april fool's! Unfettered access to data, granted to groups that are independent of the pharmaceutical industry. Sounds like a dream come true for Prescrire's editors. But a dream which, for the moment, remains very much limited to the realm of fantasy. And yes, our "News Flash" revealing the contents of leaked e-mails regarding cancer drug pricing was in fact an April fool's prank.
3 Decades of "fishy business" in April
The traditional April prank by Prescrire's editors serves as an annual "booster shot" to remind us all that in the serious business of medical information, it pays to exercise critical judgement at all times.
In April 1983 Prescrire's "special correspondent" revealed to enthralled readers the enormous interest of protryptophane in the treatment of acute senility... And ever since, the experiment has been repeated yearly in La revue Prescrire's April issue.
And on a few occasions, Prescrire's "April fish" (as the seasonal pranks are known in France) have even made it into the English edition, Prescrire International. These are included below, in a sampling of Prescrire's yearly "Poissons d'avril".
Greatest hits from Prescrire's annual "Poisson d'avril" prank
- Cancer drug pricing: deciphering the leaked e-mails (1 April 2017)
"The spokespersons of the companies implicated have refuted this hypothesis, claiming it to be "too obvious to be believable"..."
"Prix des anticancéreux : décryptage d'une fuite de courriels" Rev Prescrire 2017; 37 (402): 304. (Pdf, in French, free)
> Online news item in English (April 2017). Free
- "Speed Care": an innovative continuing education programme allowing doctors and pharmacists to save precious time (1 April 2016)
"Just one example of the promising innovations on offer is a weekly schedule organised according to patients’ conditions, to achieve an "optimisation of available physician brain-time"..."
"Speed care : un programme de formation innovant pour gagner du temps au cabinet ou en officine" Rev Prescrire 2016; 36 (390): 306. (Pdf, subscription to the French edition required)
- "Pay for talk": innovative new programme in France aims to invest in better communication between healthcare professionals and patients (1 April 2015)
"French health authorities are launching a ground-breaking new pilot project called
"Pay-for-talk" (P4T). The new "VerbaMed°" application will track how much time healthcare professionals spend actually talking to patients..."
"Pay-for-talk" Rev Prescrire 2015; 36 (378) : 307. (Pdf, subscription to the French edition required)
- IN ENGLISH ADR: a new global phenomenon, thanks to the ICH (1 April 2013)
"French journal Prescrire reports unbelievable news regarding the creation of the worldwide Agency for Drug Reconciliation (ADR)..."
"ADR: a new global phenomenon, thanks to the ICH" Prescrire Int 2013; 22 (137): 88. (Pdf, free).
- A new drug treatment makes headlines in France: olanzapine + topiramate (Obéfix°), maintains ideal weight without risk (1 April 2012)
"La Revue Prescrire has revealed unbelievable new results that will be welcome reading for medical professionals and patients alike. ..."
"Olanzapine + topiramate (Obéfix°)" Rev Prescrire 2012; 33 (342): 248-251. (Pdf in French, free)
> Online news item in English (April 2012). Free
- The 2001 "Golden Microphone" awards
for the pharmaceutical industry (1 April 2001)
"The drug industry shows that it knows how to show its gratitude to deserving "opinion leaders"..."
"Les micros d'Or 2001 de l'industrie pharmaceutique" Rev Prescrire 2001; 21 (216): 307. (pdf in French, free)
- Diffunase° (1 April 2000)
"Prevention of stress, of sexual dysfunction, of insomnia, primal urges, bulimia, etc. All by a very novel means of administration: air travel."
"Gamme Diffunase°, n'importe quoi !" Rev Prescrire 2000; 20 (205): 266-268. (Pdf in French, free)
- The French medicines agency and the Y2K bug (1 April 1999)
"For the most difficult months, until approximately 1 April 2000, we will be using an amazing team of carrier pigeons that was recently retired from the armed services. I would like to particularly thank the National Pharmaceutical Association which once again provided financial assistance..."
"L'Agence française du médicament et le bogue de l'an 2000" Rev Prescrire 1999; 19 (194): 308. (Pdf in French, free)
- A computerised medical information system in France? (1 April 1997)
"A confidential report by the Ministries of Health and Finance contains a proposal for a mandatory computerised medical identification system, in the form of an unremovable computerised bracelet to be worn by all beneficiaries of the national health insurance system..."
"Un carnet de santé informatisé en France ?" Rev Prescrire 1997; 17 (172): 284 - 285 et 308. (pdf in French, free)
- Panaceum° tablets (1 April 1984)
"All the results are unanimous, just a single 5 mg dose is enough to cure the great majority of illnesses. The huge advantage for us prescribers is that there is no need for a precise diagnosis. As soon as we suspect some disorder, major or minor, no matter what it involves, the prescription is the same..."
"Panaceum° comprimés" Rev Prescrire 1984; 4 (34) : 2. (Pdf in French, free)
"Panaceum° d'avril" Rev Prescrire 1984 ; 4 (35): II. (Pdf in French, free)
- Kwajalumpur. 3rd Symposium of the International Federation of Experimental Gerontopathology: protryptophane can cure senility (1 April 1983)
"The press must be ever alert in order to satisfy readers' thirst for news..."
"Kwajalumpur. Troisième symposium de la Féderation Internationale de Gérontopathologie Expérimentale : le protryptophane peut guérir la sénilité" Rev Prescrire 1983; 3 (24): 13 - 14. (Pdf in French, free)
©Prescrire 1 April 2017
