Trust Versus Secrecy – TSMC vs. Pfizer in Pandemic Times.

Mike Magee This week’s Tom Friedman Opinion piece in the New York Times contained a title impossible to ignore: “China’s Bullying Is Becoming a Danger To The World and Itself.” The editorial has much to recommend it. But the item that caught my eye was Friedman’s full-throated endorsement of Taiwan’s “most sophisticated microchip manufacturer in […]

God Bless BioNTech and Pfizer…and Now Let’s Build a First-In-Class National Health Care System.

Mike Magee As Americans cover-up against second and third waves of Covid-19, Americans once again place their hopes and prayers on a great scientific discovery to snatch us from the flames. The latest miracle cure, the just approved Pfizer vaccine, is highly efficacious and safe, and should provide emergency relief in the days and months […]

The U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain – The Gray and Black Market

Mike Magee With the U.S. Pharmaceutical supply chain, what you see is not what you get. As we saw last week there are roughly 4 1/2 billion prescriptions filled each year. Just under 50% of American residents have filled 1 prescription in the past 30 days. The 1st Tier drug supply chain above […]

Cholesterol: Never Having To Say You’re Sorry – Authors, Reviewers and RWI’s.

Mike Magee Tough week for the Cholesterol Franchise. When the major heart associations (American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology) put out new guidelines in the journal Circulation(1), and instantaneously the Cleveland Clinic’s Steven Nissen and Brigham and Women’s Peter Libby trash the recommendations, and Harvard’s Paul M. Ridker and Nancy Cook let […]

Conflict of Interest and Positive Leadership- When History Repeats.

Mike Magee One of the good things about getting older – at least for writers – is that stories reappear from the past but with a different twist. In fact, when stories reappear, frequently they come in two’s or three’s, and the new story is at the intersection. Here’s an example from this week. Eric […]

Autism Advocacy Beginning To Pay Off: Will Others Benefit As Well?

Mike Magee We live in an age of advancing health consumerism. What began as a declaration of empowerment, has matured through direct and indirect education of the consumer public, and has been reinforced by active involvement, engagement and activism. This growth and evolution has been spotty (more evident in those who are educated, insured, and […]

Pfizer, Torcetrapib, and HDL: The Dangers of Presuming To Know.

Mike Magee In June 2006, I was meeting privately with a member of Pfizer’s executive leadership team when he shared with me two bits of information that resurfaced in my conciousness today. The first was offered as a bit of coaching (more political than scientific) but has broader application: “Mike, don’t ever presume that you […]