Drugs News and Research

RSS

Florida steps up efforts against pill mills; Hospital executives under scrutiny

The New York Times looks at Florida's efforts to stop illegal sales of prescription drugs while other outlets examine local hospital issues.

2 Sep 2011

Microtubule stability linked to increased sensitivity to paclitaxel

SCIENTISTS have discovered how blocking key cell signalling proteins could help boost the success rate of the tumour-shrinking drug paclitaxel, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Research today.

2 Sep 2011

Contraceptive pill prevents loss of eye sight

Scientists at University College Cork (UCC) have shown that the active component (Norgestrel) of the contraceptive 'Mini Pill' prevents the loss of sight in mice that have degenerative eye conditions that normally lead to blindness.

2 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 2, 2011

On Kaiser Health News' blog, staff writer Julie Appleby writes: "Insurers who offer 'association health plans,' which are often sold through trade groups or other organizations of affiliated members, will face the same scrutiny of premium rate hikes as other types of insurance, federal officials said Thursday."

2 Sep 2011

UVA researchers develop 3-D model to visualize early growth of human breast tissue

University of Virginia researchers have developed a revolutionary three-dimensional model that allows them to visualize how breast tissue grows in its earliest stages, giving them the closest look ever at the very beginnings of breast cancer.

2 Sep 2011

Neutrophils linked to growth and spread of cancer

Scripps Research Professor James Quigley, Staff Scientist Elena Deryugina, and colleagues had previously demonstrated that white blood cells known as neutrophils—bone marrow-derived cells that function as "first responders" at sites of acute inflammation—promote the growth of new blood vessels in normal, healthy tissue.

2 Sep 2011

Calif. bill to regulate health insurance rates dies

Heavy lobbying in the state Senate helped kill the bill, which would have strengthened the state's ability to review insurance premium increases.

2 Sep 2011

'Sustainable global pharmacovigilance' systems needed to monitor ARVs, other drugs

With more widespread access to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs comes a greater need to monitor and promote the safety and effectiveness of these essential medicines in the new environments, which are distinct from those of pre-market studies and the resource rich countries that have had ARV access for years.

2 Sep 2011

UC Davis computer model can test effects of anti-arrhythmia medications

UC Davis researchers have developed an accurate computer model to test the effects of medications for arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm, before they are used in patients.

2 Sep 2011

FTC presses for more competition on generic drugs

Some drug makers are using an indirect method to delay competition from low-cost generic products by promising not to introduce their own generic versions if a potential competitor delays its entry into the market, the Federal Trade Commission said in a report on Wednesday.

2 Sep 2011

Special journal edition chronicles 3-D structures of important antibacterial, bioterrorist targets

The September issue of the online scientific journal Acta Crystallographica: Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications (Acta Cryst F) will consist entirely of work done at the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID), a consortium of researchers from Seattle BioMed, Emerald BioStructures, the University of Washington and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

2 Sep 2011

New meta-analysis reaffirms safety profile of aspirin for pain relief, fever

A new meta-analysis published this week in Drugs in R&D, reaffirms the safety profile of aspirin for short-term treatment of mild to moderate pain, and aches and fever due to colds when used as directed.

2 Sep 2011

Valproic acid may increase survival for brain tumor patients

New research suggests brain tumor patients who take the seizure drug valproic acid on top of standard treatment may live longer than people who take other kinds of epilepsy medications to control seizures.

2 Sep 2011

Princeton researchers match images of brain activity with complex thought

In an effort to understand what happens in the brain when a person reads or considers such abstract ideas as love or justice, Princeton researchers have for the first time matched images of brain activity with categories of words related to the concepts a person is thinking about. The results could lead to a better understanding of how people consider meaning and context when reading or thinking.

2 Sep 2011

Longer looks: Perry's personal health policies; 5 state Medicaid strategies; medical illiteracy

When defending his 2007 attempt to make human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations mandatory for young girls in Texas, pointed out that both of his parents were cancer survivors and proclaimed, "I hate cancer." When asked to justify continued spending on abstinence-only education, despite the fact that it didn't seem to be budging Texas' high rates of teen pregnancy, he said, "I can tell you from my own life that abstinence works."

2 Sep 2011

Stomach acid-reducing drugs appear to cause small intestine damage

Patients often take drugs to lower stomach acid and reduce the chances they will develop ulcers from taking their anti-inflammatory drugs for conditions such as arthritis, but the combination may be causing major problems for their small intestines, McMaster researchers have found.

2 Sep 2011

UTHealth to study BMS-820836 in Phase II trial for major depressive disorder

A new medication to treat major depressive disorder in patients who have not responded to other antidepressants is being studied in a Phase II clinical trial by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

2 Sep 2011

Low-cost, portable technique can detect specific proteins in human blood

Blood tests are important diagnostic tools. They accurately tease-out vanishingly small concentrations of proteins and other molecules that help give a picture of overall health or signal the presence of specific diseases. Current testing procedures, however, are expensive and time-consuming, while sophisticated test equipment is bulky and difficult to transport.

2 Sep 2011

LCA applauds FDA approval of Xalkori for ALK positive non-small cell lung cancer

Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) applauds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Xalkori (crizotinib) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are ALK positive. The drug was approved based on data from two clinical trials, both of which showed a significant increase in overall survival.

2 Sep 2011

FDA may be allowed an extra 2 months to review new drugs

The deadline for approval or rejection of new drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could be extended by two months say U.S. regulators and drug industry officials.

2 Sep 2011