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FDA approves Narcan nasal spray to prevent or reverse effects of opioid overdose

Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan nasal spray, the first FDA-approved nasal spray version of naloxone hydrochloride, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine, as well as the illegal drug heroin.

18 Nov 2015

Experts issue recommendations aimed at stemming prescription opioid epidemic

A group of experts, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, today issued recommendations aimed at stemming the prescription opioid epidemic, a crisis that kills an average of 44 people a day in the U.S.

17 Nov 2015

New Haven Pharmaceuticals' DURLAZA drug delivers sustained antiplatelet control for full 24 hours

New Haven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced new study data that shows the company's FDA-approved drug DURLAZA delivers sustained antiplatelet control for a full 24-hour period in high-risk patients.

10 Nov 2015

SKYGEN USA announces launch of Hylis Pharmacy Solutions

Citing a need to bring skyrocketing pharmacy costs under control, SKYGEN USA, the umbrella brand for a distinguished family of benefit management companies and technology solutions for health payers and healthcare organizations, today announced the launch of Hylis Pharmacy Solutions.

10 Nov 2015

Common heart drug may halt progression of angiosarcoma

A common heart drug may stop the progression of angiosarcoma, a cancer of the inner lining of blood vessels, according to a study by researchers at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.

3 Nov 2015

New research reveals regional variations in use of heroin and prescription painkillers

New research shows that drug abusers are not completely abandoning prescription opioids for heroin. Instead, many use the two concurrently based on their availability, according to a survey of 15,000 patients at drug-treatment centers in 49 states.

29 Oct 2015

Members enrolled in Medicare Advantage satisfied with their plans, study finds

With nearly half strongly agreeing their health plan is a trusted partner in their health and wellness, members enrolled in Medicare Advantage are quite satisfied with their plan, according to the J.D. Power 2015 Medicare Advantage Member Satisfaction Study released today.

22 Oct 2015

ASA participates in government-led effort to address opioid epidemic

Today, the American Society of Anesthesiologists announced their participation in a government-led effort to address the opioid epidemic, part of ASA's continued focus on patient safety and ongoing work to promote the safe use of prescription opioids. ASA is joined by a number of public and private sector partners in the efforts, which are being announced today by President Obama in Charleston, West Virginia.

22 Oct 2015

Misuse of prescription drugs common among U.S. college students

Seven out of 10 college students say it is somewhat or very easy to obtain controlled stimulants without a prescription, according to a new survey conducted on eight U.S. campuses.

19 Oct 2015

Mental health problems, negative peer influences linked to increased dating violence

A new emergency department study from the University of Michigan Injury Center looks deeper at risk and protective factors among teenagers who report dating violence and alcohol use.

16 Oct 2015

Loyola partners with Cook County Sheriff's Department to hold Medication Take-Back Day on October 20

Loyola University Health System will partner with the Cook County Sheriff's Department to hold a Medication Take-Back Day on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Loyola Outpatient Center lobby located at 2160 S. First Ave. in Maywood.

15 Oct 2015

SilverScript announces new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan options for 2016

SilverScript Insurance Company, a CVS Health company, today announced the company's new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) options for 2016. Medicare beneficiaries can choose from two SilverScript plans that offer $0 deductibles, lower premiums than the 2015 SilverScript plans in many states and low co-pays for several frequently prescribed drugs.

13 Oct 2015

FDA approves Opdivo to treat patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Opdivo (nivolumab) to treat patients with advanced (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

11 Oct 2015

Smoking cessation medication 46% effective in women

The most effective prescription drug used to quit smoking initially helps women more than men, according to a Yale School of Medicine study. The study, published Oct. 7 by the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research, found that varenicline, marketed as Chantix, was more effective earlier in women, and equally effective in women and men after one year.

8 Oct 2015

Social dynamics, family history critical to identifying patients most likely to abuse pain medicines

Patients undergoing rehabilitation for physical injuries and their physicians can better understand who is most at risk of abusing opioids by reviewing their family history, lifestyle and environment for critical cues about susceptibility to addiction, according to physical medicine and rehabilitation experts.

6 Oct 2015

Experts raise questions about FDA’s use of expedited development, approval pathways for new drugs

Two studies carried out by US researchers and published by The BMJ today raise questions about whether most new drugs are any more effective than existing products or whether they have been adequately assessed before approval.

24 Sep 2015

ER visits can reduce underage drinking and associated problems

The results of a five-year trial from faculty at the University of Michigan Injury Center found giving youth in the emergency department a short intervention during their visit decreased their alcohol consumption and problems related to drinking over the following year.

23 Sep 2015

Salsalate drug offers new hope for treating Alzheimer's disease and FTD

Scientists from the Gladstone Institutes have discovered that salsalate, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, effectively reversed tau-related dysfunction in an animal model of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Salsalate prevented the accumulation of tau in the brain and protected against cognitive impairments resembling impairments seen in Alzheimer's disease and FTD.

21 Sep 2015

Honored Citizens Choice Health Plan to be renamed as Alignment Health Plan

Honored Citizens Choice Health Plan, a federally qualified Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan serving nearly 20,000 seniors in California, will change its name to Alignment Health Plan as of October 1, 2015.

15 Sep 2015

Study shows half of adolescents misuse their prescription drugs

Although prescription drug misuse is on the decline among adolescents, one in two patients tested between the ages of 10 and 17 years are not using their medications appropriately, potentially putting their health at risk, according to an analysis by Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services.

From Quest Diagnostics 11 Sep 2015