Judge reduces awards in Wyeth case.
Citing concerns that "passion and prejudice" inflated the verdict, a U.S. judge slashed a record $134 million judgment awarded to three Nevada women by a jury that decided a drug made by the giant pharmaceutical company Wyeth caused their breast cancer, Associated Press reported Feb. 20. Washoe...

ACIP: rabies vaccine, IG supplies will be 'less than ideal'.
ATLANTA -- Supplies of human rabies biologicals for pre- or postexposure prophylaxis in the United States are "manageable, but are expected to be less than ideal" over the next few years, Charles E. Rupprecht, V.M.D., said at the winter meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the...

Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium, AstraZeneca).
The Food and Drug Administration approved the proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium, AstraZeneca) for short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients aged 1-11 years. * Recommended Dosage: The recommended dosage is 10 mg or 20 mg daily for children aged 1-11 years, and 20...

MRSA is a superbug: caution advised.
Dr. Christopher J. Harrison might be a bit too casual in his outlook regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ("In Fight Against MRSA, Panic Is Not a Practical Tool," Guest Editorial, January 2008, p. 14). First, the two most disturbing aspects of MRSA are its resistance to many (and...

Initiative could transform Alzheimer's research.
A $60 million, 6-year study is being launched to find and validate biologic and imaging markers that could be used as objective measures of therapeutic response in Alzheimer's disease. The results of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) could dramatically shorten clinical trials of potential therapies by...

Experts: traditional D&O policies ill-suited for big drug makers: underwriters looking to cover pharmaceutical. companies may want to pop a Tylenol or two as they wake up to the sobering fact that their policies just aren't adequate any longer to cover Big Pharma.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to professional liability coverage experts, risks ranging from stock gyrations to Food and Drug Administration testing protocol, to new exposure brought on by generic drugs have put buyers in a tough spot. Buyers are being asked to insure something that's bigger than they can...

Add sleep query in assessing atopic dermatitis.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- How has your sleep been? When's the last time your skin was totally clear? Those are the two questions Dr. Lawrence F. Eichenfield asks his atopic dermatitis patients. "It's amazing how families don't tell you about sleep disturbance unless you ask about it,"...

FDA to boost post-market oversight of drugs.
FDA unveiled a new effort to bolster its oversight of drugs after they are on the market, in the agency's latest response to years of criticism about its handling of medication safety issues, "The Wall Street Journal" announced Feb. 26. The plan, dubbed "Safety First," involves creating...

Epilepsy drugs draw industry defense.
Drug companies are scrambling to try to convince FDA not to add warnings for suicidal behavior risks to a large class of epilepsy drugs also used widely for a variety of other conditions, "The Wall Street Journal" reported June 4. On June 1, at a closed meeting...

Anemia drugs may speed growth of cancer.
According to new studies, drugs used widely to treat anemia in cancer patients may actually speed progression of the cancer in certain individuals, "The Washington Post" reported June 2. Recent controversy over erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) such as Procrit, Epogen and Aranesp has centered on whether the blood-boosting...