Adverse Drug Reaction News and Research

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Drug reaction breakthrough

The ‘data mining’ research maximises the information extracted from existing drug safety data by cross-referencing much of the existing information on adverse drug reactions.

8 Nov 2004

Immediate voluntary world-wide withdrawal of Vioxx (rofecoxib)

Pharmaceutical company, Merck Sharp & Dohme has announced an immediate voluntary world-wide withdrawal of the drug, Vioxx (rofecoxib), commonly used for patients with rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.

4 Oct 2004

12% of children at risk of undetected/unreported adverse drug reactions

More than 1 in 10 (12%) children are at risk of undetected/unreported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) according to new research launched at the British Pharmaceutical Conference.

28 Sep 2004

Adverse drug reactions cost the NHS £466m a year

Adverse drug reactions account for 1 in 16 hospital admissions and cost the NHS £466m a year, according to a study in this week's BMJ.

2 Jul 2004

Generic fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) of antiretrovirals are a key factor in access to treatment of HIV/AIDS infection in the developing world

Combination therapy with three generic antiretroviral drugs in a single tablet has been validated for the first time in an open clinical study in a developing country. Follow-up of 60 patients treated in Yaoundé, Cameroon, has demonstrated the excellent efficacy and safety of a generic fixed-dose combination.

2 Jul 2004

Australians will have access to a new Medicare smartcard

Australians will have access to a new Medicare smartcard as part of the government’s electronic health agenda to improve the quality and accessibility of patient information across the health system.

24 Jun 2004

New guidelines to develop reliable information for consumer use of alternative medicines

Since traditional, complementary and alternative medicines remain largely unregulated, consumers worldwide need to be informed and given the tools to access appropriate, safe and effective treatment.

23 Jun 2004

£4 million of funding into pharmacogenetics

UK Health Minister Lord Warner today announced the winning bids for £4 million of funding into pharmacogenetics - how a patient’s genetic make-up can effect their response to different medicines.

22 Jun 2004

Gene of immune system linked to severe adverse drug reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)

In a study of Han Chinese patients, researchers have for the first time directly linked a gene of the immune system to a severe adverse drug reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), according to a Duke University Medical Center medical geneticist and collaborators in Taiwan.

1 Apr 2004

Almost half of all medicines globally are used irrationally according to WHO

Almost half of all medicines globally are used irrationally. This, say medicines experts at the World Health Organization (WHO), can have severe consequences: adverse drug reactions, drug resistance, protracted illness and even death. In addition, the financial cost incurred by individuals and governments due to irrational use is unnecessary and often extremely high, particularly in developing countries where patients often pay for medicines out of pocket.

29 Mar 2004