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FDA issues advice on Naproxen

The FDA has released the following statement on NIH halting a clinical trial involving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients at risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease:

20 Dec 2004

5000 year old system of medicine provides pain relief for people with osteoarthritis of the knee

A 5000 year old system of medicine, acupuncture provides pain relief and improves function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee and serves as an effective complement to standard care.

20 Dec 2004

Blocking gene's activity may control deadly skin cancer without harming normal cells

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston have discovered that malignant melanoma, the potentially lethal skin cancer, can't grow without a steady supply of a protein that normal cells can do without.

20 Dec 2004

Health impact of resolving racial disparities

Lives saved by reducing the mortality rate of African-Americans to the rate of whites are five times those that could be saved by improvements in medical technology. So said the authors of "The Health Impact of Resolving Racial Disparities: An Analysis of US Mortality Data," published in the December edition of the American Journal of Public Health.

20 Dec 2004

Genetic markers implicated in fatal side effects of schizophrenia drug

Genaissance Pharmaceuticals today announced results from its CARING (Clozapine and Agranulocytosis Relationships Investigated by Genetics) study, reporting the discovery of genetic markers that the Company believes predict who is at risk of developing clozapine-induced agranulocytosis

20 Dec 2004

Nearly 6 million Americans turned to complementary and alternative medicine because of costs

Nearly 6 million American adults turned to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the past year to treat such conditions as depression and chronic pain because conventional medical treatment was too expensive, according to a national study released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC).

20 Dec 2004

Advice for patients who have been taking Celebrex or Bextra

The recent announcement that Celebrex, a popular pain drug in the same family as Vioxx, has been found to pose an increased risk of heart problems is bound to leave many pain patients stunned, confused and worried.

20 Dec 2004

Potential safety risks with Celebrex

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has consulted today with the Chairs of its peak advisory committees, the Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Committee (ADRAC) and the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (ADEC), about the latest research into the safety of the arthritis drug, Celebrex.

20 Dec 2004

Macugen approved for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Eyetech Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Macugen (pegaptanib sodium injection) for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease associated with aging that destroys central vision.

20 Dec 2004

Ethical challenges ahead for neuroscience and society

Are we ready for a future where brain scans invade our private thoughts? Will we have to alter our brains chemically to keep competitive at our jobs? Could science determine that "souls" do not exist, and, if so, what does that mean for how we think of ourselves as human beings?

20 Dec 2004

Discovery of new compound known as SP-4-84 could lead to improved chemotherapy treatments

The discovery of a new compound by Michigan State University researchers could lead to improved chemotherapy treatments for different types of cancers – potentially with fewer side effects.

20 Dec 2004

Magnetic bracelets reduce pain in osteoarthritis of the hip and knee

Osteoarthritis affects around 760,000 people in the United Kingdom, producing over 3 million general practice consultations in 2000. Manufacturers of magnetic bracelets claim that they can reduce pain and worldwide sales were estimated at £2.6bn ($5bn) in 1999. But evidence about their effectiveness is contradictory.

20 Dec 2004

Wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruits and vegetables cut the risk of heart disease

Scientists in this week's Christmas issue of the BMJ have discovered the 'Polymeal', a set of ingredients which cuts the risk of heart (cardiovascular) disease by 76% and significantly increases life expectancy.

20 Dec 2004

Celebrex suspension

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it has suspended the use of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex™ Pfizer, Inc.) for all participants in a large colorectal cancer prevention clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

19 Dec 2004

Obesity drug codenamed AOD9604 highly successful in trials

An Australian-owned obesity drug, developed by Melbourne-based biotechnology company Metabolic Pharmaceuticals Limited, is set to enter final human trials next year after successfully completing a Phase 2b human trial which proved that the drug induces weight loss and is very well tolerated with no evidence of the side effects commonly experienced with existing obesity drugs.

16 Dec 2004

Low-dose diuretic therapy for most patients with hypertension recommended

Patients with high blood pressure who take calcium channel blockers and diuretics have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) death compared to patients who take beta-blockers plus diuretics, according to a study in the current issue of JAMA.

16 Dec 2004

Scientists have identified a novel anti-tuberculosis (TB) compound

Scientists at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development have identified a novel anti-tuberculosis (TB) compound that works better and faster than the current standard of care in mouse models of TB infection.

14 Dec 2004

Landmark studies that may change the treatment standards for breast cancer

The 27th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that took place December 8-11 included the presentation of several landmark studies that may change the treatment standards for breast cancer.

14 Dec 2004

Safety of AIDS drug to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV questioned

In light of several recent drug industry scandals roiling the nation's public health and raising serious questions about the US bodies that license and regulate the industry -- and startling new revelations today concerning National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials and the safety of a brand name AIDS drug used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the HIV

14 Dec 2004

Parasitic worms, or helminths, may be an effective treatment for Crohn's disease

Helminths, such as roundworms and threadworms, are rare in developed countries, where rates of Crohn's disease are high. But in developing countries where corresponding rates of the disease are low, many people carry these parasitic worms.

13 Dec 2004