Barbara Kantrowitz and Patrice Wingert recipients of the Society's second annual Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism. The co-authors of the winning article, "Uh, O!" (O for Oprah) were honored last night at the Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. The award was created to recognize outstanding reporting that enhances the public understanding of health issues pertaining to the field of endocrinology.

Working against the backdrop of several Oprah shows on bioidentical hormones that aired this past winter as well as Suzanne Somers's controversial theories on aging, the reporters investigated and produced a scientifically-based piece on the risks and benefits of hormone therapy. The article appeared in the February 9, 2009 issue of Newsweek Magazine.

The award consists of a presentation piece, $2,000 honorarium, and travel expenses to Washington, DC to receive the award. The award was presented by Robert M. Carey, M.D., president of The Endocrine Society, at ENDO 09, the annual meeting of the Society.

More information on The Endocrine Society Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism is available at: http://www.endo-society.org/

Source: The Endocrine Society

http://www.rdfunding.org.uk/queries/ListGrantDetails.asp?GrantID=9109
The Endocrine Society, through the generous support of Pfizer, Inc., has established an annual award, "The Endocrine Society and Pfizer, Inc. International Award for Excellence in Published Clinical Research in JCE&M" for the best clinical research papers that appear in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCE&M).  Funding:  Four winning papers receive $10,000 each for a total of $40,000 awarded annually.

http://www.cspinet.org/integrity/corp_funding.html
Non-Profit organizations with ties to industry: Note ENDO is the annual meeting.

Sponsor a session at ENDO Annual Meetings
Sponsor a CME session at ENDO Annual Meeting
Exhibit at ENDO
Advertise in ENDO publications
Spotlight your company with press opportunities at ENDO
Exhibit at CEU
Advertise in the Society journals
Reach endocrinologists through our direct mail list
Support your research with journal reprints
(http://www.endo-society.org/industry/index.cfm; accessed 2/24/03)

Sponsors of the 2003 Annual Meeting "Endo 2003" include:
Abbott Laboratories,Amylin Pharmaceuticals ,Aventis ,Bayer Diagnostics Division ,EMD
Eli Lilly ,Genentech ,GlaxoSmithKline ,Merck ,Novo Nordisk ,NPS Pharmaceuticals ,Pfizer
Pharmacia ,Procter & Gamble ,Solvay Pharamaceuticals. Takeda ,Watson Pharmaceuticals

http://www.endo-society.org/industry/2009leadership.cfm

2009 Leadership Donors . Thank You to our Leadership Donors
The Endocrine Society would like to recognize the 2009 Leadership Donors. Leadership Donors have contributed $100,000 or more to The Endocrine Society’s activities, with at least $50,000 dedicated to educational programming.

Diamond
Abbott Laboratories
Merck & Co., Inc.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Novo Nordisk Inc.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Platinum
Amgen
Genentech
Lilly USA, LLC
Pfizer, Inc.

Gold
Takeda Pharmaceuticals North American, Inc.

Silver
Ipsen

The Endocrine Society would like to thank the following companies
for their support throughout the year:

Allergan
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Lilly USA, LLC
AstraZeneca
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca
Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
EMD Serono, Inc.
Endo Pharmaceuticals
Genzyme Corporation
GlaxoSmithKline
Medtronic Diabetes
Medtronic Diabetes/LifeScan Alliance
Merck/Schering Plough
Roche Laboratories
sanofi-aventis, U.S., Inc.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals

All of The Endocrine Society’s educational program content is developed by The Endocrine Society prior to and independent of education grant support. In accordance with the standards of the ACCME, the commercial supporters of CME accredited educational programs have had no influence in the identification and selection of presentation topics or speakers.
 

http://www.endo-society.org/industry/upload/ENDO-Sponsorship-Opportunities-2010.pdf San Diego Endocrine Society Meeting June 2010 Up For Sale- brochure-listing cost for each item in meeting.

http://www.law.columbia.edu/null?&exclusive=filemgr.download&file_id=12276&rtcontentdisposition=filename%3DKassirer+Professional+Societies+and+Industry+Support.pdf
by Jerome P. Kassirer.
Professional Societies and Industry Support what is the quid pro quo?
Tufts University School of Medicine;

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, volume 50, number 1 (winter 2007):7–17

Professional societies should also find ways of reducing the vast, embarrassing industry involvement at their national meetings, especially the vulgar circus-like displays and the drug company-sponsored symposia.We must reduce commercialism and restore professionalism to our medical meetings.

http://thyroid.about.com/od/newscontroversies/a/underinfluence.htm

Is Your Endocrinologist "Under the Influence?"
Conflicts of Interest With Drug Companies and Physicians. By Mary Shomon, About.com Updated: May 07, 2007

Approximately 90 percent of the $21 billion marketing budget of the pharmaceutical industry continues to be directed at physicians, despite a dramatic increase in direct-to-consumer advertising. In 2000, for example, the industry sponsored 314,000 events specifically for physicians. Moreover, industry contracted with many hundreds of physicians to serve on advisory boards or speakers bureaus. The purpose behind such industry contacts with physicians is unmistakable: drug companies are attempting to promote the use of their products. Quoted from JAMA article.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/200025

Live Your Best Life Ever! Wish Away Cancer! Get A Lunchtime Face-Lift! Eradicate Autism! Turn Back The Clock! Thin Your Thighs! Cure Menopause! Harness Positive Energy! Erase Wrinkles! Banish Obesity! Live Your Best Life Ever! By Weston Kosova and Pat Wingert | NEWSWEEK Published May 30, 2009  From the magazine issue dated Jun 8, 2009

Jeffrey Dach MD
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