Wyeth Seeks to Stifle Custom Hormones

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According to a recent Associated Press article, drug maker Wyeth wants the FDA to crack down on compounding pharmacies which create custom-mixed, bio-identical hormone replacement products to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. Wyeth claims public safety as its motive, but pharmacists and consumers are questioning whether Wyeth's concern may have more to do with its own bottom line. Womens Health Initiative studies concluded in 2002 and 2003 showed that hormone replacement products such as Wyeth's Prempro, Premphase, and Premarin increase a woman's risk of heart attacks, breast cancer, and strokes; and wyeth's sales dropped from $2.07 billion in 2001 to $880 million in 2004.