Medical News

RSS

PHARMACIA & UPJOHN COMPANY to pay the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the U.S.

PHARMACIA & UPJOHN COMPANY, INC., a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc. ("Pfizer") today was sentenced today in federal court for a felony violation of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, for misbranding the drug, Bextra, with the intent to defraud or mislead.

19 Oct 2009

Update from Cardiome Pharma regarding its tender offer

Cardiome Pharma Corp. announced the final results of its modified "Dutch Auction" tender offer to purchase for cancellation up to US$27.5 million of its common shares (the "Offer"), which expired at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on October 13, 2009.

19 Oct 2009

WHO, UNICEF publish plan to reduce childhood diarrhea deaths

The WHO and UNICEF have released a seven-point treatment and prevention plan to reduce the number of children around the world who die from diarrhea, the BBC reports (10/14). BMJ News writes, "Every year 1.5 million children aged under 5 years die from diarrhoea, more than 80% of them in Africa and south Asia" (Zarocostas, 10/14).

19 Oct 2009

CBO estimate: House bill closing in on Obama's $900 billion limit

An initial Congressional Budget Office estimate of a version of health reform legislation favored by House liberals puts the price-tag within reach of President Obama's stated $900 billion limit for the overhaul, The Washington Post reports.

19 Oct 2009

Ruthenium and Osmium compounds show high levels of activity against ovarian cancer

Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds.

19 Oct 2009

FDA grants marketing approval for Elitek

Sanofi-aventis U.S. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for Elitek (rasburicase) to be used for the initial management of plasma uric acid (PUA) levels in adult patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor malignancies who are receiving anti-cancer therapy expected to result in tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) and subsequent elevations of plasma uric acid.

19 Oct 2009

Democratic lawmakers seek momentum, Republican votes as two versions of reform bills are combined

Democrats are seeking momentum and votes -- from both Democrats and Republicans -- as leaders work to combine the two versions of reform approved by Senate committees.

19 Oct 2009

NTNU launches European Palliative Care Research Centre

A first-ever pan-European centre devoted to improving patient palliative care and end of life care was officially launched Thursday, October 15, at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) ,with the opening of the European Palliative Care Research Centre.

19 Oct 2009

Recent releases in global health

In light of a recent Guttmacher Institute report that indicated 70,000 women in developing countries die each year from unsafe abortion, a Lancet editorial outlines ways to reduce deaths, and says, "The current political climate is favourable, because the global-gag rule (the U.S. Government's policy on banning funding of foreign organisations linked to any type of abortion practice) is out of favour" (10/17).

19 Oct 2009

Counseling program to promote education and lifestyle change in lupus patients

According to a new study by Hospital for Special Surgery investigators presented at the American College of Rheumatology meeting on October 21 in Philadelphia, most lupus patients are not aware that their condition puts them at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and a counseling program is a valuable way to promote education and lifestyle change.

19 Oct 2009

Research programme to develop immunological biomarkers for chronic inflammatory diseases

Persistent inflammation and the activation of the immune system is the key pathological mechanism affecting many long-term conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease and is the predominant mechanism underlying organ transplant rejection.

19 Oct 2009

Migraine can stimulate alcohol-induced headache

Migraine sufferers, beware. You may be more prone to an alcohol-induced headache after a night of drinking, according to researchers from the Jefferson Headache Center.

19 Oct 2009

Also in global health news: Street pharmacies; China health care; Hospital safety; African cardinals; Cells phones for health

Agence France-Presse examines Adjegounle, the "drugs" district in Benin. Although some are able to support their families by selling drugs at "street pharmacies," a minimum of "250 deaths and 340 cases of chronic illnesses linked to such drugs were recorded between April 2007 and June 2008," according to a medical thesis, the news service writes.

19 Oct 2009

Research study on epileptic seizures in individuals with alcohol withdrawal syndrome

Epileptic seizures are the most dramatic and prominent aspect of the "alcohol withdrawal syndrome" that occurs when a person abruptly stops a long-term or chronic drinking habit. Researchers have shown that the flow of calcium ions into brain cells via voltage-gated calcium channels plays an important role in the generation of alcohol withdrawal seizures, because blocking this flow suppresses these seizures.

19 Oct 2009

FDA approves Gardasil vaccine usage in boys and men for preventing genital warts

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved use of the vaccine Gardasil for the prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 in boys and men, ages 9 through 26.

19 Oct 2009

House panel sets stage for reconciliation maneuver

A key House panel approved a measure Thursday setting the stage for Senate Democrats to bypass likely Republican attempts to block health reform legislation, CBS News reports.

19 Oct 2009

Pfizer acquires Wyeth; begins joint operations

Pfizer and Wyeth announced today that Pfizer has completed its acquisition of Wyeth following the receipt of regulatory approval from all government authorities required by the merger agreement and approval by Wyeth shareholders.

19 Oct 2009

Center remains elusive despite Snowe's support

The political center remains elusive in the health care debate, despite Democrats' glee after one version of the bill received a GOP vote, Politico reports. "If Democratic leadership hoped Republican Olympia Snowe's decision to cross party lines Tuesday would inspire her fellow middle-of-the-roaders, they were mistaken."

19 Oct 2009

Research study provides supportive evidence for using ATR inhibitors in cancer therapy

A study published in the October issue of Nature Genetics demonstrates that loss of the tumor-suppressor protein p53, coupled with elimination of the DNA-maintenance protein ATR, severely disrupts tissue maintenance in mice.

19 Oct 2009

International human migration needs to be factored into infectious disease policy

When people travel, bacteria and other infectious agents travel with them. As about a billion people cross international borders each year, many more billions of the bugs come along for the ride.

19 Oct 2009

Medical News

PHARMACIA & UPJOHN COMPANY to pay the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the U.S.

Update from Cardiome Pharma regarding its tender offer

WHO, UNICEF publish plan to reduce childhood diarrhea deaths

CBO estimate: House bill closing in on Obama's $900 billion limit

Ruthenium and Osmium compounds show high levels of activity against ovarian cancer

FDA grants marketing approval for Elitek

Democratic lawmakers seek momentum, Republican votes as two versions of reform bills are combined

NTNU launches European Palliative Care Research Centre

Recent releases in global health

Counseling program to promote education and lifestyle change in lupus patients

Research programme to develop immunological biomarkers for chronic inflammatory diseases

Migraine can stimulate alcohol-induced headache

Also in global health news: Street pharmacies; China health care; Hospital safety; African cardinals; Cells phones for health

Research study on epileptic seizures in individuals with alcohol withdrawal syndrome

FDA approves Gardasil vaccine usage in boys and men for preventing genital warts

House panel sets stage for reconciliation maneuver

Pfizer acquires Wyeth; begins joint operations

Center remains elusive despite Snowe's support

Research study provides supportive evidence for using ATR inhibitors in cancer therapy

International human migration needs to be factored into infectious disease policy

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

Latest News