Drug
Hepatitis C declines health with liver diseaseAn NIH funded multi-center clinical trial found no benefit from "maintenance therapy," low-dose peginterferon used for hepatitis C patients who have not responded to an initial round of treatment.
New treatment may cure food allergiesA team of scientists from across Europe are embarking on new research to develop a treatment for food allergy.
109 medicines, vaccines in development for HIV AIDSAmerica's pharmaceutical research companies are testing 109 medicines and vaccines to treat or prevent HIV/AIDS and related conditions, according to a report released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
New drug tasimelteon for jet lagVanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VNDA) reports publication in The Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals, results of clinical trials of its novel circadian regulator, experimental compound tasimelteon (VEC-162).
A universal mechanism of aging is identifiedResearchers have discovered that DNA damage decreases a cell's ability to regulate which genes are turned on and off in particular settings. This mechanism, which applies both to fungus and to us, might represent a universal culprit for aging.
£15 m for South Africa in new struggle against AIDSSouth Africa's revitalised drive against AIDS today received a £15 million boost which could help save millions of lives and stop the spread of HIV across the country.
High blood pressure in doctor's clinic may not predict heart risksContinuously measuring blood pressure may help predict heart disease and related deaths among individuals with treatment-resistant hypertension, while blood pressure readings taken in a medical clinic do not appear to predict future heart risks, according to a report in November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
14 drugs identified for off label usePhysicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval - a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don't know how to begin tackling it.
Diabetes drug rosiglitazone linked to higher heart failure riskOlder adults who take the diabetes medication rosiglitazone appear to have a higher risk of death and heart failure than those taking the related medication pioglitazone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Routine HIV testing fails in USWhile the U.S. AIDS epidemic simmers largely unnoticed by most Americans, a failure to widely implement routine HIV testing continues to fuel its spread, HIV researchers and experts said.
Yeast to identify drugs for Alzheimer's diseaseCSIRO scientists have developed a new system to screen for compounds that can inhibit one of the processes that takes place during the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Marijuana reduces memory impairmentThe more research they do, the more evidence Ohio State University scientists find that specific elements of marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation there and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.
Gardasil HPV vaccine prevented genital lesions in menGARDASIL [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], the cervical cancer vaccine from Merck & Co., Inc., prevented 90 percent of external genital lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in a pivotal Phase III study in men aged 16 to 26.
A man defeated HIV virus through bone marrow transplantAn HIV-positive person, who underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia, has had undetectable HIV viral loads for almost two years. HIV-positive man was ill from leukemia and had underwent treatment by the team led by Prof. Eckhard Thiel, director of the Medical Clinic with a focus on hematology and oncology.
Vitamin C lowers heart disease biomarkerA new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, adds to the evidence that vitamin C supplements can lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), a central biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease and diabetes.
Fiber, antispasmodics and peppermint oil to treat IBSFibre, antispasmodics and peppermint oil are all effective therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and should become first-line treatments, according to a study on bmj.com.
Single PILL may prevent heart diseaseA new clinical trial looking at a single pill to prevent cardiovascular disease is starting in Auckland, New Zealand.
New risk factor for cardiovascular diseaseA team of international researchers - including scientists from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University - have discovered that having high levels of particular protein puts patients at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Mislabeled ReliOn Insulin Syringes recalled in USThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration is notifying health care professionals and patients that Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Covidien) is recalling one lot of ReliOn sterile, single-use, disposable, hypodermic syringes with permanently affixed hypodermic needles due to possible mislabeling.
Cost of diabetes treatment doubled in USBecause of the increased number of patients, growing reliance on multiple medications and the shift toward more expensive new medicines, the annual cost of diabetes drugs nearly doubled in only six years, rising from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion in 2007 according to a study in the Oct. 27, 2008, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Hydrogen sulfide regulates blood pressureAnyone with a nose knows the rotten-egg odor of hydrogen sulfide, a gas generated by bacteria living in the human colon. Now an international team of scientists has discovered that cells inside the blood vessels of mice - as well as in people, no doubt - naturally make the gassy stuff, and that it controls blood pressure.
New genes identified linked to lung cancerWorking as part of a multi-institutional collaboration, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have assembled the most complete catalog to date of the genetic changes underlying the most common form of lung cancer.
Acomplia rimonabant obesity drug withdrawnSanofi-aventis announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended to the European Commission (EC) the temporary suspension of the marketing authorisation of Acomplia(R) (rimonabant) for the approved indication of overweight and obese patients.
X PRIZE to help fight tuberculosis with Gates FoundationThe X PRIZE Foundation has received a planning grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an X PRIZE for effective diagnosis of tuberculosis in the developing world.
Estimating lives lost due to delay in HIV drug use in South AfricaMore than 330,000 lives were lost to HIV/AIDS in South Africa from 2000 and 2005 because a feasible and timely antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program was not implemented, assert researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in a study published online by the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS) (http://www.jaids.com/).
Live cell therapy clinical trial in New Zealand for diabeticsLiving Cell Technologies Limited (ASX: LCT; OTCQX: LVCLY) announced that New Zealand Health Minister, the Honorable David Cunliffe, has approved an application from the company to conduct in New Zealand a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of DiabeCell®, LCT's lead product candidate for the treatment of insulin dependent (Type 1) diabetes.
New drug alemtuzumab for multiple sclerosis patientsA drug which was developed in Cambridge and initially designed to treat a form of leukaemia has also proven effective against combating the debilitating neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS).
Gut bacteria helps control body weight and obesityA single molecule in the intestinal wall, activated by the waste products from gut bacteria, plays a large role in controlling whether the host animals are lean or fatty, a research team, including scientists from UT Southwestern Medical Center, has found in a mouse study.
Health Canada reaffirms safety of BPA useAnnouncement by Health Canada regarding completion of its assessment of bisphenol A (BPA) offers reassurance to Canadians that the use of this chemical in the production of epoxy resins in metal food and beverage packaging presents no risk to consumers.
Fatty acids linked to Alzheimer's diseaseScientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) and the University of California have found that complete or partial removal of an enzyme that regulates fatty acid levels improves cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Updated labeling for psoriasis drug Raptiva approvedThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced labeling changes, including a Boxed Warning, to highlight the risks of life-threatening infections, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), with the use of Raptiva (efalizumab).
Label updates of oral OTC children's cough and cold medicinesThe following statement was issued by Linda Suydam, president of Consumer Healthcare Products Association, USA, on the Voluntary Label Updates to Oral OTC Children's Cough and Cold Medicines.
People with mental illness smoke moreAustralians with mental illness smoke at four times the rate of the general population, says a new study from the University of Melbourne.
St. John's Wort helps patients with major depressionThe herbal medicine St. John's wort appears to work just as well as some prescribed antidepressants for treating patients with major depression, a new review finds. However, patients in German-speaking countries might experience the best benefits.
$62 million settlement with drug company Eli LillyAttorney General Martha Coakley's office, along with 32 other attorneys general, reached a record $62 million settlement with Eli Lilly and Company (Eli Lilly) resolving allegations of improper marketing of the atypical antipsychotic drug, Zyprexa.
Anti inflammatory drugs linked with reduced breast cancer riskAnalysis of data from 38 studies that enrolled more than 2.7 million women – the largest of its kind – by researchers at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the University of Santiago de Compostela reveals that regular use of Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a 12 per cent relative risk reduction in breast cancer compared to non-users.
Free drug samples not safe for childrenFree prescription drug samples distributed to children may be unsafe, according to a study by physicians from Cambridge Health Alliance and Hasbro Children's Hospital.
US FDA assessed melamine and melamine compounds in foodThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food, including infant formula.
Insomnia linked to depression and substance abuseAdolescent insomnia symptoms are associated with depression, suic_ide ideation and attempts, and the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs such as cocaine.
Heart patients should be screened, treated for depressionHeart patients should be screened for depression -- a common condition that can profoundly affect both prognosis and quality of life -- according to the American Heart Association's first scientific statement on depression and coronary heart disease.
Vitamin C supplements reduce benefits of anti cancer drugsIn pre-clinical studies, vitamin C appears to substantially reduce the effectiveness of anticancer drugs, say researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
HIV began spreading among humans between 1884 and 1924New research indicates that the most pervasive global strain of HIV began spreading among humans between 1884 and 1924, suggesting that growing urbanization in colonial Africa set the stage for the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Pain is not a symptom of arthritis, pain causes arthritisPain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study published today in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
Statins do not increase risk of Lou Gehrig's DiseaseA U.S. Food and Drug Administration's analysis provides new evidence that the use of statins does not increase incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." The analysis was reported on Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.
Eli Lilly's Alimta approvad for lung cancerEli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that it received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of ALIMTA(R) (pemetrexed for injection), in combination with cisplatin, in the first-line treatment of locally-advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for patients with nonsquamous histology.
Trials supporting FDA approved drugs remained unpublishedOver half of all supporting trials for FDA-approved drugs remained unpublished 5 years after approval, says new research published in this week's PLoS Medicine. The most important trials determining efficacy, and those with statistically significant results and larger sample sizes, are more likely to be published.
Acupuncture reduces side effects of breast cancer treatmentAcupuncture is as effective and longer-lasting in managing the common debilitating side effects of hot flashes, night sweats, and excessive sweating (vasomotor symptoms) associated with breast cancer treatment and has no treatment side effects compared to conventional drug therapy, according to a first-of-its-kind study presented September 24, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.
Chemotherapy target found for leukemiaCancer researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered a promising new chemotherapy target for a deadly form of leukemia. Their discovery hinges on a novel "double agent" role for a molecular signal that regulates cell growth.
Merck's Odanacatib increases bone mineral density2 year data from a Phase IIB study of odanacatib (formerly MK-0822), an investigational, selective cathepsin-K inhibitor in development for the treatment of osteoporosis by Merck & Co., Inc., demonstrated dose-dependent increases in bone mineral density (BMD) at the total hip, lumbar spine and femoral neck fracture sites and decreased indices of bone resorption compared to placebo in postmenopausal women with low BMD.
Poor weight loss in some after gastric bypass surgeryIndividuals with diabetes and those whose stomach pouches are larger appear less likely to successfully lose weight after gastric bypass surgery, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.