News

Regular use of aspirin was associated with a 2-fold greater risk of developing the neovascular subtype of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than in non-users.

Recent FDA Approvals (through February 2013) related to (Ado-trastuzumab, Kadcyla, Genentech, Everolimus, Zortress, Novartis, Adapalene, benzoyl peroxide, Epiquo, Galderma, pomalidomide, Pomalyst, Celgene, alogliptin, Nesina, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Kazano, Oseni, imatinib, Gleevec, mesalamine, Delzicol, Warner Chilcott, mipomersen sodium, Kynamro, Genzyme, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Oxutrol for Women, glycerol phenylbutyrate, Ravicti, Hyperion Therapeutics, pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine, Prevnar 13, Pfizer

A low-dose contraceptive patch is comparable to combination oral contraceptive in a comparative study, according to phase 3 data presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) 60th Annual Clinical Meeting.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) specialty drug costs no account for more than two-thirds or MS patients' total cost of care, according to a new study.

Gonorrhea continues to be a major US public health problem in terms of its prevalence as week as the lack of effective treatments available.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in children. New formulations of stimulants and nonstimulants allow for individualization of therapy for patients to receive the maximum benefit while minimizing side effects.

Partnering in healthcare seems to be the prevailing wind while achieving access, cost effectiveness, and high quality remains the aim of the industry.

In the study of communities in Massachusetts with high numbers of opioid overdose deaths, implementation of overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) were associated with a significant reduction in opioid overdose death rates.

A new Institutes of Medicine (IOM) report addresses growing concerns in the global community surrounding the public safety matters of fake and substandard drugs.

Processing a prescription through an electronic ordering system decreases the likelihood of error on that order by 48%, and averts more than 17 million such incidents in US hospitals in 1 year alone.

Among US adolescents and young adults, HbA1c levels, central obesity, and smoking were associated with an increased risk of dying before 55 years of age.

The economic implications of HE are numerous and marked altered as based upon direct and indirect costs, worsening of patient's and patient's family members quality of life, employment status, and autonomy.

Use of statins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients may be associated with prolonged overall survival.

Use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs may be beneficial in patients with neovascular glaucoma and to control complications after filtration surgeries.

Recent advances in treatments of allergic ocular disease are available to help relieve the signs and symptoms in pediatric patients.

Recent advances in treatments of allergic ocular diseases are available to help relieve the signs and symptoms in pediatric patients. Stephen C. Pflugfelder, MD, described those treatments in a symposium during the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in Chicago

Proposed HIV-testing guidelines by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) will remove financial barriers to routine HIV screening by eliminating out-of-pocket costs, according to a perspective article in the March 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

FDA has approved ospemifene (Osphena, Shionogi) tablets for the treatment of moderate to severe dyspareunia (painful intercourse), a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA) due to menopause.

Dabigatran used beyond the initial 3 months of treatment at a dose of 150 mg twice daily reduced the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a study published February 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The age-old wisdom that vitamin C can help reduce the incidence of colds recently had another set back in a study from Finland, published in Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews at the end of January 2013.

FDA is adding its strongest warning to labels of codeine-containing products advising against their use for pain relief in children after surgery to remove tonsils or adenoids. The agency asks healthcare professionals to use alternate pain relievers instead.

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus taking glucagonlike peptide 1 (GLP-1)-based therapies may have a higher risk of acute pancreatitis, according to a recent report published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

US veterans diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are frequently prescribed doses of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) that are much higher than recommended, according to a new study, published in the February 16, 2013 issue of Journal of General Internal Medicine.

According to AHIP, more claims are being received by payers in electronic formats, and payers are processing those claims at a faster rate than before.

High intakes of calcium in women are associated with higher death rates from all causes and from cardiovascular disease, but not from stroke. This is the conclusion of a prospective longitudinal cohort study conducted by researchers in Sweden and published in the British Medical Journal.

FDA has approved generic buprenorphine hydrochloride (HCl) and naloxone HCl dihydrate sublingual tablets (Amneal Pharmaceuticals), the first generic generic versions of Suboxone (Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK)) sublingual tablets for maintenance treatment of opioid drug dependence.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) issued its final recommendation on vitamin D and calcium supplements for the prevention of fractures, of which there are several individual recommendations for people who do not live in assisted living or nursing homes.

WellPoint and its affiliated health plans (WellPoint) have distributed pill boxes at no extra cost to more than 187,000 at-risk members of Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans across the country as a friendly reminder for them to take their medicines.