News

The anticancer drug bevacizumab could help prevent babies with retinopathy of prematurity from becoming blind, reports a new study from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School.

FDA has updated the pregnancy section of drug labels for the entire class of antipsychotic medications to provide more information about the potential risk of extrapyramidal signs and withdrawal symptoms in newborns whose mothers take antipsychotics during the third trimester of pregnancy.

FDA's Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee voted to approve Novartis' QAB149 (indacaterol) 75 µg as a once-daily long-term maintenance bronchodilator treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema, PR Newswire reported.

The American College of Physicians recently issued 3 recommendations for use of intensive insulin therapy for the management of glycemic control in hospitalized patients.

FDA approved the first-and-only selective phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitor roflumilast (Daliresp, Forest Pharmaceuticals), once-daily oral tablet to decrease the frequency of exacerbations or worsening of symptoms from severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

FDA approved the use of once-daily guanfacine (Intuniv, Shire) extended-release tablets as adjunctive therapy to stimulants for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years as part of a total treatment program.

FDA issued a complete response letter to EMD Serono, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, requesting additional information on cladribine (Movectro), a drug intended for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

A recent recall of generic warfarin tablets was expanded to include 6 other drug products prepared on the same packaging line.

In mid February, US Marshals acting on a request of FDA seized all lots of Auralgan Otic Solution from Integrated Commercialization Solutions in Brooks, Ky.

Recent FDA action (through, February 2011) related to Contrave, rabeprazole sodium extended-release capsules, Avodart, Mu Delta, Carfilzomib, Vascugel, INX-0818, vosaroxin, Acurox, fidaxomicin, melanoma cancer vaccine, NSI-566RSC, Regorafenib.

New formulation: Fentanyl sublingual tablets were approved by FDA to manage breakthrough pain in patients aged ?18 years who are already receiving and tolerant to opioids for their underlying persistent cancer pain.

Generic drugs approved by FDA (through February 2011): Galantamine hydrobromide

The active drug safety surveillance system being established by FDA promises to do more than obtain timely adverse event information on marketed medicines.

New molecular entity: Vilazodone hydrochloride tablets were approved by FDA on January 21, 2011, for the treatment of major depressive disorder in adults.

Recent FDA Approvals (through February 2011) related to Edarbi, Gralise, Rituxan, Menveo, Makena, Corifact, Epicyn HydroGel

In recent years there has been an explosion of new investigations into the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and its medication therapies. This article will review current, emerging, and controversial therapies for the treatment of bipolar disorder, specifically the mania aspect.

Ceftaroline has demonstrated activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as common respiratory Gram-negatives including Haemophilus, Moraxella, and Klebsiella species.

With the vote to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act behind them, many Congressional leaders are focusing instead on ways to repair or eliminate some of the more contentious reform provisions.

Care for the roughly 9 million dual eligibles in this country tends to be fragmented with Medicare and Medicaid engaging in cost shifting, resulting in a lack of accountability.

FDA has approved the first drug to help prevent premature birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy in women who have had at least one previous preterm delivery.

The federal agencies charged with issuing regulations interpreting the law already have started their work.

For the next several years, "consolidation" will be the watchword for the healthcare industry as plans and providers position themselves for the changing market.

Effecting change requires that standards of care are not only implemented, but measured and managed from patient and provider perspectives.

Fewer than a third of Americans consume the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Studying drugs in younger populations is challenging, and the scarcity of pediatric studies limits the ability of doctors and scientists to accurately predict drug dosing, safety and efficacy in children.

Insurance executives are observing a greater degree of anxiety among providers as they try to build their networks in an evolving era of healthcare.

Three entities - the Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board; Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation; and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute - are examining payment mechanisms, cost containment and quality of care.

A few states have threatened to shut down Medicaid programs, and some say they won't set up local insurance exchanges if they have to meet all the requirements of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act.