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Link between marijuana use and crash risk among drivers

Over 10 million people age 12 or older are estimated to have driven under the influence of illicit drugs in the prior year, according to a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

7 Oct 2011

Blue Shield of California refuses to pay for breast cancer drug Avastin

In a new development, health insurer Blue Shield of California has decided not to pay for Roche Holding's drug Avastin to treat breast cancer after health advisers said it was not safe or clinically beneficial. Blue Shield of California with around 3.3 million members, said in a notice posted on its web site that the drug would no longer be covered as a treatment for metastatic breast cancer beginning October 17. It said exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

4 Oct 2011

Merck wins fourth FOSAMAX trial

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today said a federal court jury in New York found in its favor in the Secrest v. Merck case, rejecting the claim of a Florida woman who blamed her dental and jaw-related problems on her FOSAMAX use.

4 Oct 2011

Canada Supreme Court rules Vancouver's safe drug-injection site can stay open

"Vancouver's Insite clinic, the only such safe-injection site for people who use drugs in North America, can stay open, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Friday in a landmark defeat for the federal government," Reuters reports.

4 Oct 2011

Quick injection of cortisone can prevent PTSD

As soldiers return home from tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, America must cope with the toll that war takes on mental health. But the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is becoming increasingly expensive, and promises to escalate as yet another generation of veterans tries to heal its psychological wounds.

4 Oct 2011

TriLogic, Mission Pharmacal partner to develop new drug delivery system

Mission Pharmacal Company announced today that it is developing a new drug delivery system utilizing technology developed by TriLogic Pharma. The delivery system will be based upon TriLogic's proprietary drug delivery platform TRI-726 and will be licensed to Mission Pharmacal for future drug development.

4 Oct 2011

Study: Fair-skinned people may need to take vitamin D supplements

Fair-skinned people who burn quickly in the sun may need to take supplements to ensure they get the right amount of vitamin D, new research finds.

4 Oct 2011

Novel drug shows promise for MLL leukemia

According to British scientists a potential new drug from GlaxoSmithKline could treat mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL). MLL is the most common form of leukemia in babies. The study appeared in the journal Nature where scientists from the British drugmaker collaborating with the charity Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and Cellzome AG found that the experimental drug, called I-BET151.

3 Oct 2011

Adaptimmune announces new board appointments as clinical programmes get underway

Adaptimmune, the T cell therapy company pioneering enhanced T cell receptor-driven T cells for the treatment of cancer and infectious disease, announces two new Board appointments with immediate effect. Dr Jonathan Knowles joins the Board as a non-executive director and Dr Helen Tayton-Martin, Adaptimmune’s Chief Operating Officer, becomes an executive director.

3 Oct 2011

Drug shortages lead to rationing of critical medicines

Though a number of reasons have created the shortfalls, everyone agrees that the proliferation of "gray markets" is one of the biggest factors.

3 Oct 2011

Emergent BioSolutions receives $1.25B contract to supply 44.75M doses of BioThrax

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced that, in response to solicitation RFP-2011-N-13414, it has received an award to supply the U.S. government with 44.75 million doses of BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) over a period of five years for a total value of up to $1.25 billion.

3 Oct 2011

New data on long-term use of antidepressant drugs

There is increasing awareness that, in some cases, long-term use of antidepressant drugs (AD) may enhance the biochemical vulnerability to depression and worsen its long-term outcome and symptomatic expression, decreasing both its likelihood of subsequent response to pharmacological treatment and the duration of symptom-free periods. A review of literature suggesting potential side effects during long treatment with antidepressant drugs was performed.

3 Oct 2011

Health Canada approves Trajenta (linagliptin) for type 2 diabetes

Boehringer Ingelheim Canada and Eli Lilly Canada today announced that Health Canada has approved Trajenta (linagliptin), a new oral therapy to improve glycemic control in Canadian adults with type 2 diabetes.

3 Oct 2011

General anesthesia linked to learning disabilities in children

Every year millions of babies and toddlers receive general anesthesia for procedures ranging from hernia repair to ear surgery. Now, researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester have found a link among children undergoing multiple surgeries requiring general anesthesia before age 2 and learning disabilities later in childhood.

3 Oct 2011

EMA accepts Inspiration's IB1001 MAA for treatment of hemophilia B

Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated and accepted the filing of the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Inspiration's IB1001, a recombinant factor IX (FIX) product for the treatment and prevention of bleeding in individuals with hemophilia B.

3 Oct 2011

FDA releases new PSA on safe medication use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Women's Health today released a new public service announcement (PSA) titled, "Use Medicines Wisely," to help raise awareness about safe medication use.

3 Oct 2011

Marken introduces new global brand and advertising campaign

Marken, a global leader in supporting clinical research logistics, announced the launch of a new global brand and advertising campaign to reflect the unique position that it holds in the pharmaceutical industry.

3 Oct 2011

Prostate cancer medicine deemed too-expensive by NHS

A drug used in therapy of prostate cancer that extends the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer is too expensive for use on the NHS, according to draft guidance. The drug has been shown to extend the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer by around 10 weeks.

2 Oct 2011

CSL pays heed to FDA observations on faulty manufacturing processes

Australia’s biggest pharmaceutical company CSL has taken steps to address most manufacturing flaws highlighted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and promised that the remaining concerns are being resolved.

2 Oct 2011

AHF protests J&J over AIDS drug prices

A group of committed AIDS activists and advocates are expected to participate in a protest and "die-in" hosted by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Friday, September 30th at 12:30 pm near the New Brunswick headquarters of Johnson & Johnson to protest the company's pricing of its HIV/AIDS medications.

1 Oct 2011