Jerry Avorn: Countering the Drug Marketing Machine

Howie and Harlan are joined by Harvard internist Jerry Avorn to discuss his research on the pharmaceutical industry and his work promoting evidence-based prescribing. Harlan highlights new results from the American Heart Association meeting, including a one-time CRISPR-based therapy for high cholesterol; Howie reports on an outbreak of infant botulism. Show notes: Research from the American Heart Association Meeting "Phase 1 Trial of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Targeting ANGPTL3" "First-in-human trial of CRISPR gene-editing therapy safely lowered cholesterol, triglycerides" "Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Inhibition with Alirocumab: The CAVIAR Trial" "PCSK9 medication plus statin may help lower cholesterol after heart transplant" "Investigational daily pill lowered bad cholesterol as much as injectables" Jerry Avorn Science Direct: Academic Detailing Jerry Avorn: "Principles of Educational Outreach ('Academic Detailing') to Improve Clinical Decision Making" Alosa Health FDA: Accelerated Approval Jerry Avorn: Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take FDA: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Advertisements H.R.5952 - Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 FDA: FY 2025 FDA Budget Summary Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Open Payments  H.R.3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act "Aducanumab Discontinued as an Alzheimer's Treatment" FDA: ELEVIDYS Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics Amazon.com: Featured comments on Rethinking Medications Infant Botulism California Department of Public Health: "Outbreak of Infant Botulism Linked to ByHeart Infant Formula" California Department of Public Health: Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program CDC: "Infant Botulism Outbreak Linked to Infant Formula, November 2025" "ByHeart recalls all baby formula sold nationwide as infant botulism outbreak grows" California Department of Public Health: What is BabyBIG? California Department of Public Health: Postponement of BabyBIG Fee Increase California Department Of Public Health: Invoice and Purchase Agreement for BabyBIG In the Yale School of Management's MBA for Executives program, you'll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's Executive Master of Public Health offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. Email Howie and Harlan comments or questions.