Prescription Drug News and Research

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Zimulti (rimonabant) gets the thumbs down from FDA advisory panel

An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. have unanimously voted that the federal agency should refuse approval for a new weight loss drug.

14 Jun 2007

Health-care costs higher for insomniacs

Research presented at SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) finds that the health care costs of patients with insomnia are higher than for those without insomnia.

14 Jun 2007

Alli weight loss drug on the U.S. market soon

Alli which is produced by GlaxoSmithKline will be available to consumers in America next week following a 150 million dollar advertising campaign to promote the non-prescription drug.

12 Jun 2007

Avoid Chinese toothpaste!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers to avoid using tubes of toothpaste labeled as made in China, and issued an import alert to prevent toothpaste containing the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG) from entering the United States.

3 Jun 2007

Northwestern University researchers find drug reactions six years earlier than the FDA and drug companies

Northwestern University's Charles Bennett, M.D., is a super sleuth of potentially deadly prescription drug reactions.

30 May 2007

FDA completes review of FluMist

MedImmune, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated the agency has completed its review of all submissions made related to the supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) to extend the age indication of FluMist (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal).

28 May 2007

Seniors and heart disease: Lower cholesterol, cut your risk

A new report from RetireSafe's Senior Center for Health and Security examines how statins can be an effective treatment for lowering cholesterol and cutting the overall risk of heart disease in America's seniors. among Americans.

24 May 2007

FDA committee votes in favor of Acambis' smallpox vaccine

Acambis plc announced that the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously that Acambis' smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000, is both safe and efficacious.

18 May 2007

Ritalin abuse is on the rise among teens

College is hard enough. But throw in end-of-semester exams, term papers and standardized tests, and there just aren't enough hours in the day. Enter Ritalin, the latest drug of choice among sleep-deprived students struggling to make the grade.

11 May 2007

FDA issues consumer warning for "True Man" or "Energy Max" products

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use "True Man" or "Energy Max" products promoted and sold as dietary supplements throughout the United States.

11 May 2007

More power to FDA on drug safety

The Senate overwhelmingly passed significant prescription drug safety reforms to give the Food and Drug Administration more power to deal with unsafe medicines on the market, moving the issue of drug safety to the House, where a strong bill has been introduced but has yet to be considered.

10 May 2007

Study finds collective bargaining rights for independent pharmacists could cost Medicare and commercial payors $29.6 billion over five years

A key legislative priority championed by the independent drugstore lobby, HR 971, that would provide pharmacists with new, sweeping collective bargaining rights could increase prescription drug costs for Medicare and commercial payors by 11.8 percent, or $29.6 billion, over five years, according to a new analysis from CRA International released by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA).

9 May 2007

Senate begins debate on prescription drug user fee act reauthorization bill

The Senate on Monday began debate on a bill (S 1082) that would reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which will expire on Sept. 30, with senators expected to propose a number of amendments to the legislation, the AP/Dallas Morning News reports ( AP/Dallas Morning News , 4/30).

2 May 2007

Recommended doses of ginseng, ginko biloba do not interfere with drug absorption

Recent findings that the widely-used herbal supplement Saint John's wort could dramatically affect the absorption and metabolism of many prescription and non-prescription drugs raised concerns that other popular herbal supplements might cause similar changes, thus significantly altering drugs, therapeutic or toxic effects.

2 May 2007

Consumers have broad access to pharmacy choices

Consumers have broad access to pharmacy choices in urban, suburban, and rural areas, as an average of 21 pharmacies are located and compete near independent pharmacies throughout the United States, according to an analysis conducted by SK&A Information Services and released by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA).

2 May 2007

Top 10 diseases by cost

Bladder, prostate and other urinary tract diseases cost Americans nearly $11 billion a year, according to a new report from the National Institutes of Health.

2 May 2007

CBO report examines proposed changes to prescription drug user fee act

Cost Estimate: S 1082, Prescription Drug User Fee Amendments of 2007," Congressional Budget Office: The CBO report details proposed changes to the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and outlines spending and costs to federal and state governments.

1 May 2007

Lawmakers have proposed 'witch's brew' of biotech bills

Lawmakers in recent months "have stirred up a witch's brew of initiatives that is cause for some concern -- not only for the biotech industry, but for all Americans," James Mullen, president and CEO of Biogen and chair of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

1 May 2007

Senate urged to pass strong prescription drug safety provisions

Consumers Union is urging the Senate to approve strong prescription drug-safety provisions this week in a major Food and Drug Administration bill, and resist attempts to weaken the bill when it comes to triggering quick safety action or moderating mass advertising of a new drug when there are signs of danger.

1 May 2007

Web site to list medications of natural disaster evacuees

SureScripts on Tuesday unveiled a Web site that will allow health care workers to access the prescription information of people who live in areas impacted by natural disasters, the AP/Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

30 Apr 2007