equipocesca » Pedro http://equipocesca.org Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:26:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 Migraine. The promotion of prescription drugs directly to the public is not allowed in the European Union. But see the Ajovy case in Spain: direct-to-consumer news, the blurred margin between propaganda and information. http://equipocesca.org/en/english-migraine-the-promotion-of-prescription-drugs-directly-to-the-public-is-not-allowed-in-the-european-union-but-see-the-ajovy-case-in-spain-direct-to-consumer-news-the-blurred-margin-betwee/ http://equipocesca.org/en/english-migraine-the-promotion-of-prescription-drugs-directly-to-the-public-is-not-allowed-in-the-european-union-but-see-the-ajovy-case-in-spain-direct-to-consumer-news-the-blurred-margin-betwee/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2026 19:28:58 +0000 Pedro http://equipocesca.org/?p=5907191 It seems that Teva’s commercial strategy includes promoting fremanezumab (Ajovy) to the general public (direct-to-consumer).  Vall d’Hebron Hospital (Barcelona, Spain) supports and presents as a novelty something that “offers nothing new”.  Such promotion is clearly prohibited by Spanish and European legislation.  It is also accompanied by an incredible and constant “apparatus” of pressure on those who “benefit” socially and financially through conferences, consensus statements, guidelines, publications, seminars, and other means.
  • In Spain, direct-to-consumer advertising of fremanezumab (Ajovy), February 2026. Migraine.Gérvas J. Madrid, Spain. March 2026. Download article here.
]]> http://equipocesca.org/en/english-migraine-the-promotion-of-prescription-drugs-directly-to-the-public-is-not-allowed-in-the-european-union-but-see-the-ajovy-case-in-spain-direct-to-consumer-news-the-blurred-margin-betwee/feed/ 0 Letter to “NoGracias” from a patient suffering migraine. Boicot a Teva and the boycott of Ajovy (fremanezumab). A clinical case. http://equipocesca.org/en/carta-a-nogracias-de-paciente-con-migrana-boicot-a-teva-y-a-ajovy-fremanezumab-un-caso-clinico/ http://equipocesca.org/en/carta-a-nogracias-de-paciente-con-migrana-boicot-a-teva-y-a-ajovy-fremanezumab-un-caso-clinico/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:41:19 +0000 Pedro http://equipocesca.org/?p=5907175 Teva employs multiple mechanisms to maintain its business, from corruption to direct publicity, including the manipulation of opinion leaders (professionals and patients). Nothing compares to the impact of someone who suffers and “plays” in favor of Teva and against science and ethics. A personal narrative of suffering negates all the work that underpins rational and sensible decisions. We present a “clinical case”: a patient suffering from migraines, for whom Ajovy (from Teva) has restored “normality” (even though it is a medication that is neither effective nor safe).
  • Letter to “NoGracias” from a patient suffering migraine. Boicot a Teva and the boycott of Ajovy (fremanezumab). A clinical case. Health Workers For Palestine, Spain (HW4PS) and NoGracias. Madrid, Spain. March, 2026. Download article here.
]]> http://equipocesca.org/en/carta-a-nogracias-de-paciente-con-migrana-boicot-a-teva-y-a-ajovy-fremanezumab-un-caso-clinico/feed/ 0 When family and societal expectations outweigh science. The case of ataluren for Duchenne. http://equipocesca.org/en/no-todo-vale-cuando-las-expectativas-familiares-y-sociales-superan-a-la-ciencia-el-caso-de-ataluren-para-duchenne/ http://equipocesca.org/en/no-todo-vale-cuando-las-expectativas-familiares-y-sociales-superan-a-la-ciencia-el-caso-de-ataluren-para-duchenne/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:15:05 +0000 Pedro http://equipocesca.org/?p=5907171 Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a neurodegenerative disease with no current cure.
In 2014, the FDA and EMA evaluated a new drug for this condition: ataluren. Ataluren was not approved by the FDA due to a lack of efficacy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, while the EMA granted conditional approval.
After marketing authorization in the EU, the EMA allowed the company to continue performing trials to demonstrate efficacy.
The Spanish National Health System issued a resolution denying reimbursement of this drug due to lack of efficacy. In Spain, virtually all Regional Health Services overruled the Ministry of Health and reimbursed ataluren to Duchenne patients using their own resources, yielding to social pressure and/or seeking political benefit.
A study on the effectiveness of ataluren within Spain National Health System was started, but couldn´t be completed due to lack of involvement from the Regional Health Services.
The cost per patient is estimated at approximately €200,000 annually.
Eleven years later, the EMA withdraws the conditional authorization of the drug after repeated failure to prove efficacy.
  • When family and societal expectations outweigh science. The case of ataluren for Duchenne. Gérvas J. Madrid, Spain. December 2025. Download article here.
]]> http://equipocesca.org/en/no-todo-vale-cuando-las-expectativas-familiares-y-sociales-superan-a-la-ciencia-el-caso-de-ataluren-para-duchenne/feed/ 0 “Trump is crazy” is a reassuring, simple, and false explanation! Mad people are good people. Scoundrels are not http://equipocesca.org/en/trump-esta-loco-es-explicacion-tranquilizadora-simple-y-falsa-los-locos-son-buenas-personas-los-canallas-no/ http://equipocesca.org/en/trump-esta-loco-es-explicacion-tranquilizadora-simple-y-falsa-los-locos-son-buenas-personas-los-canallas-no/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:58:01 +0000 Pedro http://equipocesca.org/?p=5907164 Leaders like Trump and Netanyahu are not an aberration but the expected expression of a regime where mediation collapses, where the state merges with the leader’s desires, and where obscenity becomes a legitimate political response. Thus, the “madness” of accusing of terrorism anyone who writes or shouts “Long live free Palestine!”, or the Big Brother-style control of social media to maintain an official narrative on “thorny issues” such as the US siege of Venezuela or apartheid and genocide in Palestine. In reality, it is not “madness,” but a perverse mechanism connected to institutions that promote and authorize excesses “above” (leaders) and “below” (violent groups). We tend to accept that illness justifies everything; it’s the progressive medicalization of daily life, including, in this case, the overwhelming presence of scoundrels among the leaders (at the top) and violent organizations (at the bottom). They aren’t sick. They are scoundrels, selected, promoted, and legitimized in their actions.
]]> http://equipocesca.org/en/trump-esta-loco-es-explicacion-tranquilizadora-simple-y-falsa-los-locos-son-buenas-personas-los-canallas-no/feed/ 0 Measles outbreaks, a public health focus http://equipocesca.org/en/english-measles-outbreaks-a-public-health-focus/ http://equipocesca.org/en/english-measles-outbreaks-a-public-health-focus/#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:27:09 +0000 Pedro http://equipocesca.org/?p=5906446 We have problems with measles. But the key question is not the acceptance of the vaccine, but access to it and problems with its effectiveness. Before thinking in mandatory policies, think in improving access and efectiveness.
  • Measles outbreaks, a public health focus. Gérvas J. Madrid, Spain. April 2019. Download article here.
]]> http://equipocesca.org/en/english-measles-outbreaks-a-public-health-focus/feed/ 0 Medicine and its preventive excesses http://equipocesca.org/en/medicine-and-its-preventive-excesses/ http://equipocesca.org/en/medicine-and-its-preventive-excesses/#comments Mon, 18 Dec 2017 06:52:54 +0000 Pedro http://equipocesca.org/?p=5906408 With practical examples based on the real impact of medicalization in people lives and on the results from relevant and well designed studies, Juan Gérvas analyses the importance of certain screening programmes as breast cancer, thyroid cancer, the relevance of health check-ups and the impact of certain vaccines. He discusses the examples of Public Health Programs in some countries and its null or negative effect in terms of health indicators and quality of life results.
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