WAHM Forums

My RVP, Holly Taylor-Lemieux, sent this email to me. I don't have a team of my own to share this information with so I figured that I could post it on here and let EVERYONE know about this. I'm going to cut and paste the email to this post since it explains everything. I heard that the link doesn't work, if not you should be able to type it into your browser. Help stop a major drug company from having hormone balancing creams taken off the market.


Thanks guys,


Angela M. Selby


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Please pass this on to as many women and men as you can. This may be one of the most important things you can dofor yourself and your daughters and grand daughters!<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />



I just received this from NVP Stasia Trivison, who helped bring

Phytoprolief &amp; Prolief to Arbonne.We knew this day would come...



Subject: Bio-identical Hormones - FDA





From: DrHotze Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 7:01 PM Subject: Letter

To Stop Wyeth and the FDA from Denying Your Right to Choose

Bio-identical Hormones



January 21, 2006 Dear Friends,



Wyeth Pharmaceutical wants the FDA to take away your right to choose

Safe, effective and natural, bio-identical hormones and regulate your

Choice of health treatments. We have until April 4, 2006 to stop them.



Wyeth, the maker of Premarin and Prempro, filed a "Citizens Complaint"

With the FDA on October 16,

2005, requesting that the FDA effectively prohibit compounding

Pharmacies from providing bio-identical hormones to their patients.

This would mean that you would no longer be able to get your

Bio-identical hormones from us or from any one else.



Since the 2002 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) which demonstrated that

Wyeth's products, Premarin and Prempro, caused a significant increase

In breast cancer, blood clots to the lungs, heart attacks and strokes,

Wyeth has seen a dramatic decline in the sales of these counterfeit

Hormones. Wyeth's financial reports, which are available online at

http://www.wyeth.com/, indicate the following significant decline in sales of

Premarin Family products;2002 - $2,072,000,000;

2003 - $1,275,000,000; 2004 - $880,000,000. This represents a 68%

Decline in sales of Premarin Family products between 2002 -

2004. Wyeth's profits have likewise declined precipitously; 2002 -

$4,447,000,000;

2003 - $2,051,192,000; 2004 - $1,234,000,000, a 72% decline in

Profits. Tens of thousands of women have forsaken Premarin family

Drugs for bio-identical hormones. Wyeth is simply trying to stop its

Losses and regain its market share. Wyeth wants to force women to take

Their counterfeit hormones by eliminating the competition from

Bio-identical hormones prepared by compounding pharmacies.



The FDA receives drug user fees, totaling at least $300,000,000 in

2004, from the pharmaceutical companies for the drugs they sell. The

Less drugs that Wyeth sells, the less money the FDA makes. The FDA

Collects no drug user fees from compounding pharmacies because they

Are regulated by the states, not the federal government. So the FDA

Wants to eliminate compounding pharmacies as well.



Pharmaceutical companies recruit key FDA employees to work for them at

Huge salaries. This is the dream of many bureaucrats, to get a high

Paying job with a big drug company. So you can understand why FDA

Regulators have an incentive to please Wyeth.



Wyeth, like all the major pharmaceutical companies, contributes

Billions of dollars to various medical societies and patient advocacy

Organizations. So it is not surprising that many of these

Organizations have written responses to the FDA in support of Wyeth's

Complaint. Because of their money ties to Wyeth, these organizations

Endorse Wyeth's products and do Wyeth's bidding. When an organization

Supports something which is obviously detrimental to women and men, it

Is important to follow the money trail.



Wyeth can and must be defeated in its attempt to restrict patients'

Rights to choose to safe, effective and natural treatments using

Bio-identical hormones.



You can voice your opposition to the Wyeth Complaint by going directly

To the FDA comment link below and telling the FDA your story about the

Benefits that bio-identical hormones have made in your life. The

Comment filing period ends on April 4, 2006 at which time the FDA will

Make its decision. To stop Wyeth and the FDA we need at least 20,000

Comments opposing the Wyeth complaint. So write your comment on line

Today! Please forward this information to any one who will support

This effort.



FDA Comment Link for the Wyeth Complaint



The comment period on the Wyeth Petition is open until April 4, 2006.

Here is a link where comments can be filed with the FDA on-line:







http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/co (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/commentsmain) mmentsmain.

Cfm?EC_DOCUMENT_ID=794&amp;SUBTYP=NEXT&amp;CID=&amp;AGENCY=F DA



If you are receiving this information by hard copy then you may go to

http://www.drhotze.com/, or http://www.hotzehwc.com/in order to find this link. If

You are receiving this information by e-mail then just click on the

Above link.



After entering the requested information (zip code, name, etc.), hit

The continue button to get the comment screen. Comments can be up to

4,000 characters.Hit the continue button to get to the next screen,

Where attachments can be filed.Hit the button "save comments" to

submit (doesn't make sense, but I tried it with a test comment).



Hard copy comments (which can also be scanned and submitted as an

attachment using the above link) can be mailed to:



Food and Drug Administration Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305) 5630

<?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Fishers</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lane</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Room</st1:PlaceName> 1061 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rockville</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">MD</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">20852</st1:PostalCode></st1:place>



Allow me to recommend for your consideration that you go to the above

link and draft your response on the job today.Also please forward

this e-mail to everyone on your distribution lists.



Your ability to continue to choose your treatment depends upon our

success in blocking Wyeth and the FDA in their plan to eliminate

bio-identical hormones.



Thanking you for supporting patients' rights to choose bio-identical

hormones, I remain, as always, Sincerely yours, Steven F. Hotze, M.D.


<DIV id=INCREDISIGNATUREID>

Deb Gruber</TD></TR></T></TABLE>

Okay, I left a comment on the website. The first link didn't work even when I typed it into my browser. The second link worked though. If you click it and then click the link for the topic that says,
<H1>Stop the FDA from banning your right to use bio-identical hormones!</H1>


It takes you to a site that asks for personal information afterwards you can leave a comment. Our prolief cream is a great product and it is so much safer than what Wyeth has to offer. Please help to save our progesterone creams.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have posted my comments...

I have forwarded it to everyone I know! We'll stop them yetsmileys/smiley4.gif

Hi, I agree it would be terrible if Wyeth won this fight and am going to respond to the petition.


I just wanted to clarify something. Correct me if I'm wrong but Ibelieveour hormone creams are natural but not bio-identical. My friend goes to an OB-gyn who prescribes bio-identical hormones. Ours you can get without a prescription and that is part of what makes them not bio-identical.Ours wouldn't work for her problems because she is missing more than just progesterone. Her doctor did a lot of blood work to identify what hormones and the amount that is missing from her system and then prescribed natural hormones to meet those needs. She is taking some progestrone (but it's formulated to meet exactlythe amountshe is lacking)and some testosterone(again formulated for what she needs)and her husband is being tested at this time to find out where he's lacking because our hormones effect everything in our body. She has done a ton of research on this including reading the books we recommend as well as other booksand bio-identical is a step above what we recommend because of the identification process. She is totally better now that she is on the bio-identical hormones. I think our creams are awesome and work for some problems but for people like herit wouldn't have done what she needed.That's why when we sell ours we tell them they may need to adjust the amount they use and apply it 2x a day as opposed to 1x a day or whatever and also why our company says to consult a physician and doesn't make medical claims. Bio-identical is the exact amount needed given by prescription and prescribed by a doctor which is probably why Wyeth is going after pharmacies. For me, our hormone cream is the best. I don't have any of the symptoms I was having before I started it so I love it.


Anyway,I'm nottrying to start a debate but just wanted everyone to be informed of what I've been told by a doctor and my friend. For those out there who need bio-identical I think we need to help them all we can because we all know that natural is so much better than synthetic.


And I'm sorry for the long post......I get long winded sometimes....smileys/smiley1.gifEdited by: abblukbec3

Yes, the progesterone in the balancing creams is USP progesterone, bioidentical to the hormone produced by our bodies during ovulation. The molecular structure is exactly the same. <!--
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I emailed product knowledge at our company to verify the bio-identical question. Before I emailed them I checked with two ob/gyn officesthat use bio-identical hormones and they had heard of our product and both of them said our product is bio-identical.However, product knowledge says differently.


Here was my question:


Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 9:44 AM
To: Arbonne Product Questions
Subject: prolief and phytoprolief

Hi, I have a question about our hormone creams. Are they considered bio-identical and what does that mean?
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
Also, if they are bio-identical why aren't they labeled as that?

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.</BLOCKQUOTE>


Here is their response:
Thank you for your e-mail.

No, thebalancing creamsthemselves are not considered bio-identical.



For your convenience, below we have attached an FAQ for our balancing creams. If these do not answer your questions, please check the recommended readings and websitebelow. They contain a great abundance of information on the field of study, and will most likely be able to answer any questions that you have about the creams.

Q: What isthe difference between PhytoProlief and Prolief?<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

A: Both are natural balancing creams conveniently packaged in a metered pump to supply 1/4 teaspoon of product per dose. PhytoProlief contains added phytoestrogen herbs, Prolief does not.

Q: What is the suggested use for the Balancing Creams?
A: The recommended use for women is 1/4 teaspoon (1 pump) to 1/2 teaspoon (2 pumps) per day. One pump should be applied in the evening. If using two pumps, they should be divided, one in the morning, one in the evening. Apply the Balancing Cream to the soft tissues, such as the chest, inner arms, neck, face, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It is recommended to rotate applications to a different soft tissue with each usage. For Men apply 1/8 teaspoon (1/2 pump) of Prolief daily to face after shaving or to soft tissues.

Q: Should I use one pump or two?
A: For individual questions, please check with a physician or refer to the recommended reading listed below:

· What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause: Balance Your Hormones and Your Life From Thirty to Fifty. Dr. John R. Lee, M.D., et al
· What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause: The Breakthrough Book on Natural Progesterone. Dr. John R. Lee, M.D., Virginia Hopkins
· The Estrogen Alternative: Natural Hormone Therapy with Botanical Progesterone. Raquel Martin with Judi Gerstung, D.C.
· Hormone Heresy - What Women MUST Know About Their Hormones. Sherill Sellman
· www.johnleemd.com (http://www.johnleemd.com/)

We hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

Regards,

Product Questions

Since our company is saying they are not bio-identical thatshould mean we are safe from being a target for Wyeth. Edited by: abblukbec3

I think it is terrific that more doctors are affirming the merit of natural progesterone ... and also the fact that more physicians are actually doing hormone testing. It's about time!

In my area, health care providers are still very mainstream and not very open to natural therapies - so thank goodness women still have OTC options.smileys/smiley1.gif <!--
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Gosh, it is so confusing. I have always heard and said that it is bio-identical. My upline is a nurse and her upline is a doctor and that is what we have always been taught.


I will forward this on to her and see what she has to say!


Thanks

I do too. There are still very few doctors out there though that agree with natural hormones which is frustrating but hopefully things will continue to improve in that area. I know my friend was very frustrated when she first started having problems because they told her it was all in her head and tried to give her things to fix it. Thank goodness she did some research and was also able to find a doctor to help her.

anet


Those doctors told methe creamswere bio-identicaltoo. It is confusing and I'm not sure why product knowledge is saying they aren't.I didn't think they were bio-identical because of the way they were labeled but then after reading the comments on here and talking with the doctor's had decided I had assumed wrong and that they were bio-identical and was actually excited because I figured this gave us an even better reason to recommend it. Oh well. Let me know what you find out from your upline about the bio thing.

Well, the creams</span> aren't bioidentical - but the USP progesterone ingredient IN the creams *is*. Could that be the answer? Maybe we are restricted from making that claim?? <!--
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chrlstoncharmed


I don't know. I will email product knowledge again and ask them if they can clarify that. I don't know why we couldn't make that claim if the doctors are considering the "creams" to be bio-identical. This is where I get frustrated because we get so many different stories like the bat poop thing and the oprah thing that aren't true and then this one could be a legitimate claim and we may not be able to tell people about it because of a technicality. I'll let you know whatI find out.

Okay, I finally got a clear answer from product knowledge after emailing them 3 times. It's partly my fault though because I don't think I asked them clearly enoughthe first time.http://www.wahm.com/forum/smileys/smiley1.gifJust so you guys can know what went on I will copy and paste all three emails so it will be quite lengthy just to warn you :) Because of the response they gave me (first email below) conflicted with the response they gave me before (see post above) I emailed them to clarify. I understand what they were saying but at the same timewanted to know how to present it. It's good to read through all 3 emails to get the whole thing. Hopefully it will clear things up as to the hormone creams though. The way I understand it, it's like chrlstncharmed said, the progesterone in the cream is bio identical but the creams aren't and we just need to clarify if asked and tell our clients how great it is and it sounds to me that we can claim the progesterone in the cream as being bio-identical. What do you guys think?





-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 6:05 AM
To: Arbonne Product Questions
Subject: proleif and phytoprolief



Hi, I had the understanding that the USP progestrone in the hormone creams is bio-identical. If that is true, then can we promote the creams as being bio-identical hormone creams? I know some doctors that consider the creamto be bio-identical, yet you have said it is not.I would really appreciate it if you could clarify this rather than saying to check with their doctor because this is a big issue and we as consultants do not want to represent it the wrong way.It is causing a lotof confusion. Thank you.
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----- Original Message -----

<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black">From: Arbonne Product Questions (productquestions@arbonne.com)
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 12:59 PM
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: question





Hello,


Thank you for your email.


Yes, it is bioidentical.


If you have any other questions, please consult a physician. They will be best able to determine use.


We hope this is helpful. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.


Regards,


Product Questions


So then I emailed them the following question:
<DIV =OutlookMessageer dir=ltr align=left>
<DIV =OutlookMessageer dir=ltr align=left>
<DIV =OutlookMessageer dir=ltr align=left>-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 1:58 PM
To: Arbonne Product Questions
Subject: Re: question


Hi, I apologize, I guess I should have replied from my original email. Just to make it easier I will copy and paste my original question and answer because my question below (down towards the bottom) is a take off from the original question. Now I (and several other consultants) are thoroughly confused because both emails have conflicting responses (or at least it looks like that). If you could clear it up we would appreciate it. What we need to know is are the hormone creams bio-identical and if so can we promote them as such. Right now one answer from you guys (see below) says they aren't and the next answer (see way below :) says the progesterone is so I would take that to mean the creams are.We aren't trying to get caught up in a technicalitybut are just wanting to know the correct way to promote the hormone creams. As always we tell clients to check with their doctors but if they aren't bio-identical (which makes a big difference to some) we don't want to be telling clients that and if they are of course we do want to tell clients so they know there's another alternative out there. Thanks for all yourhelp. We all appreciate it!!! Have a good day!!


<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black">From: Arbonne Product Questions (productquestions@arbonne.com)
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 4:06 PM
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: question


Let us fully clarify the situation. The USP progesterone contained within the cream is bio-identical; whereas the creams are not bio-identical. We apologize if this has been confusing.

Regards,

Product Questions

Here is my 3rd email and the final answer:


<DIV =OutlookMessageer dir=ltr align=left>-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 3:12 PM
To: Arbonne Product Questions
Subject: Re: question


Don't worry about the confusion. Someof it I caused by the way I asked the questions.If someone asks us if it's bio-identical is it okay to promote it like that? Because I can see us saying well, the creams aren't bio-identical but the progesterone in the cream is and then they will ask what the difference is.

I don't know if this is a question for you guys or not but does it compare then to the other creams on the market that are recommended as being bio-identical? Are they basically produced the same way?

Thanks for your patience and your help, I appreciate it.


Hello again,

The cream is simply the vehicle for the progesterone. Maybe you can just be clear and let Clients know that the progesterone is bio-identical. How can a cream be bio-identical? Our bodies don't make cream. Our bodies do contain progesterone.


We do not make comparisons with other products on the market when it takes a negative position. We do however, encourage individual research and consumer education so the right choice is made.



We hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Regards,



Product Questions



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