Swiss discoverer of LSD dies, aged 102
ZURICH, Apr. 30, 2008 6:04 am EDT (Reuters)
Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who discovered the hallucinogenic drug LSD, has died aged 102.
Heparin Contamination May Have Been Deliberate
New York Times April 30, 2008 By GARDINER HARRIS
WASHINGTON — Federal drug regulators believe that a contaminant detected in a crucial blood thinner that has caused 81 deaths was added deliberately. “F.D.A.’s working hypothesis is that this was intentional contamination, but this is not yet proven,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug center, told the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Dr. Woodcock’s statement on was part of growing chorus that has labeled the heparin contamination as perhaps the most brazen poisoning episode since 1982, when seven people in the Chicago area died after taking Tylenol that had been laced with cyanide. A third of the material in some batches of the thinner heparin were contaminants, “and it does strain one’s credulity to suggest that might have been done accidentally,” Dr. Woodcock said.
Newly Refined Antibody Therapy May Be Potent Treatment For Autoimmune Diseases
ScienceDaily April 30, 2008 Rockefeller University
An old, fickle therapy for a variety of autoimmune diseases is getting a makeover, thanks to a decade-long investigation by Rockefeller University researchers. The original treatment, called intravenous immunoglobulin or IVIG, is an amalgam of specific antibodies made from the pooled blood plasma of thousands of healthy donors. Physicians have used it both on-label and off in patients with lupus, arthritis, asthma and other immune disorders, to varying degrees of success. But new research shows that understanding how the therapy works at a molecular level can help researchers create a version in the lab that’s many times more potent.
Human Protein May Offer Novel Target For Blocking HIV Infection: Successful In Lab
ScienceDaily April 29, 2008
A research group supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has uncovered a new route for attacking the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that may offer a way to circumvent problems with drug resistance. NIH/National Human Genome Research Institute (2008, April 29). Human Protein May Offer Novel Target For Blocking HIV Infection: Successful In Lab. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/04/080428175345.htm
April 28th is Workers Memorial Day established to recognize workers who died or were injured on the job. On average, 16 workers in the United States die each day from injuries sustained at work, and 134 are estimated to die from work-related diseases. Daily, an estimated 11,200 private-sector workers have a nonfatal work-related injury or illness, and as a result, more than half require a job transfer, work restrictions, or time away from their jobs. An estimated 9,000 workers are treated in emergency departments each day because of occupational injuries and approximately 200 of these workers are hospitalized. In 2005, workers' compensation costs for employers totaled an estimated $89 billion.
Purdue, OxyContin Maker, Races Rivals to Deter Abuse
Bloomberg Health News April 28, 2008 (Update 1)
Purdue Pharma LP, the maker of the painkiller OxyContin, is racing smaller drug companies to introduce tamper-resistant pills that addicts can't abuse. Closely held Purdue agreed last year to pay $634.5 million to settle claims that promotions from 1996 to 2001 misled doctors about the risks of OxyContin, its best-selling product with more than $1 billion in sales last year.
Doctors Should Spurn Offers of Free Food, Travel, Report Finds
Bloomberg Health News, Jason Gale, April 28, 2008
Offers of free food, gifts, travel and ghost-writing services by drug and medical device companies should be spurned by doctors, staff, and students in medical colleges to avoid conflicts of interest are recommendations included in a task force report on industry funding of medical education to the Association of American Medical Colleges' executive council. The report aims to help all 129 U.S. medical schools develop policies and procedures to manage industry gifting practices and financial support. A survey showed almost two-thirds of department heads at medical schools have a financial relationship with companies that make drugs or medical devices. ``Medical schools and teaching hospitals have become increasingly dependent on industry support,'' according to the report. ``This reliance raises concerns because such support, including gifts, can influence the objectivity and integrity of academic teaching, learning, and practice.''
View the Report of the Association of American Medical Colleges Task Force on Industry Funding of Medical Education to the AAMC Executive Council for consideration June 18 - 19, 2008
U.S. Prods China On Healthcare Products
BEIJING (Reuters) Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:01am EDT
A U.S. commerce official said on Friday that China did not have the ability or will to regulate its economy properly, allowing the export of a chemical that tainted a blood-thinning agent suspected of killing dozens.
AxcelRx Live Agreement With One Of The World's Top 5 Pharmaceutical Companies
Business Wire 2008 April 24, 2008 20:59:18
"...pharmaceutical companies are realizing the declining effectiveness of their traditional sales methods ..." said Denis Martineau, President of Aptilon. Aptilon provides the infrastructure necessary for driving tens of thousands of high-quality rep-physician interactions to build physician awareness, understanding and preference during all stages of a product's life cycle, from pre-launch education through end stage support.
Drugmakers Didn't Begin 1,044 Promised U.S. Studies
Bloomberg Science News April 23, 2008
Drugmakers haven't made progress in starting studies that they promised to conduct after their products were approved by U.S. regulators, according to data released today. The Food and Drug Administration determined that 1,044, or 62 percent, of incomplete studies for conventional drugs and biotechnology medications had yet to be started as of Sept. 30. At the same time in 2006, 1,026, or 63 percent, of the unfinished studies hadn't begun, according to the FDA. Some research has been pending for years. Of the 1,044 studies that hadn't begun, drugmakers committed before Oct. 1, 2004, to undertake 444 of them, according to the FDA. The FDA statistics show 271 studies, or 16 percent, were on or ahead of schedule, and 242, or 14 percent, had been submitted for FDA review or terminated before completion. The FDA described 125 studies as ``delayed.'' Not all of the uninitiated studies are considered late by the FDA. Many don't have deadlines imposed by regulators. Doctors say post-approval studies may be needed to fully assess the risks of medications because some dangers don't emerge until products are in widespread use.
Chocolate Bar Shown To Lower Cholesterol
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ScienceDaily April 23, 2008
The results of a University of Illinois study have demonstrated an effective way to lower cholesterol levels -- by eating chocolate bars. "Eating two CocoaVia dark chocolate bars a day not only lowered cholesterol, it had the unexpected effect of also lowering systolic blood pressure," said John Erdman, a U. of I. professor of food science and human nutrition. The study, funded in part by Mars Inc., the company that makes the bars, was published in this month's Journal of Nutrition.
Most Lethal Melanomas Are On Scalp And Neck
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ScienceDaily April 23, 2008
People with scalp or neck melanomas die at nearly twice the rate of people with melanoma elsewhere on the body, including the face or ears, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found. The analysis of 51,704 melanoma cases in the U.S. confirms that survival rates differ depending on where skin cancer first appears. "Scalp and neck melanomas patients have a higher rate of death than patients with melanoma anywhere else on the body," said Nancy Thomas, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of dermatology in the UNC School of Medicine, a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the study's senior author.
'Crime Scene Investigation' Methods Could Help In The Battle Against Hospital Infections
Elsevier ScienceDaily April 23, 2008
Inspired by the popular television drama CSI, investigators in the Netherlands have trialed methods used by forensic scientists at crime scenes to highlight infection risks in their hospital. Researchers at Deventer Hospital used Luminol, a chemical used by crime scene investigators, to detect traces of blood in their apparently clean haemodialysis unit with Luminol. Luminol reacts with microscopic amounts of blood to produce bright blue luminescence, which allows investigators to track invisible blood splashes in the environment.They found traces of blood on many surfaces including cupboard handles, telephones, computer keyboards, side tables and the floor, even though some of these surfaces had been cleaned. Luminol could be used as part of a hospital infection control regimen, in order to highlight risks associated with the contamination of the hospital environment with blood.
Blumenthal Gripes To Connecticut State Lawmakers About Pharmaceutical Industry
HARTFORD, Conn. Legal Newsline April 22 2008
In formal testimony before the state's Legislature Monday, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal asked for help against influence wielded by prescription drug makers. Blumenthal wants to make it illegal for drug companies to give gifts or other benefits to doctors that may influence their health care decisions despite a code of ethics the industry has already adopted. Blumenthal said the code is meaningless and unenforceable "As multi-national, sophisticated, profit-driven companies, drug companies spend billions of dollars on relentless direct marketing to health care providers, seeking to increase sales and profits," he said.
Massaschusetts State Senate Approves Ban On Gifts To Physicians
Medical Marketing & Media April 21, 2008
The Massachusetts State Senate has voted to ban all gifts to physicians from pharmaceutical companies. Bolstered by the Senate's unanimous decision, the gift ban will proceed to the House and Gov. Deval Patrick for final approval. Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), principal author of the of the gift ban provision, told the Boston Herald that gifts and illicit marketing are "compromising the doctor-patient relationship.” Prior to the final vote in the state Senate, penalties for noncompliance were reduced to a fine of “not more than $5,000” for each violation; the original provision would have criminalized gifts and punished offenders with imprisonment for up to two years. The Massachusetts gift ban would restrict marketing and sales practices to an unprecedented degree in comparison with other state laws. Minnesota and Vermont are the only other states with mandatory physician gift reporting laws. In Minnesota, gifts in excess of $50 have been banned, while in Vermont, laws require pharmaceutical company representatives to disclose the dollar value of gifts over $25.
Eli Lilly Doubles Quarterly Profit
CNN.com Money April 21, 2008: 7:20 AM EDT
Drug maker Eli Lilly and Co. said strong sales for Cymbalta and Cialis helped double its first-quarter profit, but results missed Wall Street expectations. The Indianapolis-based company said earnings jumped to $1.06 billion, or 97 cents per share, from year-ago profit of $508.7 million, or 47 cents per share.
Electronic Health Records Not Always Accurate, Doctors Say
Bloomberg.com: Healthcare News April 17, 2008 9.26am
Electronic medical records may not always be accurate, up-to-date or private as companies such as Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. seek a bigger role in managing the data, Harvard Medical School doctors say. While the goal of electronic records is to streamline information and health care for millions of Americans, there are limitations to the technology that must be resolved before physicians and patients embrace increased use of the Internet for medical information.
South Korea Culls 3 Million Birds As Bird Flu Spreads Fast
Reuters April 17, 2008 6:18am EDT
South Korea said on Thursday it had culled 3 million farmed birds and confirmed three more outbreaks of bird flu, as the country grapples with its worst avian influenza outbreak in four years. In just two weeks South Korea has confirmed 15 cases of the deadly H5N1 strain, raising alarm as the highly virulent virus is spreading at its fastest rate since the country reported its first case in 2003.
AstraZeneca in Pact With Rival to Delay a Generic Drug
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS April 16, 2008
Shares in the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca soared Tuesday on news that an agreement with an Indian company would delay the release of a generic competitor to its best-selling heartburn drug for six years. Ranbaxy could have begun selling the generic drug in the United States this week.
U.S. Health System Faces Senior "Crisis"
CBS NEWS April 15, 2008 8:16am
Study Says 78 Million Baby Boomers Will Enter A System Unprepared To Meet Their Needs. Millions of baby boomers are about to enter a health care system for seniors that not only isn't ready for them, but may even discourage them from getting quality care.
Study: Fruits, veggies could reduce heart attacks, strokes
USA TODAY April 15, 2008 CHICAGO (AP)
A large study offers the strongest evidence yet that a diet the government recommends for lowering blood pressure can save people from heart attack and stroke. The plan, called the DASH diet, favors fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and plant-based protein over meat. The new study appears in Monday's
Archives of Internal Medicine.
Citing Ethics, Some Doctors Are Rejecting Industry Pay
New York Times by GINA KOLATA April 15, 2008
With little fanfare, a small number of prominent academic scientists have made a decision to stop accepting payments from food, drug and medical device companies. No longer will they be paid for speaking at meetings or for sitting on advisory boards. It is important, they say, for scientists to help companies draw up and interpret studies. But the work will be pro bono.
Co-Payments Soar for Drugs With High Prices
New York Times by GINA KOLATA April 14, 2008
Health insurance companies are rapidly adopting a new pricing system for very expensive drugs, asking patients to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for prescriptions for medications that may save their lives or slow the progress of serious diseases.
New EPrescribing Standards For Prescription Drug Program
Medical News Today 11 Apr 2008 - 1:00 PDT
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released regulations that establish new standards for Medicare Part D e-prescribing. The new rule applies to all Part D sponsors, prescribers and dispensers that electronically send prescriptions and prescription-related information about Part D covered drugs for beneficiaries. The standards cover four areas: formulary and benefits, medication histories, fill status notification, and use of the National Provider Identifier.
Diabetes Linked to Increased Risk of Alzheimer's in Long-Term Study
Bio-Medicine.org April 10, 2008
Diabetes mellitus is linked to a 65 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and affects some aspects of cognitive function differently than others, according to a new study conducted by Alzheimer's disease researchers from Rush University Medical Center. The findings, from the study, add to a developing body of research examining a possible link between diabetes and "cognitive systems" - memory for words and events, the speed of processing information, and the ability to recognize spatial patterns - decline.
Mumps Resurged In United States
Medical News Today: N Engl J Med Volume 358: pp 1580-1589, April 10, 2008, Number 15
"Two doses of mumps vaccine are highly effective but not completely effective. But without the high coverage rate, we would have seen a much larger outbreak [in 2006]," said Dr. Jane F. Seward. Viral disease investigators from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other colleagues from various state department health authorities, reported in the April 10th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Examining The Avian Flu: From Pandemic Planning To Vaccine Development
Medical News Today Respirology 09 Apr 2008 - 1:00 PDT
The journal Respirology has launched a special supplementary issue on the avian influenza. Published by Wiley-Blackwell, the collection of papers present an inclusive insight into the threat of the avian influenza pandemic by addressing a wide range of topics including the basic biology of the virus, updates on laboratory diagnosis and influenza anti-viral, treatment options, and pandemic planning.
We're Surrounded! House Dust Is A Rich Source Of Bacteria
BMC Microbiology We're Surrounded! House Dust Is A Rich Source Of Bacteria. ScienceDaily April 9, 2008
If you've always suspected there are unknown things living in the dark and dusty corners of your home and office, scientists are now one step closer to cataloguing exactly what might be lurking in your indoor environment. Buildings have their own pattern of bacteria in indoor dust, which includes species normally found in the human gut, according to new research.
Contaminated Heparin: FDA Raises Estimate Of Deaths Linked To Blood Thinner
Washington Post Staff Wednesday, April 9, 2008; Page A03
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday raised from 19 to 62 its estimate of the number of people who may have died after having allergic reactions to contaminated Chinese-produced batches of the blood thinner heparin. The new statistics on fatalities, which the FDA had promised for weeks, were posted on the agency's Web site.
Humor Plays An Important Role In Healthcare Even When Patients Are Terminally Ill
Wiley-Blackwell Humor Plays An Important Role In Healthcare ScienceDaily April 9, 2008
Humour can play an essential role in the most serious healthcare settings, even when patients are receiving intensive or end of life care,
Gator Blood Could Take The Bite Out Of Superbugs
USA TODAY April 9, 2008
Proteins in alligator blood could lead to new drugs that fight the super infections that plague humans, Louisiana researchers says. Alligators often get banged up in battles over territory or food, but Mark Merchant of McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., noticed they never seem to get infected, despite slimy living conditions in bacteria-filled swamps.
Depression Now May Mean Alzheimer’s Later
MedHeadlines April 8, 2008
The April 8 issue of Neurology carries the results of a study conducted on 486 people ranging in age from 60 to 90 with no symptoms of dementia. These same people were monitored for about six years each to see if anyone developed Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier bouts of depression were logged, too, with 134 study participants reporting at least one depressive episode that required medical intervention.
Short, Long Sleep Duration Is Associated With Future Weight Gain
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2008, April 4). Sleep Duration Associated With Weight Gain ScienceDaily
Short and long duration sleepers were 35 percent and 25 percent, respectively, more likely to experience a weight gain as compared with average duration sleepers over six years. The risk of developing obesity was elevated for short and long duration sleepers as compared with average duration sleepers...
Stem Cell Breakthrough Offers Diabetes Hope
University of Manchester (2008, April 4). Stem Cell Breakthrough Offers Diabetes Hope. ScienceDaily
Scientists have discovered a new technique for turning embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing pancreatic tissue in what could prove a significant breakthrough in the quest to find new treatments for diabetes...