Prescription Drug News and Research

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Senate urged to pass strong prescription drug safety provisions

Consumers Union is urging the Senate to approve strong prescription drug-safety provisions this week in a major Food and Drug Administration bill, and resist attempts to weaken the bill when it comes to triggering quick safety action or moderating mass advertising of a new drug when there are signs of danger.

1 May 2007

Web site to list medications of natural disaster evacuees

SureScripts on Tuesday unveiled a Web site that will allow health care workers to access the prescription information of people who live in areas impacted by natural disasters, the AP/Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

30 Apr 2007

Assessment of medical expenditures and earnings losses associated with arthritis

"Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions exact a large and growing economic toll on the nation as a result of the increase in numbers of persons affected, rather than an increase in mean expenditures and earnings losses," attests Charles G. Helmick, M.D., at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

30 Apr 2007

Many NYC pharmacies fail to cater for people with poor English

Despite widespread capacity to provide prescription medication labels in languages other than English, few New York City pharmacies do so and as a result, limited-English patients face serious risk of medication error, according to a study by The New York Academy of Medicine presented at the annual meeting of the Society for General Internal Medicine (SGIM) in Toronto, Ontario.

30 Apr 2007

The aging brain and decision making

The human brain's ability to process information declines with age, but knowledge about the world through experiences tends to rise over time.

27 Apr 2007

Psychotherapeutic drug spending surges

Spending on prescription drugs to treat depression, anxiety, pain, schizophrenia and other conditions climbed from $7.9 billion in 1997 to $20 billion in 2004 - over a 150 percent increase, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

25 Apr 2007

Pharmacyclics announces NDA for Xcytrin injection

Pharmacyclics, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has filed the company's New Drug Application (NDA) for Xcytrin (motexafin gadolinium) Injection.

24 Apr 2007

FDA approves generic versions of Ambien

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the first generic versions of Ambien (zolpidem tartrate) immediate-release tablets.

24 Apr 2007

Are higher doses and higher costs for cholesterol drugs worth the extra money?

When it comes to cholesterol-lowering drugs, more is better. At least, that's what heart doctors and heart patients have been hearing in recent years.

24 Apr 2007

Generics are increasing competition and lower prescription drug prices

According to a new study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) School of Management and Analysis Group Inc., there is no evidence that the recent increase in prevalence of authorized generics has resulted in delays in generic entry into the marketplace.

20 Apr 2007

Women more likely to go without needed health care insurance

As Cover the Uninsured Week approaches, a new Commonwealth Fund report by researchers at the National Women's Law Center finds that even women with health insurance coverage are more likely than insured men to go without needed health care because of costs.

20 Apr 2007

Should government negotiate drug prices?

The following is written by Dr. Gary A. Puckrein, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Minority Quality Forum, on the topic of drug prices and the emerging majority:

20 Apr 2007

First large-scale study to assess treatment for prescription drug addiction

UCSF is launching a new study to evaluate treatments for addiction to prescription painkillers and has openings for patients to enroll.

19 Apr 2007

FDA accepts Satraplatin NDA for priority review

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals has announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) for satraplatin has been accepted for priority review by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

17 Apr 2007

AHIP develops new initiatives to improve the quality and safety of health care

The proposal includes reforms to the FDA and a plan for comparing the effectiveness of prescription drugs, devices and new medical technologies.

17 Apr 2007

AARP to track Senate vote on Medicare Rx bargaining bill

Today, AARP will be sending the following letter from CEO Bill Novelli to every member of the U.S. Senate alerting them that the association will be recording the upcoming Senate vote on a bill to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.

17 Apr 2007

FDA looks for feedback on Medication Guide program

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a public hearing on June 12 and 13, 2007, to obtain feedback on FDA's Medication Guide program.

12 Apr 2007

Health care reconsidered: Options for change

The Hamilton Project, an initiative at the Brookings Institution, hosted a forum, "Health Care Reconsidered: Options for Change," today at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. At the event, policy papers on reforming Medicare Part "D" (including closing the "donut hole" gap in prescription drug coverage), improving preventive care and promoting greater affordability through progressive cost-sharing were released by The Hamilton Project.

11 Apr 2007

PhRMA statement on the Medicare prescription drug program

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Senior Vice President Ken Johnson issued the following statement on the AARP's campaign to modify the Medicare prescription drug program.

5 Apr 2007

Market study into the distribution of medicines in the UK

The OFT has launched a market study into the distribution of medicines in the UK. This decision follows recent and proposed distribution changes by leading UK medicine suppliers.

5 Apr 2007