Saturday, April 17, 2004

From the Calgary Herald:
Asthma drug maker issues alert
The maker of the asthma drug Accolate is advising patients and their doctors to be on the lookout for signs of liver problems, following some reports of adverse reactions.

AstraZeneca Canada said Friday analysis of safety databases has shown some patients taking Accolate have experienced serious liver problems.

From Bloomberg:
AstraZeneca's Asthma Drug Accolate Tied to Liver Risk
AstraZeneca Plc, Europe's second- largest drugmaker, said some patients taking its Accolate asthma drug have developed liver injuries, including hepatitis and rare cases of organ failure.

The Canadian government advised AstraZeneca to notify doctors and patients, the London-based company said in a statement distributed by Canada NewsWire. A company official didn't immediately return a phone call.

From the (Racine, Wisc.) Journal Times:
Time of his life: Rottino enjoying the chance to play ball
He lives on the edge of the seedy section of Beloit, paying $150 a month for his share of the rent.

He awakens every morning on a mattress in the middle of the living room floor.

When he sleepily walks into the kitchen, he can expect to find sparse cupboards, a stack of dirty dishes and perhaps a couple cans of soda and a half-eaten Happy Meal in the refrigerator.

Vinnie Rottino might have been well on his way to earning a comfortable living as a pharmacist by now.

But instead, it has come to this.

The absolute greatest time of his life.

All that matters to Rottino is that his eyes are trained on breaking pitches as a prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization, not on counting off 30 Altace tablets while filling another monthly prescription.

(Editor's note: Not relating to Canadian pharmacy, but when I saw this unique story of a pharmacist/pro athlete, I thought I would include it.)

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