Generic Drug News and Research

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Generic Drugs are official nonbrand names by which medicines are known. Generic names usually refer to the chemical name of the drug.

Advances in stem cell research

Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are on the forefront of stem cell research, developing novel therapies designed to generate heart cells, repair traumatic lung injuries, grow new bone and stanch the spread of cancer cells.

8 Mar 2009

Ranbaxy secures FDA approval for quinapril hydrochloride + hydrochlorothiazide tablets

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals has announced approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Quinapril Hydrochloride & Hydrochlorothiazide (Quinapril + HCTZ) Tablets, 10mg/12.5mg, 20mg/12.5mg and 20mg/25mg.

5 Mar 2009

Emerging therapies could ease symptoms of Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis, the common, chronic, inflammatory skin disease marked by red, itchy rashes, has been increasing in prevalence over the past two decades and affects a disproportionate number of children.

5 Mar 2009

Employers plan to reduce contributions to employees' premiums in 2010, survey says

Two out of every three U.S. employers are examining ways to reduce the amount they contribute to employees' health care expenses in 2010, according to a study by Hewitt Associates, the Chicago Tribune reports. In addition, Hewitt said 4% of U.S. employers are planning "to discontinue providing health care benefits altogether."

5 Mar 2009

Pharmacies offering no-cost antibiotics should promote responsible use, CDC says

CDC last week sent out letters to several chain pharmacies that offer no-cost prescription antibiotics to low-income consumers urging them to promote responsible use of antibiotics, the New York Times reports.

5 Mar 2009

HIV/AIDS advocates in Thailand urge government to maintain compulsory license program

HIV/AIDS advocates in Thailand plan to meet with officials to urge the government not to restrict its compulsory license program, which allows people in the country to access low-cost, generic versions of drugs such as antiretroviral medications, AFP/Google.com reports.

5 Mar 2009

FDA warning on risk of wearing medicated patches during MRIs

Certain adhesive patches that deliver medication through the skin have been found to be a risk to patient safety. The patches, if worn while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging scans or MRIs, can cause skin burns, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today.

5 Mar 2009

Off-label drug uses wasting millions, raising health risks

A recent study in Oregon suggests that drugs designed for treating the most severe mental illnesses are often prescribed at inappropriately low doses and at considerable expense, for use in conditions where their benefit has not been established.

4 Mar 2009

Hypertension linked to earlier death among African-American breast cancer patients

A study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has shown that hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a predictor of mortality among breast cancer patients, especially those who are African-American, and that hypertension accounts for approximately 30 percent of the survival disparity between African-American and white breast cancer patients.

4 Mar 2009

Generic biologics face 'tough, long road to realization'

The development of new generic versions of expensive biologic drugs "faces a long, tough road to realization" because the complex generics "will likely face tough regulatory scrutiny, as well as high development and marketing costs," the Wall Street Journal reports.

4 Mar 2009

Opioid antagonists help pain management

Achieving effective, durable, and safe pain relief, especially in patients with chronic and/or severe pain conditions, can be difficult.

3 Mar 2009

Mylan's Matrix receives WHO approval for generic Lopinavir/Ritonavir tablets

Mylan Inc. has announced that Matrix Laboratories Limited, its India-based subsidiary in which it holds a 71.5% controlling interest, received the first and only World Health Organization (WHO) approval for Lopinavir/Ritonavir Tablets, 200 mg/50 mg. Matrix's version of this product is heat-stable and affordable, making it practical for distribution and use in warm climates.

25 Feb 2009

Endo and Penwest announce settlement of Opana ER litigation

Endo Pharmaceuticals and Penwest Pharmaceuticals announced today that the companies have settled litigation with Actavis South Atlantic LLC regarding the production and sale of generic formulations of Opana(R) ER (oxymorphone hydrochloride) Extended Release Tablets CII.

22 Feb 2009

Could a hereditary illness ever spread by contamination?

Researchers at the CNRS Laboratoire d'enzymologie et biochimie structurales, studying Huntington's disease in collaboration with Professor Ron Kopito's team at Stanford University, have shown that the normal form of huntingtin protein can acquire an abnormal form without any modification of its genetic code.

10 Feb 2009

Remote Intelligent Drug Delivery System (RIDDS) may soon be a reality

Electronic implants that dispense medicines automatically or via a wireless medical network are on the horizon. Australian and US researchers warn of the security risks in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology .

8 Feb 2009

Seniors in Medicare's doughnut hole decrease use of meds

Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D who reached a gap in health care coverage known as the "doughnut hole" were much less likely to use prescription drugs than those with an employer-based plan, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study.

3 Feb 2009

Mylan receives final FDA approvals for generic Lamictal tablets

Mylan Inc has announced that its subsidiaries Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Genpharm ULC received final approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) for Lamotrigine Tablets.

29 Jan 2009

Is human ‘imperfection’ such a bad thing?

Imagine a world of 'human perfection' where disabled people are a distant memory, edited out by medical enhancement and economic cost-benefit analysis: a world where thanks to generic selection and economic crises disabled people find themselves expendable.

19 Jan 2009

Warning about Vicks VapoRub

A warning has been issued about the popular cough and cold treatment Vicks VapoRub. Experts say it should not be used on children under 2 years of age.

13 Jan 2009

Sun Pharmaceutical receives FDA approvals for 4 generics

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that together with its subsidiaries, it has received final approval from U.S. FDA for several Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA).

7 Jan 2009