Clinical News

FDA has approved pancrelipase delayed-release capsules to treat exocrine pancreatic insufficiency resulting from cystic fibrosis or other conditions.

Fondaparinux shown to be safe for patients with renal impairment.

Short-term hormone replacement therapy is a relatively safe treatment for healthy, recently postmenopausal women, according to a new consensus statement.

An oral dose of modified-release tranexamic acid may offer an effective first-line therapy for patients with heavy menstrual bleeding, according to a recent study published online July 17 in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

A new formulation of the widely prescribed painkiller OxyContin has led drug abusers to shift to heroin, according to research results reported as a letter to the editor in the July 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Data from poison centers can be used to predict methadone overdose trends in the United States, according to a study published July 19 in PLoS One.

A recent Danish study found that exposure to the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine during pregnancy was not associated with a significantly increased risk of major birth defects or preterm births.

A new study has found that omega-6 fatty acids can help prevent coronary heart disease (CHD) and that dietary saturated fat increases the risk for CHD.

The Two Sister Study, funded in part by Susan Komen for the Cure, was conducted to examine the possible risks associated with fertility drugs and breast cancer. The results were published July 6 in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute.

FDA recently issued a statement reminding healthcare professionals about the need to adjust the dosage of the antibacterial drug cefepime (Maxipime, Elan) in patients with renal impairment.

FDA says no to rivaroxaban for ACS. ACCP updates DVT evidence. Fatal bleeds from dabigatran have tapered off

FDA approves avanafil and tafluprost

It was a regulatory milestone, yet the expected leap forward for personalized medicine never happened. But all may not yet be lost

FDA approves Lucinactant and Peginesatide

The debate on CHADS2 scoring vs. CHA2DS2-VASc continues

A round-up of apps that can improve the pharmacy bottom line and help with patient care

Afatinib used in lung cancer treatment helped patients live longer, according to the results of a new phase 3 clinical trial.

Men with advanced prostate cancer treated with enzalutamide (formerly MDV3100) demonstrated a significantly higher response rate in health-related quality of life, according to new data from the phase 3 AFFIRM study.

Label prescribing information for dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim) capsules has been updated to affirm that the 150-mg twice-daily dose is superior to warfarin in reducing ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is partnering with providers, caregivers, and patients to ensure appropriate use of antipsychotic medications for nursing home patients, the government announced last week.

Intensive control of blood-sugar levels among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus may reduce the risk of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, signs of kidney damage, but evidence is lacking regarding the effect over renal end points, according to the results of a study published May 28 in Archives of Internal Medicine.

The use of benzocaine gels and liquids to sooth teething and mouth and gum pain can lead to a rare but serious--and sometimes fatal--condition called methemoglobinemia, according to an FDA Consumer Update.

FDA has warned consumers and healthcare professionals that counterfeit versions of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Adderall 30-mg tablets are being sold on the Internet.

Statin therapy is safe and effective for people at low risk of major vascular events and, therefore, current guidelines might need to be reconsidered, according to a study published online in The Lancet.

Taking probiotics during a course of antibiotics reduces the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, according to the results of a study published May 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Changes in procedural antithrombotic strategy are associated with a significant temporal reduction in major bleeding over time in patients undergoing elective post-percutaneous intervention, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The use of atypical antipsychotics in patients with major depressive disorder who have not responded to antidepressant therapy substantially increased clinical response rates at 6 weeks; however the drugs are also much more costly, according to the results of an analysis published in the May issue of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

More than a third of patients newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus did not receive the recommended first-line drug, a finding that could have substantial implications for healthcare spending, according to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine.

Pharmacists included in team-based care improve blood-pressure control for patients, according to new recommendations from the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

FDA has notified healthcare professionals that it is aware of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reporting a small increase in cardiovascular deaths and in the risk of death from any cause in persons treated with a 5-day course of azithromycin (Zithromax) compared to persons treated with amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, or no drug.