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6/8/2006 1:46:00 PM | Early Vioxx Study Continued Despite Clear Risks 
=(0) This is a transcript of a recent National Public Radio (NPR) show that reveals that even in 1999, there was evidence that Vioxx caused heart and stroke related problems. A large study compared people taking Vioxx to people taking naproxen (Aleve) and found the cardiac risk with Vioxx to be greater and to increase with time; however this study was n...
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6/8/2006 12:14:00 PM | Walgreen: Offensive prescription labeling doesn't warrant damages =(0) Three women in Florida are suing the Walgreen Pharmacy chain after they were mistakenly given printouts with private company notes on them describing them in derogatory fashion. The notes were intended for employees, to assist in their handling of the customers and included terms such as "crazy" and "shady". All three had prescriptions fo...
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6/7/2006 10:14:00 PM | Merck Goes for Early Knockout in Calif. Vioxx Case =(0) Two Vioxx lawsuits are set to go to trial later in June in California. Both involve men who had heart attacks and were taking Vioxx. Merck is trying to stop one of those cases before it starts, by moving for summary judgement on the grounds that the statute of limitations had run out on the lawsuit; that motion will be heard by a judge on Jun...
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6/6/2006 3:02:00 AM | Celebrex Trial Is Delayed =(0) There has been a postponement for the first lawsuit against Pfizer for medical conditions allegedly caused by its Cox-2 class of painkiller drugs. A judge requested the delay to allow more gathering of information about Celebrex, which is suspected of causing the Alabama plaintiff's stroke in 2005. Unlike Vioxx, Celebrex has not been withdrawn...
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6/5/2006 10:32:00 PM | Latest Vioxx case hinges on warning =(0) The latest Vioxx liability trial is under way in New Jersey, with a 68 year old grandmother as plaintiff. Elaine Doherty had a heart attack in January 2004. At the time she had been taking Vioxx for arthritis for over two years. She claims that Merck downplayed the risks of taking Vioxx in letters to doctors and in mentioning them in the...
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6/5/2006 1:56:00 PM | Hevesi fires firm in Bayer class action =(0) The lead plaintiff in a class action suit against Bayer is replacing the law firm handling the case because of legal action against the law firm itself. Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman was recently indicted for alleged wrongdoing involving other clients' lawsuits. The Bayer suit involves the drug Baycol, a cholesterol-lowering medication...
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6/3/2006 6:17:00 AM | Bone Drug Goes to Court =(0) A lawsuit is under way in New York requesting that Hoffman-LaRoche alter some of its claims regarding its osteoporosis drug Boniva. Proctor & Gamble, maker of rival drug Actonel, says that Boniva only reduces risk of spinal fracture while its drug and Merck's Fosamax affect other common fracture sites. Hoffman-LaRoche insists its claims a...
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6/2/2006 8:28:00 PM | Bowel cancer drugs denied NHS funding =(0) Britain's National Health Service will not currently fund two new bowel cancer drugs, bevacizumab (Avastin) and cetuximab (Erbitux). Cancer advocacy groups and charities oppose this decision, saying it is financially motivated and that the drugs prolong the lives of patients with advanced cancers. Those behind the decision claim that the benef...
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6/2/2006 12:39:00 PM | Grandmother's Trial Against Vioxx Starts =(0) The latest Vioxx lawsuit to get underway involves a grandmother of seven who claims that Vioxx caused her heart attack and led to her subsequent bypass operation. Elaine Doherty is the first female Vioxx litigant and the first to be heard since new information was disclosed about the timing of Vioxx-related heart risks. Merck claims the p...
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6/2/2006 4:03:00 AM | Pinpointing Causes Of Adverse Reactions To Popular Type 2 Diabetes ... =(0) Researchers are starting to pinpoint the cause of adverse reactions seen in some diabetes patients treated with Avandia (rosiglitazone) and drugs of its class (thiazolidinediones). While they are very effective at lowering blood glucose, they can lead to fluid retention, swelling, heart complications, and even visual problems if the retina is ...
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6/1/2006 5:32:00 AM | Suicide Risk in Children, Teens Taking Antidepressants May Have ... =(0) According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter, the reports of risk of suicide in children and adolescents taking antidepressant medication could be exaggerated. Despite the small statistical risk seen in some studies, the overall incidence of suicide in young people is sharply down since the new classes of antidepressants came on the market in...
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5/31/2006 7:33:00 AM | Oxford University launches major cardiovascular drug study =(0) A major study run by Oxford University in England is set to begin, which will study the effect on heart disease of a new drug combination. The treatment aims to raise levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the body. This can be accomplished with the vitamin niacin, but with unpleasant side effects (facial flushing) so another new drug has been ...
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5/30/2006 5:42:00 PM | FDA sends Wyeth a warning letter =(0) The FDA is concerned about Wyeth's manufacturing processes at a factory in Puerto Rico. In a letter to Wyeth, the FDA mentioned violations in packaging, inspection, reporting, and following up on contamination evidence, which allegedly were observed during an inspection last winter. Drugs involved are reported to be Triphasil, Prempro, Ef...
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5/26/2006 1:50:00 PM | Suit to benefit Clinic =(0) The State of Wisconsin has received a settlement of nearly $800,000 as the result of a lawsuit against TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc, the makers of the anti-cancer drug Lupron. TAP was found to have inflated prices for the drug, thus defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, other insurers and patients who pay portions of the cost. Some crimina...
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5/24/2006 8:10:00 AM | Gene transfer appears safe as impotence therapy =(0) Researchers have completed one phase of human tests on a new therapy for ED (impotence) known as gene transfer. The method was tested mostly for safety but has shown some effectiveness, which will be studied further. The aim is to provide genes that direct small muscles to relax and allow increased blood flow, resulting in erection. ...
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5/22/2006 5:52:00 PM | Common painkillers could up chance of heart failure in seniors =(0) A European study suggests that for seniors who need pain management, even taking over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen can raise their risk of heart failure. The study followed risk factors for hospital admission in patients over the age of 60. Aside from the usual culprits (smoking, obesity etc.) the use of NSAID medications was associated...
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5/19/2006 12:37:00 PM | Antibiotic linked to liver failure =(0) The FDA is concerned about the side effect of liver failure in patients taking the antibiotic Ketek. The risk, although small, is three to four times higher than that of similar antibiotics, Avelox, Tequin, and Levaquin. Tequin was withdrawn from the market because of blood sugar complications. The FDA wants increased warnings on the labe...
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5/19/2006 12:33:00 PM | Panel: Cervical cancer vaccine passes the test =(0) An FDA advisory committee recommends approval of Merck's new cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, with a final decision to be made in June. The vaccine is expected to be effective against the forms of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) that cause 70% of cases of cancer of the cervix, and 90% of cases of genital warts. The vaccine appears to be saf...
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5/19/2006 11:08:00 AM | Drugs upset stomach =(0) A study in Australia finds that people taking medications for arthritis are at risk of hospitalization for stomach problems such as ulcers. With all the publicity surrounding the heart and stroke risk of drugs such as Vioxx, the stomach risks have been ignored. Many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are available without a prescri...
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5/17/2006 2:29:00 PM | Popular Supplement Doesn't Reduce High Cholesterol =(0) Policosanol, a natural supplement, was not effective in lowering high cholesterol levels in a recent study. This contradicts previous studies which did show an effect. More research is needed but for now recommendations are for people with dangerously high cholesterol to follow doctor's instructions on lifestyle changes and medication, an...
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