Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD)

[willyw]

I'm in no position to argue with your statement, but I believe that it is interferon that is the likely culprit;

http://press.endocrine.org/doi/full/10.1210/jc.2004-0627
"Interferon-a-Related Thyroid Disease"

I would be surprised if you had proof that it was ribavirin itself that caused the thyroid issues.

Ribavirin often causes anemia, but in 10 years of watching HCV boards yours is the first actual claim I have seen that RBV caused a heart attack. It is quite true that many people with advance age or HCV can have cardio/pulmonary issues. My informal observation is that a fair number of people w/ HCV smoke, which can also increase risk.

Heart attack is a fairly common occurrence in the USA;
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

"About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.

Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing nearly 380,000 people annually.
Every year about 720,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 515,000 are a first heart attack and 205,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm just wondering if you have proof of either of your statements, or if they are opinion?

To me, they look like they *could* be extreme or incorrect statements. God forbid if they are being made to scare people *away* from a treatment (Abbvie) or *towards* a stock you happen to be invested in (GILD) : )

I think GILD is a great stock and has a great HCV program. You will notice that it uses RBV in some of it's upcoming G-3 treatments currently in trials. I do think that patients on RBV do require monitoring of hemoglobin levels. What were yours when you had the heart attack?

I was in the GILD ION -1 trials and did 21 weeks of RBV; 6 per day for 12 weeks (1200/mg/day). I had my RBV cut to 3/day (600mg) at 12 weeks thru 21 weeks.
I ran a 5K race 5 weeks after ending my TX at about a 8 minute/mile pace.
Not all people who take RBV have problems.

best, Willy