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Study examines how opioid overdose differs by prescribed dose for chronic pain conditions

More and more Americans with chronic pain not caused by cancer are taking medically prescribed opioids like Oxycontin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (hydrocodone). The January 19 Annals of Internal Medicine features the first study to explore the risk of overdose in patients prescribed opioids for chronic noncancer pain in general health care.

19 Jan 2010

Calsed earns proprietary clinical gold standard status from Decision Resources

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that Celgene/Nippon Kayaku's Calsed earns Decision Resources' proprietary clinical gold standard status in 2013 for the treatment of extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer, following its approval for the indication in 2012.

19 Jan 2010

FDA warns consumers about counterfeit and potentially harmful version of Alli capsules

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is today warning consumers about a counterfeit and potentially harmful version of Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill kit).

19 Jan 2010

Psoriasis therapy costs outpace inflation

Findings from a cost model suggest that expenses for systemic psoriasis therapy appear to be increasing at a faster rate than inflation, and newer biologically derived treatments are more expensive than traditional systemic therapies, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

19 Jan 2010

New findings support the development of vaccine against malaria

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have uncovered a group of proteins that could form the basis of an effective vaccine against malaria.

19 Jan 2010

Sodium oxybate to garner over 15% of the fibromyalgia drug market despite safety concerns

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, despite potential safety concerns, Jazz Pharmaceuticals/UCB's sodium oxybate (JZP-6) will account for more than 15 percent of the fibromyalgia drug market in 2018 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan. Sodium oxybate has demonstrated robust efficacy in Phase III clinical trials for fibromyalgia and interviewed thought leaders are impressed with its effect on several key symptom domains of fibromyalgia, which include pain, sleep and fatigue.

18 Jan 2010

Alcon to acquire U.S. rights to Sirion Therapeutics' Durezol and Zirgan

Alcon, the world’s leader in eye care, announced today that it will purchase the rights in the United States for two FDA-approved topical eye care products from Sirion Therapeutics, Inc. The two products purchased are Durezol™, a marketed ophthalmic corticosteroid approved for the treatment of inflammation and pain associated with eye surgery, and Zirgan™, a recently approved antiviral for the treatment of acute herpetic keratitis (corneal ulcers).

18 Jan 2010

Sunlight and vitamin D deficiency linked to 17 varieties of cancer

For humans, sunlight and vitamin D is critically important for the development, growth, and maintenance of a healthy body, from birth until death. "Humans make thousands of units of vitamin D within minutes of whole body exposure to sunlight. From what we know of nature, it is unlikely such a system evolved by chance," states Dr. John Cannell, Executive Director, Vitamin D Council.

18 Jan 2010

Risks associated with opioid pain medications may outweigh surgery risks

Despite limited evidence of long-term success in using opioid pain medications for chronic low back pain, opioid prescribing has increased in recent years for back pain and other non-cancer pain indications.

18 Jan 2010

Prescription drugs prove effective in managing moderate to severe psoriasis

Clinical trials to test the effectiveness of two prescription drugs for the debilitating skin condition psoriasis have revealed significant differences that should help inform physicians treating patients with the condition.

18 Jan 2010

Hyperphosphatemia following standard OSP doses is related to weight, reveals study

Colon cleansing is used widely for colonoscopic exploration and colonic and gynecological surgery. Oral sodium phosphate (OSP) solution is the osmotic laxative most commonly used for this purpose. It is known that OSP can induce severe hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia due to excessive absorption of phosphates, and there have been reports of deaths and irreversible dialysis-requiring renal insufficiency. However, no prospective studies have investigated the prevalence of hyperphosphatemia in low-risk patients.

18 Jan 2010

Mutagenic drugs designed to kill viruses may make them stronger, says research

As the flu season continues in full-swing, most people can appreciate the need for drugs that stop viruses after they take hold in the body. Despite this serious need for new drugs, a team of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin raise serious concerns about an emerging strategy for stopping viral infections.

18 Jan 2010

Over-the-counter medications can help manage minor ailments

Nonprescription medications in the home medicine cabinet could save a trip to the doctor. The January issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter lists more than a dozen over-the-counter medications that can help manage minor ailments.

18 Jan 2010

Environmental health groups call for ban on BPA from all food applications

Environmental health advocates responded to today's announcement that Food and Drug Administration concurs with the National Toxicology Program's assessment that bisphenol A is a chemical of concern. FDA posted tips for parents to minimize children's exposure, and announced further research. BPA is a synthetic sex hormone linked to cancer, behavioral changes, reproductive harm, heart problems and other illnesses.

18 Jan 2010

FDA extends Tarceva's sNDA review period

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the review period for the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Tarceva® (erlotinib) as a first-line maintenance therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by an additional 90 days.

18 Jan 2010

Obama signals interest in reducing the protections for biologic drugs

Lobbyists for generic biologic drugmakers are fighting to undercut a provision in the proposed health overhaul that would protect brand-name pharmaceutical companies from lower-cost, generic competition over new products for 12 years, the Associated Press reports. The generic companies have friends in high places: "White House officials and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, are trying to reduce the curbs against competition to 10 years or less" (Fram, 1/14).

18 Jan 2010

Fertility drugs cause a high percentage of multiple births; contribute to growing crisis of prematurity

The widespread use of so-called fertility drugs, not just high-tech laboratory procedures, likely plays a larger role than previously realized in the growing problem of premature births in the United States, because these drugs cause a high percentage of multiple births, the March of Dimes said today.

18 Jan 2010

Safety concerns of acetaminophen

The pain reliever acetaminophen is one of the safest and most effective drugs on the market. It's often recommended instead of aspirin as a day-to-day pain reliever because it's much easier on the stomach than other over-the-counter options and is considered safe when taken properly.

18 Jan 2010

Scientists develop alternative method for producing active ingredient in Tamiflu

Scientists have developed an alternative method for producing the active ingredient in Tamiflu-, the mainstay for fighting H1N1 and other forms of influenza. The new process could expand availability of the drug by reducing its cost, which now retails for as about $8 per dose.

18 Jan 2010

Kenta Biotech and Rentschler Biotechnologie sign agreement to develop antibody against MRSA

Kenta Biotech today announced an agreement with Rentschler Biotechnologie for the development of a fully human monoclonal antibody against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

18 Jan 2010

Pharmaceutical News

Study examines how opioid overdose differs by prescribed dose for chronic pain conditions

Calsed earns proprietary clinical gold standard status from Decision Resources

FDA warns consumers about counterfeit and potentially harmful version of Alli capsules

Psoriasis therapy costs outpace inflation

New findings support the development of vaccine against malaria

Sodium oxybate to garner over 15% of the fibromyalgia drug market despite safety concerns

Alcon to acquire U.S. rights to Sirion Therapeutics' Durezol and Zirgan

Sunlight and vitamin D deficiency linked to 17 varieties of cancer

Risks associated with opioid pain medications may outweigh surgery risks

Prescription drugs prove effective in managing moderate to severe psoriasis

Hyperphosphatemia following standard OSP doses is related to weight, reveals study

Mutagenic drugs designed to kill viruses may make them stronger, says research

Over-the-counter medications can help manage minor ailments

Environmental health groups call for ban on BPA from all food applications

FDA extends Tarceva's sNDA review period

Obama signals interest in reducing the protections for biologic drugs

Fertility drugs cause a high percentage of multiple births; contribute to growing crisis of prematurity

Safety concerns of acetaminophen

Scientists develop alternative method for producing active ingredient in Tamiflu

Kenta Biotech and Rentschler Biotechnologie sign agreement to develop antibody against MRSA

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