Stubborn asthma may signal poor use of meds

(Reuters) People with difficult-to-control asthma are often not taking their anti-asthma medication as prescribed by their doctor, new study findings indicate.

Even when prescribed high doses of steroids, about 5 percent of adults with asthma remain difficult to control, with persistent symptoms and frequent flare-ups, Dr. Liam G. Heaney at Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and colleagues have found. Read more

Psych Drugs Gaining Widespread Acceptance (HealthDay)

HealthDay - FRIDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- A growing number of Americans now have a positive opinion on psychiatric medications, a new study contends. About five out of six people surveyed felt psychiatric medications could help people control psychiatric symptoms, but many also expected the medications could help people deal with day-to-day stresses, help them feel better about themselves and make things easier with family and friends Read more

FDA Advises Consumers Not To Use Certain Zicam Cold Remedies

(FDA Release) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia may be long-lasting or permanent. Read more

Novartis produces first batch of swine flu vaccine

(AP) ovartis AG–European drug maker–has successfully completed production of the first batch of H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

The company announced Friday the new version of the vaccine–which was produced weeks ahead of the scheduled time–will be made available in the fall. Read more

Iowa board rejects medical marijuana

In August we posted a story on an Iowa judge that asked the Iowa Board of Pharmacy to review the schedule of Marijuana and to see if it has accepted medical uses.

The board handed out their decision on Monday, that there was no sufficient scientific evidence Read more

Illinois Senate approves medical marijuana bill

(AP) The Illinois Senate voted 30-28 in favor of a plan to let sick people use pot for relief from diseases like cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

The bill now goes to the Illinois House, where a committee passed a medical marijuana measure earlier this year. Read more

Prevacid given OTC approval

Earlier this month, Novartis announced that Prevacid has been approved by the FDA as the first over-the-counter PPI for the treatment of frequent heartburn since 2003 (Prilosec OTC) and the first PPI ever to be granted OTC status without any alterations to it’s original formula.

The prescription drug was one of the top 5 prescribed brand names in the country with annual sales of $3.37 billion in 2008.

Prevacid 24HR is expected to be available over-the-counter later this year.

Drug Deals Tie Prices to How Well Patients Do

(From Andrew Pollack, The New York Times) Pressed by insurance companies, some drug makers are beginning to adjust what they charge for their drugs, based on how well the medicines improve patients’ health.

In a deal expected to be announced Thursday, Merck has agreed to peg what the insurer Cigna pays for the diabetes drugs Januvia Read more

Administration declares health emergency in swine flu outbreak

(Health Day News) Warning the worst is yet to come, U.S. officials Sunday declared the rapid spread of swine flu to be a public health emergency, and freed up 12.5 million doses of antiviral medication to help fight the disease, which has now infected 20 people in five states. Read more

Addiction drug may relieve fibromyalgia symptoms

(Reuters) A low dose of naltrexone, a drug commonly used to treat alcoholism and drug addiction, is effective in relieving pain and fatigue in some patients with fibromyalgia, researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California have found. Read more

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