Global cancer survey: More investment, faster access to drugs needed
January 31st 2013The public is generally satisfied with cancer research progress over the past 20 years. However, they believe it takes too long for new cancer drugs to reach patients and that their countries invest too little in fighting cancer, according a global survey.
FDA approves orphan drug for inherited cholesterol disorder
January 30th 2013FDA approved mipomersen sodium (Kynamro, Genzyme and Isis Pharmaceuticals) once-a-week injection as an addition to lipid-lowering medications and diet to treat patients with a rare type of high cholesterol called homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).
High cost, renal complications in diabetes management
January 23rd 2013The cost of managing diabetes patients is extremely high, and many patients still experience poor glycemic control and renal complications, according to results of a study published online Dec. 13, 2012 in the journal Diabetes Care.
Clarithromycin may increase miscarriage risk
January 23rd 2013The use of clarithromycin in the first trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, according to researchers in Denmark. However, the researchers did not find a link between exposure to clarithromycin and major congenital malformations.
Study raises concern over cefixime failure rate for gonorrhea
January 23rd 2013Researchers examining the effectiveness of cefixime in the treatment of gonorrhea found a relatively high treatment failure rate, raising concern that gonorrhea may become untreatable, according to results published Jan. 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
New York City hospitals to limit outpatient opioids to 3-day supply
January 14th 2013To help prevent opioid abuse, New York City hospitals will be limiting opioid prescriptions dispensed from its emergency departments to a three-day supply, will not be prescribing long-acting opioids, and will not be refilling lost, stolen, or destroyed prescriptions, according to new voluntary emergency room guidelines that were made available on Jan. 10.