Food and Friends Discussion

Hi everyone,

This isn't an article on condom accessibility directly, but it relates to an organization that is very active in the HIV/AIDS community here in the District, and specifically some of the issues of Executive compensation that are occasionally brought to light.

This post is also in direct response to a discussion from our community activism class at GWU.

Article

Response

CVS Caremark accused of violating patient privacy

Change to Win, a group of several labor unions, on Friday will launch a campaign alleging that CVS Caremark violated patient privacy and improperly marketed an expensive diabetes drug, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to CTW, a letter sent by CVS to physicians urged them to add Merck's diabetes treatment Januvia to the treatment of certain diabetes patients identified through a review of prescription drug claims handled by CVS Caremark, CVS' pharmacy benefit manager unit.

According to the Journal, CTW believes the practice violates patient privacy rights and the letter is an example of how CVS might be taking advantage of employers that have hired the company to manage their workers' prescription drug benefits. A recent study found that Januvia is nearly eight times more expensive than other diabetes medications. In addition, some medical experts have said older or generic treatments that cost less may be just as beneficial to patients as Januvia. The Journal reports that PBMs in recent years have been accused of favoring treatments that result in rebates from the drugmakers and large profit margins.

A spokesperson for Merck said that the pharmaceutical company paid for the mailing "to help inform physicians about additional treatment options," adding that "no personal information about patient participants in the plan are provided to Merck." A line at the bottom of the letter indicated that Merck paid for the mailing, but Merck and CVS officials have declined to disclose how much the drugmaker paid or whether the mailing campaign helped increase sales of Januvia, the Journal reports.

CVS officials said the company does not attempt to improperly switch patients to more costly treatments. The company officials added that the letter was part of a program intended to inform physicians and that doctors ultimately make the final decision on drug prescriptions.

CTW Executive Director Chris Chafe said his organization -- which is comprised of unions, including Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union, which represent about six million workers, including several thousand CVS employees -- hopes that the campaign will help change state laws to force PBMs to disclose to customers all payments or rebates received from drugmakers; cap the amount of patient information PBMs are permitted to disclose; and require that any change in drugs results in lower costs for the PBM's customers (Armstrong, Wall Street Journal, 11/14).

Most Single Adults Not Using Condoms

TUESDAY, Nov. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Six out of every 10 middle-aged Britons do not use a condom during a first-time sexual encounter, a new study shows.

Those numbers might be similar for Americans, one expert said. "Data in the U.S. are likely comparable and, given prevailing policies with regard to contraception, may be worse," said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

In fact, U.S. rates of all STDs, including HIV, have been increasing with an estimated 19 million new cases each year and more than 1 million people living with HIV. Almost half of the new cases of STDs are among people 15 to 24, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But older adults are at risk, too. "Often it's assumed that sexually transmitted infections are just increasing among young people, but U.K. surveillance data shows that sexually transmitted infection diagnosis rates are on the increase among all age groups in the U.K.," said Catherine Mercer, the study's lead researcher and a lecturer at the Centre for Sexual Health & HIV Research at University College London.

Most Britons engaging in unprotected sex are in their 30s and 40s and in relationships where there is an age difference of five or more years, according to the report, which was published in the Nov. 12 online edition of the International Journal of Epidemiology.

"Low rates of condom use among those starting partnerships in their 30s and 40s means that they too are at great risk of sexual infections," Mercer said.

For the study, Mercer's group collected data on more than 11,000 men and women who participated in the second British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. The survey included questions on recent partnerships, condom use and how soon after meeting they had sex.

Among all the people surveyed, almost 9,600 reported having heterosexual sexual partners in the past 12 months. More men (39.1 percent) than women (20 percent) said that these relationships were "not regular," the researchers reported.

More women (55.2 percent) than men (38.9 percent) said their partnerships were marriages, or involved living together with the partner. Men reported having sex sooner after a first date than women. One in five men said they had sex within 24 hours after meeting their partner compared with one in 10 women.

Over all age groups, condoms were used by 55.3 percent of the partners during their first sexual encounter. However, the rate of condom use declined with advancing age. For example, among 16- to 19-year-olds, 68 percent of males and 67.4 percent of females used a condom during a first sexual encounter, while among 35- to 44-year-olds only 38.1 percent of men and 28.8 percent of women used a condom.

In addition, in relationships where there was an age difference of five years or more, 60.8 percent were unlikely to use a condom during a first sexual encounter, compared with 44.1 percent of partners who were closer in age.

According to Mercer, rates of STDs are increasing in the U.K. In fact, the Health Protection Agency found a 6 percent increase in the number of new STDs in 2007 compared with 2006.

Additional research found that in one area of England, the rate of STDs more than doubled between 1996 and 2003.

"Everyone starting a new sexual relationship, regardless of age, should use condoms and continue to do so, until they and their partner have both been tested for sexually transmitted infections," Mercer said.

People ignore condoms at their peril, Katz added.

"Consistent use of condoms is the most reliable way of preventing HIV transmission next to abstinence, and is effective in preventing other transmissible diseases and unintended pregnancy as well," Katz said.

The lack of condom use by mature adults in the British study is noteworthy and disturbing, Katz said. "These are likely people who know about condoms and can get them. There is clearly a need to better educate men and women about the hazards of unprotected sex, and the advantages of condom use. Easy access to condoms should be a priority as well," he said.

More information

For more on STDs, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

CVS wants people to get pregnant

CHICAGO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - CVS Caremark Corp (CVS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Monday it is offering discounts on fertility treatments to couples struggling with infertility and high medication costs.

The program is aimed at patients who do not have fertility medication health insurance coverage

CVS offers lower-cost fertility medications

Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:54am EST

CVS could not immediately provide details on the pricing of its plan.

CVS said about 7.3 million U.S. women and their partners, or about 12 percent of the reproductive-age population, are affected by infertility, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CVS is promoting the fertility treatment savings plan just as it rolls out a low-cost plan for common generic drugs. Under a plan launched on Sunday, shoppers can get 90-day prescriptions for more than 400 generic medications for $9.99 each at CVS drugstores when they pay an annual fee of $10.

About 45.7 million Americans were uninsured in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Reporting by Jessica Wohl; Editing by Brian Moss)

CVS to start offering mini-spas

Ok, so, this just seems inane. In one area of our city, the customers are going to be offered even more high end beauty products and a mini-spa treatment...whereas 5 miles away, in another part of our city, the customers have to ask for their condoms to be unlocked for them...along with lots of other merchandise. This just doesn't add up.

CVS to open mini-spa service stores

CVS to launch Beauty 360 to offer mini-manicures in stores adjacent to pharmacies

November 03, 2008: 11:19 AM EST

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - CVS Caremark Corp. said Monday it would open new beauty products stores next to its pharmacies that offer quick-service spa services.

CVS said its new Beauty 360 stores will employ licensed professionals trained to do mini-manicures, express facials, hand massages and make-up.

The first Beauty 360 to open is at CVS's Dupont Circle store in Washington, D.C. A second one will open next month in Mission Viejo, Calif. Those locations will sell brands such as Canyon Ranch, Clarins Fragrance, Elizabeth Arden Fragrance, Ahava, Borba and others.

The company is looking at other potential markets for 2009 launch.

Drugs stolen at CVS pharmacy...not condoms

Yet another story about drugs being stolen from a CVS...tell me...where are the stories about condoms being stolen from CVS? I'm still waiting.

CVS in scandal...but are we really surprised?

Former Blue Cross executive dropped in Operation Dollar Bill probe

01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 29, 2008

By Mike Stanton

Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE –– Thomas A. Lynch, the former Warwick state senator and Blue Cross executive who was a prominent figure in the origins of Operation Dollar Bill, is no longer under investigation in the long-running State House corruption probe.

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente confirmed yesterday that Lynch was sent a letter last week informing him that he is no longer a target of a grand-jury investigation, similar to a letter that went out on Oct. 15 to former Senate President William V. Irons.

As the $250,000-a-year vice president and chief lobbyist for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Lynch drew on relationships developed in his earlier two decades in the Senate to advocate for the state’s largest health insurer. He golfed and schmoozed with lawmakers, paid Irons’ greens fees and rented his family’s Nantucket summer home to the family of then-Speaker John B. Harwood.

Several months before Blue Cross and Lynch parted ways in November 2004, the new Senate president, Joseph A. Montalbano, went to bat for his former colleague, calling him “a friend” who had done a “wonderful job” representing Blue Cross’s interests in the Senate.

But Lynch had also helped put another former senator, John A. Celona, on TV, in a public-access cable show financed by Blue Cross over the objections of Lynch’s subordinates at Blue Cross. At the time, Celona chaired the Senate committee that regulated health care.

After The Providence Journal revealed the arrangement, the authorities launched what quickly grew into a wide-ranging influence-peddling probe. Celona wound up in prison, after admitting to selling his office to Blue Cross, CVS and Roger Williams Medical Center. Last December, Blue Cross avoided criminal charges against the company by taking responsibility for the actions of unnamed former executives in corrupting politicians, and agreeing to contribute $20 million for affordable health care in Rhode Island.

But Lynch, who left Blue Cross in November 2004, will not be charged.

Lynch did not respond to requests for comment. The letter from the U.S. Attorney’s office, dated Oct. 20, was sent to the Boston office of Lynch’s late lawyer, Richard M. Egbert, who died earlier this year.

In an interview last week, Corrente, speaking generally, said some of the cases spawned by Operation Dollar Bill are bumping up against statute-of-limitations deadlines and that prosecutors have to make decisions in the coming months about whether they have enough evidence to move forward.

When Celona was sentenced to 2½ years in prison early last year, a federal prosecutor told the judge that the ex-lawmaker’s cooperation had resulted in active investigations of seven politicians and seven companies. But since then, authorities have seen Celona’s credibility eroded following withering cross-examinations in corruption trials involving Roger Williams and CVS.

Convictions of Celona, ex-House Majority Leader Gerard M. Martineau and former Roger Williams president Robert Urciuoli have been balanced by the acquittals of two CVS executives and, now, the dropped investigations of Irons and Lynch. Other investigations, including one probing the legislative ties of Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., remain active.

Sen. William Walaska, D-Warwick, a business partner of Lynch’s, said the shadow of the investigation has taken its toll. Although Lynch, a lawyer, maintains a law office in Providence, Walaska said Lynch has been selling credit-card services to small businesses. Lynch is also a minority owner in Walaska’s auto-parts business.

“I wonder if they sent him an apology, and a check for the money he spent [on legal fees],” said Walaska. “I’m sure it’s been a struggle. You wake up every morning thinking: Is today going to be the day? It costs you your livelihood. The question is, how can you get it back again?"

Pharmacies--too much autonomy?

I know this isn't about condoms being locked up, but it's definitely related to pharmacies, and I'm shocked that as a rule this pharmacy doesn't sell birth control of any kind.

To see the article, click here.

CVS--your money comes from your pharmacy, not your condoms

One reason commonly cited as the reason that CVS feels the need to lock up its condoms is that they are commonly stolen. Well, we've already refuted that argument, but here's another portion of that piece that...

"About 70 percent of the revenue at CVS/pharmacy is generated from its pharmacy — it fills one in seven prescriptions in the United States and one in five within its own markets."

Interesting...still no mention of condoms...

Here's the whole article.

Infant formula, but not condoms

As it turns out, there ARE some really expensive things that are being stolen from CVS....infant formula being one of them. Containers of Similac are being stolen in some CVS stores and at prices of $13.99-$75 a can, this makes perfect sense. They're high price items, easy to steal for personal use or resell on the street. However, condoms don't even come CLOSE to the same price bracket as these. And as we know from my previous post, are not stolen as often as Similac cans.

Looks like the argument that condoms are being locked up because of theft is wearing thin...

People will talk if they know what to say

Here are some more links to articles that were written about the issue--and only only in DC, bur around the country too!

DC Health Officials Say Condom Lock-Up Could Create Barrier to Access, Discourage Use

Students Make the Case to Bring Condoms from Behind the Locks at CVS

Condoms Get Their Own Protection

And it's happening in Milwaukee too!

And Arizona...

It has to stop...

Condom locking in the Washington Post

So, like I said, this campaign has been around for a while. We've staged demonstrations outside of CVS stores and the city council, and we have tried to get CVS to talk to us about WHY they keep locking up condoms.

In order for this issue to stop, MORE people need to know that it's happening. More people need to be upset and complain. And MORE people need to let CVS know that we are not going to allow this kind of discrimination to continue in our city.

Here's a story that was published in the Washington Post about it in 2006. Just need a few more dozen articles like this and we'll be golden...or maybe an appearance on Oprah...

A real vs imagined health disparity...

So, the CDC agrees with us...there's a real health disparity with insurance.