Schering-Plough and Merck have been making moves to bring their two respective allergy drugs — Claritin and and Singulair — together to form one super-drug, but it according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, it doesn’t look like that is going to happen. On April 25, the company said late the FDA had rejected an application for a pill that would combine the two drugs.

Previous research by the two company’s failed to show the combination pill was better for seasonal allergy patients than the two pills administered separately, however, Schering-Plough and Merck recently made a pitch arguing that the combined pill had an effect on congestion that wasn’t demonstrated with the individual components. Apparently, the FDA remained unconvinced.

What interest do drug companies have in combining their products? Is it really to help people out and provide a superior, better-performing super-drug? Or is it simply to make some sort of profit? It’s hard to know if big business pharmaceutical companies have the best interests of customers at heart.

Also, it was only last month that the FDA began an investigation into the possibility that the use of Singulair may lead to increased risk of suicidal behavior. Perhaps we shouldn’t be jumping the gun on combining Singulair and Claritin until we figure out the real impacts of Singulair. That’s just me though.

Our society loves over-the-counter (OTC) drugs almost as much as it loves prescription meds. Bored teens and adults have been known to down a bottle of Ny-Quil or Robitussin just to attain a loopy, cough medicine high. There are even entire message boards devoted solely to discussion of how to best achieve the “robo” high based on your sex, height and body weight. I think ultimately it comes down to the fact that, we as a culture, are constantly in search of the eternal buzz. Some people smoke cigarettes, some people drink, some people take painkillers and some people drink cough medicine. Why is that humans feel the need to alter their state of mind? I personally believe that it has a lot to do with a need to escape the stress of everyday life.

chris rock never scared- drugs

NSFW

Chris Rock hits it right on the nail.