Coadministration of flu, pneumococcal vaccine increases risk of febrile seizure
March 15th 2011Children 6 to 23 months of age who receive trivalent inactivated flu vaccine concurrently with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine are at increased risk of febrile seizures, according to researchers at the CDC and Harvard Medical School.
FDA lopinavir/ritonavir label change warns of serious health risks to premature babies
March 14th 2011FDA notified healthcare professionals of serious health risks that have been reported in premature babies receiving lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra, Abbott) oral solution. Lopinavir/ritonavir oral solution contains the ingredients alcohol and propylene glycol.
Numeric rating scale offered to fewer than half of hospitalized pain patients
March 10th 2011According to a survey published in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing, nearly two-thirds of hospital in-patients had experienced pain in the previous 24 hours, and 42% of those rated their pain as more than 7 out of 10.
FDA advisory committee recommends approval of once-daily bronchodilator for COPD
March 9th 2011FDA'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.
Tifacogin ineffective against severe community-acquired pneumonia
March 8th 2011Tifacogin does not appear to improve outcomes of patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia, according to a global study published online in the American Thoracic Society?s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, ahead of the print edition.
Corticosteroids' safety affirmed in treatment of childhood asthma
March 8th 2011Children being treated with a short course of oral corticosteroids for an acute asthma attack may experience a brief and transient depression of their immune response, according to a recent study conducted by Université de Montréal.
Black box warnings accelerate reduced antipsychotic use in dementia
March 3rd 2011The rate of decline in the use of atypical antipsychotics in outpatients with dementia accelerated following a black box warning issued by FDA, according to "Trends in Antipsychotic Use in Dementia 1999-2007," a multicenter study of national Veterans Affairs data that appeared in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
TXA reduces death from bleeding in trauma patients
March 3rd 2011Tranexamic acid reduces the risk of death from bleeding without increasing the risk of vascular occlusive events or the need for surgical intervention, according to a review published in the 2011 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Labeling change for antipsychotic drugs highlights risk to newborns
March 3rd 2011FDA 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 approves roflumilast for severe COPD
March 2nd 2011FDA 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 approves guanfacine ER tablets to treat ADHD in children, teens
March 2nd 2011FDA 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.
NACDS and NCPA defend TRICARE beneficiaries' right to choose community pharmacy
February 28th 2011NACDS and NCPA authored a joint letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.), emphasizing the ability of community pharmacies to help lower prescription drug costs, and the importance of maintaining the right of military families and veterans to choose where they fill their prescriptions through the TRICARE program.