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Antipsychotic drug Risperdal approved for use in children

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has given approval for the antipsychotic drug Risperdal to be used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in children and teenagers.

23 Aug 2007

South African experts say food no substitute for medical drugs in AIDS and TB

A report by the Academy of Science of South Africa has stated that there is no evidence to support the theory that a healthy diet is a substitute for medical drugs when it comes to treating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB).

22 Aug 2007

Natural antimicrobial agents for food safety

Two items high on the list of public concerns are the need for greater food safety and a growing demand for natural or organic food products.

22 Aug 2007

Gastric banding clinical trial for adolescents

Millions of adults have turned to surgery when diet and exercise don't work. Now, with childhood obesity sharply on the rise, researchers are exploring whether surgery may be a viable option for teens.

22 Aug 2007

Acrylamide not linked to breast cancer in US women

Foods that contain acrylamide are unlikely to cause breast cancer in women, according to preliminary results of a new study involving 100,000 U.S. women.

22 Aug 2007

Warning - OTC diet supplement contains undeclared diet drug

Canadians are being warned that an over-the-counter (OTC) dietary supplement has been recalled because it contains a prescription drug used in the treatment of obesity.

21 Aug 2007

Flu vaccines more effective when sweetened

Scientists in Australia have discovered a simple way of making flu vaccines much more effective.

21 Aug 2007

Watson Pharmaceuticals receives FDA approval for generic Duragesic

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has received final approval from the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for fentanyl transdermal system in the 25, 50, 75 & 100 mcg/hour strengths.

21 Aug 2007

Pharmion and MethylGene announce orphan drug designation for treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma

Pharmion Corporation, along with its collaborator MethylGene Inc., today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the Companies' histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, MGCD0103, as an Orphan Drug for the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma in the United States.

21 Aug 2007

Once a year treatment for osteoporosis now available in the U.S.

A once-a-year treatment for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis has been given approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

20 Aug 2007

E.coli scare in UK now affects nine people

The E.coli outbreak in Paisley, Scotland has now affected nine people; one woman has died and three more remain in a serious condition while the other five are said to be recovering.

20 Aug 2007

FDA says cough and cold products used irresponsibly with children

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States says it is concerned that cough and cold products sold over the counter (OTC) are being irresponsibly used particularly with children under the age of two.

20 Aug 2007

Breast feeding mothers warned of risks of Codeine for babies

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the United States has issued a warning to nursing mothers regarding the pain-killer codeine.

20 Aug 2007

Beware baby carrots - latest food scare!

In the latest food scare to hit North America, Canadians are being warned about carrots from Mexico which may be contaminated with Shigella bacteria.

20 Aug 2007

Sirtuin protein instrumental in fat production and metabolism

A new Joslin Diabetes Center-led study has identified a protein found in fat cells that may play a major role in how fat is produced and stored, offering a new target for treatments to prevent obesity and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

17 Aug 2007

Most flu shot plans do not address how to vaccinate hard-to-reach populations

Most flu immunization plans in the United States do not address how to vaccinate hard-to-reach populations (HTR)--undocumented immigrants, substance users, the homeless, homebound elderly, and minorities--and this potentially dangerous omission can lead masses of people to become ill during an outbreak of pandemic flu or other contagious disease, according to a new study by the New York Academy of Medicine in the current issue of the Journal of Urban Health.

17 Aug 2007

New food allergy law in New York

The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) has announced that Governor Eliot Spitzer has signed into law the Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2007 (AAMA; A.4051), landmark legislation that will help protect New York schoolchildren who suffer from life-threatening food allergies.

17 Aug 2007

FDA approves updated labeling for Warfarin (Coumadin)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the approval of updated labeling for the widely used blood-thinning drug, Coumadin, to explain that people's genetic makeup may influence how they respond to the drug.

17 Aug 2007

Preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases

Instead of attacking wild birds for our new disease problems, a far more cost effective approach should focus on keeping wild animals separate in the places where they often commingle: in wildlife markets and international trade, according to wildlife health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in a recent issue of the prestigious Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

17 Aug 2007

Vision restoration therapy shown to help brain injured patients recover lost vision

Columbia University Medical Center researchers have demonstrated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), that brain activity was increased in stroke and traumatic brain injury survivors who underwent Vision Restoration Therapy (VRT), a rehabilitative treatment that helps these patients recover lost vision.

16 Aug 2007