DEA needs better management of quota process for controlled substances
May 8th 2015The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), responsible for setting quotas of controlled substances, has not responded to manufacturers’ applications for these quotas in a timely fashion-and this has contributed to the shortage of controlled substances over the last decade, according to a recent GAO report.
Investigational vaccine for herpes zoster shows promise
May 1st 2015An investigational vaccine for herpes zoster provided significant benefit to patients 50 and older, with little difference in efficacy among those in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, according to a phase 3 international trial [Zoster Efficacy Study in Adults 50 Years of Age or Older (ZOE-50)].
Sierra Leone testing new Ebola vaccine
April 28th 2015About 6,000 healthcare workers, including pharmacists, will be enrolled in a new clinical trial in Sierra Leone to test the safety and efficacy of the rVSV-ZEBOV candidate Ebola vaccine, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced.
Microneedle patch could make vaccinations simpler, more widespread
April 28th 2015Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe a microneedle patch they are jointly developing can reduce the spread of preventable diseases by making vaccinations easier to administer.
Generic versions of Abilify approved for mental illness treatment
April 28th 2015Four generic manufacturers (Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Torrent Pharmaceuticals) received the go-ahead April 28 to market their generic versions for Abilify for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.