Headache News and Research

Latest Headache News and Research

FDA approves Sanofi Pasteur's meningococcal vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted licensure to expand the indication for its meningococcal conjugate vaccine, Menactra, to include a two-dose schedule for infants and children 9 months through 23 months of age.

25 Apr 2011

'Iceman' influences autonomic nervous system and immune response

At the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, professor of experimental intensive care medicine dr. Peter Pickkers and his team have performed research on "Iceman" Wim Hof. Hof claims that he can influence his autonomic nervous system and immune response through concentration and meditation.

22 Apr 2011

Physiotherapy Associates inaugurates new clinic in Grand Haven, MI

Physiotherapy Associates, the nation's foremost provider of outpatient rehabilitation services, recently opened a new physical therapy clinic in Grand Haven, MI.

22 Apr 2011

Salix Pharmaceuticals receives three U.S. patents relating to rifaximin

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued three patents relating to rifaximin.

21 Apr 2011

HHS will award quality bonuses to some Medicare advantage plans

In a policy shift critics see as political, the Health and Human Services department has decided to award quality bonuses to hundreds of Medicare Advantage plans rated merely average.

21 Apr 2011

$2.3 million of malaria medicines stolen

According to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, malaria medications valued at almost $2.3 million may have been stolen from government-run distribution centers in Africa and other locations.

20 Apr 2011

First Edition: April 20, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about new poll results showing that Americans oppose cuts to Medicare as a means to deal with the debt problem.

20 Apr 2011

Minimizing neurological side effects in high-grade glioma patients may improve survival

Minimizing neurological side effects in patients with high-grade glioma from chemoradiation may result in improved patient survival, a new study from radiation oncologists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson suggests. These findings were reported in the April issue of the British Journal of Cancer.

20 Apr 2011

Rituxan receives FDA approval for treating two rare diseases

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Rituxan (rituximab), in combination with glucocorticoids (steroids), to treat patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), two rare disorders that cause blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis).

20 Apr 2011

Acorda receives patent for AMPYRA tablets to improve walking in MS patients

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has allowed U.S. Patent Application No. 11/010,828 entitled "Sustained Release Aminopyridine Composition."

20 Apr 2011

FDA approves Rituxan-corticosteroid combination for Wegener's Granulomatosis and Microscopic Polyangiitis

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group and Biogen Idec announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Rituxan® (rituximab), in combination with corticosteroids, as a new medicine for adults with Wegener's Granulomatosis (WG) and Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA).

20 Apr 2011

Hangovers affect surgeon's performance

A new study has shown that excessive alcohol consumption, even on the previous day, appears to be associated with changes in some surgical skills performed on virtual reality simulator testing the following day. The study appeared in the April issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

19 Apr 2011

EMA CHMP grants positive opinion for Biogen Idec's AVONEX PEN

Biogen Idec announced today that the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion recommending the approval of AVONEX® PEN™ for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and patients with a single demyelinating event.

19 Apr 2011

CHMP adopts EU positive opinion for TYSABRI labeling with anti-JCV antibody status

Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation, plc today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has adopted a positive opinion for inclusion of an additional risk factor, anti-JC virus (JCV) antibody status, to the product label for TYSABRI in the European Union.

18 Apr 2011

U.S. District Court grants preliminary injunction to POZEN's Treximet patent lawsuit

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has granted a preliminary injunction ordering Par Pharmaceutical Inc. not to make, use, sell, offer to sell, or import into the United States a generic version of sumatriptan/naproxen sodium that competes with Treximet sold by GlaxoSmithKline in the United States under an exclusive license from the Company.

15 Apr 2011

Genentech receives FDA approval for Actemra to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Actemra, given alone or in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children ages 2 years and older.

15 Apr 2011

Merz launches 'Make Your Mark' campaign to raise awareness on cervical dystonia

Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC, maker of XEOMIN, a botulinum toxin type A free from accessory proteins, today announced the launch of the "Make Your Mark" campaign.

15 Apr 2011

Perampanel drug can effectively treat seizures in patients with epilepsy

A new drug called perampanel appears to significantly reduce seizures in people with hard-to-control epilepsy, according to results of the first clinical trial to test the higher 12 mg dose of the drug.

15 Apr 2011

Ortho-McNeil Neurologics announces voluntary recall of TOPAMAX 100mg Tablets

Ortho-McNeil Neurologics Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced it is voluntarily recalling two lots of TOPAMAX® (topiramate) 100mg Tablets. These two lots were shipped between 10/19/2010 and 12/28/2010 and distributed in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

15 Apr 2011

Botox may offer new hope for patients with low cerebrospinal fluid headaches

A Mayo Clinic case study finds Botox may offer new hope to patients suffering disabling low cerebrospinal fluid headaches. The successful treatment also offers new insight into Botox and headache treatment generally.

15 Apr 2011