In the 1970s, there was the Ford Pinto and Nehru jackets. In the 80s, pet rocks and the mullet. Since then we've been treated to house flipping, speed dating, Honey Boo Boo, and gluten-free everything. Pretty dumb, no? Not when compared to making your own prescription drugs at home. That's *really* dumb. And real. Sort of.
Drugs & Pharmaceuticals
A One Direction concert-goer, whose difficulty breathing after “intense screaming” yielded a published case report in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, is not alone. Learn why this happens and who's at greatest risk.
Many of our readers have asked about the status of Dr. Friedman's trivalent sub-unit herpes vaccine. That's especially so after the failure of Genocea's GEN-003 vaccine candidate. Dr. Friedman, from the University of Pennsylvania, kindly agreed to an interview and his answers should address many of our reader's questions.
If you ask yourself: "What segment of the population is most increasing its drug intake?" then the best-sellers come into better focus. From there, think ... cholesterol ... heart ... thyroid.
It is hardly news that doctors and patients are battling insurance companies over money. In particular, patients may be forced to try and fail an older cheaper drug before being allowed access to a newer one. American Council friend Robert Popovian, Pfizer's VP of US Government Relations, discussed this issue in his latest editorial in Morning Consult.
A new study in the British Medical Journal suggests that the majority of new cancer drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency lacked evidence that they improved survival or the quality of life of patients.
When Sovaldi, the first in a family of drugs that cured hepatitis C came out, its maker Gilead came under fire for the price of the drug: $1,000 per pill x 84 pills. Now we have eight more direct-acting antivirals for hep C. They are not only getting better, but also cheaper. Competition in the pharmaceutical industry benefits all of us.
Here's great news for diabetics who need to check their blood-glucose levels frequently: the FDA just approved a non-invasive monitor. It's a major mile-marker on the road to facilitating optimal management of a very high maintenance disease.
It's a tough time for those infected with genital herpes. Genocea's candidate GEN-003 crashed and burned. The company announced that it's pulling the plug on the vaccine following Phase II clinical trials. It's disheartening news for the herpes community, but folks, keep your chins up. Other, and presumably better, candidates are still out there.
Bacteria that are resistant to one, multiple or even all known antibiotics – commonly known as superbugs – are a leading concern in the medical and scientific communities. With traditional methods of combating infections not working alternative ways are required, starting with rethinking the instruments used in hospitals.
Tylenol (acetaminophen) is very widely used for various types of pain, and to reduce fevers. The drug is also largely perceived as safe and effective. We've already written that it's not all that safe. But does it work well? The answer is: Not even close. Multiple Cochrane reviews make this clear.
Panel members, saying they were "very impressed" with the drug called Shingrix, voted 11-0 in favor of approval. While the FDA isn't bound by the group's recommendation, the chances for the administration's full approval appear to be exceedingly good. If approved, Shingrix will go head to head against Zostavax, the only other shingles prevention drug on the market.