We often think of acetaminophen as a fairly innocuous pain medicine, great for headaches, hangovers and sore joints. However, the FDA recently recommended we re-consider just how much of it we’re ingesting. The agency is instructing health care professionals to discontinue prescribing and dispensing prescription combination drug products that contain more than 325 milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen per tablet, capsule or other dosage unit. When taken in combination with other drugs, patients often fail to keep track of acetaminophen – and while there is no evidence to suggest taking more does your body good, clinical research reveals that taking too much.. READ MORE »
Every year, millions of Canadians and Americans look to internet pharmacies for discounts on their prescription. When prescriptions are not covered by health care, or local costs become prohibitive, many patients have no choice but to seek out alternatives. Unfortunately, many of those presumably legitimate online options turn out to be anything but – and patients end up endangering their lives with subpar products, or in some cases illegal substances. In North America, the most commonly counterfeited drugs are those intended for the treatment of cancer and depression; therapies that undergo years of pharmaceutical quality assurance in order to garner.. READ MORE »
To legalize, or not to legalize? When it comes to cannabis, it’s a question that has generated quite a buzz throughout North America over the last several years. Adding fuel to the fire is the recent legalization of marijuana south of the border where pot shops are now open for business across Colorado and Washington states. In Canada, the proven therapeutic benefits of marijuana, well documented by clinical research, have put pressure on law makers to regulate its sale, making the substance more widely available to prescription holders. And this month, the government has complied, developing new legislation that licenses.. READ MORE »
When we think about precious gems and beautiful fabrics, complex medical procedures are most likely the last thing that comes to mind. For researchers at the universities of Melbourne, Sydney and Tufts however, silk and diamonds have proven invaluable in a new drug delivery system. Nanodiamonds have been around for years, helping bring cancer-fighting therapies directly to tumours without hurting the surrounding tissues. They form clusters that bind to the injected drug, releasing it slowly, and keeping harmful side effects to a minimum. By targeting tumours more efficiently, nanodiamonds have helped reduce patient suffering. And now, researchers have discovered how.. READ MORE »
Big Pharma is becoming adept at identifying new uses for old drugs. Companies are re-examining established therapies – conducting refocused clinical research within the relatively new context of genome mapping. With increasing clarity, we are able to see how drugs impact cell behavior and operations, and this ability is yielding promising results in the treatment of various forms of cancer. Recent research out of Boston has revealed that a 50 year old antipsychotic medication called perphenazine may be called back into active duty – this time to battle acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a particularly aggressive form of cancer. The research.. READ MORE »
We often turn to antibiotics as a kind of silver bullet; a bacterium-eradicator with the power to relieve whatever ails us. A wide variety of conditions are routinely treated with antibiotics, from common infections to more serious illnesses like tuberculosis. However, in our zeal to wipe out bacteria we have given the invaders precisely what they need to mutate and adapt – resulting in ever-more resistant strains that have rendered many of our stand-by drugs quite powerless. Antibiotic over-use has made bacteria stronger, while our ability to formulate more effective alternatives continues to decline. This is why Sanofi, partnered with.. READ MORE »
Each year in Canada and the US, thousands of babies are born with unknown diseases and rare conditions – medical mysteries that often go unsolved. At least, until now. At Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, geneticist Stephen Kingsmore is using genome mapping to shed new light on infant illness – and providing early intervention to conditions that clinical research alone could take years to address. The technology is becoming increasingly accessible. Just over a decade ago, it cost more than $2 billion to map a human genome, while today it costs Kingsmore $12,000 to complete and analyze a.. READ MORE »
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly silent killers. It is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis and limited treatment options, and is highly resistant to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Most patients develop symptoms after the cancer has spread to other organs, and the chance of survival drastically reduced. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 4,700 Canadians will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year – and 4,300 will die from it. More effective treatment methods are desperately needed to increase shockingly low survival rates. New clinical research from scientists at the Universities of Manchester and Michigan may provide.. READ MORE »
The global diabetes management market accounted for $41.9 billion in 2010, and is expected to rise to $114.3 billion by 2016. Even more staggering is the dramatic increase in those diagnosed; a figure that has risen by more than 373% over the last 30 years. Industry professionals and students in pharmaceutical courses have seen Big Pharma pursue innovative treatments for the disease, evolving from injections to inhalers and most recently, to new oral therapies. Johnson & Johnson and Bristol/AstraZeneca are the front runners in this race, having both recently released drugs that represent a brand new class of treatment for.. READ MORE »
When our doctor prescribes a medicine, we assume the choice comes as a result of years of training and professional practice. We trust that the chosen drug is best suited to cure what ails us. However, pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline has recently found itself accused of interfering with that trust by offering doctors unethical compensation packages for promoting specific drugs. Rather than evaluating pertinent clinical research and considering both risks and benefits, doctors involved in the scheme are tempted by large bonuses to favor some therapies over others. Transparency with regard to drug promotion has long plagued the industry, but it.. READ MORE »
