RedbeardRX

Captain of a sinking ship that is retail pharmacy. As I go down with the ship, I ponder the meaning of life and tweet my thoughts.

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are destroying retail pharmacies! Here's how:

1. **Reimbursement Issues**: PBMs often reimburse pharmacies at rates lower than the cost of the drugs, leading to financial losses for pharmacies[1][3][5].
2. **DIR Fees**: Direct and Indirect Remuneration (DIR) fees are charged post-sale, creating unpredictable financial burdens for pharmacies[1].
3. **Market Power**: PBMs, often integrated with large insurers, steer patients towards their own or affiliated pharmacies, reducing business for independent pharmacies[3][5].
4. **Complexity and Lack of Transparency**: PBMs' opaque pricing and reimbursement practices make it difficult for pharmacies to operate profitably[1][5].

Citations:
[1] The impact of pharmacy benefit managers on community ... - NCBI https://t.co/sVBSOtcBdH
[2] A brief look at current debates about pharmacy benefit managers https://t.co/W1A6fTkeHd
[3] How the prescription drug supply chain is killing local pharmacies https://t.co/coREMXNhW6
[4] What's behind PBMs' curtain? Abuses, wealth, and barriers to health https://t.co/88M5vVzPxk
[5] Kerrigan: How PBMs are hurting local pharmacies - Boston Herald https://t.co/nOf8oU9b4C

[Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok]

Sneak peek into @elonmusk’s and @VivekGRamaswamy’s Department of Government Efficiency

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

This study, funded by $10 million in taxpayer money, tracked 95 adolescents and found no mental health improvements from puberty blockers. Dr. Johanna Olson-Kenned decided to not publish the study because she didn't like the results. When doctors stop publishing studies due to personal beliefs, it can lead to unnecessary treatments. This is partly because intervention bias exists in medicine, where physicians often choose to intervene even when non-intervention is reasonable.

[Dr. Simone Gold @drsimonegold]

“Trans-Activist” Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy chose to let children be irreversibly harmed rather than admit her NIH $9.7M funded study failed to show any positive result of administering children puberty blockers.

Instead, she refused to release the results.

This was disgraceful.

[James Lindsay, anti-Communist @ConceptualJames]

Another contender for the best meme ever made.

[Yuri Bezmenov's Ghost @Ne_pas_couvrir]

Obama: "I don't understand how we got so toxic"
Also Obama: "I want you to stay angry."

[New Scientist @newscientist]

Bacteria on board the International Space Station have evolved new traits in order to survive in low Earth orbit, and some show signs of increased virulence. https://t.co/6SlW6N7L31

[Pharmacy Times @Pharmacy_Times]

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, designed to provide discounted meds to safety-net providers, faces challenges but proposed solutions include legislative reform and increased transparency. #Pharmacy #DrugPrices

Learn more: https://t.co/5Lg6dfHnQS

[Laura Loomer @LauraLoomer]

EXCLUSIVE:

🚨🚨🚨🚨

Jeff Walz, the brother of Democrat Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz @Tim_Walz donated to President Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign and said “We’ve just become a third world banana republic” on his Facebook page on March 30, 2023, which is the same exact day the Biden-Harris regime had Donald Trump indicted in NYC.

Tim Walz’s own brother believes that Kamala Harris is overseeing a BANANA REPUBLIC!

Now she’s running for President with Jeff’s brother.

The judge who is overseeing that indictment of President Trump is Judge Juan Merchan, whose daughter Loren Merchan served as the Director of Digital Persuasion for Kamala Harris’s Presidential campaign.

Loren Merchan’s company Authentic Campaigns @Authentic_HQ was just SUBPOENAED by the @JudiciaryGOP @Jim_Jordan, and her company and business partner @MikeNellis (a senior advisor to Kamala Harris) have been ordered to appear before the House Justiciary Committee on September 13th, 2024, which is 5 days before Loren’s father Judge Merchan is sentencing Donald Trump.

Tim Walz’s brother Jeff sounds like a smart man!

He knows @KamalaHarris has turned our beautiful country into a THIRD WORLD BANANA REPUBLIC!

#MAGA #Trump2024

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Things are starting to unravel:

Walgreens sued by shareholder amid plummeting stock price https://t.co/f1ifq9ZKKV via @healthcaredive

[Bryce Nickels @Bryce_Nickels]

“Whenever I discussed the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 was a laboratory release, [Peter] Hotez strongly rejected that possibility, but never explained to me or to the Lancet Commission that he actually had a grant that was based on that very kind of risk." - Jeffrey Sachs

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

If government policies and regulations do not change to address the challenges posed by Pharmacy Benefit Managers and other economic pressures, many local pharmacies, particularly in underserved areas, may continue to close, leading to increased pharmacy deserts and reduced access to essential healthcare services for communities.

[Pharmacy Times @Pharmacy_Times]

A lack of fair reimbursement by #PBMs is a major reason for pharmacy closures, creating challenges for many communities to access essential health care services as pharmacy deserts emerge. #pharmacy

Learn more: https://t.co/4SVXJe9iSH

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Mathematics and poetry share intriguing connections through structure, pattern, and creativity. Both disciplines use precision and economy, enhancing each other in various ways.

[New Scientist @newscientist]

The surprising connections between maths and poetry https://t.co/p5SUWPSBAV

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

An amazing read on the origins of covid:
https://t.co/4uZs3F5zVU

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

@nicholelizaq I think that Chardonnay helps her unburden the burdens of what has been

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

The claim that ABC journalist James Gordon Meek debunked the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory is false. Meek, who was sentenced to six years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse images, did not debunk the theory. He only mentioned "Pizzagate" in a 2017 article about Russian propaganda in Syria. A fabricated headline falsely linked Meek to debunking "Pizzagate," but no such article exists, and reputable sources have debunked this conspiracy theory independently[1][3][4].

Citations:
[1] Image of headline on disgraced ABC reporter is fabricated | Fact check https://t.co/F9iUvv2Yhf
[2] Pizzagate conspiracy theory - Wikipedia https://t.co/M0HbuiscJn
[3] 'Pizzagate' conspiracy theory revived online. Here's the facts https://t.co/aq2fBn97wE
[4] Journalist who pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse ... https://t.co/YL0qm24H1Q
[5] What to Know About Pizzagate, the Fake News Story With Real Consequences https://t.co/dY3OGGx9N8
[6] LibGuides: Evaluating News: "Fake News" and Beyond: Case Study: Pizzagate https://t.co/xTLVfNOCUu
[7] What was the QAnon Pizzagate conspiracy theory? https://t.co/CkNtqCZ9Js
[8] Elon Musk has boosted the 'pizzagate' conspiracy theory five times in the last two weeks https://t.co/67qg2V4kGY

[Michelle Maxwell ™ @MichelleMaxwell]

How come the media stopped talking about this?

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

https://t.co/2wx97P8dpQ

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Possibly new treatment for gluten intolerance:

Scientists have identified that the gluten reaction in celiac disease begins in the intestinal epithelium, not just within immune cells as previously thought. This discovery was made by a team at McMaster University using a biologically functioning model of the intestinal epithelium. They found that epithelial cells play an active role in initiating the immune response by alerting immune cells to the presence of gluten. This insight could lead to new treatments targeting the epithelial role in the disease, potentially advancing beyond the current gluten-free diet approach[2][5].

Citations:
[1] How Celiac Disease is Triggered | https://t.co/JHBububqct https://t.co/WZlCx4mxlu
[2] Researchers crack a celiac mystery: Where does the gluten reaction ... https://t.co/BAA35p0kih
[3] Non-celiac gluten sensitivity - Wikipedia https://t.co/xvKMr5aSIP
[4] Intestinal cell damage and systemic immune activation in individuals ... https://t.co/ym1YKsb4nv
[5] Scientists Have Finally Identified Where Gluten Reactions Begin https://t.co/TmpL8n6A30
[6] Pathogenesis of Celiac Disease and Other Gluten Related ... - NCBI https://t.co/8jCNmigGhM
[7] What's really behind 'gluten sensitivity'? - Science https://t.co/WC7i1fPzvU
[8] Celiac Disease | Johns Hopkins Medicine https://t.co/tdjppa4tkB

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Retail pharmacies in the U.S. are facing significant challenges, leading to closures and financial struggles. Major chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid are closing stores due to declining reimbursement rates, competition from online retailers, and operational inefficiencies[2][3][4]. Independent pharmacies have also been heavily impacted, with a 50% reduction in numbers since 1980[1]. Pharmacists are experiencing burnout and understaffing, contributing to prescription errors and deteriorating working conditions[1][5]. Despite these issues, retail pharmacies remain crucial to healthcare, but they may need to adapt to survive[2][4].

Citations:
[1] Healthcare Insights: America's Retail Pharmacies - Patients and ... https://t.co/vql6T9Bu0U
[2] Why Walgreens, CVS retail pharmacies are struggling - CNBC https://t.co/4Jz90Ej3OD
[3] Are Retail Pharmacies and Pharmacists Becoming Endangered? https://t.co/IzuXu9E4UF
[4] U.S. pharmacies are 'in shambles,' ditched by customers ... - Fortune https://t.co/EBeyigyfpp
[5] America's broken pharmacy system in revolt over burnout and errors https://t.co/mQopatNdfV
[6] The looming pharmacy crisis in America - WUSF https://t.co/RUzKDsz3Gp
[7] The profession is dying : r/pharmacy - Reddit https://t.co/xPyvqQl3us
[8] Here's why Walgreens and CVS retail pharmacies are struggling https://t.co/E2Tqd9C5Xk

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Legislation concerning Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) urgently needs reform to prevent the closure of retail pharmacies.

[NCPA @Commpharmacy]

NEW via @RPhDouglas: We are pleased VP Harris is focused on the predatory, anticompetitive companies driving up the cost of prescription drugs, driving independent pharmacies out of business, and restricting health care access for patients. #PBMreform https://t.co/Atco1pGSU6

[RedbeardRX @DrRedbeardRX]

Marin County, California, has experienced a notable decrease in autism rates among children, particularly among wealthy white families. This trend began around 2000 when parents in the county started opting out of the CDC's recommended vaccine schedule, citing safety concerns[1]. Research by Cynthia Nevison and William Parker suggests that autism prevalence plateaued and then declined among children born post-2000 in Marin County, a trend not observed elsewhere in the U.S.[1][2]. This decline may also be linked to a shift towards private care and other changes that reduced autism risk[2].

Citations:
[1] Marin County Defies CDC Vaccine Schedule, Reports Record ... https://t.co/5OmYe5MBsX
[2] California Autism Prevalence by County and Race/Ethnicity https://t.co/mWYnM9ISHn
[3] [PDF] Marin County Child Care Commission Strategic Plan 2020-2025 https://t.co/2xWsuJZP3F
[4] [PDF] MARIN COUNTY FAMILY SUPPORT COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT https://t.co/M2yzSa9yn0
[5] A Snapshot of Autism Spectrum Disorder in California - CDC https://t.co/U6PGQ5IeaD
[6] [PDF] MILES HOME - Marin County https://t.co/eCNyzNxJyI
[7] r/bayarea - Marin County Defies CDC Vaccine Schedule, Reports ... https://t.co/FMegWCABLB
[8] Nancy Pearcey on X: "Marin County Defies CDC Vaccine Schedule ... https://t.co/2L4Lf4UOV3

[Nancy Pearcey @NancyRPearcey]

Marin County Defies CDC Vaccine Schedule, Reports Record-Breaking Decline in Autism Rates

https://t.co/WfDOq3bn5G