Pfizer Follow-up /Other Blogs

I am so behind on reading other blogs and postings that I failed to see others have written more in-depth and critical blogs about the Pfizer study I wrote about in my last post.

It has been pointed out to me that Dr. Showalter at AlignMap felt my post was "lacking in the kind of embittered cynicism characteristic of the AlignMap perspective." And by pointed out, I mean I read it on his blog.

He offers a much deeper analysis of this "study" as well as better comments on his blog dated 09.08.07: http://alignmap.com/category/blog. (I promise one day I will learn how create the best links and pictures and all of that).

I appreciate his experienced take on the Pfizer press release and his embittered criticism of the pharma industry spinning this study. I am slowly getting a handle on how to properly interpret the different "findings" and "studies" funded by pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Rost also rips pharma reporters and Pfizer on his Question Authority site. This is not new for him considering he is a former Pfizer VP and whistleblower. I think he is somewhat full of himself but I will not go into right now.

There is a funny blog that started a few days ago that just rips into Rost and his QA blog, as well as his new gig as writer for BrandweekNRX - plus the blatant self-promotion of himself, the ranking of his blogs and his novels: http://pharmayobbosphere.blogspot.com. I don't know if it is serious or not since the tone is quite funny, and the blogger himself is quite full of himself.

Self promotion is important, but to a point. When that promotion gets in the way of what you are supposedly presenting/representing in your blog/space/whatever. i.e. Question Authority, I assume, wants to question the authority of the pharma industry. There is a blurb from Fortune that says Rost is the "drug industry's most annoying - and effective - online scourge."

There is a sidebar where you can buy his novel - everyone has to make money.

His post from 9/11 is a Daily Show Clip parody. Very Funny. Then a listing of top medblogs, then a piece about a woman banned from smoking in her garden, followed by a promotion about Rost being involved in a Senate investigation regarding taxing big pharma.

9/10: Mentions he is getting suggestions to do pharma related postings on NRX and post things on his own blog for "regular readers". Followed by a map showing how America is #1 in our minds, a clip about a beer scooter, and two pieces about the best blogs.

9/8: States that is time for a change and that he is tired of pharma blogging - but has to do if for work on brandweekNRX. Then cites Pharmalot as doing a better job (which it is) of reporting real news.

9/7: A posting of a hand shadow show from YouTube.

9/6: A posting about the best pharma sites.

Doesn't this signal that it is time for Dr. Rost to put Question Authority to pasture? He could keep the url: perterrost.blogspot.com - and just have it to promote himself.

That is my recomendation - but I have only had 450 or so visitors in 3 months - not the thousands Rost gets daily, so who really cares what I think?

To keep inline with what I present/represent: stay adherent to your medication regime - drugs don't work unless you take them.