Zinc plus antibiotics saves lives of children with pneumonia, study finds
February 24th 2012Zinc used in conjunction with antibiotics significantly reduced mortality in children ages 6 months to 59 months with severe pneumonia when compared with antibiotics alone, according to the findings of a recent study done in Uganda.
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ACIP expands recommendations for whooping cough vaccine to 65 and older
February 23rd 2012The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) wants all US adults to get vaccinated against whooping cough, according to the Associated Press. The panel voted to expand its recommendation to include all those aged 65 years and older who haven?t gotten a whooping cough shot as an adult.
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FDA acts to bolster supply of critically needed cancer drugs
February 21st 2012FDA announced a series of steps to increase the supply of critically needed cancer drugs, including temporarily importing an unapproved drug from India. The moves are building on President Barack Obama's executive order to help prevent future drug shortages, FDA said
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Infants' Tylenol medication recalled by McNeil after dosing-system complaints
February 21st 2012More than a half million bottles of Infants Tylenol Oral Suspension, 1 oz. grape, have been recalled voluntarily by McNeil Consumer Healthcare because of complaints about using the dosing system, the company announced.
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Shortage of anti-infective drugs needs government attention, authors say
February 17th 2012Anti-infective drug shortages pose significant problems for clinicians and are a rapidly evolving public-health emergency that may require government oversight, according to an article published online January 19 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
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ACP recommends metformin as first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes
February 17th 2012Physicians should prescribe oral metformin as a first-line therapy for most patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as for those whose blood sugar cannot be controlled with diet, exercise, and weight loss, according to new guidelines from the American College of Physicians.
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FDA warning: Counterfeit version of cancer drug Avastin circulating
February 15th 2012Some cancer patients may not get proper treatment because a counterfeit version of the drug sold as Avastin 400mg/16mi has been purchased by as many as 19 medical practices in the United States, FDA warned Wednesday.
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FDA approves preservative-free solution for glaucoma, ocular hypertension
February 14th 2012FDA has approved tafluprost ophthalmic solution (Zioptan, Merck) 0.0015%, the first preservative-free prostaglandin analog ophthalmic solution for reducing elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension
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Single-tablet option approved for treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes
February 10th 2012FDA has approved linagliptin/metformin hydrochloride (Jentadueto, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly) tablets, a new tablet that provides a single-tablet treatment option, taken twice-daily, for adult patients who need to control their blood sugar.
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SSRIs increase risk of falls, injuries for elderly patients with dementia
February 10th 2012Nursing home residents with dementia who use average doses of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are three times more likely to have a fall resulting in injury compared with those who don’t use SSRIs, according a study published online January 18 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
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Study: Emergency visits increase risk of infections for long-term care residents
February 10th 2012There was an increased risk of acute infection among long-term care residents who visited hospital emergency departments, according to a study published online January 23 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
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FDA grants priority review to GI agent for controlling diarrhea in HIV/AIDS patients
February 7th 2012FDA has granted priority review to crofelemer 125-mg tablets (Salix Pharmaceuticals) for the control and symptomatic relief of diarrhea in patients with HIV/AIDS on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
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FDA approves update to Gleevec label, extending treatment to certain GIST patients
February 6th 2012Following a priority review, FDA has approved an update to imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, Novartis) tablets? label to recommend 36 months of treatment after surgery for adult patients with KIT (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) who met the risk of recurrence inclusion criteria of the pivotal trial.
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FDA approves extended-release tablets for type 2 diabetes
February 3rd 2012FDA approved sitagliptin and metformin hydrochloride (HCl) extended-release (Janumet XR, Merck) tablets, a new treatment for type 2 diabetes that combines sitagliptin, which is the active component of Januvia (sitagliptin), with extended-release metformin.
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Hospitals, healthcare facilities urged to require staffs to get flu shots
February 3rd 2012Hospitals and healthcare facilities should require all employees to get an annual flu shot, a group representing many of the nation?s largest employers emphasized again at a press conference Wednesday in Washington, DC.
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