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PDI awarded contract sales engagement with Top 5 pharmaceutical company

PDI, Inc., a leading provider of sales and marketing support to U.S. health care companies, has been awarded a significant contract sales engagement with a Top 5 pharmaceutical company. This program is expected to generate approximately $6 million in revenue for PDI during the first quarter of 2010 and may extend through the remainder of 2010.

24 Dec 2009

Senate rejects mass importation of medicine from Canada

In the midst of President Obama's push for health care reform, the Senate rejected a plan to allow American pharmacies and drug wholesalers to import federally approved drugs from abroad. That vote has proved to be a headache for customer service staff at companies like Canadameds.com (http://www.Canadameds.com), which sells low-cost prescription drugs directly to American consumers.

24 Dec 2009

FDA issues Pfizer a Complete Response letter for Lyrica GAD monotherapy treatment

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Complete Response letter regarding the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for Lyrica® (pregabalin) capsules CV as a monotherapy treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The FDA determined that the data contained in the NDA were insufficient to support approval.

24 Dec 2009

Anti-inflammatory coxib medications inhibit aspirin's protective qualities

A new study conducted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) reveals that Celebrex and other anti-inflammatory coxib medications may counter the positive effects of aspirin in preventing blood clots.

24 Dec 2009

More H1N1 vaccines available in U.S., many Americans don't want it

While an increasing number of H1N1 (swine flu) vaccines are available in the U.S., "more than half of American adults say they still don't want it, and one-third of parents say they don't want their children to get it either, according to two surveys," the Washington Post reports. "As of this week, 111 million doses of vaccine against the pandemic strain of H1N1 flu have been released to states and cities.

24 Dec 2009

Fluzone High-Dose inactivated influenza virus vaccine receives FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Fluzone High-Dose, an inactivated influenza virus vaccine for people ages 65 years and older to prevent disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B.

24 Dec 2009

AstraZeneca signs definitive agreement to acquire Novexel

Novexel, a speciality pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel antibiotics designed to overcome the significant global problem of microbial drug resistance, announces today that its shareholders have signed a definitive agreement whereby Novexel shall be acquired by AstraZeneca for a total cash consideration of up to $505 million, including contingent payments and the net cash position of the company at closing.

24 Dec 2009

Majority of Australians think H1N1 vaccination is not necessary

Australia risks a serious swine flu (H1N1 influenza virus) outbreak with two-thirds (65 per cent) of unprotected Australians stating they're unlikely to get vaccinated against the disease in the next 12 months, according to an MBF Healthwatch Poll.

23 Dec 2009

GlobalPost examines antibiotic resistance in China

GlobalPost examines antibiotic resistance and overprescribing in China. The country "has high rates of antibiotic resistance and a health care system that provides strong financial incentives for over-prescribing antibiotics.

23 Dec 2009

New findings show ether discovery might have occurred earlier

The successful use of ether to anesthetize patients was the first great milestone in the history of surgical anesthesia. But the discovery might have occurred earlier—and medical history written differently—but for a scientific error by another physician, according to an article in the January issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

23 Dec 2009

One-third of parents do not expect to get H1N1 vaccine for kids; concerns about safety remains major factor

A new poll by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) shows the shortage of H1N1 vaccine for children is easing. As of late last week, three-quarters of parents who tried to get the vaccine for their children were able to do so.

23 Dec 2009

Beta blockers may increase risk of anemia-induced adverse cardiovascular events

Routinely used to treat patients for heart attack or high blood pressure, beta blockers are known for their role in helping to protect the heart. A new study in the January issue of the journal Anesthesiology looks at the effects of beta blockers on surgical outcomes, revealing that the cardioprotective effects of the medication could be compromised by acute surgical anemia.

23 Dec 2009

Marijuana lyrics linked to marijuana use

Teens who frequently listen to music that contains references to marijuana are more likely to use the drug than their counterparts with less exposure to such lyrics, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study online now in the journal Addiction.

23 Dec 2009

Researchers mix active drug and placebo to maximize drug benefits for efficient treatment

Researchers used the placebo effect to successfully treat psoriasis patients with one quarter to one half of their usual dose of a widely used steroid medication, according to an early study published online today in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

23 Dec 2009

CVS/pharmacy to provide H1N1 flu vaccinations at select store locations in Rhode Island

CVS/pharmacy announced today that it will provide H1N1 flu vaccinations at select store locations in Rhode Island by the end of this week. The vaccine will be available to all Rhode Islanders who wish to be vaccinated while supplies last.

23 Dec 2009

Combination of ropivacaine and fibrin sealant is effective in reducing pain after LC procedure

Fibrin sealant has been an extremely effective and widely used adjunct to surgical procedures to control diffuse slow bleeding over large surfaces. In addition, fibrin sealant has been used as a carrier for other compounds. Thus, it has been used to release medicines slowly at a fixed site and is therefore effective for a long time.

23 Dec 2009

New community-associated strain of MRSA more apt to cause serious problems

The often feared and sometimes deadly infections caused by MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - are now moving out of hospitals and emerging as an even more virulent strain in community settings and on athletic teams, and raising new concerns about antibiotic resistance.

23 Dec 2009

Researchers recommend progesterone as viable treatment for traumatic brain injuries

Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, recommend that progesterone (PROG), a naturally occurring hormone found in both males and females that can protect damaged cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, be considered a viable treatment option for traumatic brain injuries, according to a clinical perspective published in the January issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

23 Dec 2009

Trabectedin now available for patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma

Patients with a rare form of cancer called advanced soft tissue sarcoma could now benefit from a new drug called trabectedin, after the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved the drug for NHS use.

23 Dec 2009

New drug to stop cancer cells from growing and to stimulate immune system to destroy cancer cells found

A study conducted at Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, Texas, found that a new drug stopped the growth of breast tumors in mice. This drug is unique in that it works both by stopping the cancer cells from growing and metastasizing to other organs, and by stimulating the immune system to destroy breast cancer cells and keeps them from coming back.

23 Dec 2009