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State highlights: Maine to permit Rx drugs from Canada; Ore. to levy hospital, nursing home assessment tax

For the first time in several years, a state has acted to allow its citizens to purchase prescription drugs by mail from other countries. The idea is to take advantage of those nations' lower prices, which can be half the cost of those at American pharmacies (Rovner, 6/27).

29 Jun 2013

High court moves tentatively toward hearing case on abortion-inducing drugs

The Supreme Court asked Oklahoma's Supreme Court to clarify a law that state judges had struck down as an unwarranted curb on medical practice and the right to abortion.

29 Jun 2013

Feds shut down more than 1,600 fake online pharmacies

Authorities from the Food and Drug Administration closed these illegal pharmacy websites and sent letters to hundreds more that sell counterfeit prescription drugs and dangerous supplements.

29 Jun 2013

Federal judge orders permanent injunction against Med Prep Consulting

A federal judge from the U.S. District Court for New Jersey has entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Med Prep Consulting, Inc., a pharmacy licensed by the state of New Jersey, and Gerald R. Tighe, the company's president and owner.

29 Jun 2013

Appeals court green lights Hobby Lobby's legal challenge to contraceptive coverage rule

A federal appeals court in Denver said Thursday that companies, whether they are for profit or not, have religious rights and that the challenge brought by Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. and its sister company can go forward.

29 Jun 2013

Brisdelle receives FDA approval to treat hot flashes associated with menopause

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Brisdelle (paroxetine) to treat moderate to severe hot flashes (vasomotor symptoms) associated with menopause. Brisdelle, which contains the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine mesylate, is currently the only non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes approved by the FDA.

29 Jun 2013

Study shows "bioadhesive" coating can increase intestinal uptake of protein-based drugs

For protein-based drugs such as insulin to be taken orally rather than injected, bioengineers need to find a way to shuttle them safely through the stomach to the small intestine where they can be absorbed and distributed by the bloodstream.

28 Jun 2013

New resource guide to tackle prescription drug abuse among youth

To help tackle the serious problem of youth prescription drug abuse, high school teachers will have free access to a new resource guide, Rx for Understanding: Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse.

28 Jun 2013

EMA's CHMP issues positive opinion for approval of Genzyme's LEMTRADA in Europe

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has issued a positive opinion for approval of LEMTRADA (alemtuzumab) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis with active disease defined by clinical or imaging features.

28 Jun 2013

Janssen receives complete response letter from FDA for XARELTO sNDA

Janssen Research & Development, LLC today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a complete response letter for the supplemental New Drug Application for XARELTO (rivaroxaban) to reduce the risk of stent thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

28 Jun 2013

Hospira receives positive opinion from EMA's CHMP for EC approval of Inflectra

Hospira, the world's leading provider of injectable drugs and infusion technologies, today received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, recommending the European Commission approval of Inflectra (infliximab) for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and plaque psoriasis.

28 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 28, 2013

Today's headlines include reports that the high court sent a tentative signal Thursday that it was moving toward hearing a case on the regulation of abortion-inducing drugs.

28 Jun 2013

Ritalin helps improve brain function in cocaine addiction

A single dose of a commonly-prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug helps improve brain function in cocaine addiction, according to an imaging study conducted by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

28 Jun 2013

Forced elongation of telomeres promotes differentiation of cancer cells

Researchers from the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research in Tokyo have discovered that forced elongation of telomeres (extensions on the end of chromosomes) promotes the differentiation of cancer cells, probably reducing malignancy, which is strongly associated with a loss of cell differentiation.

28 Jun 2013

FDA approves Novartis' Exelon Patch for treatment of severe Alzheimer's disease

The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded the approved indication for Exelon Patch (rivastigmine transdermal system) to include the treatment of people with severe Alzheimer's disease with Exelon Patch 13.3mg/24h.

28 Jun 2013

Poor, less educated patients are less likely to receive opioid pain medications in emergency rooms

Patients in moderate to severe pain in emergency rooms across the U.S. are less likely to receive opioid pain medications if they are black, Hispanic, poor, or have less education, compared to more affluent patients, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

27 Jun 2013

Children with congenital heart disease require higher levels of Vitamin D intake prior to surgery

Until now, there has been no research dedicated to the importance of Vitamin D supplementation in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, over the past few years, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute and Cardiovascular Surgery Program teamed with the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group to understand the impact of cardiac surgery on the Vitamin D status of infants and children, to be printed next month in Anesthesiology.

27 Jun 2013

Study: More people are being affected by drug-induced liver injury than ever before

More people are being affected by drug-induced liver injury (DILI) than ever before, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

27 Jun 2013

White House takes aim at Latinos, young people with health law outreach efforts

Both populations are key to the success of new online health insurance marketplaces, which will begin enrolling people on Oct. 1 for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1.

27 Jun 2013

Dassault Systèmes launches industry solution experience for pharmaceutical, biotech companies

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, a world leader in 3D design, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management solutions, announced today the launch of a new industry solution experience for pharmaceutical and biotech companies, "Licensed to Cure for BioPharma."

27 Jun 2013