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New drug improves blood flow in diseased arteries

A new drug has been shown to improve blood flow in diseased arteries, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks, a Monash University study published today reveals.

4 Sep 2006

Sanofi pasteur begins shipping influenza vaccine

Sanofi pasteur, the vaccines business of the sanofi-aventis Group, began shipping influenza vaccine (Fluzone, Influenza Virus Vaccine) to the U.S. market for the 2006-2007 season.

4 Sep 2006

Emergent BioSolutions awarded $3.8 million to develop anthrax immune globulin therapeutic

Emergent BioSolutions has announced that it has been awarded two grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) totaling $3.8 million to support the development of the company's anthrax immune globulin (AIG) therapeutic product.

1 Sep 2006

Washington State Gov. Gregoire proposes compromise that would allow individual pharmacists to refuse to fill prescription, nonprescription EC

Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) has proposed a compromise that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescription and nonprescription emergency contraceptives only if the drugs can be provided by another pharmacist in the same pharmacy, the AP/Seattle Times reports.

1 Sep 2006

Some parents have difficulties gaining access to insurance coverage for HPV vaccine Gardasil

Some parents seeking to vaccinate their daughters with Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil have experienced difficulty in obtaining it or getting it covered by health insurance, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Tanner, AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/29).

1 Sep 2006

March of Dimes urges FDA to approve Gestiva

The March of Dimes has urged Food and Drug Administration officials to promptly approve a commercial progesterone therapy that appears to prevent some premature births.

30 Aug 2006

Summary of editorials on approval of nonprescription plan B sales to women over age 18

Some editorials respond to FDA's decision on Thursday to approve Barr Laboratories' application for nonprescription sales of its emergency contraceptive Plan B to women ages 18 and older.

30 Aug 2006

90% of dermatologists report having problems with Isotretinoin drug registry

The online FDA tracking database iPledge -- with which all people taking the acne drug isotretinoin, sold by Roche under the brand name Accutane, must register to receive their prescriptions -- has caused problems for about 90% of dermatologists.

30 Aug 2006

FDA advisory panel recommends approval of experimental preterm labor prevention drug

An FDA advisory committee on Tuesday voted 13-8 that clinical trial data regarding Adeza's experimental preterm labor prevention drug Gestiva was adequate to approve the drug, Dow Jones reports (Corbett Dooren, Dow Jones, 8/29).

30 Aug 2006

Schering-Plough to pay $435M and plead guilty to conspiracy

Schering-Plough on Tuesday agreed to pay $435 million and plead guilty to criminal conspiracy charges to settle a federal investigation into the company's marketing practices and Medicaid charges, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (AP/Houston Chronicle, 8/30).

30 Aug 2006

FDA forms task force on human tissue safety

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the formation of a multidisciplinary FDA task force on human cell and tissue safety.

30 Aug 2006

Ortho-McNeil to lower the price of contraceptive pills and patches

Ortho-McNeil - which supplies contraceptives to the majority of family planning clinics nationwide - on Thursday announced it will lower the price of its contraceptive pills and patches, according to officials, the Chicago Tribune reports.

30 Aug 2006

History of cervical cancer, HPV vaccine development

The New York Times on Tuesday examined the development of vaccines to prevent transmission of the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer.

30 Aug 2006

FDA questions effectiveness of Gestiva at preventing preterm labor

FDA in a review of Adeza's experimental preterm labor prevention drug Gestiva said the drug seems to reduce deliveries before 37 weeks' gestation but not births before 32 or 35 weeks' gestation, according to documents posted Monday on the agency's Web site.

30 Aug 2006

Officials say PhRMA funded U.S. Chamber of Commerce ads touting Medicare prescription drug benefit

"[P]olitical officials" allege that the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America gave money to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to support an advertising campaign that praises senators and House members who voted for the 2003 Medicare law, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports.

30 Aug 2006

FDA approves generic Ciprofloxacin injection

The Food and Drug Administration has approved several Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) for generic versions of Bayer Corporation Pharmaceutical Division's CIPRO I.V., a drug to treat certain bacterial infections.

29 Aug 2006

How safe is drug which prevents pre-term births? FDA will soon find out

Questions have been raised in the U.S. over the safety and effectiveness of a hormone based drug which is used in women who have a history of pre-term births.

29 Aug 2006

New England Journal of Medicine examines West Virginia's new Medicaid program

Two perspective pieces from the New England Journal of Medicine examine West Virginia's new Medicaid program, which will allow 160,000 Medicaid beneficiaries -- many of whom are parents of children enrolled in the program -- to sign a "personal responsibility contract."

28 Aug 2006

Problems persist with Maine Medicaid computerized billing system

Up to 10% of Medicaid payments made to providers through Maine's computerized bill-paying system are not processed correctly because of glitches in the system, state Medicaid officials have said, the Bangor Daily News reports.

28 Aug 2006

Australian girls lead the field in cervical cancer vaccination programme

Australian females will be one jump ahead of some of their counterparts elsewhere in the world with the first vaccinations against cervical cancer taking place in Brisbane today.

28 Aug 2006