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Pharmaceutical companies' profit protection hurts global AIDS fight

In her latest piece on the New York Times' "Opinionator" blog, author and journalist Tina Rosenberg argues that the terms of Gilead's recent agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool is "confirmation of a dangerous new trend: middle-income countries as a target market for drug makers."

28 Jul 2011

Reprogrammed kidney cells could make transplants and dialysis things of the past

Approximately 60 million people across the globe have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and many will need dialysis or a transplant. Breakthrough research published in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology indicates that patients' own kidney cells can be gathered and reprogrammed.

28 Jul 2011

Control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases can help treat HIV/AIDS

There is a growing body of evidence revealing the connection between neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and HIV/AIDS, prompting experts to call for greater integration of national NTD treatment programs with HIV/AIDS initiatives.

28 Jul 2011

Medicare Part D ups patient compliance, reduces hospital costs

The findings, which were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggested that for seniors, access to affordable prescription drugs would reduce their need for emergency and short-term nursing care.

28 Jul 2011

PCMA President releases statement on new Medicare Part D study

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt released the following statement today on a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found "implementation of Medicare Part D was followed by a significant reductions in nondrug medical spending, particularly on acute and post acute care, for elderly Medicare beneficiaries with limited prior drug coverage".

28 Jul 2011

Dr. Reddy's, FUJIFILM sign MoU to enter partnership in the generic drugs business

FUJIFILM Corporation President and CEO, Shigetaka Komori and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. Vice-Chairman and CEO, G V Prasad today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enter into an exclusive partnership in the generic drugs business for the Japanese market and to establish a joint venture in Japan.

28 Jul 2011

BD to acquire Carmel Pharma

BD, a leading global medical technology company, announced today that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Carmel Pharma, Inc., a Swedish company that manufactures the PhaSeal System, the leading closed-system drug transfer device for the safe handling of hazardous drugs that are packaged in vials.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 28 Jul 2011

Britain’s prescription drug use statistics revealed

According to latest NHS figures number of prescriptions dispensed has soared by 70 per cent over the last decade. Every man, woman and child in the country received on average 17.8 prescription items in 2010. The vast majority went to those aged over 60, who received 42.4 items each in 2007.

27 Jul 2011

Thermo Fisher Scientific second quarter revenues increase 12% to record $2.90 billion

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today reported its financial results for the second quarter ended July 2, 2011.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 27 Jul 2011

Repligen first quarter total revenue increases 9% to $7,654,000

Repligen Corporation today reported results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, ended June 30, 2011.

27 Jul 2011

Virtual reality study to address alcohol abuse issues in veterans

The spoils of war for returning veterans may include addictions, injury and the constant images of horrific events they witnessed. Now a University of Houston joint study funded by the Veterans Health Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development service looks to address these issues through the use of virtual reality.

27 Jul 2011

Amphetamines can control ADHD symptoms in adults

Giving amphetamines to adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can help them control their symptoms, but the side effects mean that some people do not manage to take them for very long.

27 Jul 2011

Surge of generics will trigger drop in drug prices

In the next 14 months, seven of the world's 20 best-selling drugs are scheduled to go "off patent." As they do, the brand-name drugs will lose out to generic versions, cutting costs for patients and companies that provide health benefits.

27 Jul 2011

Scientists reveal complete three-dimensional atomic structure of an activated GPCR

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are popular drug targets, accounting for about one-third of approved drugs and many hundreds of drugs currently in development. They act as molecular switches that transduce extracellular signals by activating heterotrimeric G proteins located at the inside of the cell.

27 Jul 2011

Early detection critical in preventing vision loss among Baby Boomers

Probably the most worrisome health concern for Baby Boomers as they age is the increased possibility of visual impairment or vision loss. For this reason, early detection is critical in successfully preventing and treating eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, before they lead to major visual changes.

27 Jul 2011

New Penn Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy

The Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania announces the launching of a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary center focused on discovering novel treatments for orphan diseases.

27 Jul 2011

Whistle-blower lawsuit alleges dialysis provider wasted drugs to boost profits

One of the nation's largest providers of kidney dialysis deliberately wasted medicine in order to reap hundreds of millions of dollars in extra payments from Medicare, a former clinic nurse and a doctor are charging in a whistle-blower lawsuit.

27 Jul 2011

Study suggests common process for both pleasurable and anxiety-reducing effects of nicotine

Removing a protein from cells located in the brain's reward center blocks the anxiety-reducing and rewarding effects of nicotine, according to a new animal study in the July 27 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings may help researchers better understand how nicotine affects the brain.

27 Jul 2011

Early initiation of HIV therapy would save money, lives of South Africans

If the South African government followed a recent recommendation by the World Health Organization to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected residents earlier in the progress of the disease, the policy shift would start saving the country money after 16 years and would extend thousands of lives for dozens of years, according to a new study.

27 Jul 2011

Male sex hormones can protect men from inflammatory diseases

It's all down to the testosterone: men are usually more muscular than women, they have deeper voices and more body hair. And - men are less susceptible to inflammatory diseases and allergies than women. This is also due to the male sex hormones as pharmacists at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena have shown in a recent study.

27 Jul 2011