Curiouser & Curiouser – Part 2

The curiouser part unfolds as we examine the lecture – never given before in 30 years – that recommends steroids need to be handled, applied, tapered, and used very carefully. There is no mention of my 35 years of clinical observations concerning addiction to corticosteroids. The information that withdrawal from corticosteroids is the cure for steroid addiction and the resulting Red Skin Syndrome (not bad eczema) has been withheld. Why?

Could it be that a new more profitable product is going to be introduced into the marketplace to replace steroids as the recommended therapy for the non-entity “bad eczema” with NEA support? This is becoming curiouser and curiouser. Citing no long term benefits and no mention of side effects, just the Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron logos emblazoned on the NEA website with requests for donations to the NEA, the new product Dupilumab is being promoted by the NEA. The NEA has become the advertising agency for unnecessary drugs provided by the pharmaceutical companies that support the NEA. Ignoring legitimate studies that say withdrawal is the cure, the NEA is telling unsuspecting suffering patients about Dupilumab with the caveat that these meds are all tested, proven and “ask your doctor for them” because we look out for you. The NEA conveniently forgets to mention the monies that have changed hands and ignore the need for long term studies to establish benefit or safety.

Dupilumab, a product of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi Genzyme, has just recently been FDA approved with very poor data cited in the supporting papers and the NEA is advocating its immediate use. The pharmaceutical companies, like the Cheshire Cat, smile and disappear. The trusting patients are left in the rabbit hole. After all, the NEA advertises itself as the agency that is “looking out for you.” The conferences, the stipends, the paid MD lectures, the marketing are all in full marketing mode to sell Dupilumab. The Wall Street Journal commented that a year supply will cost $37,000!

“Curiouser & Curiouser – Part 3” coming up next…

By Dr Marvin Rapaport, MD|2021-10-19T03:16:46-07:00August 16th, 2017|Topical Steroid Withdrawal|Comments Off

About the Author: Dr Marvin Rapaport, MD

In 1978 I initiated and set up the contact and photo dermatitis clinic at UCLA. There was a need to evaluate a large group of patients who exhibited severe eczematoid rashes, especially on the face. Patients were referred from all over Southern California. All patients underwent a lengthy history and examination. Further evaluations included blood studies, allergy patch testing, special sunlight (photo) testing and skin biopsies. From the start it was apparent that most patients experienced a mild dermatitis on various parts of the body that progressively worsened. Their histories always included numerous doctor visits, multiple physicians, and therapy consisting of an increasing amount of corticosteroids. My testing failed to reveal any specific culprit chemicals, cosmetics, perfumes, workplace or recreational exposures. It became increasingly clear that the physician’s therapy, the corticosteroids, was invariably causing the problem. I wrote 7 scientific articles that were published in the most august peer-reviewed dermatologic journals and I gave many lectures at various dermatology meetings. To this day an unfortunate reluctance exists on the part of most physicians to accept this simple concept.