MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'counter'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:57:24 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174606&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fdont-use-medicines-affected-by-hurricane-irene.html If Hurricane Irene left you with flooding and water damage, chances are food, drinking water, and even medicines in your home were affected, exposing you and your family to potential illness and other serious health risks. To lessen these risks, the Food and Drug Administration is recommending that you discard any drug products—even those in their original containers—that have come into contact with flood or contaminated water. That includes capsules, tablets, and liquids in drug containers with screw-top caps, snap lids, or droppers and injections, inhalers, and skin medications. If needed, contact your doctor or pharmacist for replacements. In addition, medications that have been placed in any alternative storage containers should be discarded if they have come in contact wi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174606 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5174606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096184&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fover-the-counter-lipitor-thats-risky.html Pfizer hopes consumers will soon be able to get its cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) without a prescription, according to two news reports. But our medical advisors say that’s a bad idea because Lipitor and other statins are potent medications that can cause dangerous side effects, and should only be taken with a doctor's supervision. The company is likely looking for ways to make up lost sales—the drug racked up nearly $11 billion last year according to figures from IMS Health—when the patent expires in November. The Food and Drug Administration would have to grant permission for the switch, but that seems unlikely because it has previously said no to over-the-counter sales of two other statins—Mevacor (lovastatin) and Pravachol (pravastatin)&#8212... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096184 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:01:00 +0100 5096184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077673&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Ftylenols-maximum-dose-reduced-to-help-prevent-overdoses.html The maximum daily dose for Tylenol will be lowered on all acetaminophen-containing adult products from 4,000 mg (8 Extra Strength Tylenol pills) to 3,000 mg (6 pills), the manufacturer said today. The move is intended to reduce the risk of accidental acetaminophen overdoses that can lead to liver failure and death. People can unknowingly take too much acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, because it's included in more than 600 hundred over-the-counter medications that are intended to treat back pain, cold and flu symptoms, headaches, and other conditions. Acetaminophen is also found in certain prescription painkillers, such as Percocet and Vicodin. The reduction in the maximum daily dose will appear on bottle labels in the fall for Extra Strength Tylenol. Regular strength Tyle... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077673 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:35:00 +0100 5077673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008179&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Flooking-for-an-alternative-to-recalled-tylenol.html Since the recall last week of nearly 61,000 bottles of Tylenol Extra Strength pain relief because of a musty, moldy odor, you may be finding it hard to find the product on pharmacy shelves. Or the string of Tylenol recalls for that same problem going back over a year now might make you think that it’s time to look for alternatives. Our advice: Look for store-brand or generic versions of acetaminophen instead. Generic acetaminophen typically costs much less than brand-name versions, is just as safe and effective, and hasn’t been implicated in these recalls. Read more about our tips on using generic drugs. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008179 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:30:00 +0100 5008179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984439&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fsafety%2F2011%2F06%2Frecall-nearly-61000-tylenol-bottles-have-that-musty-smell.html Johnson & Johnson issued a recall notice for 60,912 bottles of its Tylenol Extra Strength pain relief medicine after receiving a small number of reports regarding a musty, moldy odor. As in recent recalls of Tylenol and another drug, Topomax, the foul stench is believed to be caused by trace amounts of 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA). The chemical isn't believed to be toxic or cause any serious health risks, however, it may cause temporary "gastrointestinal symptoms." As a precaution, Johnson & Johnson and its McNeil Consumer Healthcare are recalling the drug. The recall affects one lot (ABA619) of Tylenol pain killers and were made in February 2009. The bottles bear the label "Tylenol Extra Strength Caplets, 225 count" and a UPC code of 300450444271. Consumers with the tainted Tylenol pil... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984439 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:15:00 +0100 4984439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968478&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fsafety%2F2011%2F06%2Frecall-rugby-child-pain-and-fever-dropspackaging-not-childproof.html Almost 900,000 bottles of children’s concentrated pain and fever drops were recalled because the dispenser fails to meet standards for child-resistant closure. Although the original bottle has child-resistant packaging, a dropper for dispensing the drug to children does not. A child could access the medicine, posing serious health problems or death if more than the recommended dosage is consumed. No injuries or incidents have been reported in relation to this product. This over-the-counter medicine was sold at drug and grocery stores plus other retailers nation wide since January 2009. The drops contain acetaminophen, which calls for child-resistant packaging under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. To arrange for a free replacement dropper, contact Altaire Pharmaceuticals at 80... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968478 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:45:00 +0100 4968478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960068&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-your-diet-might-interfere-with-prescription-medications%2F2011.06.22 When people talk about prescription medications, everyone is familiar with the concept of side effects from medication. But, did you know that there are things in your diet that may interfere with your prescription medication? In addition, your prescription medication may interfere with over the counter medications. In this video, there are two interviews recorded on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 on local TV news. If you find the information above helpful, I invite you to check out other TV interviews on medical/health issues at MikeSevilla.TV *This blog post was originally published at Family Medicine Rocks Blog - Mike Sevilla, MD* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960068 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:00:54 +0100 4960068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945191&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Facademic-physicians-promulgate.html A shift toward more conservative medication-prescribing practices would serve patients better and counterbalance prescribing pressures from the drug industry, according to a review article published Online First today by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The article is part of the journal’s Less Is More series.The authors argue that physicians -- especially young physicians, "who lack historical knowledge of past drug harms and withdrawals from the market" -- should resist the urge to prescribe the "latest and greatest" drugs, a tendency, say the authors, that is "congruent with the messages and interests of the pharmaceutical industry."The proposed "Principles of Conservative Prescribing" address practically every tactic the pharmaceutical industry uses t... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945191 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:59:00 +0100 4945191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883568&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fare-doctors-overwhelmed-by-drug-warnings.html There are now so many warnings of potential side effects on drug labels that physicians may miss the important ones for their patients, researchers have warned. The lists of possible adverse effects on medication leaflets are a familiar sight for consumers. While it's important to know the risks as well as the benefits of a medication, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the things that might go wrong. But what about doctors? Long lists of potential adverse effects are one thing. But they also need to think about whether the drug interacts with any other medications you take, whether it's suitable for someone of your age, with your medical conditions, and whether it contains anything that you're allergic to. Researchers set out to see what doctors have to contend with. They assessed al... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883568 Tue, 31 May 2011 20:25:00 +0100 4883568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841462&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Ftylenol-labels-need-better-dosing-information-for-kids.html Over-the-counter children's medications containing acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic) should list recommended doses for kids two and under, advisors to the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. Those products currently don’t contain such dosing instructions, increasing the risk of overdoses and side effects, including fatal liver failure. In a unanimous vote, the FDA's nonprescription drugs advisory committee and the pediatric advisory committee agreed that children's medications containing acetaminophen should contain recommended doses for kids 6 months to 2 years as well as dosing recommendations based on weight. The FDA doesn’t have to follow the advice from its advisory committees, but it often does. Bottom line: We agree the new recommendations make sense. Until ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841462 Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4841462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828881&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fheart-attack-survivors-should-avoid-certain-pain-medicines-nsaids%2F2011.05.17 This study looked at patients who had already had an MI.  But for those patients, the over-the-counter pain relievers should be avoided.  Many patients with heart disease also have arthritis or other pain syndromes.  We need to come up with safe treatments for pain or use “safer” NSAIDs like low dose Naprosyn or Ibuprofen only when the benefit is weighed with the risk. Just because something is sold without a prescription does not mean it is without risk.  Tell your doctor every medication you take. *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828881 Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4828881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820856&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhats-inside-osama-bin-ladens-medicine-cabinet%2F2011.05.12 NBC News obtained from sources in Pakistan a list of drugs found in Osama bin Laden’s medicine cabinet, after Navy SEALs left the scene of the raid and Pakistan officials took over the compound. The list shows that bin Laden was a fairly typical–almost American–consumer of over-the-counter medications. There was nothing to indicate he needed dialysis or had diabetes or Marfan syndrome. He did have secondary osetoporosis, according to physicians who examined photos of him over time. (That’s an actual job, by the way, for physicians who’d want a career drawing up profiles about the health of world leaders or terrorists and feeding that information to intelligence analysts.) Bin Laden stocked pain relievers for kids living at the compound, some home remedies for ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820856 Thu, 12 May 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4820856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803124&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fcommon-painkillers-risky-for-heart-attack-survivors.html People who have suffered a heart attack should try to limit their use of common pain relievers such as celexoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Voltaren and generic), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, and generic), suggests a study released Monday in the journal Circulation. Danish researchers found the drugs—known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—appear to increase the risk of another heart attack or death, even when used for only a few days. Researchers analyzed the medical records of more than 83,000 Danish people who had suffered a heart attack. Those who later received a prescription for an NSAID faced an increased risk of another heart attack or death within the first week of taking the medication. Diclofenac posed the highest risk; naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, and ge... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803124 Tue, 10 May 2011 12:50:00 +0100 4803124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789236&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fnew-fda-guidelines-tips-for-preventing-overdose-of-childrens-liquid-meds-1.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants to make it a little harder for the medicine to go down. Over-the-counter children's medicine, that is, such as cough syrups, pain relievers, and cold remedies. It's released new guidelines saying such remedies should include a device that helps minimize the risk of overdose. Most OTC liquid medicines do come with a "dosage delivery device"—plastic cups, droppers, and spoons, for examples. But the new FDA guidelines specifically recommend to drug makers: Dosage delivery devices should be included for all orally ingested OTC liquid drug products. Devices should be marked with calibrated units of liquid measurement (e.g. teaspoon, tablespoon, or milliliter) that are the same as the units of liquid measure specified in the directions for t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789236 Thu, 05 May 2011 18:15:00 +0100 4789236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789634&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDTpKxYjCFGk%2F Several drugmakers - including Johnson & Johnson - will discontinue over-the-counter infant drops of meds that contain acetaminophen in hopes of avoiding confusion among parents that can lead to dangerous overdoses. The move was disclosed late yesterday by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, an industry trade group, which says the phase out will begin later this year. At that time, the OTC makers will only sell a single formula for all children under the age of 12. Right now, the infant formulations on store shelves contain half of the amount of acetaminophen that is found in regular children’s formula. Acetaminophen, you may recall, is a key ingredient in Tylenol, Nyquil and many other OTC meds sold to combat pain and fever. The announcement comes just before an FDA p... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789634 Thu, 05 May 2011 12:59:42 +0100 4789634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780297&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6uq0Gov-s54%2F By David RittgersAs Chris Preble noted early Monday morning, Osama bin Laden is dead. In addition to celebrating V-OBL Day, we should take a moment to reflect on wars of the last decade and the civil liberties we have sacrificed since September 11, 2001. Malou Innocent makes the case for reconsidering our foreign policy, and Jim Harper asks if he can have his airport back. We lay out these thoughts in more detail in this Cato video, After bin Laden. The phrase “after bin Laden” has a nice ring to it. Cato held counterterrorism conferences in 2009 and 2010, and there’s more Cato work on counterterrorism and homeland security here. After bin Laden is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780297 Tue, 03 May 2011 12:49:54 +0100 4780297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4767990&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fdispose-of-your-old-drugs-safely-this-saturday.html If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned out your medicine cabinet, now’s a good time. This Saturday, April 30, you can turn in your expired or unused drugs for free at 4,700 sites nationwide, including many fire and police stations, hospitals, and churches. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is a convenient, anonymous way to dispose of drugs that’s safer than flushing them down the drain or throwing them in the garbage. Hanging on to unneeded drugs can not only be a risk to you but anyone else you live with, including kids or pets. Accidental exposure to medicine in the home is a major source of unintentional poisoning in the U.S. In 2007, there were 255,732 cases of improper medicine use reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, an... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4767990 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0100 4767990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734075&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fgoing-on-vacation-dont-forget-the-diphenhydramine.html When I visited my daughter in Spain last month, I packed headache medicine and diarrhea medicine (just in case). But I didn’t even consider what-if-I-wake-up-with-hives medicine. And guess what happened. The morning after my arrival, I woke up scratching my neck, which is never a good sign, and feeling swollen. I looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe the overnight transformation. My eyelids were twice their normal size, and my face was a blotchy red mess. Thankfully, my tongue was not swollen as well. It could have been something in the paella I ate the night before, but I suspected the wool blanket on the hotel bed. In any case, I made a trip down the street to the pharmacia and tried to explain (in my best Spanish accent possible) to the man in the white coat that I wan... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734075 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:30:38 +0100 4734075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714735&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fhospitalizations-from-medications-rise-dramatically.html Nearly 1.9 million people were hospitalized because of drug side effects and errors in 2008, up from 1.2 million in 2004, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Nearly 56,000 people died as a result of those problems—an 11 percent increase from four years earlier. The biggest drug offenders that led to hospitalization were corticosteroids, painkillers, blood-thinners, medications to treat cancer and immune-system disorders, as well as heart and blood pressure medicines. Ninety-two percent of the hospitalized cases occurred in people who had taken proper dosages but developed side effects anyway or had allergic or hypersensitive reactions. About 7 percent of the cases stemmed from errors, such as patients taking or being given the wrong drug... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714735 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:01:00 +0100 4714735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704649&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fallegra-makes-the-leap-from-rx-to-otcbut-should-you.html Spring allergy sufferers have a new option: over-the-counter Allegra Allergy. It’s the same as the prescription version of the drug. But don’t breathe a sigh of relief too quickly—for most people, it’s no better than similar drugs already on the market and costs more. Allegra Allergy (fexofenadine) does ease allergy symptoms, and it’s less likely than some other antihistamines to cause drowsiness. But the same is true for loratadine, a drug available under the brand name Claritin that’s also sold as a generic or store brand for much less than Allegra Allergy. For example, we found a 30-day supply of Allegra Allergy for $19.99 at Drugstore.com and $25.88 at Walmart.com. But a 30-day supply of generic loratadine at Drugstore.com was $6.99, and the Walma... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704649 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4704649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696615&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Frare-but-deadly-side-effect-benzocaine-sprays-gels-and-liquids.html The Food and Drug Administration says it continues to get reports linking benzocaine, an ingredient in many over-the-counter drugs used to ease canker sores, irritated gums, and teething in children, with methemoglobinemia, a rare but potentially fatal condition. The risk appears greatest in young children. Some products that include the ingredient are Cepacol Duel Relief Sore Throat spray, Lanacane spray, Solarcaine Medicate First Aid Spray, Benzocaine cream, Solarcaine lotion, Anbesol Maximum Strength liquid, and Cold Sore Therapy. Methemoglobinemia can reduce the amount of oxygen carried in the blood, causing death in the most severe cases. Warning signs and symptoms include pale, gray or blue skin, lips, and nail beds; headache; lightheadedness; shortness of breath; fatigue; and rap... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696615 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4696615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693277&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Frare-but-deadly-side-effect-benzocaine-sprays-gels-and-liquids.html The Food and Drug Administration says it continues to get reports linking benzocaine, an ingredient in many over-the-counter drugs used to ease canker sores, irritated gums, and teething in general, with methemoglobinemia, a rare but potentially fatal condition. The risk appears greatest in young children. Some products that include the ingredient are Cepacol Duel Relief Sore Throat spray, Lanacane spray, Solarcaine Medicate First Aid Spray, Benzocaine cream, Solarcaine lotion, Anbesol Maximum Strength liquid, and Cold Sore Therapy. Methemoglobinemia can reduce the amount of oxygen carried in the blood, causing death in the most severe cases. Warning signs and symptoms include pale, gray or blue skin, lips, and nail beds; headache; lightheadedness; shortness of breath; fatigue; and rapi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693277 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4693277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642997&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC17j0hNlPIg%2F The trade group that represents over-the-counter drugmakers is running radio ads against a Missouri proposal that would require a prescription to buy certain cold med containing pseudeophredine, a key ingredient used for making methamphetamine, the Associated Press reports. The ads urge people to call their lawmakers and tell them to “keep government out of your medicine cabinet.” The move, of course, is a bid to maintain sales of such products as Sudafed, Claritin-D, Advil Cold & Sinus and Mucinex-D, and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association is explaining its position by describing the proposal as overly restrictive and certain to increase costs for consumers (additional co-pays, for instance), state programs and lost sales tax revenue (see this statement). &#8220... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642997 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:33:49 +0100 4642997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636431&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Ffda-heartburn-drugs-over-the-counter-prilosec-prevacid-ppi-safety-risk-fractures.html The U.S. Food and Drug Admininistration said this week that the over-the-counter heartburn drugs Prilosec and Prevacid are safe when taken short term. But many people take the drugs long-term, increasing their risk of fractures. The FDA said that OTC proton-pump inhibitors don't pose a fracture risk when they're taken for less than 14 days, three times a year. However, taking the drugs longer or more often does increase those risks, especially when taken for a year or longer. That's why we say consumers should exercise caution when using the drugs to treat heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Over-the-counter doses of PPI medicines should be: Omeprazole (found in Prilosec OTC and others) — 20 mg tablet (Once a day for no more than 14 days. The 14-day course may... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636431 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:46:44 +0100 4636431 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4626801&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fsupreme-court-decision-zicam-side-effects-info-lawsuit-matrixx-shareholders.html The Supreme Court unanimously sided yesterday with investors suing Matrixx Industries, makers of Zicam, for failing to reveal indications of the over-the-counter cold remedy's dangerous side effects--including loss of smell. The shareholders, in a 2004 lawsuit against Matrixx, argued that by withholding reports of adverse events, the company had defrauded investors. The company's defense was that early reports of Zicam's side-effects were statistically insignificant. (Consumer Reports Health experts and other medical professionals had warned of Zicam's adverse effects prior to the Food and Drug Administration's official warning in 2009, which lead to the drug's removal from store shelves.) Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court: Given that medical professionals and regulators act o... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4626801 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:37:59 +0100 4626801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606053&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FM9vyesqva3w%2F Top of the morning to you. A sunny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus where, once again, we are hustling the short people off to the school house. And then we will catch up on reading some interesting documents. What about you? Meetings and deadlines beckon? Of course. To help you along, here are some tidbits from around the world. Have a great day, everyone… Genzyme In Talks To Conduct R&D In Russia (Reuters) UK’s NICE Backs Simponi Rheumatoid Arthritis Med (Dow Jones) CMS Declines To Change Coverage For Anemia Meds (Reuters) ITC To Probe Lilly Infringement Claim (Indianapolis Business Journal) Pfizer Reaches Tax Deal With School District (LoHud) Ireland Plans Pharma Research Center (Irish Independent) CALPERS Ends Talks With Medco (Associated Press) ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606053 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:53:34 +0100 4606053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522104&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcough-and-cold-meds-the-good-and-the-bad%2F2011.02.25 Want to try to avoid a visit to the doctor for that cough or cold? Why not go to the pharmacy to get an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine? In this video from local TV news, I talk about the good and bad of OTC cough and cold meds. Will that medicine from the pharmacy actually help you get better faster?   *This blog post was originally published at Doctor Anonymous* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522104 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4522104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4478152&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FizyiXLV-uAE%2F Three years after the FDA issued a public health advisory that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines should not be given to children younger than 2 years old, a new poll finds that many parents and even their doctors have ignored the warnings. The FDA issued the advisory due to serious and potentially life-threatening side effects (read here). The poll queried 349 parents with children between six months and two years of age, and found that 61 percent gave their kids an OTC cough or cold med within the past 12 months. And among these parents, 57 percent reported that health care providers indicated that the medicines are safe, while 49 percent also indicated the meds are effective in children in this age group. The findings suggest that, not surprisingly, awareness reflected publicity ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4478152 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:49:23 +0100 4478152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4406032&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FT2t_UxFOels%2F Every three months, the Institute for Safe Medicine Practices releases an update on drug safety after examining adverse event reports and so here are the latest findings: Pfizer’s Chantix quit-smoking pill continued to account for large numbers of reported serious psychiatric side effects; Johnson & Johnson’s Levaquin was suspect in more reports of serious injury than any other antibiotic. Still more safety signals were spotted for the Multaq heart drug sold by Sanofi-Aventis, and reports of serious injuries associated with Johnson & Johnson recalls continued to dominate all new case reports indicating a product problem. Overall, the FDA received 33,068 domestic reports of serious injury, disability or death associated with drugs, a 12 percent increase from a year ear... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4406032 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:11:17 +0100 4406032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4406038&cid=t_176771_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fsafe-use-of-medicines%2F Image via WikipediaPrescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines can help cure diseases and make you feel better. But it is important to use medicines carefully.RisksAll medicines carry some risk. Your body can have a mild reaction to a medicine, like a minor rash, or a serious allergic reaction. Often, these reactions are unexpected. It is important that you are aware of the risks of each medicine and weigh them against the benefits before you decide to take it.The Risks of Taking MedicineSome of the risks of using medicine include:adverse reactions when the medicine is combined with certain foods, beverages, vitamins, and herbal or other medicines – the more of these you combine, the greater the chance of a reactionthe medicine not working as prescribedthe medicine causing more... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4406038 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:40:00 +0100 4406038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399827&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWajKqxyDcWc%2F Once again, a generic drugmaker has lost a case over preemption. In the latest instance, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against Perrigo Pharmaceuticals, which argued that federal law preempted a state lawsuit that brought a failure-to-warn claim. This continues a string of such preemption rulings in courts around the country (back story). For those unfamiliar, preemption is the notion that FDA approval of a drug supercedes state law claims challenging safety, efficacy, or labeling. Drugmakers and the FDA unsuccessfully argued two years ago before the US Supreme Court that preemption exists by maintaining the agency’s actions are the final word on safety and effectiveness. At issue was whether patients can sue a drugmaker through state law when a product has already b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399827 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:59:42 +0100 4399827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349698&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FH7_Fs1p5ZYQ%2F After the recalls of tens of millions of bottles and packages of numerous over-the-counter meds and surgical devices; months of negative publicity about corporate behavior; various government investigations and highly publicized congressional hearings, consumers may be turning away from Johnson & Johnson OTC products (back stories here, here, here and here). In the last quarter of 2010, Johnson & Johnson’s share of the $4.2 billion cough and cold market sank to about 5 percent from about 17 percent in early 2009, according to Nielsen data cited by Wells Fargo analyst Larry Biegelsen in an investor note. The J&J share of the $2.4 billion pain and arthritis market fell to just below 10 percent from just under 20 percent during the same period, while its share of the $1.... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349698 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:43:39 +0100 4349698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214488&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fa9wDDRQ7was%2F Getting people to take their meds is always tricky business, but drugmakers should pay more attention to the colors of their over-the-counter salves, because color is a memory tag for compliance and can, not surprisingly, also be easily translated into brand loyalty, according to a paper in the International Journal of Biotechnology. After questioning 600 people who use OTC drugs, 75 percent cited color as an important way to remember specific meds, depending upon such variables as age, gender and religion (read the abstract). But “surprisingly little attention is paid to the sensory attributes of a vast majority of dosage forms in the pharmaceutical industry,” write the researchers from the University of Bombay, according to In-Pharma Technologist. “Unfortunately, a drug produc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214488 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:46:34 +0100 4214488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183295&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fits-cold-and-flu-season-snls-hibernol%2F2010.11.19 Thanks to former student Allison Miller for reminding me about this clip from the Saturday Night Live (SNL) archives: *This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183295 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:00:54 +0100 4183295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973116&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FilQMdSkMnlY%2F In a 15-to-9 vote, an FDA advisory committee late yesterday decided that popular over-the-counter cough syrups don’t need tighter distribution restrictions that would classify them as controlled substances, despite continuing signs that the meds are regularly abused. The FDA must now decided what if any steps to take, but for the moment, this is a reprieve for several big drugmakers - Pfizer sells Robitussin, Johnson & Johnson markets Tylenol and Vicks NyQuil is sold by Procter & Gamble. About 125 OTC cough and cold meds contain dextromethorphan, which can cause hallucinations and euphoria when taken in much larger doses than what is recommended for the average cough. But abuse is rampant, leading to nearly 8,000 emergency room visits in 2008, a 72 percent increase from 200... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973116 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:51:26 +0100 3973116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3915284&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3HnGd1IpVeQ%2F Would you be surprised to learn that many parents give their little ones an incorrect dose of liquid meds? A new study finds that using household spoons to measure needed dosages could result in an overdose and, not surprisingly, children under five are at the highest risk of such an accident, the BBC reports. The study, which was presented at the annual conference of the International Pharmaceutical Federation in Lisbon, tested 97 adults and found 61 percent measured the wrong dose, 17 percent measured an overdose and 44 percent did not give enough medicine. The study involved 53 moms, 7 dads and 47 daycare workers who gave meds to the under-5 crowd. The researchers quizzed the adults on their reactions to different scenarios, such as when a child felt hot and irritable, but was still dri... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3915284 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:50:02 +0100 3915284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895867&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F57rVdRvRjps%2F The TSA is exceeding its authority. At what point does an airport search step over the line? How about when they start going through your checks, and the police call your husband, suspicious you were clearing out the bank account? This kind of thing was supposed to stop after the TSA revised its policies a year ago. The revision came in the wake of the unconstitutional seizure of Campaign for Liberty staffer Steven Bierfeldt for carrying cash donations (prompting a lawsuit from the ACLU). A federal judge had already determined that fake passports found on an airline passenger were inadmissible in court. The TSA is not a law enforcement agency. TSA screeners aren’t supposed to search for anything beyond weapons and explosives. Or, as TSA policy currently reads, “Screening may not be... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895867 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:16:13 +0100 3895867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790750&cid=t_176771_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F26%2Flying-on-the-couch%2F What happens when a psychologist writes a memoir? To tell the truth I have to lie. To write a memoir these days you had better be telling the truth. When I met with the publisher about Confessions of a Former Child: A Therapist’s Memoir, she specifically asked me if what I wrote was true. I hesitated, and a worried look crossed her face. Finally, I insisted it was all true, except for the parts I made up. She told me I needed to explain. I told her that in essence, as a psychologist and a memoirist I serve at the discretion of both disciplines — the first devoted to understanding the human condition, the second to the condition of being human. Both employ methods of nonfiction writing to achieve their goal, but with a major difference: A psychologist must follow strict guidelines p... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790750 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:35:52 +0100 3790750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754086&cid=t_176771_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2F3MydPHjD7dE%2F Check This List Before Taking Any Medication There are very few medications that can be safely taken while drinking alcohol. Many prescription drugs and even most over-the-counter medications carry a warning against using the drug while drinking alcohol. Before you take any medication, if you drink alcohol, check this list from the USA National Library of Medicine of more than 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications for possible reactions and side effects, if you drink alcohol. The listed drugs also indicate if it has potential for addiction. Drug names starting with –  A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9 Suggested reading Alcoholics Anonymous – the Big Book – an Audible MP3 book Hazelden Books and Categories Addiction & Recovery... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754086 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:23:00 +0100 3754086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695813&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1CJzN1nkKnA%2F A balmy day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the short people are now sleeping in and dreaming of summer activities. We, however, are digging in for the usual routine of meetings and deadlines. What about you? Does a busy day lie ahead? For those seeking an advantage or a diversion, here are some items to help you along. Have a great day, everyone, and stay in touch… Merck Strikes OTC Deal With Adcock-Ingram (Bloomberg) A New Way To Detect Alzheimer’s (The New York Times) FDA Approves Merck Lung Drug (Reuters) EMA Approves New Use For Glaxo’s Tyverb (PharmaTimes) Crucell Starts Work On RSV Vaccine (Reuters) UK’s NICE Rejects Glaxo Leukemia Drug (Reuters) Patent Awarded For New Drug Delivery System To Aphios (InPharmaTechnologist) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695813 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:47:38 +0100 3695813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3326962&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQGopcnt3yBs%2F By Chris Moody Kids these days…New study shows that most Millennials think “the government should do more to solve problems.” But if you take a closer look at the data there’s also some good news. Al Gore’s  latest global warming whopper. David Rittgers: Why both the Left and Right are wrong about using drones to counter terrorism worldwide. The case for reviving the “Privileges or Immunities” clause. Podcast: “Why McDonald Matters” featuring Timothy Sandefur. UPDATE: Cato Vice President for Legal Affairs Roger Pilon can scarcely believe it himself: The New York Times got it (mostly) right on the gun case argued today before the Supreme Court, while The Wall Street Journal missed the main point. In a piece for National Review... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3326962 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:51:51 +0100 3326962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2959077&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAoJenByANlM%2F That’s what the a federal appeals court judge ruled this week in affirming dismissal of a lawsuit accusing several generic drugmakers were accused of improperly labeling their laxatives as “prescription only” products. The 7th Circuit judge, Richard Posner, concluded that Schering-Plough should have waited until the FDA decided on whether any misbranding took place, Courthouse News Service reports. The background is simple enough: Schering-Plough originated the MiraLax oral laxative, which was originally available by prescription only. The FDA later approved generic versions and allowed Schering-Plough to sell an over-the-counter version, the news service notes. But generic drugmakers must use the same labeling as the original, so these companies included the phrase &#822... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2959077 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:36:30 +0100 2959077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886672&cid=t_176771_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FdzHCaHycbNk%2Fa-wake-up-bolus.php Is there something more than Dawn Phenomenon? The dawn phenomenon is typically described as the body releasing a handful of hormones overnight that cause some insulin resistance.  You see this as higher blood sugars in the morning, even though you went to bed with a great blood sugar.  I do experience the dawn phenomenon, and have been able to adjust my pump to deliver a bit more basal, or background, insulin during the early morning hours. But I've also got something else going on.  When I get up for the day, no matter what time it is, my blood sugar goes up.  If I wake up at 4:00 AM, it goes up.  If I wake up at noon, it goes up.  If I wake up anywhere in-between there, it goes up.  I've come to think that my body just hates waking up and squirts out so... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886672 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:17:58 +0100 2886672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473247&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fboy-or-girl-intelligender-might-tell%2F The makers of an over-the-counter gender prediction test say their product, the IntelliGender, will let expecting moms know the sex of their baby as  early as 10 weeks after conception. It’s a simple urine test that’s based on the science that certain hormones found in the pregnant woman’s urine, when combined with a “proprietary mix of chemicals”, will react  differently depending on whether the woman is carrying a boy or a girl. Apparenly, within 10 minutes of taking the urine test, the specimen will turn green if it’s a boy, and orange if it’s a girl. But IntelliGender co-founder Rebecca Griffin is quick to say that they do not guarantee 100% accuracy. The test, after all, is not a  diagnostic tool. For that, you need to wait for a sonog... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473247 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:58:59 +0100 2473247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424088&cid=t_176771_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsandnsurf.medbrains.net%2F2009%2F05%2Fcough-or-kill%2F I am a belligerent skeptic of over-the-counter cough and cold medications. I’ve been this way since well before I ever entertained the idea of being a doctor. The late Michael Shannon (also known as the ‘dancing doctor‘) nicely summed up the problems with this group of medications: ‘The problem with cough and cold medications are two-fold. One, they [...] (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424088 Wed, 20 May 2009 15:14:02 +0100 2424088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2092500&cid=t_176771_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Ftennessee-bans-teeth-whitening-at-mall-kiosks%2F According to NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, the Tennessee Board of Dentistry has banned (with a unanimous vote) teeth whitening in mall kiosks. The ruling stated that teeth whitening can only be performed by licensed dental professionals, effective immediately. NewsChannel 5 investigated the kiosk whitening companies and found that employees had little training. See the article online here. (Source: dental blog for dentists about dentistry) dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2092500 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:39:04 +0100 2092500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2073985&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F12%2F31%2Fhealthbolt-giveaway-win-a-cohesos-caloriessmart-mini-nutrition-calculator%2F Want to know exactly how many calories that handful of nuts or second latte is going to add to you diet? Now you can simply and easily with the Coheso’s CaloriesSmart Mini CSNL-100. No more guessing or search - CaloriesSmart offers ‘facts at your fingertips.’ It might look similar to a blackberry but this nutrition calculator does something that the blackberry can’t - it lets you manage your diet on the go. Want one? Then you might be in luck. Healthbolt has one to giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment by 5th Jan telling us why you think this CaloriesSmart nutrition calculator should be yours. And who knows, it just might be. This giveaway is open worldwide. The winner will be announced on 6th Jan and sent an email with the subject heading ‘Healthbolt G... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2073985 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:25:12 +0100 2073985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2067824&cid=t_176771_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2008%2F12%2F27%2Fairborne-acting-like-its-not-a-scam%2F Check out this video (forwarded to me by Brian, a pharmacy student): http://videogum.com/archives/commercials/a-special-awkward-message-from_041941.html The text on the site pretty much sums it up. Aside from being hard/awkward to watch, this bitch is trying to act like this glorified vitamin prevents/treats/cures the common cold — which is all complete bullshit. It’s also the reason they had to cough up several million dollars in class action lawsuit money. This is merely another ploy to give credibility to a worthless sham of a company. I, obviously, don’t own a box, and I had trouble finding a printed list on the internet of ingredients AND amounts. If you have one, or at work when your read this, feel free to post a list for us. Here’s what I did find: Vitamin A... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2067824 Sat, 27 Dec 2008 22:27:02 +0100 2067824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2055823&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F12%2F21%2Fhealthbolt-giveaway-win-a-copy-of-the-2009-calorieking-calorie-fat-carbohydrate-counter%2F I know. No one want to count calories during the holiday season, not when you’ve got all that food sitting at the table, just waiting for you to dig into. But just in case you do, here’s your chance to win a copy of not only The 2009 CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter but also the companion CalorieKing Food & Exercise Journal. This edition of the Calorie Counter has been completely reformatted and revised to reflect current popular food trends and products. The pocket-sized 2009 Counter not only contains food data and over 11,000 meals found at 200 chain and fast food restaurants, but also features a variety of convenient diet and lifestyle tips, including: Fats & Cholesterol Guide Hints to Reduce Fat Calcium & Osteoporosis Guide Diabetes Guide with ... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2055823 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:16:53 +0100 2055823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056350&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F489647100%2F Some of the 103 children who died after being given the cough and cold may have been deliberately given overdoses to sedate or even kill them, Bloomberg News writes, citing a study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine that examined deaths over the past four decades. The children who died after taking the drugs ranged in age from 28 days to 10 years, with 75 percent younger than two years old. In 26 cases, the reviewers determined that a child was given the medication with “nontherapeutic intent.” And 10 died in day-care facilities (here is the study). You may recall an FDA advisory panel recently urged that OTC cough and cold meds should not be given to children younger than 6 years old. Drugmakers voluntarily changed the labels on the medicines to warn against their use in children y... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056350 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:30:18 +0100 2056350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035580&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F12%2F13%2Fhealthbolt-giveaway-win-a-life-fitness-premium-digital-pedometer%2F Here’s another gadget for fitness geeks. The Life Fitness Premium Digital Pedometer is easy to use and has the following features… Display readings include steps, aerobic steps, calories and distance Dual acceleration sensor enables use even when sitting in a pocket or purse Security strap attaches to clothing A seven day history enables you to review an entire week of exercise Automatic energy saver to extend battery life It’s just the thing to make sure you’re hitting the recommended  10,000 steps a day mark. Want it? Then leave a comment by20th Dec and tell us how many steps you think you do every day. Then if you win the Life Fitness Premium Digital Pedometer, you can find out if you are right. This one is only for US residents. The winners will be announced on 21s... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035580 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:00:00 +0100 2035580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035562&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fcast-not-first-stone.html When I was a junior hospital doctor, I worked at the Royal Marsden Hospital, (RMH) on Fulham Road. It was one of the few jobs I did in which the junior doctors were well looked after. The on-call rota was, for the time, an unbelievably luxurious 1 in 5 (in other words, I only had to work one weekday night and only every fifth weekend). The accommodation was excellent. On the first floor of the RMH was the doctor’s coffee room. Above the main entrance, it looked out over the Fulham Road. Clean, tidy, comfortable sofas, coffee and biscuits perpetually available and a television. Can you remember where you were when the SAS stormed the Iranian embassy siege? I was in that room in the RMH, having a cup of coffee. It was a warm, early summer, and the window was open. The RMH was less than a m... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035562 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:09:00 +0100 2035562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975635&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F459595001%2F Pfizer has withdrawn its application for the little blue impotence bill to be available without a prescription after concerns were raised by European regulators. A European Medicines Agency committee says there would be too little medical oversight - worries that related problems, such as heart disease, could be missed. The drugmaker wanted to make 50mg tablets available over-the-counter, because such availability would help men who are too embarrassed to seek help from their doctor and reduce counterfeit sales that take place over the Internet. “A lot of men don’t go to the doctor or talk about their condition,” tells the BBC. “”By offering it via a pharmacy, it would offer them another option.” (Pfizer statement) But the EMEA’s Committee for Med... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975635 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:51:03 +0100 1975635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1863022&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F414020426%2F An industry trade group, which represents such drugmakers as Procter & Gamble, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson, unexpectedly declared that several very popular over-the-counter cough and cold meds for children younger than four years old should not be used because of the risk of rare complications associated with inappropriate use. The voluntary move comes just one week after an FDA meeting was held in which a group of doctors and consumer advocates cited ineffective and even dangerous meds for small children as justification for an all-out ban. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association maintains that dosing errots and accidental ingestions - not the safety of the meds - are to blame for serious adverse events. “We’re doing this out of an abundance of caution,&#8221... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1863022 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:04:50 +0100 1863022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1851209&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F409692371%2F A group of doctors and consumer advocates raised the specter of ineffective and even dangerous cough and cold meds for youngsters between the ages of 2 and 6 years old as justification for an all-out ban at an FDA meeting today. Last year, in fact, an FDA advisory committee recommended the same thing for this group of over-the-counter meds. “Cough and cold medications…have not been proven to be effective and they have clear risks. It is time for them to be reevaluated,” Wayne Snodgrass of the University of Texas Medical Branch, told the gathering, according to Reuters. Parents want their children to feel better, but “it is too easy to administer too much or not enough,” added Mimi Johnson, a health policy associate at the National Consumers League. Among the m... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1851209 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:27:16 +0100 1851209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764220&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F382677078%2F Here’s one way to increase market share - strike a deal with the government postal service to sell your over-the-counter meds alongside stamps and envelopes. To validate the concept, a half dozen drugmakers will soon begin a pilot project, according to The Economic Times. Among the drugs to be sold next quarter will be painkillers, diarrhea treatments, cold and cough meds and contraceptives in three regions - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra - according to Ranjit Shahani, a Novartis managing director. The move is aimed at ensuring accessibility of over-the-counter drugs in the rural areas, although there are about 150,000 post offices across the country, the paper writes. “We have been in talks with the government to use the network to sell over-the-counter drugs... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764220 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:40:39 +0100 1764220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709129&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fcounter-counter-detailing.html The South Carolina Medicaid Academic Detailing Program, aka SCORxE, which stands for South Carolina Offering Prescribing Excellence, was featured in a recent Time Magazine story (see "The States Take On the Drug Pitchmen").One scenario described in that article got me thinking about the futility of "counter-detailing.""...a disagreement among the leaders of the state's SCORxE program — designed to educate physicians with unbiased and accurate information about prescription drugs. The basic issue: Should representatives of the program bring the doctors pizza for lunch? Sarah Ball, the indefatigable pharmacist who leads SCORxE, says no. The whole point of SCORxE, after all, is to counteract Big Pharma's hard-sell drug marketing. But sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, says Dr. Robe... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709129 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:51:00 +0100 1709129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1683531&cid=t_176771_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fgranite-and-radiation-are-you-at-risk%2F The New York Times has initiated some controversy with its July 24, 2008 article entitled “What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?” The article reports on the finding of worrisome levels of radiation being emitted from some granite countertops that were tested in a few homes. But the controversy is not whether granite countertops emit any radiation, but how much and if some pieces are more radioactive than others. That’s because granite naturally contains some uranium, which is radioactive and which decays into radon that can also be released (radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer). It’s generally thought, however, that the amounts contained in most countertops are very small and not enough to pose a significant health hazard. Most experts agree that th... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1683531 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:33:10 +0100 1683531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1472448&cid=t_176771_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F27%2Fotc-over-the-counter-antidepressants%2F Philip over at Furious Seasons thinks that antidepressants shouldn’t be made available over-the-counter in the U.S. (e.g., without a prescription). His entry was based upon this article over at Time magazine that interviews Josephine Johnston, an associate for law and bioethics at the nonpartisan research institute, the Hastings Center. The real question you have to ask yourself when asking, “When should a drug become commonly available without a prescription?” is weighing the risks of harm versus the benefits of access. It’s a simple equation that can be readily backed by data from empirical, published studies. With virtually all antidepressants, the risks of harm are still fairly significant. We don’t know quite why they work the way they do, they can tak... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1472448 Wed, 28 May 2008 11:36:18 +0100 1472448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1406962&cid=t_176771_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F29%2Fi-think-im-in-love-with-my-therapist%2F “I think I’m in love with my therapist. What’s wrong with me? What should I do?” It is not unusual to feel strong feelings of “love” or affinity toward your therapist. But those feelings probably aren’t what you think. Psychodynamic theory suggests the reason that many people fall in love with their therapist is because they are repeating emotional patterns they experienced as children toward their parents. This behavior and set of feelings was first described by Sigmund Freud who coined the term “transference” to describe it. He discovered transference after noting this many of his mostly-female clients would start describing their own romantic feelings toward him. In some patients, the feelings were not romantic, but instead more ch... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1406962 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:22:49 +0100 1406962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1352022&cid=t_176771_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F05%2Fthinner-but-sadder%2F Sadly, few things in life come without effort. Being thin is one of them (at least for most, especially once outside of their 20s). Being overweight is the norm now in America, although it ranges from a few extra pounds to obesity. Women seem to struggle with weight issues more than men, and things like eating disorders are far more prevalent amongst women. So the success of Alli, the only FDA approved over-the- counter weight-loss aid for overweight adults, is not surprising. If we all could lose a few pounds by just taking a pill (in conjunction with a sensible diet and exercise, of course), why not? Seeing the success of Alli, other drug companies are looking to market their own versions of safe, over-the-counter weight loss pills that are proven to work. One such drug is called rimo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1352022 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:25:56 +0100 1352022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1344675&cid=t_176771_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fchronic-pain%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fcaution-the-road-to-perdition-and-a-life-of-chronic-pain%2F This road many of us travel is full of ruts, rocks and curves. “Pot holes” as large as you are can be lying in wait if you’re not careful. A life with chronic pain can lead us right down the road to perdition. Caution is definitely called for. My observations as a patient and as an RN of many years, has shown me how many strange and varied journeys people choose. Much of our behavior is a choice. I’m often amazed at the excessive conduct my fellow human beings and I may fall prey to when chronic illness comes a’knockin’ at the door. Some of that behavior can be used for ill. Chronic illness is not an excuse for aberrant behavior, although there are many who believe it is. Isn’t daily pain hard enough without behaving in a destructive manner? Chronic illness accompanied by dai... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1344675 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:53:48 +0100 1344675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1300623&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F250949207%2F A California mother filed what appears to be the first proposed class action lawsuit since the drugmaker recalled its Triaminic cough and cold medicines over fears that children may suffer overdoses. The lawsuit, which was filed earlier this week in federal court in Los Angeles, says several studies have shown deaths and serious injuries linked to over-the-counter remedies, Reuters reports. As a result, Novartis “either knew…or reasonably should have known that their cough and cold products were ineffective and dangerous when used by children under the age of six,” the lawsuit states, according to Reuters. A Novartis spokeswoman had no comment, but did say this is the first to bring claims involving the children’s meds. The lawsuit was brought by Kelly Carter, who l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1300623 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:33:26 +0100 1300623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512233&cid=t_176771_129_f&fid=36041&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fchrista-life-with-psoriasis%2Fupdate-on-otc-creams%2F Some time ago, I wrote about some OTC cream I bought while we were on holiday in the U.S.A. last year…and I thought it was about time for an update and a verdict. Initially, I didn’t see much by way of improvement to my psoriasis. However, my mother was delighted with the results when she tried it on a very stubborn patch of eczema on her leg that had not been responding to prescribed corticosteroid cream. In light of her success, I decided to persevere and I have to say that the skin is less scaly and less prone to flaking. The positives of this cream, in addition to the above, are the following: (Source: Life with Psoriasis) Life with Psoriasis blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512233 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:36:41 +0100 2512233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1184746&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F224812119%2F The move comes after a government-funded study was published today in Pediatrics that found 66 percent of emergency room visits related to cough and cold meds in kids are due to unsupervised ingestion. And 80 percent of those ER visits are among preschoolers. So the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade group for OTC drugmakers, issued a statement today saying its members will voluntarily add child-resistant packaging even when not required to do so. The CDC study recommended introducing engineering innovations such as incorporating adaptors onto bottles of liquid medication so it can be accessed only with a needle-less syringe, and expanding the use of child-resistant unit-dose packaging, according to The Tan Sheet. The researchers say pulling all OTC cough and cold meds for k... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1184746 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:43:59 +0100 1184746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1158447&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F218209723%2F The agency is expected to make that announcement today, although there’s still no decision on whether these meds are appropriate for older children to continue using, the Associated Press reports. The final word may not come until spring, which is the deadline to notify manufacturers before production starts for next fall’s cold season. For now, the FDA is issuing a public health advisory on Thursday to warn parents to avoid these drugs for children under age 2 “because serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur,” the AP writes. It’s not the first warning about cold remedies and tots, the AP reminds us. Last October, drugmakers quit selling dozens of versions of these OTC meds that are targeted specifically to babies and toddlers. That sam... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1158447 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:14:25 +0100 1158447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1131294&cid=t_176771_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fcold-and-flu-viruses-dont-take-over.html The American Lung Association reminds us that antibiotics treat bacterial infections, but there are no antiviral medications invented yet to treat viruses. Additionally, the American Lung Association says "certain people such as those with thyroid disease or high blood pressure should not take decongestants -- check with your doctor. There are many over the counter remedies that contain these ingredients."Seniors who have a viral cold or flu can be at risk, especially if they already have multiple chronic health conditions. Check with a doctor before taking any over the counter medications if there is a risk that they are not recommended with a health condition or with other medications someone takes.Many people mistakenly believe that when you get a cold you go to the doctor for antibioti... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1131294 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:56:00 +0100 1131294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1084426&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F198174549%2F Earlier today, we noted that an FDA panel will meet on Thursday to review the merits of allowing consumers to buy Merck’s Mevacor without a prescription. This marks the third time in eight years that Merck is asking an FDA panel for permission to sell its cholesterol-lowering med on an OTC basis. If the panel and the agency agree, Mevacor would become the first over-the-counter statin, the biggest-selling class of meds. Merck argues that untold millions of Americans susceptible to heart disease and stroke who aren’t taking a statin could receive health benefits, especially since many people don’t think about their cholesterol levels if they don’t feel sick. But not everyone agrees an OTC pill is best. “High cholesterol should be treated carefully based on risk factors... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1084426 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:08:28 +0100 1084426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1082981&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F198038165%2F For the third time in eight years, Merck goes before an FDA panel this week seeking permission to sell its cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor over the counter without a prescription. And if the agency agrees, Mevacor would become the first over-the-counter statin, the biggest-selling class of meds, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey notes. Merck argues that millions of Americans susceptible to heart disease and stroke who aren’t taking a statin could receive health benefits. “Heart disease is the biggest killer in the US, and cholesterol is the biggest risk factor. We know statins are safe and effective, but there are huge treatment gaps,” Jerry Hansen, executive director of Merck Research Labs, tells the paper. “We found consumers in the moderate risk population are moti... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1082981 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:05:50 +0100 1082981 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1061040&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Fcounter-detailing-pissing-into-wind-or.html Pissing into the Wind: Engaging in a pointless activity.That's how I see Dr. Dan Carlat's new focus on redeeming himself by engaging in some freelance "counter detailing" in his home state of Massachusetts.You'll recall that Carlat recently wrote a true confession of how he earned $30,000 as an MD shill for Wyeth a few years ago (see "Dr. Carlat's True Confession: 199,999 More to Go").Many people called for him to give the $30,000 to charity or back to Wyeth, but Carlat demured.Carlat explained on his blog and in an interview with Ed Silverman over at Pharmalot that "I'll be doing the opposite of what I did with Effexor, which was to give drug talks. Instead, I’ll be visiting different doctors, different practitioners in different places in the area and try to educate them about direct-t... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1061040 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:02:00 +0100 1061040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512237&cid=t_176771_129_f&fid=36041&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fchrista-life-with-psoriasis%2Fover-the-counter-psoriasis-lotions-have-you-tried-them%2F While we were in the States I was amazed at the wide range of over the counter products are available there. In one supermarket alone there were aisles of things we can either only get on prescription or can’t get at all. I was really interested to see that there are a number of creams available for sale aimed at psoriasis ’sufferers.’ I must add here, as an aside, that I don’t actually like the term sufferer, although it probably technically is correct because we do suffer at time with this stuff…but it makes us sound more like victims and I hope that is not the case. But back to the tropic; over the counter creams and lotions. I peered at a few and read the labels. There didn’t seem to be too much to choose between them. Many contained little that I co... Life with Psoriasis blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512237 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:58:49 +0100 2512237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1034916&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F186766544%2F Time for a temperature reading. You may recall that only last month an FDA advisory committee decided OTC cough and cold meds shouldn’t be used by children younger than 6 years old since there was no evidence the meds are effective, but could prove harmful. And so despite the onset of flu season, sales have dropped more than 16 percent in the four weeks ended Nov. 3, compared with both the previous four-week period and the same period a year earlier, The Washington Post reports. The same trend was noted earlier this month following the Oct. 19 panel meeting. “Historically, sales of these products are on an upswing at this time of year,” Jennifer Frighetto of ACNielsen, the market research firm that tracks product sales, tells the Post. “Based on the historical sale... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1034916 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 18:17:05 +0100 1034916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1025528&cid=t_176771_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F184625430%2F Of course, any quitter will need help not to go back to smoking. Maybe Quit Smoking Counter can help. Quit Smoking Counter - No books, No plaster, No pills, No gum, only stats! The online quit smoking counter measures smoking cessation and the length of time the person has stopped smoking, money you saved and extra live gained! Check it out now, it’s for you who wants to quit smoking. Hat tip to Vidal de Wit, thanks! Share This (Source: Cancer Commentary) Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1025528 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:08:07 +0100 1025528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1009609&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F180634988%2F ‘Tis the season for runny noses and nasty hacking, especially among kids, but the recent hoopla about the safety and necessity of over-the-counter remedies is giving drugmakers a cold sweat. Normally, this is a $300 million-a-year business, but sales are slowing since product withdrawals began Oct. 11 of OTC meds for children less than 2 years old, The Chicago Tribune reports. And a week later, an FDA advisory panel decided that kids ages 2 to 6 also shouldn’t use various antitussives, decongestants and antihistamines because pediatric effectiveness hasn’t been studied and the risks outweigh benefits. And so unit volume sales of children’s OTC remedies were down 0.3 percent, to 9.16 million, for the 10-week period ending Oct. 20, while dollar sales are up a little l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1009609 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:49:58 +0100 1009609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=987249&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F176662822%2F For those who don’t recall, the FDA earlier this month scheduled a Nov. 14 meeting to debate the creation of a so-called third category of drug - behind-the-counter, in addition over-the-counter and those requiring a prescription. BTC would also make some med available without a prescription, but only after consulting a pharmacist. The idea is that a pharmacist-controlled category of drugs might increase patient access to certain meds while maintaining a measure of oversight to prevent misuse, writes The Star-Ledger of New Jersey (which owns Pharmalot). “This is an idea that has been discussed for many years and we want to bring to the forefront right now,” Ilisa Bernstein, the FDA’s director of pharmacy affairs, tells the paper. “Health-care delivery has cha... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=987249 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:20:29 +0100 987249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=943173&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F168379317%2F Major drugmakers plan to stop selling some versions of OTC cough and cold meds aimed at children younger than 2 years old, a move that comes as the products are under scrutiny from federal regulators, The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required). The Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade group that represents OTC makers, is expected to announce the voluntary change as soon as today, the paper writes. In documents submittted previously to the FDA, the group had only supported new warnings that would say “do not use” in children younger than 2. Among the meds likely to be affected are the infant version of Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol Plus Cold, Novartis’ Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant, and one product sold by Wyeth... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=943173 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:56:18 +0100 943173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=931295&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F165892827%2F The California Democrat, who chairs the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in Congress, is asking OTC makers to voluntarily relabel their products with a warning not to give the drugs to anyone under 2 years old, the Associated Press reports. Although Waxman stopped short of asking the FDA to mandate an immediate label change, he did send a letter this week to a trade group representing Novartis, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, among others, asking for voluntary label revisions. His letter comes not long after the FDA made a nonbinding recommendation that the drugs shouldn’t be taken by very young children. Current labeling directs parents to consult a doctor before administering the drugs to infants and toddlers and many doctors say they are safe to use, ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=931295 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:25:58 +0100 931295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=927916&cid=t_176771_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F165251275%2Ffda_exploring_a_behind_the_counter_drug_system.html The FDA announced today that it is exploring the possibility of introducing a "behind the counter" system that would allow more drugs that normally require a prescription to be sold without one.This type of system would require that a pharmacist ensure that the patients meet minimum requirements to obtain the product and to instruct patients on the proper usage of the medication.Right now, most drugs are either sold with or without a prescription but there are a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE:BRL) "Plan B", an emergency contraceptive pill, which pharmacists are required to keep behind the counter. It may only be purchased by women who show photo id. to prove they are over the age of 18.Other countries that already have a &quot... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=927916 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:05:19 +0100 927916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=926232&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fregulating-dtc-for-btc.html The FDA is seeking public comments on expanding "Behind-the-Counter" (BTC) status to cover more drugs.In a notice set to be published in today's Federal Register, the agency announced a Nov. 14 hearing to explore "the public health benefit of drugs being available without a prescription but only after intervention by a pharmacist." (WSJ: See "FDA May Ease Prescription-Drug Rules").In the Federal Register notice, FDA suggests many questions it would like comment on, including BTC impact on patient access, patient compliance with drug therapy, role and compensation for pharmacists, criteria for BTC status, etc., etc. (read more here).The FDA does NOT ask about how direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of BTC products should or should not be regulated by the FDA.I covered this issue when Plan ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=926232 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:04:00 +0100 926232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=925506&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F164792553%2F The agency may establish a “behind-the-counter” system that could allow more prescription meds to be sold without customers actually having a prescription for them. In a Federal Register notice, the agency announced a Nov. 14 hearing on the issue. “The FDA is interested in obtaining public comment as it explores the public health benefit of drugs being available without a prescription but only after intervention by a pharmacist,” the agency said in an e-mail today. Currently, most drugs are sold either with a prescription or OTC in retail stores and pharmacies. But the FDA has made a few exceptions. For instance, the agency limits distribution of Barr’s Plan B emergency-contraceptive pill to pharmacies that agreed to keep it behind the counter and require wome... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=925506 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:08:02 +0100 925506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=894337&cid=t_176771_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F160233399%2F Leiner Health Products, which is one of the biggest suppliers of OTC store-brand drugs and vitamins was accused of falsifying and manipulating test results at its Fort Mill, SC, manufacturing plant, according to an affidavit filed Friday with the U.S. District Court in Columbia, The Charlotte Observer reports. The FDA also says Lenier should have immediately recalled several drugs during the past two years after the company’s own testing raised doubts about expiration dates, and the agency is investigating whether the Lenier committed criminal violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the affidavit states. You can see a list of Lenier products if you click here, and to read about North Castle Partners, which owns the company, look here. Several tests conducted by Lenier since Au... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=894337 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:03:22 +0100 894337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=821977&cid=t_176771_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F25%2Ftackle-that-medicine-cabinet%2F Filed under: ProductsI have a bucket of drugs in one of my kitchen cabinets, stored way up high and out of the reach of two busy little boys. For a short time during my breast cancer treatment I reached for this container every day. Lately, though, I have little use for this medley of medication. There are some things I use -- like cough medicine made for little people and ibuprofen for the occasional headache -- but mostly, we are a drug-free household. So really, I don't need much of what I'm storing in that cabinet. Much of it is so old, in fact, it has probably expired.Every once in a while, we should all take a tour through our medicine cabinets and peek at the expiration dates on our prescriptions and over-the-counter bottles. If anything is expired, toss it! Expired medications do n... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=821977 Sat, 25 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 821977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=488352&cid=t_176771_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fearly-days-4-autism-and-data-collection.html I have a tendency to exaggerate. I think it's the Irish genes, or maybe just our version of the Irish genes. Everything is 'the most, the best, the superlative,' or it is 'the pits, most dire and worst,' with not a lot of grey in between. As a result of this trait, when we first sought out expert help, I could tell that my version of events was open to question. Because you're involved in the situation, it is difficult to be objective, especially since quite often, you are also that catalyst that sparks the meltdown in the first place.I would sit in the experts office, with my two angelic boys on the floor, whilst I moaned [in code] about the meltdowns. They provided me with helpful strategies, all of which I had already tried and failed at abysmally. I could tell that my status as subject... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=488352 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 02:51:00 +0100 488352