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Canadian health groups urge ban on exportation of pharmaceutical drugs from Canada to the U.S.

Canadian health groups today called on the Government of Canada to ban the exportation of pharmaceutical drugs from Canada to the U.S. The groups, who represent the interests of millions of Canadian patients, were in Washington to highlight their concerns with Internet pharmacies.

14 Apr 2004

Novartis to provide free medicines to low-income medicare recipients

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced today that the company will work with Medicare-approved drug discount card sponsors to provide its products free of Novartis charges to low-income Medicare enrollees, after they have exhausted their $600 transitional assistance available from the government.

13 Apr 2004

Medicare to launch website showing comparative drug pricing

Medicare has announced it will be publishishing detailed information comparing the prices of most prescription drugs, which is set to shake up the pharmaceutical industry.

12 Apr 2004

Sponsors of Medicare-approved discount cards will begin marketing their cards

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) announced last week that 28 private sponsors will offer 49 different Medicare-sponsored drug discount cards, beginning June 1. Additionally, 43 private health plans have received CMS approval to offer Medicare drug discount cards to their members only.

11 Apr 2004

Government warns medicare drug card sponsors

Medicare card sponsors of drug discount cards who pay pharmacists to attract customers to their cards could violate federal fraud and abuse laws, health inspectors warned Friday.

10 Apr 2004

Hepatitis C wonder drug Ribasphere gets approval from FDA

The President and CEO of Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals, Donald J. Kerrish, RPh., stated, “The approval of Ribasphere™ marks a milestone in the treatment of HCV. Ribasphere™ is positioned to break down the economic barriers that have existed for the past decade in treating this chronic and potentially deadly disease.” Traditionally the cost of treatment for HCV can range from $20,000 – $25,000 annually. “Our aim is to bring affordable medicine to all individuals infected with this dreadful disease.” Mr. Kerrish continued.

8 Apr 2004

AMA advises physicians to order influenza vaccine

In order to ensure the availability of influenza vaccine for administration early this coming fall, the AMA recommends that physicians and providers begin to order supplies of influenza vaccine immediately. In 2003, large numbers of cases of influenza began to appear in October, and activity was widespread.

5 Apr 2004

Gene of immune system linked to severe adverse drug reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)

In a study of Han Chinese patients, researchers have for the first time directly linked a gene of the immune system to a severe adverse drug reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), according to a Duke University Medical Center medical geneticist and collaborators in Taiwan.

1 Apr 2004

Almost half of all medicines globally are used irrationally according to WHO

Almost half of all medicines globally are used irrationally. This, say medicines experts at the World Health Organization (WHO), can have severe consequences: adverse drug reactions, drug resistance, protracted illness and even death. In addition, the financial cost incurred by individuals and governments due to irrational use is unnecessary and often extremely high, particularly in developing countries where patients often pay for medicines out of pocket.

29 Mar 2004

St. John’s wort may interfere with cancer-fighting drug’s ability to prevent relapse in leukemia patients

St. John’s wort, an herb thought to be a safe, natural remedy for mild depression, may interfere with a powerful cancer-fighting drug’s ability to prevent relapse in leukemia patients, a University of Florida pharmacy researcher will report March 27 at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

26 Mar 2004