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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gabriel14 on March 31, 2021, at 15:49:21
In addition to my other post just now, I'm curious if anyone has ever gone down the path of having their medications tested by a lab.
I can sometimes experience quite a bit of variability in effectiveness from batch to batch with Wellbutrin, even with the brand name.
I'd love to have the peace of mind of knowing whether this is "just me" or whether there is in fact a difference in bupropion levels between batches.
I've tried calling a few labs at random to see if they conduct this kind of test, but so far I'm coming up empty. (This is outside of my area of expertise, so I'm not quite sure what I should be looking for, to be honest.)
Has anyone done this kind of thing before? What was their experience like? And, most of all, if folks have any labs they recommend that might provide this kind of service, I'm very interested in the recommendation.
Posted by PeterMartin on April 5, 2021, at 0:15:04
In reply to Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by Gabriel14 on March 31, 2021, at 15:49:21
Valisure (https://www.valisure.com/) is a pharmacy that checks all batches of medications they sell for purity/contaminants/etc. They're the company that first found that the heartburn medications like Zantac had cancer causing impurities (leading to them being pulled from the market).
I know up until about 6 months ago their website had a page allowing you to send meds in to get tested. I can't find that anymore, so I'm not sure if they're still doing it. Their customer support is easy to reach on the phone and it's usually the same lady. If you call they may be able to help you out in getting something checked. It was like $50 iirc and you'd mail them 4 or 5 pills....
Posted by PeterMartin on April 5, 2021, at 0:17:43
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by PeterMartin on April 5, 2021, at 0:15:04
Or maybe if you fill this page out, and then followup w/ them, they'll test: https://www.valisure.com/report-medication-concern/
In the past it was as in the front on their webpage as selling medications they've verified. Perhaps it was just under utilized and maybe confusing for the average website visitor.
Posted by Gabriel14 on April 7, 2021, at 0:04:03
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by PeterMartin on April 5, 2021, at 0:17:43
> Or maybe if you fill this page out, and then followup w/ them, they'll test: https://www.valisure.com/report-medication-concern/
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> In the past it was as in the front on their webpage as selling medications they've verified. Perhaps it was just under utilized and maybe confusing for the average website visitor.
Thanks so much for the heads-up on these guys. Looks very promising. I plan to call them tomorrow.
Posted by alexandra_k on April 7, 2021, at 18:54:51
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by Gabriel14 on April 7, 2021, at 0:04:03
interested to hear what you find out
Posted by Gabriel14 on April 7, 2021, at 21:47:17
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by alexandra_k on April 7, 2021, at 18:54:51
> interested to hear what you find out
I spoke with them today and had a very good initial impression.
As far as being able to send in and have them test medications, this is a service they used to offer, but they now only offer it by request. You essentially make a request by filling out this form...
https://www.valisure.com/report-medication-concern/
The representative said there's no guarantee they'll accept your request for testing, but they should get back to you either way.
Even if they don't accept my request, I'm strongly considering starting to use them as my pharmacy. I love the fact that they test every batch of medication that they receive from drug manufacturers. I've been looking for a service like this for awhile.
Posted by alexandra_k on April 8, 2021, at 4:08:33
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by Gabriel14 on April 7, 2021, at 21:47:17
Hey, that's really interesting. Thanks for posting it.
I think that people (including government departments etc) would be happy to pay a bit more for things -- if they could understand a bit more on where the money goes. Understand that it is worth paying more for medication that is manufactured to a high standard etc. I mean to say.
New Zealanders are mostly reliant on Pharmac (a government purchaser). Pharmac is fairly obsessed with 'cheapest' and often they will switch out peoples brand name meds with cheaper generics. Then people complain that... They are starting to have seizures again, or their meds seem to have 'pooped out' or whatever. But it could well be a quality control issue, for sure.
Posted by alexandra_k on April 8, 2021, at 4:09:41
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by alexandra_k on April 8, 2021, at 4:08:33
Our government is willing to do party pill testing at festivals... But not willing to do testing for pharmaeuticals. So figure.
Posted by Gabriel14 on April 9, 2021, at 1:15:01
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by alexandra_k on April 8, 2021, at 4:09:41
> Our government is willing to do party pill testing at festivals... But not willing to do testing for pharmaeuticals. So figure.
I'm with you.
Posted by Lamdage22 on April 9, 2021, at 5:46:28
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by alexandra_k on April 8, 2021, at 4:08:33
Same thing in Germany, however all the Generics that I had work (I think). The only problem is sometimes availability. If the Generics are forced to produce good quality, it is not an issue.
> fairly obsessed with 'cheapest' and often they will switch out peoples brand name meds with cheaper generics. Then people complain that... They are starting to have seizures again, or their meds seem to have 'pooped out' or whatever. But it could well be a quality control issue, for sure.
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Posted by alexandra_k on April 10, 2021, at 21:44:34
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by Lamdage22 on April 9, 2021, at 5:46:28
Yeah, generics were supposed to be cheaper because one wasn't contributing to research and development. I think that was the idea. The intellectual property had been paid off with the expiration of the patient. So now the medication could be produced at cost.
Only, why stop at cost? Why not start to try and make profits... Or... Why not produce things below cost? I imagine there is a slippery slope on sourcing raw materials more cheaply to the point where they are watered down or cut with things that are toxic etc. Not paying the workers etc.
It wasn't supposed to be like that. But quality control seems, in practice, to be the thing that has gone out the window.
NZ has it with milk powder. That's where the money is at. Milk solids. They pay for the dried powder of solids. NZ started putting... I think it was melamine into the milk powder. Because melamine (I think it was) has nitrogenous groups in it and they were using measures of nitrogen as a proxy for protein content. So they were getting paid more for this very high protein milk powder. That was reconstituted for things like... Infant milk formula. Then infants in China were dying of nutritional deprivation / melamine poisoning.
So now, I think, we have people from China present in our manufacturing plants to ensure that we don't do a slippery slope to death and destruction which we will do if left to our own devices.
You can do the same for things like concrete.
Food, generally. Add just that little bit more salt and sugar and just that little bit more...
Greed for profits. They think they are being clever. The race to the bottom.
> Same thing in Germany, however all the Generics that I had work (I think). The only problem is sometimes availability. If the Generics are forced to produce good quality, it is not an issue.
>
> > fairly obsessed with 'cheapest' and often they will switch out peoples brand name meds with cheaper generics. Then people complain that... They are starting to have seizures again, or their meds seem to have 'pooped out' or whatever. But it could well be a quality control issue, for sure.
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Posted by Lamdage22 on May 16, 2021, at 3:25:32
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by alexandra_k on April 10, 2021, at 21:44:34
There is such a thing as food-criminality. It is more prevalent than most people think. Not everything that says "organic" is actually organic. You will probably ingest less toxins if you buy it instead of normal food, but it is not like you are getting none. Some people cheat.
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 16, 2021, at 3:28:39
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by Lamdage22 on May 16, 2021, at 3:25:32
You can be sure that every once in a while you'll buy something that is not nearly as organic as it is advertised. Yeah, generics... probably the same. However I never had a problem with any generic. So it is possible to solve that problem without people buying only brand name.
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 16, 2021, at 3:58:31
In reply to Re: Any experiences getting meds tested by a lab?, posted by Lamdage22 on May 16, 2021, at 3:28:39
Even though America is the more powerful country, sometimes the Europeans are onto something.
This is the end of the thread.
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