I know, the headline makes you want to read it twice. Can the U.S. FDA really do something right, and that is in the interest of the public?

The FDA has approved the first generic versions of AZT, the grand old daddy of AIDs medications. It should be clarified that this is not the first version of the drug, but rather the first version that will be made available in the U.S. Glaxo’s patent has finally run its term, after 18 years, and like it or not, the FDA must allow the generics to move in. I should add that generic versions are already being manufactured in countries like India and China, where they can’t afford to pay the cost of patented medicine.

AZT currently costs about $2,200 for a one-year supply, far more than the average person in a developing nation could ever afford to pay. When AZT first came on the market in 1987, the price tag was about $10,000. So while the cost has declined dramatically, it’s still pricey, especially for people who don’t earn that much in a year. Generic versions of the drug cost as little as $105 for a one-year supply, and U.S.-made generics could be even cheaper than that. Now that will be a boon to saving costs in healthcare, wouldn’t it.

There have some fierce battles over patent vs. generic when it comes to AIDS drugs. Developing nations, home to about 80% of all AIDS cases, simply cannot afford to pay for patented drugs, even with discounts offered by the manufacturer. Thus, breaking patents and making generics was seen as a necessity by many developing nations, and I can’t blame them. I can understand a company wanted exclusivity after they put a drug on the market, but in the case of AIDS, the high prices simply meant that the majority of AIDS patients were just going to die untreated.

Does childhood obesity and eating at MacDonald’s have anything in common? Apparently, a lot of people think so. Obesity and MacDonald’s have a rather symbiotic relationship, I would say.

So that is all the more reason to take a look at Seth Godin’s blog entry. It is the perennial tale of two billboards, the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Felix Unger and Oscar Madison.

Why would anyone hang these two billboards together? Is it a bad joke?

It’s official. Rita has now reached category 5 strength. Of course, that may change by the time she makes landfall. Katrina was a category 5 and then weakened right before she slammed into Mississippi.

Ironic how Houston is the home to the bulk of Katrina evacuees, and now it may become the next victim of a powerful storm. Right now, Rita’s designated hit is anywhere from northeastern Mexico to southwestern Louisiana, although the consensus seems that she will make landfall somewhere in Texas.

And needless to say, this time around, the Feds and local governments are on the ball. Emergency aid is already prepared and set to be shipped as soon as the rain and wind slow down. The Texas National guard is on alert and ready to move in. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are being evacuated. People are being told to prepare their homes and evacuate now, days before the hurricane is due to reach land (Sat is ground zero day).

I wonder though, if they evacuating hospitals. They didn’t during Katrina, so I am wondering if we are going to have a whole new flock of heroic stories from healthcare workers. But Texas is in a better position than New Orleans because they are not below sea level. Galveston’s extreme vulnerability was corrected after the deadly 1900 storm–a sea wall was build and the entire city elevated. While that won’t stop all damage, it certainly helps control flooding.

Anyway, I’ve got my eyes on Rita. And so, I’m sure, does everyone living in the Gulf.