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Contraceptive pill could soon be given out to 13 year olds without prescription

According to an NHS report girls as young as 13 should be given the contraceptive pill without having to see a doctor. Normally girls and women can only go on the Pill once they have undergone a thorough consultation with a GP or nurse as it can cause side effects including blood clots.

26 Apr 2012

Experimental drug for autism works effectively in laboratory mice: Study

A new experimental drug has shown promise in autism symptoms in mice. Researchers from the National Institutes of Mental Health and Pfizer reported Wednesday that an experimental compound, called GRN-529, increased social interactions and lessened repetitive self-grooming behavior in a strain of mice bred to display autism-like behaviors.

26 Apr 2012

Australian Government must take the lead in tackling antibiotic resistance: NPS Board Chair Dr Janette Randall address to the National Press Club

NPS Board Chair Dr Janette Randall today called on the government to take the lead on a cross sectoral approach towards tackling the antibiotic-resistance crisis facing the Australian community.

26 Apr 2012

Study identifies prime target for better anti-dandruff medicines

Research on the fungus that ranks as one cause of dandruff - the embarrassing nuisance that, by some accounts, afflicts half of humanity - is pointing scientists toward a much-needed new treatment for the condition's flaking and itching.

26 Apr 2012

InDex Pharmaceuticals granted U.S. patent for novel treatment of steroid-resistant inflammation

InDex Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent provides additional protection for the use of Kappaproct® and additional DNA-based immunomodulatory sequences (DIMS) for the treatment of steroid-resistant inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

26 Apr 2012

FDA issues complete response letter to Takeda’s NDAs for type 2 diabetes investigational therapies

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc. today announced that the company received a complete response letter from the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding New Drug Applications (NDAs) for alogliptin and fixed-dose combination (FDC) alogliptin and pioglitazone.

26 Apr 2012

Vitamin D supplementation in winter can help lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients

A new study, presented at the European Society of Hypertension meeting in London, shows that vitamin D supplementation in winter can help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

25 Apr 2012

Self-degradation response to antidepressant Zoloft observed in yeast cells

Princeton University researchers have observed a self-degradation response to the antidepressant Zoloft in yeast cells that could help provide new answers to lingering questions among scientists about how antidepressants work, as well as support the idea that depression is not solely linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin.

25 Apr 2012

Providers can and should work toward 'sustainable anesthesia'

Anesthesia providers can and should begin taking steps toward practicing "sustainable anesthesia," according to the May special issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

25 Apr 2012

Fish oil supplementation may effectively reduce periodontal symptoms

Periodontitis, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth, affects more than half of adults and is linked to an increased risk of stroke and other heart problems. To evaluate whether fish oil supplementation could be an adjunct therapy for periodontitis, Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia and colleagues from the School of Dentistry at University of Adelaide in Australia reviewed evidence from eight unique studies that involved humans.

25 Apr 2012

Study finds negative health effects of anti-depressants

Commonly prescribed anti-depressants appear to be doing patients more harm than good, say researchers who have published a paper examining the impact of the medications on the entire body.

25 Apr 2012

Codexis receives FDA approval for sitagliptin manufacturing process

Codexis, Inc., a developer of industrial enzymes to enable the cost advantaged production of biofuels, bio-based chemicals, and pharmaceutical intermediates, today announced that the FDA has approved a new process co-developed by Codexis for the manufacture of sitagliptin, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Merck's Januvia.

25 Apr 2012

Mylan receives final FDA approval for generic Zyprexa ANDA

Mylan Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Olanzapine Tablets USP, 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, and 20 mg.

25 Apr 2012

Study investigates how vitamin D affects skeleton when serum calcium levels are depleted

Vitamin D is renowned for its role in creating strong bones and is a key regulator of serum calcium levels. Calcium is primarily obtained through diet and absorbed through the intestine and into the blood stream. In addition to building bone, calcium is required for a variety of important physiological processes. Vitamin D, which is detected by receptors in bone and intestinal cells, regulates the level of calcium in the blood stream and determines how much should be stored in the skeleton.

24 Apr 2012

Shortage of prescription generic drugs in Canada is not a recent event: CMAJ

The shortage of prescription generic drugs in Canada is not a recent event, dating back to the fall of 2010 or earlier, states a recent history of the shortage in CMAJ.

24 Apr 2012

Chronic cocaine abuse accelerates process of brain ageing

New research by scientists at the University of Cambridge suggests that chronic cocaine abuse accelerates the process of brain ageing. The study, published today 25 April in Molecular Psychiatry, found that age-related loss of grey matter in the brain is greater in people who are dependent on cocaine than in the healthy population.

24 Apr 2012

Scientists identify new way to deliver long-lasting pain relief

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified a new way to deliver long-lasting pain relief through an ancient medical practice.

24 Apr 2012

New report presents FDA's focus on global cooperation for product safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. today released the agency's "Global Engagement Report," detailing the many activities and strategies FDA is using to transform from a domestic to a global public health agency. The report describes the steps the agency is taking to ensure that imported food, drugs, medical devices, and other regulated products meet the same rigorous standards for safety and quality as those manufactured domestically.

24 Apr 2012

Preventive treatments can reduce migraine attacks

Research shows that many treatments can help prevent migraine in certain people, yet few people with migraine who are candidates for these preventive treatments actually use them, according to new guidelines issued by the American Academy of Neurology.

24 Apr 2012

Autism symptoms treatment using antidepressant SSRIs may not be effective: Review

According to a new review of published and unpublished research, the belief that certain antidepressants can help to treat repetitive behaviors in kids with autism may be based on incomplete information.

24 Apr 2012