New diet drug overwhelmingly endorsed by FDA committee
February 24th 2012A new weight-loss medication got an overwhelming endorsement on Wednesday from FDA?s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee. The committee voted 20-2 in favor of approving phentermine/topiramate (Qnexa, Vivus).
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Study: Most cases of CDI aren't being spread by patients in same ward
February 24th 2012A recent study challenges the conventional assumption about how Clostridium difficile infection spreads in hospitals, finding that almost three-quarters of the new cases aren?t transmitted by patients in the same ward.
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Antibiotic amoxicillin no help in treating acute rhinosinusitis
February 24th 2012No significant difference was found in treating patients experiencing clinically diagnosed uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis with antibiotic amoxicillin compared with patients who received placebo, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA.
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No benefit of B vitamins or omega-3 on cancer outcomes, study finds
February 24th 2012There are no beneficial effects of supplementation with relatively low doses of B vitamins and/or omega-3 fatty acids on cancer outcomes in individuals with prior cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online February 13 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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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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