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Certain SSRI medications fail to achieve same selectivity for prevention of SUDEP

Scientists from Southern Illinois University today reported the results of a study evaluating the potential effect of two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressant medications in reducing the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

4 Dec 2012

Metformin improves survival in diabetic patients with ovarian cancer

Diabetic patients with ovarian cancer who took the drug metformin for their diabetes had a better survival rate than patients who did not take it, a study headed by Mayo Clinic shows. The findings, published early online in the journal Cancer, may play an important role for researchers as they study the use of existing medications to treat different or new diseases.

3 Dec 2012

Scientists demonstrate how glowing fish can help screen drugs that control metabolic disorders

A tiny, translucent zebrafish that glows green when its liver makes glucose has helped an international team of researchers identify a compound that regulates whole-body metabolism and appears to protect obese mice from signs of metabolic disorders.

2 Dec 2012

L-Fucose slows down and even reverses age-related skin developments

With increasing age the human skin shows a considerable loss of resistance and elasticity. These changes in skin texture, which are one of the main reasons for the appearance of wrinkles, is the age induced loss of skin thickness and the related degradation of elastin fibers within the skin. It has been proven that L-Fucose - a scarce sugar - slows down and even reverses age-related skin developments.

2 Dec 2012

Decoding Part D marketing and other news

Choosing a Medicare Prescription Drug plan is a tricky business. Most beneficiaries go for the cheapest monthly premium, but this can be a big mistake, especially for those with unusual or expensive medications.

1 Dec 2012

Major maker of generic Lipitor halts production

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, the largest producer of the generic version of Lipitor, has halted production of the drug until it can figure out why glass particles may have ended up in pills that were distributed to the public, the Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday.

1 Dec 2012

Negative perceptions about generic drugs are more widespread among ethnic minorities

Negative perceptions about generic drugs are more widespread among ethnic minorities than among whites, finds a new study in Ethnicity & Disease.

1 Dec 2012

Epidural steroid injections for back pain increase risk of bone loss in postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women suffered significant bone density loss in their hip after they were treated with an epidural steroid injection for back pain relief, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study

1 Dec 2012

NAP and SAL injection during pregnancy improve memory, learning tasks in offsprings

Mice with a condition that serves as a laboratory model for Down syndrome perform better on memory and learning tasks as adults if they were treated before birth with neuroprotective peptides, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

30 Nov 2012

Mistletoe extract plays a vital role in treating colon cancer

Mistletoe has become an important symbol of Christmas but it also has the potential to play a vital role as an alternative therapy for sufferers of colon cancer.

30 Nov 2012

Vitamin D may be vital component for cognitive health of women

Two new studies appearing in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences show that vitamin D may be a vital component for the cognitive health of women as they age.

30 Nov 2012

Sucampo receives supplement approval from FDA for AMITIZA

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the Company received a supplement approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that removes pregnancy "warnings and precautions" and clarifies information regarding the use of AMITIZA (lubiprostone) by pregnant and/or nursing women. In addition, the FDA expanded the labeling text of the Mechanism of Action section in the prescribing information for AMITIZA.

30 Nov 2012

European health officials warn Greece to address increasing number of HIV cases

Officials with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Greece must act to combat a rising number of HIV cases within high-risk populations, including drug users, or face increased health care costs in the future, Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

More widespread HIV treatment helped South Africa increase life expectancy, researchers say

With the average life expectancy for South Africans at 60 years old, the country "has achieved a 'stunning' increase in life expectancy in the last three years due to a government push to roll out antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to people with HIV/AIDS," according to a study published in the Lancet on Thursday, Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

Today's teens and young people more likely to abuse prescription painkillers

Today's teens and young people are abusing prescription painkillers more than any other age group or any other youth in history. Availability of these drugs from their parents' medicine cabinets may be to blame, according to new research in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

30 Nov 2012

Secretary Clinton unveils 'blueprint' for achieving 'AIDS-free generation'

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday unveiled a game plan for achieving a global 'AIDS-free generation,' committing the United States to rapidly scaling up medical interventions that are beating back what once was seen as an unconquerable disease," Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

Eisai announces FDA acceptance of AcipHex NDA for priority review

Eisai Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review Eisai's New Drug Application (NDA) for AcipHex Delayed-Release Sprinkle Capsules 5mg and 10mg for the proposed indication of healing of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), maintenance of healing of GERD and improvement of symptoms of GERD in children 1 to 11 years of age.

30 Nov 2012

JQ1 cancer drug may be useful in purging latent HIV infection

Breakthrough drugs have made it possible for people to live with HIV longer than ever before, but more work must be done to actually cure the disease. One of the challenges researchers face involves fully eradicating the virus when it is latent in the body.

30 Nov 2012

DARA BioSciences submits KRN5500 Orphan Drug Application with FDA

DARA BioSciences, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on oncology and oncology supportive care products, announced today it has submitted an Orphan Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for KRN5500, a compound in development to treat a painful form of chronic chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CCIPN).

30 Nov 2012

U.K. NICE issues final draft guidance on Alimera Sciences’ ILUVIEN

Alimera Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, today announced that the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued final draft guidance indicating that ILUVIEN is not recommended for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular edema (DME) considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies.

30 Nov 2012