Advice Pool - Health and Fitness

Before looking for an alternative or anti-aging doctor, you must do several things.

First: Educate yourself. If you have a specific medical condition, learn as much as you can about available t

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

reatments. (This is good advice even if you are not looking for an alternative physician.) Do not rely just on the Internet, friends or neighbors for information.

Trust yourself. You have the

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

bility to learn what you need to know. If you can read and think, you can become your own expert with the help of a properly trained anti-aging or alternative physician.

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lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

er written by a reputable alternative medical doctor. Your knowledge and self-confidence will increase and improve your relationship with any doctor. You will be in the driver’s seat as managing

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

partner of your health care. Download my Resources List for newsletter and other suggestions.

Next, decide what you expect from an alternative physician. Not all of them think and practice alik

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

. For example, if you want to use human growth hormone (HGH), not all alternative physicians will prescribe it for you. Some alternative physicians do not approve of estrogen replacement.

Afte

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

r you do your homework, start shopping. Ask your pharmacist, (preferably one who operates an independent pharmacy) for a recommendation. Or, log on to acam.org for names of alternative physician

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

in your area. Interview at least several who say they practice alternative or anti-aging medicine.

Be aware that many alternative physicians do not take insurance. You pay for everything out o

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

f your pocket. (Your private insurance may reimburse you – check with your plan.) Most alternative physicians don’t take Medicare or private insurance because more than enough people eagerly pay

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

cash for their services.

Scrutinize how their business operates. (Yes, I did say “business.” Doctors are business people, not gods.)

Is there a nutritionist on staff? If so, that’s a definite

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

plus. A nutritionist will take time to educate you about which supplements you need and why they are important. This is a critical benefit for those who know little about diet and supplements.

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

What kinds of blood tests are done? Blood tests are critical. They tell what's really going on in your body. A good alternative physician will do many tests not done by traditional physicians.

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

or example, traditional physicians often don’t test hormone levels for menopausal women – they just prescribe “one size fits all” synthetic hormones.

After you select a physician, and then dec

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

ide the doctor is not right for you, don’t hesitate to look elsewhere. There are plenty of dedicated alternative physicians available. The challenge is to find the right one for you.

Why it’s i

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

portant to have an anti-aging or alternative physician:

Twenty years ago, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reported that 21 hours of education in nutrition was required but found many med

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

cal schools did not offer nutrition courses.

A survey published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol.83,pp. 9415-9445) re-examined the state of nutrition education in medical scho

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

ols. The result of the survey showed that less than one half (41 percent) of the responding schools provided the minimum 25 hours or more recommended by the NAS in 1985. Also found was that 17 s

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

hools (18 percent) required only less than or equal to 10 hours of nutrition instruction.

This is alarming. Most people rely on their physician for nutrition advice. Less than adequate nutritio

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

n training explains why many traditionally trained physicians do not understand the importance of nutrition and may discourage supplement use.

Living an anti-aging lifestyle is easier than you

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

hink. With the help of a dedicated alternative physician, you can do it. When you find the right doctor, your health and wellbeing can benefit dramatically.

Copyright 2006 Barbara Morris, R.Ph

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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