From the Welland (Ont.) Tribune:
Kevin Bigford feels the province’s health system has let him down.
Its decision to not fund a drug that could extend his life caught the former Port Colborne resident completely by surprise when his oncologist laid out the cold facts about the cancer-fighting drug Avastin.
Because Avastin is still before the province’s committee to evaluate drugs, the Ministry of Health won’t fund it – even though four other provinces will.
“While they won’t come right out and say so, it’s about money,” Bigford said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Kitchener.
Avastin has a proven track record in extending the lives of patients with colorectal cancer, but the treatment comes with a crippling financial cost. One treatment of Avastin costs Bigford just under $3,000. He needs two treatments per month – about 20 in total.
In 2007, the Canadian Cancer Society estimated that 20,800 Canadians would be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 8,700 people would die from the disease. One in 14 men is expected to develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime. It is currently the second leading cause of death. ...more
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Pfizer Wins Canadian Order Blocking Generic Version of Lipitor
From Bloomberg:
Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, won a Canadian appeals court ruling blocking regulatory approval of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.'s generic version of the cholesterol pill Lipitor.
Canada's Federal Court of Appeal yesterday reversed a lower-court ruling that Ranbaxy could seek approval for its competing version of Lipitor before Pfizer's patent expires in 2010, Pfizer spokeswoman Vanessa Aristide said in a phone interview.
Ranbaxy, India's largest drugmaker, also challenged Lipitor patents in the Netherlands. Pfizer said in February it would appeal a Dutch ruling invalidating one of its patents covering Lipitor, the world's best-selling medicine with ales of $12.7 billion last year. Ranbaxy can appeal yesterday's ruling to Canada's Supreme Court. The order doesn't apply to litigation in other countries, including the U.S., Aristide said. ...more
Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, won a Canadian appeals court ruling blocking regulatory approval of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.'s generic version of the cholesterol pill Lipitor.
Canada's Federal Court of Appeal yesterday reversed a lower-court ruling that Ranbaxy could seek approval for its competing version of Lipitor before Pfizer's patent expires in 2010, Pfizer spokeswoman Vanessa Aristide said in a phone interview.
Ranbaxy, India's largest drugmaker, also challenged Lipitor patents in the Netherlands. Pfizer said in February it would appeal a Dutch ruling invalidating one of its patents covering Lipitor, the world's best-selling medicine with ales of $12.7 billion last year. Ranbaxy can appeal yesterday's ruling to Canada's Supreme Court. The order doesn't apply to litigation in other countries, including the U.S., Aristide said. ...more
FDA cites 62 reports of possible heparin deaths
From Reuters:
U.S. regulators have received 62 reports of deaths during the last 15 months of patients who were treated with the blood-thinner heparin and suffered allergic reactions or low blood pressure, the Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday.
Those are the problems that prompted Baxter International Inc to recall most of its heparin products in February. ...more
U.S. regulators have received 62 reports of deaths during the last 15 months of patients who were treated with the blood-thinner heparin and suffered allergic reactions or low blood pressure, the Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday.
Those are the problems that prompted Baxter International Inc to recall most of its heparin products in February. ...more
Monday, April 07, 2008
Drug warning linked to less help, more suicides
From CTV News:
A new study has found that fewer young people received treatment for depression and suicides rose among children and adolescents following a Health Canada warning about the use of antidepressants.
Researchers from the University of Manitoba analyzed data on prescription and health care use by almost 3 million children, adolescents and young adults. They looked specifically at the nine years before the warnings were issued in 2004 and the two years after. ...more
A new study has found that fewer young people received treatment for depression and suicides rose among children and adolescents following a Health Canada warning about the use of antidepressants.
Researchers from the University of Manitoba analyzed data on prescription and health care use by almost 3 million children, adolescents and young adults. They looked specifically at the nine years before the warnings were issued in 2004 and the two years after. ...more
Rated Rx
From the Globe and Mail:
The first time, Allard Gee popped the little blue pill in secret and then slipped into bed. At 59, after a three-year dry spell, he couldn't be sure it was going to work. Better not to start the night with big expectations.
"It was a very unexpected pleasure," giggles his wife, Joyce, taking over the story. "Afterwards, we got up and had a drink and made a toast to good health. Had we known, we would have gone to the doctor sooner."
Ten years ago this month, wine glasses were clinking in bedrooms across North America, as men joined Mr. Gee in hustling to their doctors for a brand-new sex elixir called Viagra — named for "the vigour of Niagara" and promising to get the job done without the dreaded stab of a needle or the drastic step of an implant.
The Gees, who live in the Eastern Ontario village of Gilmour, enjoyed an early supply as part of a clinical trial. Many of their fellow Canadians, forced to wait one more year for Health Canada approval, scampered across the border. In the first six months, American doctors wrote 5.3 million prescriptions for the drug, which works by increasing blood flow to the penis within about an hour of being ingested.
The blue pill rivalled Monica Lewinsky's notorious blue dress as the story of the year for 1998 — and together, arguably, they took the blush off the public discussion of sex once and for all. ...more
The first time, Allard Gee popped the little blue pill in secret and then slipped into bed. At 59, after a three-year dry spell, he couldn't be sure it was going to work. Better not to start the night with big expectations.
"It was a very unexpected pleasure," giggles his wife, Joyce, taking over the story. "Afterwards, we got up and had a drink and made a toast to good health. Had we known, we would have gone to the doctor sooner."
Ten years ago this month, wine glasses were clinking in bedrooms across North America, as men joined Mr. Gee in hustling to their doctors for a brand-new sex elixir called Viagra — named for "the vigour of Niagara" and promising to get the job done without the dreaded stab of a needle or the drastic step of an implant.
The Gees, who live in the Eastern Ontario village of Gilmour, enjoyed an early supply as part of a clinical trial. Many of their fellow Canadians, forced to wait one more year for Health Canada approval, scampered across the border. In the first six months, American doctors wrote 5.3 million prescriptions for the drug, which works by increasing blood flow to the penis within about an hour of being ingested.
The blue pill rivalled Monica Lewinsky's notorious blue dress as the story of the year for 1998 — and together, arguably, they took the blush off the public discussion of sex once and for all. ...more
Experts unfazed by drugs in water
From the Toronto Star:
Painkillers and other drugs that are flushed down toilets will inevitably pour out of household taps in trace amounts around the world, a University of Toronto expert says.
Civil engineer Ron Hofmann, who specializes in drinking-water toxins, says a recent report finding painkillers, antibiotics and cholesterol-lowering drugs in the water coming from 15 southern Ontario treatment plants was "not surprising at all" to people in the field.
"There's a raft of studies that show these (drugs) are coming through the waste water treatment plants." he said.
Hofmann said the drugs enter the water supply when people pass trace amounts of unmetabolized medications through their urine, or throw unused pills down the sink or toilet. ...more
Painkillers and other drugs that are flushed down toilets will inevitably pour out of household taps in trace amounts around the world, a University of Toronto expert says.
Civil engineer Ron Hofmann, who specializes in drinking-water toxins, says a recent report finding painkillers, antibiotics and cholesterol-lowering drugs in the water coming from 15 southern Ontario treatment plants was "not surprising at all" to people in the field.
"There's a raft of studies that show these (drugs) are coming through the waste water treatment plants." he said.
Hofmann said the drugs enter the water supply when people pass trace amounts of unmetabolized medications through their urine, or throw unused pills down the sink or toilet. ...more
Sunday, April 06, 2008
The pharmacist will see you now
From the Los Angeles Times:
Twice a week, Stephen Inns sees patients with high blood pressure at his office in a medical practice in southern England. Usually he conducts a few quick tests, asks them how they're doing and adjusts their medicines if necessary.
Inns isn't a doctor; he's a pharmacist.
He is one of fewer than 100 pharmacists across Britain recently given permission to prescribe drugs for patients and provide basic care, without relying on a doctor. The move is part of Britain's attempt to expand its healthcare system by allowing medical professionals such as nurses and pharmacists to treat patients.
Though many countries are slowly loosening the rules on non-doctors giving out medicines, none has given pharmacists as much power as Britain has in its effort to increase services and cut costs in a financially overburdened health system.
In 2006, Britain expanded the powers of pharmacists to treat patients once they took a training course. Though the number of prescribing healthcare professionals other than doctors remains small, their ranks are growing -- and the government hopes they will someday become the norm. ...more
Twice a week, Stephen Inns sees patients with high blood pressure at his office in a medical practice in southern England. Usually he conducts a few quick tests, asks them how they're doing and adjusts their medicines if necessary.
Inns isn't a doctor; he's a pharmacist.
He is one of fewer than 100 pharmacists across Britain recently given permission to prescribe drugs for patients and provide basic care, without relying on a doctor. The move is part of Britain's attempt to expand its healthcare system by allowing medical professionals such as nurses and pharmacists to treat patients.
Though many countries are slowly loosening the rules on non-doctors giving out medicines, none has given pharmacists as much power as Britain has in its effort to increase services and cut costs in a financially overburdened health system.
In 2006, Britain expanded the powers of pharmacists to treat patients once they took a training course. Though the number of prescribing healthcare professionals other than doctors remains small, their ranks are growing -- and the government hopes they will someday become the norm. ...more
Regina business changing owners after 55 years
From the Regina Leader Post:
After 55 years of ownership by the Ast family, Hill Avenue Drugs has been sold.
But don't mention retirement to Dean Ast.
"Please do not say that I'm retiring," said the 46-year-old pharmacist with a laugh. "It was time for a change but I'm not retiring. Obviously pharmacy and health care are still interests."
Andrew Gilbertson became the store's new owner on April 1 but he's not a new face behind the dispensary. The pharmacist has worked with Ast for almost four years.
"We had talked about a buyout and some time last year it felt right to sell," Ast said. ...more
After 55 years of ownership by the Ast family, Hill Avenue Drugs has been sold.
But don't mention retirement to Dean Ast.
"Please do not say that I'm retiring," said the 46-year-old pharmacist with a laugh. "It was time for a change but I'm not retiring. Obviously pharmacy and health care are still interests."
Andrew Gilbertson became the store's new owner on April 1 but he's not a new face behind the dispensary. The pharmacist has worked with Ast for almost four years.
"We had talked about a buyout and some time last year it felt right to sell," Ast said. ...more
Bogus pharmacist case scrutinised
From BBC News:
The medicines regulator is re-examining how a bogus pharmacist bought large quantities of slimming pills and got funding from a pharmaceutical giant.
Robin Huxley, a salesman from Barnsley, was jailed last month for 14 months for illegally prescribing Xenical.
Roche, which markets Xenical, believed Huxley was a pharmacist running a group of slimming clinics alongside a doctor.
The company says it was simply the victim of crime, but an ex-employee has raised concerns about its practices.
Dr. Ryta Kuzel, the former head of regulatory affairs, said: "I feel strongly Roche's business practices have put people's lives at risk and they haven't been called to account." ...more
The medicines regulator is re-examining how a bogus pharmacist bought large quantities of slimming pills and got funding from a pharmaceutical giant.
Robin Huxley, a salesman from Barnsley, was jailed last month for 14 months for illegally prescribing Xenical.
Roche, which markets Xenical, believed Huxley was a pharmacist running a group of slimming clinics alongside a doctor.
The company says it was simply the victim of crime, but an ex-employee has raised concerns about its practices.
Dr. Ryta Kuzel, the former head of regulatory affairs, said: "I feel strongly Roche's business practices have put people's lives at risk and they haven't been called to account." ...more
New prescription law to take effect
From the Charleston (SC) Post and Courier:
Prescription cheaters beware. As of April 1, all Medicaid prescriptions must be written on tamper-resistant pads.
The move could save taxpayers up to $355 million in the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
After a six-month delay of the initial enforcement date, Oct. 1 2007, most in the medical community seem well-prepared for the switch.
"There's no indication they're not ready for the change," said Jeff Stensland, director of public information for the state's Medicaid agency.
Judi Bucknam, manager of Medical University of South Carolina's 20 adult medical surgical clinics, said that the whole hospital will go over to the tamper-resistant prescription pads Tuesday.
Before, prescriptions were written on regular laser jet printer paper, she said. A ream of regular paper runs about $6, she said. The new paper costs $64 a ream. ...more
Prescription cheaters beware. As of April 1, all Medicaid prescriptions must be written on tamper-resistant pads.
The move could save taxpayers up to $355 million in the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
After a six-month delay of the initial enforcement date, Oct. 1 2007, most in the medical community seem well-prepared for the switch.
"There's no indication they're not ready for the change," said Jeff Stensland, director of public information for the state's Medicaid agency.
Judi Bucknam, manager of Medical University of South Carolina's 20 adult medical surgical clinics, said that the whole hospital will go over to the tamper-resistant prescription pads Tuesday.
Before, prescriptions were written on regular laser jet printer paper, she said. A ream of regular paper runs about $6, she said. The new paper costs $64 a ream. ...more
City chemists go back to school to study international standards
From Viet Nam News:
About 300 pharmacies will be invited to training courses after representatives from 150 of HCM City’s major pharmacies attended the city’s first Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) programme.
The next courses – intended to help pharmacists standardise their stores – will be held in July and August.
The programme, organised by the HCM City Health Department, follows a Health Ministry announcement that all the country’s pharmaceutical chemists will have to meet GPP standards by 2011.
GPP requires pharmacy owners to have a pharmacist’s certificate, drugs to be stored at below 30 degree Celsius and medicines to show both their origin and clear instructions for their use. ...more
About 300 pharmacies will be invited to training courses after representatives from 150 of HCM City’s major pharmacies attended the city’s first Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) programme.
The next courses – intended to help pharmacists standardise their stores – will be held in July and August.
The programme, organised by the HCM City Health Department, follows a Health Ministry announcement that all the country’s pharmaceutical chemists will have to meet GPP standards by 2011.
GPP requires pharmacy owners to have a pharmacist’s certificate, drugs to be stored at below 30 degree Celsius and medicines to show both their origin and clear instructions for their use. ...more
Coles's pharmacy role in doubt after court ruling
From the Sydney (Australia) Morning News:
Wesfarmers-owned Coles's back-door entry into the $9 billion pharmacy sector appears under threat after a court ruled that its purchase of a Sydney-based cut-price pharmacy chain may have breached laws restricting ownership to qualified pharmacists.
The threat comes after the NSW Supreme Court judge Peter Young ruled yesterday that because Pharmacy Direct, a mostly online chemist that Coles bought two years ago, is not owned by a pharmacist, it has breached the pharmacy act.
Justice Young is yet to make his final orders, but when the case resumes later this month he could force Wesfarmers to transfer or sell Pharmacy Direct to a pharmacist or pharmacist-owned corporation.
The retailer, which Coles bought for $56 million, is one of only 30 pharmacies in NSW that operates under a corporate licence. It claimed it had been acting lawfully since Coles bought the business in 2006 from the founder and pharmacist Peter Brown. However, Coles was widely criticised by the industry as having used a loophole to encroach on the territory held by mostly independently owned chemists. ...more
Wesfarmers-owned Coles's back-door entry into the $9 billion pharmacy sector appears under threat after a court ruled that its purchase of a Sydney-based cut-price pharmacy chain may have breached laws restricting ownership to qualified pharmacists.
The threat comes after the NSW Supreme Court judge Peter Young ruled yesterday that because Pharmacy Direct, a mostly online chemist that Coles bought two years ago, is not owned by a pharmacist, it has breached the pharmacy act.
Justice Young is yet to make his final orders, but when the case resumes later this month he could force Wesfarmers to transfer or sell Pharmacy Direct to a pharmacist or pharmacist-owned corporation.
The retailer, which Coles bought for $56 million, is one of only 30 pharmacies in NSW that operates under a corporate licence. It claimed it had been acting lawfully since Coles bought the business in 2006 from the founder and pharmacist Peter Brown. However, Coles was widely criticised by the industry as having used a loophole to encroach on the territory held by mostly independently owned chemists. ...more
Database puts the squeeze on addicts who rob pharmacies
From the Seattle Post Intelligencer:
Just weeks before last Christmas, Nicholas A. Dent fed his addiction to painkillers through a relentless show of force. In 10 days, he robbed a dozen pharmacies for OxyContin pills before stepping in front a security camera that revealed his identity to police.
Dent, 28, is one of many drug addicts over the past few years behind a spike of violence against pharmacies.
Federal authorities went after the pharmaceutical company making the painkiller, Purdue Pharma, for misleading doctors about the drug's addictiveness. The company was made to pay more than $600 million in fines.
But Purdue has also joined police and crime-prevention groups to stop addicts with a heavy dose of information technology.
Early last month, police officers and pharmacists in the Seattle area were introduced to RxPatrol, a nationwide database of robberies, break-ins and forged prescriptions at pharmacies. ...more
Just weeks before last Christmas, Nicholas A. Dent fed his addiction to painkillers through a relentless show of force. In 10 days, he robbed a dozen pharmacies for OxyContin pills before stepping in front a security camera that revealed his identity to police.
Dent, 28, is one of many drug addicts over the past few years behind a spike of violence against pharmacies.
Federal authorities went after the pharmaceutical company making the painkiller, Purdue Pharma, for misleading doctors about the drug's addictiveness. The company was made to pay more than $600 million in fines.
But Purdue has also joined police and crime-prevention groups to stop addicts with a heavy dose of information technology.
Early last month, police officers and pharmacists in the Seattle area were introduced to RxPatrol, a nationwide database of robberies, break-ins and forged prescriptions at pharmacies. ...more
More layoffs, cuts as U.S. drug makers face generics, other woes
From CBC News:
U.S. drugmakers beset by growing generic competition, few new blockbusters, drug safety concerns and pressure from insurers and government health programs to discount prices are cutting tens of thousands of jobs.
Nearly all of the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are restructuring, with some, such as Schering-Plough Corp., announcing plans to trim 10 per cent or more of the work force.
Since 2007, eight of the world's biggest drugmakers have announced the elimination of more than 42,000 jobs; two other major companies have eliminated another 12,200 jobs in the last few years.
"There are a lot of things going on making this the perfect storm for the industry," said Argus Research health-care analyst Martha Freitag. "My sense is maybe we're halfway through" the cost-cutting.
Today's struggles come after the industry's golden era in the 1990s, when a slew of new drugs quickly became blockbusters, fuelling almost routine double-digit quarterly profit increases and rising stock prices and dividends. ...more
U.S. drugmakers beset by growing generic competition, few new blockbusters, drug safety concerns and pressure from insurers and government health programs to discount prices are cutting tens of thousands of jobs.
Nearly all of the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are restructuring, with some, such as Schering-Plough Corp., announcing plans to trim 10 per cent or more of the work force.
Since 2007, eight of the world's biggest drugmakers have announced the elimination of more than 42,000 jobs; two other major companies have eliminated another 12,200 jobs in the last few years.
"There are a lot of things going on making this the perfect storm for the industry," said Argus Research health-care analyst Martha Freitag. "My sense is maybe we're halfway through" the cost-cutting.
Today's struggles come after the industry's golden era in the 1990s, when a slew of new drugs quickly became blockbusters, fuelling almost routine double-digit quarterly profit increases and rising stock prices and dividends. ...more
Drug Makers Near Old Goal: A Legal Shield
From the New York Times:
For years, Johnson & Johnson obscured evidence that its popular Ortho Evra birth control patch delivered much more estrogen than standard birth control pills, potentially increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes, according to internal company documents.
But because the Food and Drug Administration approved the patch, the company is arguing in court that it cannot be sued by women who claim that they were injured by the product — even though its old label inaccurately described the amount of estrogen it released.
This legal argument is called pre-emption. After decades of being dismissed by courts, the tactic now appears to be on the verge of success, lawyers for plaintiffs and drug companies say.
The Bush administration has argued strongly in favor of the doctrine, which holds that the F.D.A. is the only agency with enough expertise to regulate drug makers and that its decisions should not be second-guessed by courts. The Supreme Court is to rule on a case next term that could make pre-emption a legal standard for drug cases. The court already ruled in February that many suits against the makers of medical devices like pacemakers are pre-empted. ...more
For years, Johnson & Johnson obscured evidence that its popular Ortho Evra birth control patch delivered much more estrogen than standard birth control pills, potentially increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes, according to internal company documents.
But because the Food and Drug Administration approved the patch, the company is arguing in court that it cannot be sued by women who claim that they were injured by the product — even though its old label inaccurately described the amount of estrogen it released.
This legal argument is called pre-emption. After decades of being dismissed by courts, the tactic now appears to be on the verge of success, lawyers for plaintiffs and drug companies say.
The Bush administration has argued strongly in favor of the doctrine, which holds that the F.D.A. is the only agency with enough expertise to regulate drug makers and that its decisions should not be second-guessed by courts. The Supreme Court is to rule on a case next term that could make pre-emption a legal standard for drug cases. The court already ruled in February that many suits against the makers of medical devices like pacemakers are pre-empted. ...more
Thursday, April 03, 2008
MD: ‘So far, so good’ on Pharmacare
From the Halifax Chronicle Herald:
A Halifax doctor says the province’s month-old family Pharmacare program has helped some of her patients get the drugs they need.
"So far, so good," rheumatologist Dr. Dianne Mosher said Wednesday.
Nova Scotia has the highest prevalence of arthritis in Canada.
Earlier this year, Arthritis Consumer Experts, a national education organization for people with the inflammatory joint disease, gave the province a C-minus grade for access to medically necessary treatments.
But the family drug program, which began March 1, is meant to help the 30 per cent of Nova Scotians who have no private drug insurance afford the medications they need. ...more
A Halifax doctor says the province’s month-old family Pharmacare program has helped some of her patients get the drugs they need.
"So far, so good," rheumatologist Dr. Dianne Mosher said Wednesday.
Nova Scotia has the highest prevalence of arthritis in Canada.
Earlier this year, Arthritis Consumer Experts, a national education organization for people with the inflammatory joint disease, gave the province a C-minus grade for access to medically necessary treatments.
But the family drug program, which began March 1, is meant to help the 30 per cent of Nova Scotians who have no private drug insurance afford the medications they need. ...more
Spring clean your medicine cabinet
From the Calgary Herald:
Cleaning out the medicine cabinet is like cleaning out the fridge, but with a lot less "ewwws!"
The expired medications and health stuff you find may be years past the best-before date, but at least it's not leftovers covered in fuzzy green mould or foul-smelling, stomach-turning black slime.
The worst thing Kory Sloan of St. Albert, Alta., encountered while cleaning out his grandfather's cupboards was a bottle of really old pain-relieving tablets that smelled like vinegar. The smell is a sign the medication has gone bad.
Not that you should stick your nose into an expired container before deciding to chuck it out.
"The first thing they teach you in pharmacy school is don't put your nose into anything," says Edmonton pharmacist Ali Damani.
"If it's toxic, you could pass out from it." ...more
Cleaning out the medicine cabinet is like cleaning out the fridge, but with a lot less "ewwws!"
The expired medications and health stuff you find may be years past the best-before date, but at least it's not leftovers covered in fuzzy green mould or foul-smelling, stomach-turning black slime.
The worst thing Kory Sloan of St. Albert, Alta., encountered while cleaning out his grandfather's cupboards was a bottle of really old pain-relieving tablets that smelled like vinegar. The smell is a sign the medication has gone bad.
Not that you should stick your nose into an expired container before deciding to chuck it out.
"The first thing they teach you in pharmacy school is don't put your nose into anything," says Edmonton pharmacist Ali Damani.
"If it's toxic, you could pass out from it." ...more
New Brunswick to set up online drug-control program
From CBC News:
The New Brunswick government has awarded the contract for development of an online drug control program to Medavie Blue Cross of Moncton.
Health Minister Mike Murphy made the announcement Tuesday afternoon in the provincial legislature in Fredericton.
The program will allow the province to track the use of prescribed narcotics like OxyContin, which is a group of drugs similar to morphine, and Dilaudid, a derivative of morphine.
The program will also monitor the prescribing patterns of doctors and drug patterns of patients, Murphy said.
Pharmacists will be taught how to use the new online program, Murphy said.
"All of the province's approximately 190 community pharmacies will be linked in the system, and pharmacists trained over a period of about one year," Murphy said. ...more
The New Brunswick government has awarded the contract for development of an online drug control program to Medavie Blue Cross of Moncton.
Health Minister Mike Murphy made the announcement Tuesday afternoon in the provincial legislature in Fredericton.
The program will allow the province to track the use of prescribed narcotics like OxyContin, which is a group of drugs similar to morphine, and Dilaudid, a derivative of morphine.
The program will also monitor the prescribing patterns of doctors and drug patterns of patients, Murphy said.
Pharmacists will be taught how to use the new online program, Murphy said.
"All of the province's approximately 190 community pharmacies will be linked in the system, and pharmacists trained over a period of about one year," Murphy said. ...more
Program to teach docs new options
From Surrey (BC) Now:
n a bid to stem the soaring cost of prescription drugs, the province has launched a new program aimed at educating doctors about new therapies.
Under the academic detailing program, a pharmacist will visit physicians one-on-one and educate them on the latest information and research findings on various medications.
Research shows that a key source of information on prescription drugs for doctors after medical school is drug manufacturers, who have a vested interest in promoting their products.
Health Minister George Abbott says doctors need an independent source of information.
Abbott said putting people on the best drug regime at the start of their treatment is better for patients and will ultimately curb the rising cost of PharmaCare. ...more
n a bid to stem the soaring cost of prescription drugs, the province has launched a new program aimed at educating doctors about new therapies.
Under the academic detailing program, a pharmacist will visit physicians one-on-one and educate them on the latest information and research findings on various medications.
Research shows that a key source of information on prescription drugs for doctors after medical school is drug manufacturers, who have a vested interest in promoting their products.
Health Minister George Abbott says doctors need an independent source of information.
Abbott said putting people on the best drug regime at the start of their treatment is better for patients and will ultimately curb the rising cost of PharmaCare. ...more
Natural remedies, drugs may pose danger
From the National Post:
A surprisingly large number of children are taking combinations of natural-health products and drugs that could trigger harmful reactions in the young patients, new Canadian research suggests.
A false sense among some parents that natural remedies are completely safe seems to underlie the problem, said one of the study's authors.
Researchers found that nearly one in five children who showed up at a B.C. emergency ward had been given natural remedies and other medicines that could have negative -- and sometimes serious -- interactions, the study found.
The natural products ranged from common vitamins to ginger, echinacea and St. John's wort.
The research, just published in the Journal of Pediatrics, did not delve into whether the combinations of products did, in fact, cause such harm. ...more
A surprisingly large number of children are taking combinations of natural-health products and drugs that could trigger harmful reactions in the young patients, new Canadian research suggests.
A false sense among some parents that natural remedies are completely safe seems to underlie the problem, said one of the study's authors.
Researchers found that nearly one in five children who showed up at a B.C. emergency ward had been given natural remedies and other medicines that could have negative -- and sometimes serious -- interactions, the study found.
The natural products ranged from common vitamins to ginger, echinacea and St. John's wort.
The research, just published in the Journal of Pediatrics, did not delve into whether the combinations of products did, in fact, cause such harm. ...more
MDs marvel at blood pressure drug combo
From the Toronto Star:
An international drug trial that could change the way high blood pressure is controlled has shown a combination of two common hypertension medications can bring the often-lethal condition under control, even in the most dangerous cases.
In the trial, which was stopped early because the results were so positive, researchers found patients who took a so-called ACE-inhibitor and CCB combination pill suffered 20 per cent fewer major cardiac events, including death from heart attack and stroke.
The drug combination also effectively controlled blood pressure levels for 80 per cent of patients with the most serious hypertensions.
The interim results, which doctors say should "shake the foundations" of current treatment, were presented yesterday at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Chicago.
Study leader Dr. Kenneth Jamerson, professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, said an independent monitoring board recommended ending the trial after only 60 per cent of the data had been collected because the results were so conclusive and could potentially benefit millions of patients. ...more
An international drug trial that could change the way high blood pressure is controlled has shown a combination of two common hypertension medications can bring the often-lethal condition under control, even in the most dangerous cases.
In the trial, which was stopped early because the results were so positive, researchers found patients who took a so-called ACE-inhibitor and CCB combination pill suffered 20 per cent fewer major cardiac events, including death from heart attack and stroke.
The drug combination also effectively controlled blood pressure levels for 80 per cent of patients with the most serious hypertensions.
The interim results, which doctors say should "shake the foundations" of current treatment, were presented yesterday at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Chicago.
Study leader Dr. Kenneth Jamerson, professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, said an independent monitoring board recommended ending the trial after only 60 per cent of the data had been collected because the results were so conclusive and could potentially benefit millions of patients. ...more
Teen fears he may die without test drug
From the Globe and Mail:
An Alberta teenager fears he could die within six months if he cannot get an experimental drug for an extremely rare disease.
Seventeen-year-old Trevor Pare suffers from Pompe Disease and has been taking the drug Myozyme for the past four years as part of a clinical trial.
But the trial runs out at the end of May, leaving his family on the hook for the nearly $500,000 annual cost.
Pompe is a hereditary disease caused by a mutation in the gene that produces the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, which the body needs to break down glycogen. ...more
An Alberta teenager fears he could die within six months if he cannot get an experimental drug for an extremely rare disease.
Seventeen-year-old Trevor Pare suffers from Pompe Disease and has been taking the drug Myozyme for the past four years as part of a clinical trial.
But the trial runs out at the end of May, leaving his family on the hook for the nearly $500,000 annual cost.
Pompe is a hereditary disease caused by a mutation in the gene that produces the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, which the body needs to break down glycogen. ...more
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Take a clean pill
From the Halifax Chronicle Herald:
BRENT FAY has helped make chocolate trays and winter tires, and all that experience came in to play developing a brand new product that prevents potentially deadly reactions in people who are taking medicine.
Mr. Fay and his partner Michael Jarvis are making the world’s first self-cleaning pill dispensing system, and they’re doing it out of their machine shop in Chester.
It’s been tested by the National Research Council, where scientists have proven it is a drastic improvement over the traditional plastic trays pharmacists use to dispense pills.
The two men recently incorporated their business under the name Clean Count Inc. and are awaiting the patent for their system. ...more
BRENT FAY has helped make chocolate trays and winter tires, and all that experience came in to play developing a brand new product that prevents potentially deadly reactions in people who are taking medicine.
Mr. Fay and his partner Michael Jarvis are making the world’s first self-cleaning pill dispensing system, and they’re doing it out of their machine shop in Chester.
It’s been tested by the National Research Council, where scientists have proven it is a drastic improvement over the traditional plastic trays pharmacists use to dispense pills.
The two men recently incorporated their business under the name Clean Count Inc. and are awaiting the patent for their system. ...more
Psychiatric drugs causing weight gain: doctors
From the Vancouver Sun:
The very drugs millions of Canadians are taking to get through their day can cause dramatic weight gain, doctors are warning.
Psychiatric drug-related weight gain "is a huge problem," says Dr. David Lau, chair of the diabetes and endocrine research group at the University of Calgary and president of Obesity Canada.
"You can see patients gaining 10, 20, 30, 40 pounds," Lau says.
Not everyone taking antidepressants, mood stabilizers or newer generation antipsychotics will gain weight, he stressed. What's more, he said new antipsychotics, so-called "atypical antipsychotics" have been "tremendous in terms of bringing back the functionality of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression." ...more
The very drugs millions of Canadians are taking to get through their day can cause dramatic weight gain, doctors are warning.
Psychiatric drug-related weight gain "is a huge problem," says Dr. David Lau, chair of the diabetes and endocrine research group at the University of Calgary and president of Obesity Canada.
"You can see patients gaining 10, 20, 30, 40 pounds," Lau says.
Not everyone taking antidepressants, mood stabilizers or newer generation antipsychotics will gain weight, he stressed. What's more, he said new antipsychotics, so-called "atypical antipsychotics" have been "tremendous in terms of bringing back the functionality of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression." ...more
Monday, March 31, 2008
ACE Inhibitor as Effective as More Expensive Blood Pressure Drug
From U.S. News and World Report:
Treatment with an ACE inhibitor drug was as effective in reducing deaths, heart attacks and stroke in a high-risk group of patients as a newer and more expensive angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) drug, a large international study has found.
The study of more than 17,000 people with coronary artery disease or diabetes found no major differences between those treated with the widely used ACE inhibitor ramipril (Altace) and those given the ARB telmisartan (Micardis).
"This is the first study in such a population that shows ACE inhibitors are as effective as ARBs," said study leader Dr. Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. ...more
Treatment with an ACE inhibitor drug was as effective in reducing deaths, heart attacks and stroke in a high-risk group of patients as a newer and more expensive angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) drug, a large international study has found.
The study of more than 17,000 people with coronary artery disease or diabetes found no major differences between those treated with the widely used ACE inhibitor ramipril (Altace) and those given the ARB telmisartan (Micardis).
"This is the first study in such a population that shows ACE inhibitors are as effective as ARBs," said study leader Dr. Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. ...more
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Further Details on Recall of Contaminated Heparin
From Health Canada:
The following is to update Canadians on the recall of contaminated lots of heparin products from B. Braun Medical Inc., and the ongoing testing of the heparin supply in Canada.
The presence of a contaminant in the active pharmaceutical ingredients of certain lots of B. Braun heparin products was first identified by Health Canada and communicated to Canadians on March 20, 2008. This contaminant has been found in the following specific products and lots, which are being recalled ...more
The following is to update Canadians on the recall of contaminated lots of heparin products from B. Braun Medical Inc., and the ongoing testing of the heparin supply in Canada.
The presence of a contaminant in the active pharmaceutical ingredients of certain lots of B. Braun heparin products was first identified by Health Canada and communicated to Canadians on March 20, 2008. This contaminant has been found in the following specific products and lots, which are being recalled ...more
Drug recalls linked to U.S. testing deadlines
From the Globe and Mail:
New drugs that are rushed through the approval process to meet government-imposed deadlines in the United States are much more likely to be the subject of recalls and safety problems, reveals a new study that sheds light on how these constraints affect decisions made by health officials.
Working within rigid deadlines may put too much pressure on health regulators, compromising their ability to focus adequate attention on the safety and efficacy of the drug, as well as the quality of clinical data submitted by the pharmaceutical company, according to the study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Deadlines are a part of life and they do a lot," said Daniel Carpenter, professor of government at Harvard University and lead author of the study. "The question is should we be relying so heavily on deadlines, or could we rely a little bit less on deadlines and a little more on resources?" ...more
New drugs that are rushed through the approval process to meet government-imposed deadlines in the United States are much more likely to be the subject of recalls and safety problems, reveals a new study that sheds light on how these constraints affect decisions made by health officials.
Working within rigid deadlines may put too much pressure on health regulators, compromising their ability to focus adequate attention on the safety and efficacy of the drug, as well as the quality of clinical data submitted by the pharmaceutical company, according to the study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Deadlines are a part of life and they do a lot," said Daniel Carpenter, professor of government at Harvard University and lead author of the study. "The question is should we be relying so heavily on deadlines, or could we rely a little bit less on deadlines and a little more on resources?" ...more
Company kept heparin on market during tests
From the Globe and Mail:
A drug company continued to market its heparin products in Canada even though it knew its supplier was implicated in a growing scandal involving tainted ingredients that have been linked to 19 deaths and hundreds of illnesses in the United States.
B. Braun Medical Inc. announced a recall of its heparin products in Canada, the United States and Australia last Friday, after tests confirmed some products were contaminated with an ingredient also found in heparin products recalled a month ago by Baxter International Inc., which is now the subject of a major U.S. investigation.
Baxter purchased the contaminated ingredients from Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC, a Wisconsin-based company that has a factory in China. B. Braun Medical also buys its heparin ingredients from SPL, but didn't issue a recall until tests confirmed the contamination, weeks after the supplier's ingredients were first called into question. ...more
A drug company continued to market its heparin products in Canada even though it knew its supplier was implicated in a growing scandal involving tainted ingredients that have been linked to 19 deaths and hundreds of illnesses in the United States.
B. Braun Medical Inc. announced a recall of its heparin products in Canada, the United States and Australia last Friday, after tests confirmed some products were contaminated with an ingredient also found in heparin products recalled a month ago by Baxter International Inc., which is now the subject of a major U.S. investigation.
Baxter purchased the contaminated ingredients from Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC, a Wisconsin-based company that has a factory in China. B. Braun Medical also buys its heparin ingredients from SPL, but didn't issue a recall until tests confirmed the contamination, weeks after the supplier's ingredients were first called into question. ...more
Prescription drug sales see slower growth
From Canada.com:
Sales of prescription drugs in Canada grew by 6.3 per cent last year, the slowest rate in a decade, health industry tracker IMS Health said Wednesday.
The rate, on sales of almost $19 billion worth of prescription medication, is about two percentage points lower than the average growth of 8.4 per cent between 2002 and 2006, IMS Health said in a statement.
IMS attributed the slower sales growth to product withdrawals issued by Health Canada, along with the expiry of patents on several major brand-named drugs. ...more
Sales of prescription drugs in Canada grew by 6.3 per cent last year, the slowest rate in a decade, health industry tracker IMS Health said Wednesday.
The rate, on sales of almost $19 billion worth of prescription medication, is about two percentage points lower than the average growth of 8.4 per cent between 2002 and 2006, IMS Health said in a statement.
IMS attributed the slower sales growth to product withdrawals issued by Health Canada, along with the expiry of patents on several major brand-named drugs. ...more
Depression drugs linked to diabetes
From the Edmonton Sun:
People using two specific kinds of antidepressants are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, says a University of Alberta PhD candidate.
Lauren Brown, 29, has studied the relationship between depression and diabetes for several years.
Her previous research showed that people are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if they are clinically depressed, and prompted her to investigate whether antidepressants trigger the disease.
In a paper recently published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice journal, she concludes that people using two specific types of drug - selective serotonin re- uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) - are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. ...more
People using two specific kinds of antidepressants are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, says a University of Alberta PhD candidate.
Lauren Brown, 29, has studied the relationship between depression and diabetes for several years.
Her previous research showed that people are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if they are clinically depressed, and prompted her to investigate whether antidepressants trigger the disease.
In a paper recently published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice journal, she concludes that people using two specific types of drug - selective serotonin re- uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) - are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. ...more
Provinces should cover pricey Lucentis: federal body
From CTV News:
A federal body that reviews medications has recommended that a high-cost drug for treating one form of the leading cause of vision loss among older Canadians be covered by provincial insurance plans.
The Common Drug Review recommended Friday that provincial drug plans cover the drug Lucentis for the "wet" form of age-related macular degeneration, but limit coverage to 15 vials "to treat the better-seeing eye."
The CDR said Lucentis has been shown to be effective in stabilizing and improving sight in people with wet macular degeneration. ...more
A federal body that reviews medications has recommended that a high-cost drug for treating one form of the leading cause of vision loss among older Canadians be covered by provincial insurance plans.
The Common Drug Review recommended Friday that provincial drug plans cover the drug Lucentis for the "wet" form of age-related macular degeneration, but limit coverage to 15 vials "to treat the better-seeing eye."
The CDR said Lucentis has been shown to be effective in stabilizing and improving sight in people with wet macular degeneration. ...more
Ad ban probably saved Canadians $150 million in 2006 for cholesterol drug
From 660 News Calgary:
Canada's ban on direct-to-consumer drug advertising probably saved Canadians with high cholesterol and their drug plans $150 million in 2006 alone, suggests a new study comparing sales patterns of a controversial cholesterol lowering drug in the United States and Canada.
Canadian sales of the drug Ezetrol - the generic name is ezetimibe - were four times lower than those rung up south of the border, where the drugs' manufacturers spent US$200 million advertising the drug to consumers in 2007.
Sales of ezetimibe, which is sold solo in the U.S. as Zetia or combined with a statin drug as Vytorin, are expected to drop after Sunday's release of trial results showing the drug failed to slow atherosclerosis, the clogging of the arteries with fatty deposits.
"It basically shows that the approach in Canada to this whole drug was much more appropriate and evidence-based compared to the U.S. approach where basically it's been marketed very aggressively," said Dr. Jack Tu, one of the authors of the study comparing usage trends in the two countries.
"It's sort of a textbook example of the potential downsides if you have direct-to-consumer advertising where the manufacturer potentially can promote new and expensive drugs that don't have a huge amount of evidence behind them and get them to be first-line therapy as opposed to older, cheaper medications with a lot more evidence." ...more
Canada's ban on direct-to-consumer drug advertising probably saved Canadians with high cholesterol and their drug plans $150 million in 2006 alone, suggests a new study comparing sales patterns of a controversial cholesterol lowering drug in the United States and Canada.
Canadian sales of the drug Ezetrol - the generic name is ezetimibe - were four times lower than those rung up south of the border, where the drugs' manufacturers spent US$200 million advertising the drug to consumers in 2007.
Sales of ezetimibe, which is sold solo in the U.S. as Zetia or combined with a statin drug as Vytorin, are expected to drop after Sunday's release of trial results showing the drug failed to slow atherosclerosis, the clogging of the arteries with fatty deposits.
"It basically shows that the approach in Canada to this whole drug was much more appropriate and evidence-based compared to the U.S. approach where basically it's been marketed very aggressively," said Dr. Jack Tu, one of the authors of the study comparing usage trends in the two countries.
"It's sort of a textbook example of the potential downsides if you have direct-to-consumer advertising where the manufacturer potentially can promote new and expensive drugs that don't have a huge amount of evidence behind them and get them to be first-line therapy as opposed to older, cheaper medications with a lot more evidence." ...more
FDA, Health Canada probing possible suicide link with allergy drug Singulair
From the Canadian Press:
U.S. and Canadian drug regulators are investigating the popular allergy medication Singulair in response to reports of mood changes, suicidal behaviour and suicide in patients.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is reviewing a handful of such patient reports and has asked Singulair's maker, Merck & Co., to dig deeper into its data for more evidence of possible links to suicide.
Meanwhile, "patients should not stop taking Singulair before talking to their doctor," the FDA said in a statement, adding that doctors should monitor patients for suicidal behaviour and mood changes.
Health Canada is also investigating a possible link between Singulair and suicidal behaviour, said spokesman Paul Duchesne, noting that consumers should see their doctors if they have concerns about taking the prescription drug.
He was unaware of any reports of suicide among Canadians taking the medication.
The FDA said it has not established a "causal relationship" between Merck's drug and suicidal behaviour. The review was prompted by three to four suicide reports it has received since last October, an agency spokeswoman said. ...more
U.S. and Canadian drug regulators are investigating the popular allergy medication Singulair in response to reports of mood changes, suicidal behaviour and suicide in patients.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is reviewing a handful of such patient reports and has asked Singulair's maker, Merck & Co., to dig deeper into its data for more evidence of possible links to suicide.
Meanwhile, "patients should not stop taking Singulair before talking to their doctor," the FDA said in a statement, adding that doctors should monitor patients for suicidal behaviour and mood changes.
Health Canada is also investigating a possible link between Singulair and suicidal behaviour, said spokesman Paul Duchesne, noting that consumers should see their doctors if they have concerns about taking the prescription drug.
He was unaware of any reports of suicide among Canadians taking the medication.
The FDA said it has not established a "causal relationship" between Merck's drug and suicidal behaviour. The review was prompted by three to four suicide reports it has received since last October, an agency spokeswoman said. ...more
FDA reviews safety of HIV drugs from Glaxo, Bristol-Myers after heart attack risks
From the Canadian Press:
The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday recent data show patients taking HIV drugs from GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb may have increased risk of heart attack.
FDA said data pooled from a 33,000-patient study of HIV patients showed those taking Glaxo's Ziagen and Bristol-Myers' Videx had a greater chance of heart attack than patients on other medications.
Labelling changes could be needed for the drugs, FDA said, though it stressed it is still working with incomplete data. The agency does not have information on heart attack risks of two other drugs in the class of virus-fighting medications. ...more
The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday recent data show patients taking HIV drugs from GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb may have increased risk of heart attack.
FDA said data pooled from a 33,000-patient study of HIV patients showed those taking Glaxo's Ziagen and Bristol-Myers' Videx had a greater chance of heart attack than patients on other medications.
Labelling changes could be needed for the drugs, FDA said, though it stressed it is still working with incomplete data. The agency does not have information on heart attack risks of two other drugs in the class of virus-fighting medications. ...more
Drug-resistant Staph killed 2,300 Canadians in 2006
From CTV News:
An estimated 2,300 Canadians died in 2006 after contracting antibiotic resistant Staph bacteria, costing the national heath-care system between $200 million and $250 million that year, new figures suggest.
The figures, based on data gathered from a national surveillance program undertaken in 48 Canadian hospitals, indicate doctors saw 29,000 new patients carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria on their skin or nostrils in 2006.
Of those, 11,700 contracted new MRSA infections.
MRSA, one of the strongest drug-resistant bacteria currently known, can live on human skin without causing infection. However, if it gains entry to the body through a cut or wound, it can cause serious illness and death, according to the Mayo Clinic's website. ...more
An estimated 2,300 Canadians died in 2006 after contracting antibiotic resistant Staph bacteria, costing the national heath-care system between $200 million and $250 million that year, new figures suggest.
The figures, based on data gathered from a national surveillance program undertaken in 48 Canadian hospitals, indicate doctors saw 29,000 new patients carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria on their skin or nostrils in 2006.
Of those, 11,700 contracted new MRSA infections.
MRSA, one of the strongest drug-resistant bacteria currently known, can live on human skin without causing infection. However, if it gains entry to the body through a cut or wound, it can cause serious illness and death, according to the Mayo Clinic's website. ...more
Doctors dining on pharma's 'free lunch'; Continuing education of Canada's doctors 'a broken system'
From the Niagara Falls (Ont.)Review:
The system that keeps working doctors abreast of medical developments is too reliant on drug company funding and organization and needs an overhaul, the Canadian Medical Organization Journal said in an editorial published this week.
The strongly worded editorial, written by the journal's editor-in-chief, said giving drug companies such control over the continuing medical education of doctors distorts medical practice and compromises the ethical underpinnings of the profession.
The author, Dr. Paul Hebert, placed much of the blame on doctors themselves, saying they have developed a sense of entitlement to the lavish perks often paired with continuing medical education programs - things like tickets to the ballet or professional sporting events, cruises or access to exclusive golf courses.
"Over the years, the powerful pharmaceutical enticements have resulted in physicians believing that strong industry involvement is not only normal, but also that they are entitled to receive the benefits. This culture of entitlement is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome," Hebert wrote. ...more
The system that keeps working doctors abreast of medical developments is too reliant on drug company funding and organization and needs an overhaul, the Canadian Medical Organization Journal said in an editorial published this week.
The strongly worded editorial, written by the journal's editor-in-chief, said giving drug companies such control over the continuing medical education of doctors distorts medical practice and compromises the ethical underpinnings of the profession.
The author, Dr. Paul Hebert, placed much of the blame on doctors themselves, saying they have developed a sense of entitlement to the lavish perks often paired with continuing medical education programs - things like tickets to the ballet or professional sporting events, cruises or access to exclusive golf courses.
"Over the years, the powerful pharmaceutical enticements have resulted in physicians believing that strong industry involvement is not only normal, but also that they are entitled to receive the benefits. This culture of entitlement is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome," Hebert wrote. ...more
Thursday, March 13, 2008
SEBIVO (telbivudine) - Advisories, Warnings & Recalls
From Health Canada:
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., in consultation with Health Canada, would like to inform you of an increased risk of peripheral neuropathy observed in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with telbivudine (SEBIVO®) in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys®), compared to the interferon or telbivudine alone, during a controlled pilot clinical trial. An increased risk cannot be ruled out for treatments combining telbivudine with other interferon products (pegylated or standard).
For health care professionals
For the public
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., in consultation with Health Canada, would like to inform you of an increased risk of peripheral neuropathy observed in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with telbivudine (SEBIVO®) in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys®), compared to the interferon or telbivudine alone, during a controlled pilot clinical trial. An increased risk cannot be ruled out for treatments combining telbivudine with other interferon products (pegylated or standard).
For health care professionals
For the public
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Drugs in Water Hurt Fish and Wildlife
From the Associated Press:
On this brisk, glittering morning, a flat-bottomed boat glides across the massive reservoir that provides Las Vegas its drinking water. An ominous rumble growls beneath the craft as its two long, electrified claws extend into the depths.
Moments later, dozens of stunned fish float to the surface.
Federal scientists scoop them up and transfer them into 50-quart Coleman ice chests for transport to a makeshift lab on the dusty lakeshore. Within the hour, the researchers will club the seven-pound common carps to death, draw their blood, snip out their gonads and pack them in aluminum foil and dry ice.
The specimens will be flown across the country to laboratories where aquatic toxicologists are studying what happens to fish that live in water contaminated with at least 13 different medications — from over-the-counter pain killers to prescription antibiotics and mood stabilizers.
More often than not these days, the laboratory tests bring unwelcome results.
A five-month Associated Press investigation has determined that trace amounts of many of the pharmaceuticals we take to stay healthy are seeping into drinking water supplies, and a growing body of research indicates that this could harm humans. ...more
On this brisk, glittering morning, a flat-bottomed boat glides across the massive reservoir that provides Las Vegas its drinking water. An ominous rumble growls beneath the craft as its two long, electrified claws extend into the depths.
Moments later, dozens of stunned fish float to the surface.
Federal scientists scoop them up and transfer them into 50-quart Coleman ice chests for transport to a makeshift lab on the dusty lakeshore. Within the hour, the researchers will club the seven-pound common carps to death, draw their blood, snip out their gonads and pack them in aluminum foil and dry ice.
The specimens will be flown across the country to laboratories where aquatic toxicologists are studying what happens to fish that live in water contaminated with at least 13 different medications — from over-the-counter pain killers to prescription antibiotics and mood stabilizers.
More often than not these days, the laboratory tests bring unwelcome results.
A five-month Associated Press investigation has determined that trace amounts of many of the pharmaceuticals we take to stay healthy are seeping into drinking water supplies, and a growing body of research indicates that this could harm humans. ...more
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Dying for drugs
From the Charlottetown (PEI) Guardian:
Many sick Islanders are paying a very heavy price for poor provincial drug coverage — some the ultimate one.
P.E.I. drug programs only cover a small portion of the population: seniors, low-income families and those with one of the province’s “selected diseases.’’
There is a large gap of people, notably many that fall between the ages of 40 and early 60s, that don’t qualify for any of the drug programs, says Pat Crawford, pharmacy consultant with the Department of Health and Social Services and Seniors.
Many sick Islanders, Crawford said, likely make the decision not to take a helpful medication because they have insufficient coverage or none at all.
Asked about the potential fallout, he said: “They can get sicker.’’
And even die more quickly?
“That is correct — and that is likely happening now,’’ he said. ...more
Many sick Islanders are paying a very heavy price for poor provincial drug coverage — some the ultimate one.
P.E.I. drug programs only cover a small portion of the population: seniors, low-income families and those with one of the province’s “selected diseases.’’
There is a large gap of people, notably many that fall between the ages of 40 and early 60s, that don’t qualify for any of the drug programs, says Pat Crawford, pharmacy consultant with the Department of Health and Social Services and Seniors.
Many sick Islanders, Crawford said, likely make the decision not to take a helpful medication because they have insufficient coverage or none at all.
Asked about the potential fallout, he said: “They can get sicker.’’
And even die more quickly?
“That is correct — and that is likely happening now,’’ he said. ...more
Drug to treat excess iron in blood may cause liver problems: Health Canada
From the Canadian Press:
Health Canada is updating safety information for a drug used to treat chronic iron overload from blood transfusions after reports of severe, even potentially fatal, liver problems in some people using the medication.
Exjade (deferasirox), made by Novartis, is used to treat excess iron accumulation in the blood following transfusions for anemia in adults, adolescents and children aged six and over. Children under six cannot be adequately treated with the drug.
Cases of severe liver problems - some causing death - have been reported internationally following Exjade's approval for widespread use in various countries, including Canada.
As of Oct. 31, 2007, almost 37,000 patients have been treated with Exjade worldwide. In all, there have been 24 reports of liver failure - two of them in Canada. Most of these cases involved patients that already had multiple medical conditions, including liver disease (cirrhosis) and multiple organ failure. ...more
Exjade warning from Health Canada for health professionals
Exjade warning from Health Canada for the public
Health Canada is updating safety information for a drug used to treat chronic iron overload from blood transfusions after reports of severe, even potentially fatal, liver problems in some people using the medication.
Exjade (deferasirox), made by Novartis, is used to treat excess iron accumulation in the blood following transfusions for anemia in adults, adolescents and children aged six and over. Children under six cannot be adequately treated with the drug.
Cases of severe liver problems - some causing death - have been reported internationally following Exjade's approval for widespread use in various countries, including Canada.
As of Oct. 31, 2007, almost 37,000 patients have been treated with Exjade worldwide. In all, there have been 24 reports of liver failure - two of them in Canada. Most of these cases involved patients that already had multiple medical conditions, including liver disease (cirrhosis) and multiple organ failure. ...more
Exjade warning from Health Canada for health professionals
Exjade warning from Health Canada for the public
Return old pills to pharmacy, don't flush down the toilet: B.C. health minister
From CBC News:
Health Minister George Abbott says tossing old pills into the garbage or flushing them down the toilet can make animals, people and the environment sick.
He urged British Columbians on Tuesday to take their unused prescription drugs and medicine to a local pharmacist where they will be safely stored and disposed of at a later date.
Thousands of kilograms of medications are thrown out every year in British Columbia, Abbott said.
Old pills tossed in the garbage may be found by children or animals and they can end up leaching into ground water from local landfills, Abbott said.
And pills dumped down the toilet or sink end up in local sewage systems and some can find their way into drinking water systems, he said.
...more
Health Minister George Abbott says tossing old pills into the garbage or flushing them down the toilet can make animals, people and the environment sick.
He urged British Columbians on Tuesday to take their unused prescription drugs and medicine to a local pharmacist where they will be safely stored and disposed of at a later date.
Thousands of kilograms of medications are thrown out every year in British Columbia, Abbott said.
Old pills tossed in the garbage may be found by children or animals and they can end up leaching into ground water from local landfills, Abbott said.
And pills dumped down the toilet or sink end up in local sewage systems and some can find their way into drinking water systems, he said.
...more
Drug recall puts overseas inspections in spotlight
From the Globe and Mail:
A major U.S. recall of a blood-thinning drug linked to a Chinese factory last week is prompting new questions over the ability of government and industry to ensure the safety of drugs made with ingredients from China.
China has become one of the world's largest suppliers of pharmaceutical ingredients, but the country's questionable safety reputation, combined with reports of death and serious illness associated with Chinese products in the past year, has convinced some experts and industry members that North American governments need a more aggressive approach to overseas inspections and safety checks.
The issue has reached a boiling point in the United States in recent days after Baxter International Inc. expanded its nationwide recall of heparin, a blood thinner, amid reports it had been linked to 19 deaths and hundreds of illnesses. The affected products are not sold in Canada.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week that the problems may be the result of a counterfeit ingredient from China that was used in the drug. U.S. health officials had never inspected the Chinese factory owned by U.S.-based Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC where some of the raw heparin ingredients were processed. When U.S. inspectors finally visited the plant last month, they found evidence of and quality-control and hygiene problems. ...more
A major U.S. recall of a blood-thinning drug linked to a Chinese factory last week is prompting new questions over the ability of government and industry to ensure the safety of drugs made with ingredients from China.
China has become one of the world's largest suppliers of pharmaceutical ingredients, but the country's questionable safety reputation, combined with reports of death and serious illness associated with Chinese products in the past year, has convinced some experts and industry members that North American governments need a more aggressive approach to overseas inspections and safety checks.
The issue has reached a boiling point in the United States in recent days after Baxter International Inc. expanded its nationwide recall of heparin, a blood thinner, amid reports it had been linked to 19 deaths and hundreds of illnesses. The affected products are not sold in Canada.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week that the problems may be the result of a counterfeit ingredient from China that was used in the drug. U.S. health officials had never inspected the Chinese factory owned by U.S.-based Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC where some of the raw heparin ingredients were processed. When U.S. inspectors finally visited the plant last month, they found evidence of and quality-control and hygiene problems. ...more
Prescribing powers gained by 15 pharmacists
From the Calgary Herald:
A group of 15 pharmacists in Alberta has become the first in Canada given powers to prescribe new medications to patients without needing final authorization from a doctor.
They were part of a pilot project to ensure all future pharmacists wanting additional prescribing powers under Alberta's Pharmacists Act are rigorously evaluated before taking on the new responsibility.
"Pharmacists are quite highly educated, and to just be stuck doing dispensing-type things, it's not really a good use of our training and expertise," said Christine Hughes, a pharmacist since 1994. ...more
A group of 15 pharmacists in Alberta has become the first in Canada given powers to prescribe new medications to patients without needing final authorization from a doctor.
They were part of a pilot project to ensure all future pharmacists wanting additional prescribing powers under Alberta's Pharmacists Act are rigorously evaluated before taking on the new responsibility.
"Pharmacists are quite highly educated, and to just be stuck doing dispensing-type things, it's not really a good use of our training and expertise," said Christine Hughes, a pharmacist since 1994. ...more
Hundreds dying of AIDS never accessed drug cocktails: report
From the Vancouver Province:
Hundreds of people with HIV are dying without ever taking the drug cocktails that can prolong their lives for decades and the biggest at-risk group is poor, homeless, mentally ill or drug-addicted.
A new study by the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS found 40 per cent of the 1,436 people who died of HIV-related causes between 1997 and 2005 hadn't accessed the antiretroviral drugs.
It found 567 persons, or about 63 a year or more than one every week, who had tested positive died without treatment.
The antiretrovirals have improved in the past 10 years from a "burdensome quantity of therapy" requiring "many doses, many side effects" to a once-a-day dose that can prolong a person's life for decades, said Dr. Julio Montaner, director of the centre.
They also prevent those infected from spreading the disease.
"The treatment is free and effective but in reality is not accessible to those who need it most," he said.
He said the problems of mental illness, homelessness, drug addiction and food security have to be tackled first because those infected may not be pursuing treatment of a long-term illness while they're faced with more immediate concerns. ...more
Hundreds of people with HIV are dying without ever taking the drug cocktails that can prolong their lives for decades and the biggest at-risk group is poor, homeless, mentally ill or drug-addicted.
A new study by the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS found 40 per cent of the 1,436 people who died of HIV-related causes between 1997 and 2005 hadn't accessed the antiretroviral drugs.
It found 567 persons, or about 63 a year or more than one every week, who had tested positive died without treatment.
The antiretrovirals have improved in the past 10 years from a "burdensome quantity of therapy" requiring "many doses, many side effects" to a once-a-day dose that can prolong a person's life for decades, said Dr. Julio Montaner, director of the centre.
They also prevent those infected from spreading the disease.
"The treatment is free and effective but in reality is not accessible to those who need it most," he said.
He said the problems of mental illness, homelessness, drug addiction and food security have to be tackled first because those infected may not be pursuing treatment of a long-term illness while they're faced with more immediate concerns. ...more
Friday, March 07, 2008
Reverse treatment aids Crohn's sufferers
From the Globe and Mail:
Conventional wisdom about the treatment of Crohn's disease is being turned on its head by a new study.
Traditionally, patients diagnosed with the devastating inflammatory bowel disease are treated with a "step-up" approach, a series of drugs given sequentially as their health deteriorates.
First, they get corticosteroids to control symptoms like abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. They are then prescribed a powerful immune-suppressing drug, which prepares them for a third medication, an antibody that curbs the inflammation at the root of the disease.
But a group of European and Canadian researchers decided to see what would happen if they treated newly diagnosed Crohn's patients immediately with a combination of an immune-suppressing drug, azathioprine, and an antibody, infliximab, simultaneously. Patients were only treated with steroids if they had symptoms.
In the study, published in today's edition of The Lancet, this "step-down" approach proved to be markedly more effective. ...more
Conventional wisdom about the treatment of Crohn's disease is being turned on its head by a new study.
Traditionally, patients diagnosed with the devastating inflammatory bowel disease are treated with a "step-up" approach, a series of drugs given sequentially as their health deteriorates.
First, they get corticosteroids to control symptoms like abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. They are then prescribed a powerful immune-suppressing drug, which prepares them for a third medication, an antibody that curbs the inflammation at the root of the disease.
But a group of European and Canadian researchers decided to see what would happen if they treated newly diagnosed Crohn's patients immediately with a combination of an immune-suppressing drug, azathioprine, and an antibody, infliximab, simultaneously. Patients were only treated with steroids if they had symptoms.
In the study, published in today's edition of The Lancet, this "step-down" approach proved to be markedly more effective. ...more
Germany recalls locally made blood thinner heparin; Canadian products differ
From the Canadian Press:
Germany's medical authority said Friday it has recalled a locally produced version of the blood thinner heparin believed to be linked to contaminated ingredients from China after 80 patients suffered adverse reactions.
Axel Thiele, a spokesman for the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, said the drug, produced by RotexMedica GmbH, was pulled from the market after 80 patients suffered shortness of breath, low blood pressure and episodes of rapid heartbeat.
No one taking the drug in Germany has died, he said, and no other drug companies' products are involved.
A different brand of heparin produced in the United States has been linked to 19 deaths there, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported.
On Friday, Health Canada said the U.S. deaths are associated with injectable heparin sodium made by Baxter International Inc., and these products are not sold in Canada. ...more
Germany's medical authority said Friday it has recalled a locally produced version of the blood thinner heparin believed to be linked to contaminated ingredients from China after 80 patients suffered adverse reactions.
Axel Thiele, a spokesman for the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, said the drug, produced by RotexMedica GmbH, was pulled from the market after 80 patients suffered shortness of breath, low blood pressure and episodes of rapid heartbeat.
No one taking the drug in Germany has died, he said, and no other drug companies' products are involved.
A different brand of heparin produced in the United States has been linked to 19 deaths there, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported.
On Friday, Health Canada said the U.S. deaths are associated with injectable heparin sodium made by Baxter International Inc., and these products are not sold in Canada. ...more
Drug import plan eyed
From the (Springfield, Mass.) Republican:
A city councilor said last night he will push the state to change its policy and let the city buy prescription drugs from Canada to save money, free up a revenue source and allow for the rescinding of the trash fee.
But other officials said multiple hurdles await such a move including that it is still illegal to import prescription drugs and opposition to the move by the head of a key state agency.
City Councilor James J. Ferrera III has pitched ending the fee of $90 a year per trash barrel, which has been unpopular with many people since its inception on July 1.
Ferrera answered challenges about how he would replace the trash fee's $3.5 million to $5 million in yearly revenue by saying the city could look into saving money by revisiting the Canadian prescription drug option.
In a maverick move that gained Springfield national attention in 2003, city employees and retirees were given the option of buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. ...more
A city councilor said last night he will push the state to change its policy and let the city buy prescription drugs from Canada to save money, free up a revenue source and allow for the rescinding of the trash fee.
But other officials said multiple hurdles await such a move including that it is still illegal to import prescription drugs and opposition to the move by the head of a key state agency.
City Councilor James J. Ferrera III has pitched ending the fee of $90 a year per trash barrel, which has been unpopular with many people since its inception on July 1.
Ferrera answered challenges about how he would replace the trash fee's $3.5 million to $5 million in yearly revenue by saying the city could look into saving money by revisiting the Canadian prescription drug option.
In a maverick move that gained Springfield national attention in 2003, city employees and retirees were given the option of buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. ...more
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Pain pill may go over the counter
As a pharmacist and as a patient, I'm thrilled about the prospect of OTC naproxen. My view is that it is no more dangerous than ibuprofen, which has been over the counter for years. It's analgesic effect and longer duration of action seals the deal for me.
It is curious that Health Canada has decided to address this now. Did someone request that the regulatory body re-evaluate the status of naproxen? With the long list of drugs already waiting for approval, it seems unlikely they decided to create a "make work" project for themselves.
It is curious that Health Canada has decided to address this now. Did someone request that the regulatory body re-evaluate the status of naproxen? With the long list of drugs already waiting for approval, it seems unlikely they decided to create a "make work" project for themselves.
From the National Post:
Health Canada is proposing to let a form of Naproxen be sold without a prescription for the first time, which would make the popular drug easily the most powerful painkiller available over the counter.
Some experts are questioning the change, though, noting that it comes as scientists shine increasing light on such "NSAID" medications and the risks they pose. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause ulcers and other stomach problems, may increase the risk of heart attacks and, one recent study suggests, seem to boost the danger of birth defects if taken by pregnant women.
"It's strange that we would be doing it now," said Dr. Pat Morley-Forster, head of the University of Western Ontario's multi-disciplinary pain centre. "I think it's a bad move."
Other specialists say the medicine is already available over the counter in the United States, and many Canadians bring shipments of it back across the border. They also note that Naproxen appears to be safer for the heart than other NSAIDs, such as Celebrex and Ibuprofen, which is sold in Canada without a prescription. ...more
B.C. man left blind after using prescription eye drops files lawsuit
From CBC News:
A British Columbia man who claims he went blind after using mislabelled prescription eye drops is suing a pharmacy and the drug company that makes the drops.
Harvey Yuill said in a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit filed Wednesday that the eye drops he bought in April 2006 contained a drug called Blue Collyrium.
"The misprescription was caused by the negligence of the defendants, which led to further complications and eventually the loss of vision," Yuill said in court documents.
Health Canada recalled the drug in May 2006 because of concern over possible side effects.
By then,Yuill claims, he had been using the drops for nearly a month after cataract surgery and suffered complications that caused him to go blind. ...more
A British Columbia man who claims he went blind after using mislabelled prescription eye drops is suing a pharmacy and the drug company that makes the drops.
Harvey Yuill said in a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit filed Wednesday that the eye drops he bought in April 2006 contained a drug called Blue Collyrium.
"The misprescription was caused by the negligence of the defendants, which led to further complications and eventually the loss of vision," Yuill said in court documents.
Health Canada recalled the drug in May 2006 because of concern over possible side effects.
By then,Yuill claims, he had been using the drops for nearly a month after cataract surgery and suffered complications that caused him to go blind. ...more
Tories push for cancer drug funds
From the Winnipeg Sun:
A cancer drug that can help patients live longer should be fully funded and not done on a “case-by-case basis” say the provincial Tories and a national cancer group.
“Why shouldn’t everybody have equal access to this drug?” said Barry Stein, president of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada.
“There needs to be quality of treatment for patients in Manitoba,” said Kelvin Goertzen, Tory health critic.
A spokeswoman for the province’s health minister Theresa Oswald said doctors can prescribe Avastin in Manitoba based on a patient’s need. The drug cost is covered in a limited number of cases. ...more
A cancer drug that can help patients live longer should be fully funded and not done on a “case-by-case basis” say the provincial Tories and a national cancer group.
“Why shouldn’t everybody have equal access to this drug?” said Barry Stein, president of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada.
“There needs to be quality of treatment for patients in Manitoba,” said Kelvin Goertzen, Tory health critic.
A spokeswoman for the province’s health minister Theresa Oswald said doctors can prescribe Avastin in Manitoba based on a patient’s need. The drug cost is covered in a limited number of cases. ...more
Luring African doctors criminal, says Vancouver researcher
From the Vancouver Sun:
Rich Western countries, including Canada, are demolishing African medical systems and destroying African lives by continuing to lure away their health care workers, a group of international medical experts led by a Vancouver doctor said Thursday.
The problem is so bad future active recruitment should be considered a crime in international law, argue the doctors, pharmacists and researchers in a commentary released today by the Lancet.
The article is the latest addition to a growing body of academic literature that suggests sub-Saharan Africa's ability to cope with the HIV/AIDS epidemic and even to provide basic health care is being crippled by the flow of medical personnel to the wealthy world. ...more
Rich Western countries, including Canada, are demolishing African medical systems and destroying African lives by continuing to lure away their health care workers, a group of international medical experts led by a Vancouver doctor said Thursday.
The problem is so bad future active recruitment should be considered a crime in international law, argue the doctors, pharmacists and researchers in a commentary released today by the Lancet.
The article is the latest addition to a growing body of academic literature that suggests sub-Saharan Africa's ability to cope with the HIV/AIDS epidemic and even to provide basic health care is being crippled by the flow of medical personnel to the wealthy world. ...more
FDA warns Duluth about presciption importation from Canada
From the Rochester (Minn.) Post Bulletin:
The Food and Drug Administration has warned the city of Duluth that a program to import prescription drugs from Canada and save money for city workers is unsafe and most likely violates federal law.
In a letter to Duluth Mayor Don Ness, the FDA warned that any packages sent to employees would likely be detained by U.S. Custom and Border Protection.
Ness, who inherited the program from former mayor Herb Bergson, said he would keep because it would continue to save the city taxpayer money on health costs -- up to $2 million a year, he said.
"If the FDA cannot give a definitive answer that this is illegal, that demonstrates the question is still out there," Ness told the Duluth News Tribune . "I'm hopeful that the federal government will address their own policy that seems to be designed to protect the profit margins of drug companies at the expense of the American citizen."
Importing prescription drugs from Canada has been hotly debated in Minnesota and the country the last few years. Gov. Tim Pawlenty was one of the first governors in the nation to implement a drug import program, and his administration has joined numerous government entities in ignoring similar letters from the FDA. ...more
The Food and Drug Administration has warned the city of Duluth that a program to import prescription drugs from Canada and save money for city workers is unsafe and most likely violates federal law.
In a letter to Duluth Mayor Don Ness, the FDA warned that any packages sent to employees would likely be detained by U.S. Custom and Border Protection.
Ness, who inherited the program from former mayor Herb Bergson, said he would keep because it would continue to save the city taxpayer money on health costs -- up to $2 million a year, he said.
"If the FDA cannot give a definitive answer that this is illegal, that demonstrates the question is still out there," Ness told the Duluth News Tribune . "I'm hopeful that the federal government will address their own policy that seems to be designed to protect the profit margins of drug companies at the expense of the American citizen."
Importing prescription drugs from Canada has been hotly debated in Minnesota and the country the last few years. Gov. Tim Pawlenty was one of the first governors in the nation to implement a drug import program, and his administration has joined numerous government entities in ignoring similar letters from the FDA. ...more
Cost is the real drug threat
From the Los Angeles Times:
In his weekend radio address, President Bush warned of rogue pharmacists making potentially dangerous prescription drugs readily available online.
"The Internet has brought about tremendous benefits for those who cannot easily get to a pharmacy in person," Bush said. "However, it has also created an opportunity for unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists to profit from addiction."
That's undoubtedly true, as are most observations that the Internet has become a hotbed of fraud and flimflammery. And I think we can all agree that patients should see doctors face to face, rather than via an online chat or survey, before receiving prescriptions for painkillers and other such meds.
But Dr. Bush is addressing a symptom and not the cause of one of the country's top medical problems. ...more
In his weekend radio address, President Bush warned of rogue pharmacists making potentially dangerous prescription drugs readily available online.
"The Internet has brought about tremendous benefits for those who cannot easily get to a pharmacy in person," Bush said. "However, it has also created an opportunity for unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists to profit from addiction."
That's undoubtedly true, as are most observations that the Internet has become a hotbed of fraud and flimflammery. And I think we can all agree that patients should see doctors face to face, rather than via an online chat or survey, before receiving prescriptions for painkillers and other such meds.
But Dr. Bush is addressing a symptom and not the cause of one of the country's top medical problems. ...more
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
N.S. premier encourages residents to enrol in new prescription drug plan
From the Amherst (NS) Daily News:
Nova Scotians living without prescription drug coverage are being encouraged to enrol in a provincial plan at no cost.
Rodney MacDonald launched the family pharmacare program Monday.
Individuals and their families are invited to enrol in the universal drug plan with no premiums or fees.
The program will cap annual out-of-pocket costs for eligible drugs at a percentage of a family’s income.
For example, a family of four with combined income of $25,000 and annual drug costs of $1,000, will only have to pay $440 through family pharmacare coverage. ...more
Nova Scotians living without prescription drug coverage are being encouraged to enrol in a provincial plan at no cost.
Rodney MacDonald launched the family pharmacare program Monday.
Individuals and their families are invited to enrol in the universal drug plan with no premiums or fees.
The program will cap annual out-of-pocket costs for eligible drugs at a percentage of a family’s income.
For example, a family of four with combined income of $25,000 and annual drug costs of $1,000, will only have to pay $440 through family pharmacare coverage. ...more
Anti-cancer smart bomb ready for human use
From the Vancouver Sun:
B.C. cancer patients who don't get better on standard treatment will be offered a locally developed experimental drug using a nanotechnology smart bomb type of treatment derived from the bark of the "happy tree," indigenous to China.
Scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency have developed an anti-cancer weapon that is not unlike a cruise missile, which is meant to hit targets with precision. It's been tested in mice and they say it's now ready for testing in humans.
They are calling their drug Irinophore C; its compounds are originally derived from a somewhat stubby tree called Camptotheca (or happy tree), which was found 40 years ago to have anti-cancer properties that were eventually extracted and synthesized. ...more
B.C. cancer patients who don't get better on standard treatment will be offered a locally developed experimental drug using a nanotechnology smart bomb type of treatment derived from the bark of the "happy tree," indigenous to China.
Scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency have developed an anti-cancer weapon that is not unlike a cruise missile, which is meant to hit targets with precision. It's been tested in mice and they say it's now ready for testing in humans.
They are calling their drug Irinophore C; its compounds are originally derived from a somewhat stubby tree called Camptotheca (or happy tree), which was found 40 years ago to have anti-cancer properties that were eventually extracted and synthesized. ...more
Review Determines Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine Lots Can be Released for Use
From Health Canada:
Health Canada has recently completed its review of Merck Frosst’s reports pertaining to a lot (1529U) of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine potentially associated with six cases of suspected anaphylaxis in young adults in Alberta during November and December 2007. The review found no link between this vaccine lot and the adverse events in Alberta.
Based on this information, the suspension of this lot (1529U) and two other associated lots (1528U and 1680U) have been lifted and are available for use by provinces and territories to vaccinate both adults and children requiring MMR immunization. Health Canada had asked provincial and territorial health authorities and all other Canadian vaccine providers on December 11, 2007 not to use these lots of the MMR-II vaccine sold by Merck Frosst Canada. At that time, Health Canada requested that Merck Frosst Canada provide a written report on any manufacturing or safety problems associated with Lot 1529U and its bulk components to complement other ongoing investigative efforts. ...more
Health Canada has recently completed its review of Merck Frosst’s reports pertaining to a lot (1529U) of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine potentially associated with six cases of suspected anaphylaxis in young adults in Alberta during November and December 2007. The review found no link between this vaccine lot and the adverse events in Alberta.
Based on this information, the suspension of this lot (1529U) and two other associated lots (1528U and 1680U) have been lifted and are available for use by provinces and territories to vaccinate both adults and children requiring MMR immunization. Health Canada had asked provincial and territorial health authorities and all other Canadian vaccine providers on December 11, 2007 not to use these lots of the MMR-II vaccine sold by Merck Frosst Canada. At that time, Health Canada requested that Merck Frosst Canada provide a written report on any manufacturing or safety problems associated with Lot 1529U and its bulk components to complement other ongoing investigative efforts. ...more
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
CanaRx president says Canadian drugs shortage unlikely
From the Windsor (Ont.) Star:
Fears of a prescription drug shortage in Canada are rising now that it's all but certain the next U.S. president will allow Americans to import cheaper Canadian drugs.
But a Windsorite whose company sells prescription drugs to Americans, and inspired a Simpsons episode for it, says the fears are all hype.
"Making it easier to import international medications would not have a significant impact to Canada at all, or its supply," said Tony Howard, president of CanaRx. "What the three candidates are doing will not jeopardize Canada's supply at all."
It's illegal in the U.S. for Americans to import prescription drugs from other countries, and President George Bush has opposed changing that.
But all three major U.S. presidential candidates -- Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain -- have said they'd allow it. ...more
Fears of a prescription drug shortage in Canada are rising now that it's all but certain the next U.S. president will allow Americans to import cheaper Canadian drugs.
But a Windsorite whose company sells prescription drugs to Americans, and inspired a Simpsons episode for it, says the fears are all hype.
"Making it easier to import international medications would not have a significant impact to Canada at all, or its supply," said Tony Howard, president of CanaRx. "What the three candidates are doing will not jeopardize Canada's supply at all."
It's illegal in the U.S. for Americans to import prescription drugs from other countries, and President George Bush has opposed changing that.
But all three major U.S. presidential candidates -- Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain -- have said they'd allow it. ...more
Pharmacists attempt to raise drug literacy levels
From the Regina Leader Post:
Saskatchewan pharmacists are doing their part to help residents who have low health literacy skills understand what medications they are on and when and how they should be taking those drugs.
A new study by the Canadian Public Health Association concluded many Canadians don't have the literacy skills needed to respond to daily health information demands.
"We've recognized this as an issue for many years now and have tried to do our very best to educate our clients and patients about the medications that they are taking and their conditions,'' said pharmacist Chris Perentes, who owns and operates Lorne Drugs in Regina.
"From time to time, even in our retail practices, we see that sort of thing happening where a pharmacist or somebody on discharge at the hospital assumes that the patient knows or should know what they are doing but the person doesn't. You should never assume that. ...more
Saskatchewan pharmacists are doing their part to help residents who have low health literacy skills understand what medications they are on and when and how they should be taking those drugs.
A new study by the Canadian Public Health Association concluded many Canadians don't have the literacy skills needed to respond to daily health information demands.
"We've recognized this as an issue for many years now and have tried to do our very best to educate our clients and patients about the medications that they are taking and their conditions,'' said pharmacist Chris Perentes, who owns and operates Lorne Drugs in Regina.
"From time to time, even in our retail practices, we see that sort of thing happening where a pharmacist or somebody on discharge at the hospital assumes that the patient knows or should know what they are doing but the person doesn't. You should never assume that. ...more
Earth-friendly drug disposal
From the Vancouver Sun:
Most people instinctively know that it isn't a good idea to flush their expired or unused medications down the drain, says pharmacist Wendy Mays.
But many aren't sure of what is the best way to clear the unused and expired medications out of their homes, she says. The safe and environmentally friendly way to ensure old or unused medications are disposed of properly is to take them in to a community pharmacy that participates in the Medications Return Program.
"Not a lot of people are aware of the program," says Wendy, a pharmacist and owner of two Pharmasave stores, one in West Vancouver and one in Ladner. "I find when people actually do find out about it they're delighted to have found the service."
More than 90 per cent of British Columbia's pharmacies take part in the Medications Return Program. They collect unused and expired medicines from their pharmacy patients, and hand them over to an organization that uses an environmentally friendly incineration process to dispose of them safely. ...more
Most people instinctively know that it isn't a good idea to flush their expired or unused medications down the drain, says pharmacist Wendy Mays.
But many aren't sure of what is the best way to clear the unused and expired medications out of their homes, she says. The safe and environmentally friendly way to ensure old or unused medications are disposed of properly is to take them in to a community pharmacy that participates in the Medications Return Program.
"Not a lot of people are aware of the program," says Wendy, a pharmacist and owner of two Pharmasave stores, one in West Vancouver and one in Ladner. "I find when people actually do find out about it they're delighted to have found the service."
More than 90 per cent of British Columbia's pharmacies take part in the Medications Return Program. They collect unused and expired medicines from their pharmacy patients, and hand them over to an organization that uses an environmentally friendly incineration process to dispose of them safely. ...more
Pharmacare to cover 120 more generic drugs
From the Winnipeg Free Press:
The Manitoba government will add 120 new generic drugs to be covered under Manitoba's Pharmacare Program , Health Minister Theresa Oswald said Thursday.
The decision, effective March 19, means the province will save about $4 million a year as these generic drugs will replace more costly prescription medication. The province already covers more than 1,950 drugs under the Pharmacare system. For a complete list of approved drugs go to www.gov.mb.ca/health/mdbif/.
Pharmacare assists patients with the cost of prescription drugs by covering all bills for them after an income-based deductible.
In a release Oswald said the generic drug cost savings are substantial. For example, generic blood pressure medication Ramipril costs about half as much as prescription drug Altace; Altace costs about $33.60 a month while Ramipril only $19.95.
Tory health critic Kelvin Goertzen said the province could save even more money be creating a speedier approval process for generic drugs -- drugs already approved by Health Canada. ...more
The Manitoba government will add 120 new generic drugs to be covered under Manitoba's Pharmacare Program , Health Minister Theresa Oswald said Thursday.
The decision, effective March 19, means the province will save about $4 million a year as these generic drugs will replace more costly prescription medication. The province already covers more than 1,950 drugs under the Pharmacare system. For a complete list of approved drugs go to www.gov.mb.ca/health/mdbif/.
Pharmacare assists patients with the cost of prescription drugs by covering all bills for them after an income-based deductible.
In a release Oswald said the generic drug cost savings are substantial. For example, generic blood pressure medication Ramipril costs about half as much as prescription drug Altace; Altace costs about $33.60 a month while Ramipril only $19.95.
Tory health critic Kelvin Goertzen said the province could save even more money be creating a speedier approval process for generic drugs -- drugs already approved by Health Canada. ...more
Discovery could lead to 'tighter tummy' drug
From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
British scientists have discovered proteins that allow the gut to expand to make way for food, a finding that could lead to a drug for "tighter tummies" and a chemical alternative to stomach-shrinking surgery.
The human stomach can relax and expand to 25-times its normal "resting" volume, which explains why "we can pack in our Christmas dinner or our Thanksgiving dinner, or whatever festival we choose to think of," says Brian King, a senior lecturer in physiology at University College London.
King has identified receptors for proteins that relax the muscles of the gut. His team is testing different chemicals that would block these receptors and prevent the stomach from expanding, so that people would eat less and feel fuller, faster. ...more
British scientists have discovered proteins that allow the gut to expand to make way for food, a finding that could lead to a drug for "tighter tummies" and a chemical alternative to stomach-shrinking surgery.
The human stomach can relax and expand to 25-times its normal "resting" volume, which explains why "we can pack in our Christmas dinner or our Thanksgiving dinner, or whatever festival we choose to think of," says Brian King, a senior lecturer in physiology at University College London.
King has identified receptors for proteins that relax the muscles of the gut. His team is testing different chemicals that would block these receptors and prevent the stomach from expanding, so that people would eat less and feel fuller, faster. ...more
Monday, March 03, 2008
U.S. election raises issue of drug supply in Canada
From the National Post:
All three major candidates for U.S. president are promising to make it legal for Americans to import cheaper Canadian drugs, raising concerns about a southern outflow of medicine that could threaten the pharmaceutical supply here.
With the next president already on side, observers say long-delayed U.S. legislation to open up the cross-border prescription drug trade is now much closer to reality.
Internet pharmacies on this side of the border say legalization -- if it happens -- would certainly give their businesses a boost after a downturn in the past few years, but deny Canadians would see any impact.
But others argue that legalized importation in the United States could result in shortages here of drugs and pharmacists, who might abandon Canadian customers to cater to the U.S. market, and delay introduction of new products in this country. ...more
All three major candidates for U.S. president are promising to make it legal for Americans to import cheaper Canadian drugs, raising concerns about a southern outflow of medicine that could threaten the pharmaceutical supply here.
With the next president already on side, observers say long-delayed U.S. legislation to open up the cross-border prescription drug trade is now much closer to reality.
Internet pharmacies on this side of the border say legalization -- if it happens -- would certainly give their businesses a boost after a downturn in the past few years, but deny Canadians would see any impact.
But others argue that legalized importation in the United States could result in shortages here of drugs and pharmacists, who might abandon Canadian customers to cater to the U.S. market, and delay introduction of new products in this country. ...more
Langley pharmacist offers special care to diabetic patients
From the Vancouver Sun:
Newly diagnosed diabetic patients can find themselves adrift in a sea of information, and overwhelmed with the new regimen they have to follow in order to enjoy a good quality of life.
They're faced with critical health issues. They must learn how to control and monitor their blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They also have to deal with a number of secondary health priorities, like eye, kidney and foot disease. It can be a struggle, and because diabetes is a complicated and progressive disease, many patients need expert help to reach their target health goals.
Constant mentorship is what some pharmacists can offer. "It's like having a diabetes coach," says Shakeel Bhatti, a pharmacist who specializes in diabetic care. ...more
Newly diagnosed diabetic patients can find themselves adrift in a sea of information, and overwhelmed with the new regimen they have to follow in order to enjoy a good quality of life.
They're faced with critical health issues. They must learn how to control and monitor their blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They also have to deal with a number of secondary health priorities, like eye, kidney and foot disease. It can be a struggle, and because diabetes is a complicated and progressive disease, many patients need expert help to reach their target health goals.
Constant mentorship is what some pharmacists can offer. "It's like having a diabetes coach," says Shakeel Bhatti, a pharmacist who specializes in diabetic care. ...more
Canadian researchers find gene that may block HIV
From CTV News:
Researchers at the University of Alberta have made a breakthrough with the discovery of a gene that might block the spread of HIV and the onset of AIDS.
The hope is that the discovery could lead to a vaccine that would combat the deadly virus.
Lead researcher Steven Barr said the gene, known as TRIM22, has a natural anti-viral defence function and has the ability to block HIV.
Though the research is admittedly in its infancy, Barr said the goal now is to study how the gene works in hopes to mimic its ability to combat the virus.
"It's exciting because it's a natural defence against HIV. So if we can harness this without the toxic effect of drugs it's going to be beneficial for HIV patients in the future," Barr told CTV's Canada AM on Friday. ...more
Researchers at the University of Alberta have made a breakthrough with the discovery of a gene that might block the spread of HIV and the onset of AIDS.
The hope is that the discovery could lead to a vaccine that would combat the deadly virus.
Lead researcher Steven Barr said the gene, known as TRIM22, has a natural anti-viral defence function and has the ability to block HIV.
Though the research is admittedly in its infancy, Barr said the goal now is to study how the gene works in hopes to mimic its ability to combat the virus.
"It's exciting because it's a natural defence against HIV. So if we can harness this without the toxic effect of drugs it's going to be beneficial for HIV patients in the future," Barr told CTV's Canada AM on Friday. ...more
Heart attack patients who skip medication at high risk, study says
From CBC News:
Thirty per cent of heart attack patients who neglect to fill any of the prescribed medications for their condition may be dying within a year, a new Canadian study estimates.
According to researchers at Ontario's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, a failure to adhere to medications that protect the heart, such as aspirin, beta blockers, statins or ACE inhibitors, could have deadly effects.
The study found that heart attack patients who did not fill any of their prescriptions had an 80 per cent higher chance of dying in the year following their heart attacks versus those who filled all of their prescriptions.
Those patients who filled some of their prescriptions but not others had a 40 per cent higher chance of dying in their first year versus those who filled all of them. ...more
Thirty per cent of heart attack patients who neglect to fill any of the prescribed medications for their condition may be dying within a year, a new Canadian study estimates.
According to researchers at Ontario's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, a failure to adhere to medications that protect the heart, such as aspirin, beta blockers, statins or ACE inhibitors, could have deadly effects.
The study found that heart attack patients who did not fill any of their prescriptions had an 80 per cent higher chance of dying in the year following their heart attacks versus those who filled all of their prescriptions.
Those patients who filled some of their prescriptions but not others had a 40 per cent higher chance of dying in their first year versus those who filled all of them. ...more
Bone drugs iffy
From the Toronto Sun:
Can drugs that strengthen your bones actually hurt them?
That question has been asked recently by many women upon reading reports that osteoporosis drugs (prescribed to strengthen thinning bones) can trigger osteonecrosis (destruction of bone, in particular the jaw).
Some women who take this class of drugs, called bisphosphonates or BFs, also report stiffness and pain.
BFs are used by millions world-wide. As our population ages, it's likely that even more people will take them to prevent osteoporosis -- a condition that plagues 1.4 million Canadians.
Use has increased as well since women discovered they could no longer rely on estrogen (now linked to breast cancer) to keep bones strong. ...more
Can drugs that strengthen your bones actually hurt them?
That question has been asked recently by many women upon reading reports that osteoporosis drugs (prescribed to strengthen thinning bones) can trigger osteonecrosis (destruction of bone, in particular the jaw).
Some women who take this class of drugs, called bisphosphonates or BFs, also report stiffness and pain.
BFs are used by millions world-wide. As our population ages, it's likely that even more people will take them to prevent osteoporosis -- a condition that plagues 1.4 million Canadians.
Use has increased as well since women discovered they could no longer rely on estrogen (now linked to breast cancer) to keep bones strong. ...more
Anti-depressant work puts Windsor prof in spotlight
From the Windsor (Ont.) Star:
Being suddenly in the spotlight, for co-authoring a report that shockingly asserts that anti-depressants don't help people much more than placebos, has admittedly been exciting for University of Windsor psychologist Alan Scoboria.
"I woke up, saw it in the newspapers and thought this is going to be interesting," the assistant psychology professor said in an interview on Saturday. "It's been a flattering first time where I've had this type of interest."
Scoboria co-authored a report with University of Connecticut professor Irving Kirsch, which shook up the mental health field last Tuesday by asserting "happy pills" swallowed by millions every day, are virtually no better than placebos at treating depression. ...more
Being suddenly in the spotlight, for co-authoring a report that shockingly asserts that anti-depressants don't help people much more than placebos, has admittedly been exciting for University of Windsor psychologist Alan Scoboria.
"I woke up, saw it in the newspapers and thought this is going to be interesting," the assistant psychology professor said in an interview on Saturday. "It's been a flattering first time where I've had this type of interest."
Scoboria co-authored a report with University of Connecticut professor Irving Kirsch, which shook up the mental health field last Tuesday by asserting "happy pills" swallowed by millions every day, are virtually no better than placebos at treating depression. ...more
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Bush urges new rules on online sales of addictive prescription drugs
From the Los Angeles Times:
President Bush called on Congress on Saturday to pass legislation restricting online sales of powerfully addictive prescription drugs, citing a growing number of overdoses.
Bush referred to San Diego teenager Ryan Haight as he unveiled the 2008 national drug control strategy in his weekly radio address. Haight overdosed on painkillers he bought over the Internet, prompting Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to introduce the bill that Bush championed Saturday.
The president said his national drug policy had reduced youth drug consumption by 24% since 2001. That progress has been counterbalanced by the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.
"Unfortunately, many young Americans do not understand how dangerous abusing medication can be," Bush said. "In recent years, the number of Americans who have died from prescription drug overdoses has increased." ...more
President Bush called on Congress on Saturday to pass legislation restricting online sales of powerfully addictive prescription drugs, citing a growing number of overdoses.
Bush referred to San Diego teenager Ryan Haight as he unveiled the 2008 national drug control strategy in his weekly radio address. Haight overdosed on painkillers he bought over the Internet, prompting Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to introduce the bill that Bush championed Saturday.
The president said his national drug policy had reduced youth drug consumption by 24% since 2001. That progress has been counterbalanced by the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.
"Unfortunately, many young Americans do not understand how dangerous abusing medication can be," Bush said. "In recent years, the number of Americans who have died from prescription drug overdoses has increased." ...more
Hundreds of pharmacies to shut for day
From the Independent (Ireland):
Hundreds of pharmacies around the country will shut down on Wednesday in what will effectively be a one-day work stoppage, the Sunday Independent has learned.
All 1,600 pharmacists who are members of the Irish Pharmacy Union have been called to a mass meeting in Dublin to discuss the HSE decision to implement a controversial new payment system for pharmacies as of yesterday.
Because medicines can only be dispensed in the presence of a qualified pharmacist, it is likely that many chemists around the country will be unable to fill prescriptions and will close their doors.
It means patients who have urgent prescriptions may have to travel long distances.
The "uni-flu" stoppage follows the HSE plans to reduce the margin paid to pharmaceutical wholesalers in a move aimed at saving €1.1bn. ...more
Hundreds of pharmacies around the country will shut down on Wednesday in what will effectively be a one-day work stoppage, the Sunday Independent has learned.
All 1,600 pharmacists who are members of the Irish Pharmacy Union have been called to a mass meeting in Dublin to discuss the HSE decision to implement a controversial new payment system for pharmacies as of yesterday.
Because medicines can only be dispensed in the presence of a qualified pharmacist, it is likely that many chemists around the country will be unable to fill prescriptions and will close their doors.
It means patients who have urgent prescriptions may have to travel long distances.
The "uni-flu" stoppage follows the HSE plans to reduce the margin paid to pharmaceutical wholesalers in a move aimed at saving €1.1bn. ...more
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Doctors critical of optometrists' new role
There is a couple of paragraphs later in this article that mentions pharmacist prescribing in Alberta.
From the Calgary Herald:
Alberta's eye specialists and optometrists are at odds over an agreement allowing optometrists to treat more patients with eye diseases -- a dispute that may mark the next battle around the changing role of medical professionals in the province.
Physicians with the Ophthalmological Society of Alberta said Tuesday they are concerned optometrists don't have enough training to treat patients with serious eye diseases such as glaucoma, noting they are not medical doctors.
Optometrists receive four years of training in optometry following their bachelor's degree. Ophthalmologists are physicians who receive five years of hospital training for their specialty after medical school. ...more
Health Canada says no evidence of cardiac risk from Nexium, not clear for Losec
From the Canadian Press:
Health Canada says it finds no evidence to suggest a popular heartburn drug increases the risk of cardiac problems.
The department says it will continue to monitor safety data for Nexium (esomeprazole) as it is produced, but at this point does not see a link between the drug and cardiovascular risks.
But the department says the picture is less clear for another heartburn drug, Losec (omeprazole).
It says after a thorough analysis, Health Canada cannot definitively say if there is a potential for increased cardiovascular risk in people taking the drug on a long-term basis. ...more
Health Canada says it finds no evidence to suggest a popular heartburn drug increases the risk of cardiac problems.
The department says it will continue to monitor safety data for Nexium (esomeprazole) as it is produced, but at this point does not see a link between the drug and cardiovascular risks.
But the department says the picture is less clear for another heartburn drug, Losec (omeprazole).
It says after a thorough analysis, Health Canada cannot definitively say if there is a potential for increased cardiovascular risk in people taking the drug on a long-term basis. ...more
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Bayer's Trasylol Boosts Death, Kidney Risks After Heart Surgery
From Bloomberg:
Bayer AG's Trasylol, a drug whose sales were halted last year, raises the risk of death and kidney damage when used to control bleeding in heart surgery, two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine found.
Trasylol patients were 27 percent more likely to die than those getting a rival drug a decade after open-heart surgery, according to a review of 10,275 consecutive patients at Duke University Medical Center. Another study of 78,199 patients, presented to regulators last year after Bayer initially withheld it, found a 78 percent higher death risk a week after surgery.
Trasylol was approved in the U.S. in 1993 to reduce transfusions and bleeding during open-heart surgery. It became a mainstay of care, generating about $333 million in 2005, until an international study the next year tied it to higher rates of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and death. Leverkusen, Germany-based Bayer suspended sales in November after a pivotal Canadian trial linked it to higher death rates. ...more
Bayer AG's Trasylol, a drug whose sales were halted last year, raises the risk of death and kidney damage when used to control bleeding in heart surgery, two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine found.
Trasylol patients were 27 percent more likely to die than those getting a rival drug a decade after open-heart surgery, according to a review of 10,275 consecutive patients at Duke University Medical Center. Another study of 78,199 patients, presented to regulators last year after Bayer initially withheld it, found a 78 percent higher death risk a week after surgery.
Trasylol was approved in the U.S. in 1993 to reduce transfusions and bleeding during open-heart surgery. It became a mainstay of care, generating about $333 million in 2005, until an international study the next year tied it to higher rates of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and death. Leverkusen, Germany-based Bayer suspended sales in November after a pivotal Canadian trial linked it to higher death rates. ...more
Once-a-day drug means 'spontaneous' sex
From the Montreal Gazette:
Canadian pharmacies have begun stocking a new full-time version of an anti-impotence drug its makers say will allow men to be sexually "spontaneous," day and night.
Cialis was originally designed to be taken on an "as needed" basis, with one dose lasting 24 to 36 hours, earning it the moniker Le Weekend when it was first approved in Europe in 2002.
Now it's being repackaged and sold in a once-a-day, lower-dose version. Taken daily, the drug builds in a man's body until it reaches a circulating level in the bloodstream that would allow a man to be sexually active "whenever the moment is right," according to a news release issued by drug giant Eli Lilly. ...more
Canadian pharmacies have begun stocking a new full-time version of an anti-impotence drug its makers say will allow men to be sexually "spontaneous," day and night.
Cialis was originally designed to be taken on an "as needed" basis, with one dose lasting 24 to 36 hours, earning it the moniker Le Weekend when it was first approved in Europe in 2002.
Now it's being repackaged and sold in a once-a-day, lower-dose version. Taken daily, the drug builds in a man's body until it reaches a circulating level in the bloodstream that would allow a man to be sexually active "whenever the moment is right," according to a news release issued by drug giant Eli Lilly. ...more
Friday, February 22, 2008
A spoonful of honey may be all the medicine required
From the Calgary Herald:
It's the height of the season for the common cold. Parents of young children scramble to find a quick fix to take away the aches, sniffles and lack of sleep for both their kids and themselves.
Late last year, drug companies pulled liquid cold medicines for babies and toddlers, citing overdosing dangers by parents. At the same time, the United States Food and Drug Administration suggested that parents refrain from using the liquids for kids under six, partly due to reported deaths and the overall ineffectiveness of the elixirs.
This created a practical and philosophical dilemma for parents who rely on the formulas. ...more
It's the height of the season for the common cold. Parents of young children scramble to find a quick fix to take away the aches, sniffles and lack of sleep for both their kids and themselves.
Late last year, drug companies pulled liquid cold medicines for babies and toddlers, citing overdosing dangers by parents. At the same time, the United States Food and Drug Administration suggested that parents refrain from using the liquids for kids under six, partly due to reported deaths and the overall ineffectiveness of the elixirs.
This created a practical and philosophical dilemma for parents who rely on the formulas. ...more
Lessons to be learned from methadone controversy, says pharmacist
From the Cape Breton (NS) Post:
It’s relatively uncommon for a complaint filed to the professional body governing Nova Scotia pharmacists to proceed to the hearing stage, its registrar said Tuesday.
Susan Wedlake, registrar with the College of Pharmacists, was commenting on a recent settlement worked out between the college and Glace Bay pharmacists Donald and David Ferguson of Ferguson’s Pharmacy in Glace Bay.
An investigation into how the pharmacy dispenses methadone resulted after Ron Whalen of Glace Bay filed a complaint about the care his son, Robert, received there on the day he died.
Wedlake noted the college can follow different processes in response to a complaint — they can be dismissed, resolved informally, or can go on to investigations committee or to hearing committee.
“(Whalen’s complaint) went all the way through the process . . . it’s not common that complaints end up at the hearings level,” Wedlake said. ...more
It’s relatively uncommon for a complaint filed to the professional body governing Nova Scotia pharmacists to proceed to the hearing stage, its registrar said Tuesday.
Susan Wedlake, registrar with the College of Pharmacists, was commenting on a recent settlement worked out between the college and Glace Bay pharmacists Donald and David Ferguson of Ferguson’s Pharmacy in Glace Bay.
An investigation into how the pharmacy dispenses methadone resulted after Ron Whalen of Glace Bay filed a complaint about the care his son, Robert, received there on the day he died.
Wedlake noted the college can follow different processes in response to a complaint — they can be dismissed, resolved informally, or can go on to investigations committee or to hearing committee.
“(Whalen’s complaint) went all the way through the process . . . it’s not common that complaints end up at the hearings level,” Wedlake said. ...more
Drugstore chains rely on pharmacy technicians
From USA Today:
When Americans bring prescriptions to their neighborhood pharmacies, odds are the person in the white lab coat who greets them and enters the prescription in the computer is not a pharmacist. Neither, most likely, is the person who puts the pills in the medicine vial.
They're probably pharmacy technicians, in some cases teenagers with no more than high school diplomas. The nation's largest drugstore chains say technicians don't replace pharmacists. But the companies have come to rely on technicians because of regional shortages of pharmacists and steady increases in prescriptions.
Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain by sales and profits, employs about 39,000 technicians, compared with more than 24,000 pharmacists. CVS, the largest retail chain in terms of store count, employs about 41,000 pharmacy technicians, more than double the 20,000 pharmacists who work for the firm.
Technicians do much of the administrative work pharmacists used to perform, such as prescription data entry, counting pills, filling vials and ringing registers. Depending on your point of view, that's good news, because it frees pharmacists to do more important clinical functions — or bad, because technicians sometimes make mistakes that pharmacists don't catch, and because pharmacists often have little time to help teach the technicians. ...more
When Americans bring prescriptions to their neighborhood pharmacies, odds are the person in the white lab coat who greets them and enters the prescription in the computer is not a pharmacist. Neither, most likely, is the person who puts the pills in the medicine vial.
They're probably pharmacy technicians, in some cases teenagers with no more than high school diplomas. The nation's largest drugstore chains say technicians don't replace pharmacists. But the companies have come to rely on technicians because of regional shortages of pharmacists and steady increases in prescriptions.
Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain by sales and profits, employs about 39,000 technicians, compared with more than 24,000 pharmacists. CVS, the largest retail chain in terms of store count, employs about 41,000 pharmacy technicians, more than double the 20,000 pharmacists who work for the firm.
Technicians do much of the administrative work pharmacists used to perform, such as prescription data entry, counting pills, filling vials and ringing registers. Depending on your point of view, that's good news, because it frees pharmacists to do more important clinical functions — or bad, because technicians sometimes make mistakes that pharmacists don't catch, and because pharmacists often have little time to help teach the technicians. ...more
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Layton renews call for drug plan
From the Toronto Star:
In addition to lost paycheques, the disappearance of manufacturing jobs can mean the loss of benefit plans that helped workers pay for vital drugs, NDP Leader Jack Layton says.
As a result, many cash-strapped households are cutting back on needed prescription drugs, he said.
"They then have to say `no' to prescriptions that their doctors say they're supposed to have. In the end, they'll end up in an emergency ward and there's no economy there," Layton said in an interview.
During a swing through Northern Ontario yesterday, Layton renewed his call for a national drug plan that would help Canadians cover the costs of their prescriptions, saying the program is needed now more than ever.
"People are deeply concerned about it, as they feel themselves slipping into poverty, as they have to move to minimum wage part-time jobs, longer and longer jobs and no benefits," he said in a telephone interview. ...more
In addition to lost paycheques, the disappearance of manufacturing jobs can mean the loss of benefit plans that helped workers pay for vital drugs, NDP Leader Jack Layton says.
As a result, many cash-strapped households are cutting back on needed prescription drugs, he said.
"They then have to say `no' to prescriptions that their doctors say they're supposed to have. In the end, they'll end up in an emergency ward and there's no economy there," Layton said in an interview.
During a swing through Northern Ontario yesterday, Layton renewed his call for a national drug plan that would help Canadians cover the costs of their prescriptions, saying the program is needed now more than ever.
"People are deeply concerned about it, as they feel themselves slipping into poverty, as they have to move to minimum wage part-time jobs, longer and longer jobs and no benefits," he said in a telephone interview. ...more
In-hospital stroke patients more likely to die: study
From the Ottawa Citizen:
One of the worst places to be if you have a stroke is in a hospital, new Canadian research suggests.
A study based on thousands of Ontario residents found patients who have a stroke while they're already in hospital wait twice as long for a brain scan and twice as long for a clot-busting drug as people who come to an emergency room with a stroke. They are also more likely to die.
"You would think, naively, that if someone has a stroke while in hospital -- given that we keep emphasizing the concept that 'time is brain' and the sooner you get to treatment, the better -- you would anticipate that they would have the best treatment," says Dr. Frank Silver, co-principal investigator of the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network and medical professor at the University of Toronto. ...more
One of the worst places to be if you have a stroke is in a hospital, new Canadian research suggests.
A study based on thousands of Ontario residents found patients who have a stroke while they're already in hospital wait twice as long for a brain scan and twice as long for a clot-busting drug as people who come to an emergency room with a stroke. They are also more likely to die.
"You would think, naively, that if someone has a stroke while in hospital -- given that we keep emphasizing the concept that 'time is brain' and the sooner you get to treatment, the better -- you would anticipate that they would have the best treatment," says Dr. Frank Silver, co-principal investigator of the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network and medical professor at the University of Toronto. ...more
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Overdose victim’s dad calls for public inquiry
From the Halifax (NS) Chronicle Herald:
Two Glace Bay pharmacists will lose their licences for a week after an investigation found they dispensed methadone improperly.
One man died of an overdose of the drug.
And at least three other patients became ill after taking prescribed methadone prepared at Ferguson’s Pharmacy Ltd. in 2005.
The Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists launched a probe of David and Donald Ferguson after Ron Whalen filed a complaint.
Mr. Whalen’s son, Robert Whalen, 23, died in 2005 of a methadone overdose.
"I’m not very happy at all," Mr. Whalen of Glace Bay said Tuesday.
"The two of them lose their licence for a week and they don’t even have to close down the pharmacy. One guy can go to Florida and the other guy can run the pharmacy for a week and then vice versa." ...more
Two Glace Bay pharmacists will lose their licences for a week after an investigation found they dispensed methadone improperly.
One man died of an overdose of the drug.
And at least three other patients became ill after taking prescribed methadone prepared at Ferguson’s Pharmacy Ltd. in 2005.
The Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists launched a probe of David and Donald Ferguson after Ron Whalen filed a complaint.
Mr. Whalen’s son, Robert Whalen, 23, died in 2005 of a methadone overdose.
"I’m not very happy at all," Mr. Whalen of Glace Bay said Tuesday.
"The two of them lose their licence for a week and they don’t even have to close down the pharmacy. One guy can go to Florida and the other guy can run the pharmacy for a week and then vice versa." ...more
New patch formulation of Alzheimer's drug brought to market in Canada
From the Canadian Press:
A new treatment option for Alzheimer's patients - the first licensed skin patch - could make life easier for both some people with the disease and their caregivers, experts say.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. announced Tuesday it was bringing to the Canadian market a once-a-day skin patch formulation of its existing drug Exelon.
Exelon - its generic name is rivastigmine - currently is administered in the form of capsules which must be taken twice a day. Novartis said both the once-a-day formulation and the fact it is administered via a patch will help reduce the risk of confusion over whether the medication had been taken or not. ...more
A new treatment option for Alzheimer's patients - the first licensed skin patch - could make life easier for both some people with the disease and their caregivers, experts say.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. announced Tuesday it was bringing to the Canadian market a once-a-day skin patch formulation of its existing drug Exelon.
Exelon - its generic name is rivastigmine - currently is administered in the form of capsules which must be taken twice a day. Novartis said both the once-a-day formulation and the fact it is administered via a patch will help reduce the risk of confusion over whether the medication had been taken or not. ...more
B.C. vows huge changes to health care
From the Victoria (BC) Times Colonist:
...Nurses aren't the only health-care professionals who will see their duties expand. The Liberal government will also enable pharmacists to authorize routine prescription renewals, "making it easier for patients with chronic illnesses to manage their conditions" and reducing visits to the doctor......more
...Nurses aren't the only health-care professionals who will see their duties expand. The Liberal government will also enable pharmacists to authorize routine prescription renewals, "making it easier for patients with chronic illnesses to manage their conditions" and reducing visits to the doctor......more
Cancer drug slows multiple sclerosis progression
From the Guardian (UK):
Two infusions of the cancer drug Rituxan given two weeks apart slowed the progression of multiple sclerosis for nearly a year, researchers reported on Wednesday.
And Rituxan appears to be twice as effective as first-line treatments for MS, which reduce the number of relapses by about a third, the researchers said.
"It's quite remarkable that the effect was sustained for 48 weeks with just a single course of therapy," said Dr. Stephen Hauser of the University of California at San Francisco, who worked on the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Multiple sclerosis, which affects as many as 350,000 people in the United States and 2 million worldwide, is apparently caused when the immune system attacks and breaks down the insulation surrounding cells that make up the brain and spinal cord. ...more
Two infusions of the cancer drug Rituxan given two weeks apart slowed the progression of multiple sclerosis for nearly a year, researchers reported on Wednesday.
And Rituxan appears to be twice as effective as first-line treatments for MS, which reduce the number of relapses by about a third, the researchers said.
"It's quite remarkable that the effect was sustained for 48 weeks with just a single course of therapy," said Dr. Stephen Hauser of the University of California at San Francisco, who worked on the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Multiple sclerosis, which affects as many as 350,000 people in the United States and 2 million worldwide, is apparently caused when the immune system attacks and breaks down the insulation surrounding cells that make up the brain and spinal cord. ...more
One Thousand Lives A Month, Researcher Estimates 22,000 Lives Could Have Been Saved Had Trasylol Been Pulled Earlier
From CBS News:
This is the story of a drug that was on the market for 14 years and may have contributed to the deaths of thousands of patients. Trasylol, made by Bayer, is given in the operating room to control bleeding. It was a big money maker.
As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, Bayer marketed Trasylol aggressively until it was used in about one third of all cardiac bypass operations in America.
But then, in 2006, a study showed widespread death associated with Trasylol, and as it turns out there was concern long before that.
How much did Bayer know? And why did it take Bayer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nearly two years to take the drug off the market after major studies revealed the danger? Two years - during which it's estimated Trasylol was contributing to the loss of one thousand lives a month. ...more
This is the story of a drug that was on the market for 14 years and may have contributed to the deaths of thousands of patients. Trasylol, made by Bayer, is given in the operating room to control bleeding. It was a big money maker.
As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, Bayer marketed Trasylol aggressively until it was used in about one third of all cardiac bypass operations in America.
But then, in 2006, a study showed widespread death associated with Trasylol, and as it turns out there was concern long before that.
How much did Bayer know? And why did it take Bayer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nearly two years to take the drug off the market after major studies revealed the danger? Two years - during which it's estimated Trasylol was contributing to the loss of one thousand lives a month. ...more
Where you live influences cancer survival
From Canada.com:
According to the latest report of a Cancer advocacy group, Canadians are experiencing care that is inconsistent, unfair and ineffective.
The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada says that has created discrepancies in access to treatment.
"Tell me your postal code, and I will tell you your chances of surviving cancer," says Dr. William Hryniuk, past chair of CACC and former director of cancer centres in the Canada and U.S.
This year's report highlighted several areas in the fight against cancer.
Access to new and expensive cancer drugs continues to be one of the most urgent problems cancer patients face, according to the report.
Coalition researchers conducted a province-by-province review of access to 24 drugs featured in past reports, adding an analysis of 18 new therapies. ...more
According to the latest report of a Cancer advocacy group, Canadians are experiencing care that is inconsistent, unfair and ineffective.
The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada says that has created discrepancies in access to treatment.
"Tell me your postal code, and I will tell you your chances of surviving cancer," says Dr. William Hryniuk, past chair of CACC and former director of cancer centres in the Canada and U.S.
This year's report highlighted several areas in the fight against cancer.
Access to new and expensive cancer drugs continues to be one of the most urgent problems cancer patients face, according to the report.
Coalition researchers conducted a province-by-province review of access to 24 drugs featured in past reports, adding an analysis of 18 new therapies. ...more
Your medical chart, just a mouse click away
From the Globe and Mail:
With the ease of online banking comes this Canadian first: patients perusing their X-rays, checking laboratory test results and discreetly obtaining a second medical opinion - all from the comforts of their home computers.
Ontario's Privacy Commissioner even keeps her electronic health record, called MyChart, on a memory stick, a device the size of a pack of gum that neatly tucks into a pants pocket.
"Given that I travel extensively, it's very important to have access to my [medical] records at a moment's notice," said Ann Cavoukian, who has undergone neurosurgery three times.
Although MyChart is available only to patients at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, other Canadian hospitals are coming out with their own versions of the paperless health record.
"By 2010, the goal is to have half of the population with an electronic health record," said Richard Alvarez, president and chief executive officer of Canada Health Infoway, an independent, federally funded agency that works with provinces and territories to invest in electronic health-record projects, typically by funding half the cost. By 2016, he wants every Canadian to have one.
The reality today, however, is far different: Only 9 per cent of Canadians have an electronic health record. ...more
With the ease of online banking comes this Canadian first: patients perusing their X-rays, checking laboratory test results and discreetly obtaining a second medical opinion - all from the comforts of their home computers.
Ontario's Privacy Commissioner even keeps her electronic health record, called MyChart, on a memory stick, a device the size of a pack of gum that neatly tucks into a pants pocket.
"Given that I travel extensively, it's very important to have access to my [medical] records at a moment's notice," said Ann Cavoukian, who has undergone neurosurgery three times.
Although MyChart is available only to patients at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, other Canadian hospitals are coming out with their own versions of the paperless health record.
"By 2010, the goal is to have half of the population with an electronic health record," said Richard Alvarez, president and chief executive officer of Canada Health Infoway, an independent, federally funded agency that works with provinces and territories to invest in electronic health-record projects, typically by funding half the cost. By 2016, he wants every Canadian to have one.
The reality today, however, is far different: Only 9 per cent of Canadians have an electronic health record. ...more
Disgraced doctor jailed 5 years for dealing prescription drugs
From the Toronto Star:
A notorious former doctor, stripped of his licence for administering useless cancer treatments to terminal patients, has been sentenced to five years in prison for trafficking in prescription pills, including highly addictive OxyContin.
For this "serious breach of trust," Ravi Devgan, 60, deserves to have his 5-year-sentence added on to the three-year sentence he is already serving for fraud, Justice Todd Ducharme said Friday.
But because of his extreme ill-health and the likelihood that he has few years left to live, that would amount to a life sentence, Ducharme said. So the judge ruled that he is to serve both sentences concurrently. ...more
A notorious former doctor, stripped of his licence for administering useless cancer treatments to terminal patients, has been sentenced to five years in prison for trafficking in prescription pills, including highly addictive OxyContin.
For this "serious breach of trust," Ravi Devgan, 60, deserves to have his 5-year-sentence added on to the three-year sentence he is already serving for fraud, Justice Todd Ducharme said Friday.
But because of his extreme ill-health and the likelihood that he has few years left to live, that would amount to a life sentence, Ducharme said. So the judge ruled that he is to serve both sentences concurrently. ...more
Monday, February 18, 2008
Too many prescriptions, too few pharmacies
From the Indianapolis Star:
When Tabitha Jones picked up her stepson's medicine at a Walgreens store near Nashville in 2004, she had no way to know the pharmacy was so busy that its manager had asked for more staffing months earlier to "decrease the pharmacist's stress."
She also had no idea the drug Walgreens gave her that day was a steroid never intended for children, and not the blood pressure drug prescribed to treat Trey Jones' hand tremors and hyperactivity. Walgreens refilled the prescription four times, eventually at double the adult dosage, before the error was caught. The 5-year-old not only went into premature puberty but also erupted in rages.
Trey's parents sued Walgreens, fearing the steroid could stunt the boy's growth or cause liver damage. "We don't know what could happen later on down the road," his father, Robert Jones Jr., said in a 2006 pretrial deposition.
Pharmacy chains say they've spent billions of dollars on safety technology and other improvements that have cut their prescription-error rates to a fraction of 1 percent. As aging baby boomers and other Americans increasingly rely on prescription drugs, an Auburn University pharmacy study in 2003 projected the odds of getting a prescription with a serious, health-threatening error at about 1 in 1,000. That could amount to 3.7 million such errors a year, based on 2006 national prescription volume. ...more
When Tabitha Jones picked up her stepson's medicine at a Walgreens store near Nashville in 2004, she had no way to know the pharmacy was so busy that its manager had asked for more staffing months earlier to "decrease the pharmacist's stress."
She also had no idea the drug Walgreens gave her that day was a steroid never intended for children, and not the blood pressure drug prescribed to treat Trey Jones' hand tremors and hyperactivity. Walgreens refilled the prescription four times, eventually at double the adult dosage, before the error was caught. The 5-year-old not only went into premature puberty but also erupted in rages.
Trey's parents sued Walgreens, fearing the steroid could stunt the boy's growth or cause liver damage. "We don't know what could happen later on down the road," his father, Robert Jones Jr., said in a 2006 pretrial deposition.
Pharmacy chains say they've spent billions of dollars on safety technology and other improvements that have cut their prescription-error rates to a fraction of 1 percent. As aging baby boomers and other Americans increasingly rely on prescription drugs, an Auburn University pharmacy study in 2003 projected the odds of getting a prescription with a serious, health-threatening error at about 1 in 1,000. That could amount to 3.7 million such errors a year, based on 2006 national prescription volume. ...more
Pot may impair mental function in MS patients
From CTV News:
Patients with multiple sclerosis who choose to smoke marijuana to help relieve some of their symptoms may be harming their cognitive abilities, finds new Canadian research.
The researchers, with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, say they found that MS patients who regularly smoked pot appeared to have more difficulties with processing information and short-term verbal memory.
Study author Dr. Anthony Feinstein says MS patients should be aware of the risks of pot, because many are already dealing with cognitive problems.
"The significance of this finding is particularly important because MS is itself a cause of neuropsychological impairment in 40 to 65 per cent of patients, and therefore this research suggests that smoking marijuana may only be worsening the problem," Feinstein said in a statement. ...more
Patients with multiple sclerosis who choose to smoke marijuana to help relieve some of their symptoms may be harming their cognitive abilities, finds new Canadian research.
The researchers, with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, say they found that MS patients who regularly smoked pot appeared to have more difficulties with processing information and short-term verbal memory.
Study author Dr. Anthony Feinstein says MS patients should be aware of the risks of pot, because many are already dealing with cognitive problems.
"The significance of this finding is particularly important because MS is itself a cause of neuropsychological impairment in 40 to 65 per cent of patients, and therefore this research suggests that smoking marijuana may only be worsening the problem," Feinstein said in a statement. ...more
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Doctors look forward to return of palliative care drug
From CBC News:
Doctors caring for dying patients are looking forward to the reintroduction of a drug used to make the end of life easier.
Sanofi-aventis stopped production of Nozinan last November because of declining sales. The drug relieves anxiety, agitation and nausea.
Doctors on P.E.I. ran out of Nozinan last week. Dr. Mireille LeCours said the drug was useful because it treated multiple symptoms.
"You have to keep the patient comfortable, so if it takes three drugs to keep the patient comfortable, well, the patient will have three drugs," said LeCours. ...more
Doctors caring for dying patients are looking forward to the reintroduction of a drug used to make the end of life easier.
Sanofi-aventis stopped production of Nozinan last November because of declining sales. The drug relieves anxiety, agitation and nausea.
Doctors on P.E.I. ran out of Nozinan last week. Dr. Mireille LeCours said the drug was useful because it treated multiple symptoms.
"You have to keep the patient comfortable, so if it takes three drugs to keep the patient comfortable, well, the patient will have three drugs," said LeCours. ...more
Fentanyl pain patches recalled in Canada
From CTV News:
In the latest of several alerts on the safety of fentanyl pain-relief patches, Health Canada has announced the recall of two brands of the powerful patches.
The agency advises against using:
* 25 mcg/hr Duragesic (fentanyl transdermal system) patches sold by Janssen-Ortho Inc.
* 25 mcg/hr Ran Fentanyl Transdermal System patches sold by Ranbaxy.
Both products are being voluntarily recalled because they may have a cut along one side of the patch that could result in leaking of the fentanyl gel from the patch.
"Exposure to fentanyl gel that has leaked from the patch may lead to increased skin absorption and could result in serious, potentially life-threatening adverse events, including respiratory depression (slowed breathing) and possible overdose, which may be fatal," Health Canada said in its warning. ...more
In the latest of several alerts on the safety of fentanyl pain-relief patches, Health Canada has announced the recall of two brands of the powerful patches.
The agency advises against using:
* 25 mcg/hr Duragesic (fentanyl transdermal system) patches sold by Janssen-Ortho Inc.
* 25 mcg/hr Ran Fentanyl Transdermal System patches sold by Ranbaxy.
Both products are being voluntarily recalled because they may have a cut along one side of the patch that could result in leaking of the fentanyl gel from the patch.
"Exposure to fentanyl gel that has leaked from the patch may lead to increased skin absorption and could result in serious, potentially life-threatening adverse events, including respiratory depression (slowed breathing) and possible overdose, which may be fatal," Health Canada said in its warning. ...more
FDA to offer guidance to companies on marketing drugs for unapproved uses
From CBC News:
The U.S. government on Friday proposed guidelines for how pharmaceutical companies can use medical journal articles to market drugs for unapproved uses.
The Food and Drug Administration guidelines, criticized by some legislators as too lenient, have been eagerly anticipated by drug and device companies like Pfizer Inc. and Medtronic Inc. that often use medical literature for marketing.
Companies are not allowed to market products for "off-label" uses, or those that have not been cleared by the FDA as safe and effective. However, under a law that expired in 2006, the agency made an exception for reprints of medical journal articles, which sales people often give to physicians. ...more
The U.S. government on Friday proposed guidelines for how pharmaceutical companies can use medical journal articles to market drugs for unapproved uses.
The Food and Drug Administration guidelines, criticized by some legislators as too lenient, have been eagerly anticipated by drug and device companies like Pfizer Inc. and Medtronic Inc. that often use medical literature for marketing.
Companies are not allowed to market products for "off-label" uses, or those that have not been cleared by the FDA as safe and effective. However, under a law that expired in 2006, the agency made an exception for reprints of medical journal articles, which sales people often give to physicians. ...more
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Out-of-pocket costs vary widely by province for seniors
From the Globe and Mail:
Technically, every Canadian aged 65 or older is covered by a provincial drug plan, but the out-of-pocket costs paid by seniors for prescription drugs vary wildly between provinces, new research shows.
For example, a 65-year-old single woman on a government pension who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure and is being treated with four prescription drugs pays only $8 for the medication in Ontario but $503 in Manitoba.
Similarly, a 73-year-old married man with an above-average income taking five drugs to treat heart failure pays $60 for the prescription medicine in New Brunswick and $1,332 in Manitoba.
"Given differences in reimbursement according to age, income level, marital status and province of residence, drug reimbursement in Canada is manifestly unequal," said Louise Pilote with the divisions of general internal medicine and clinical epidemiology at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. ...more
Technically, every Canadian aged 65 or older is covered by a provincial drug plan, but the out-of-pocket costs paid by seniors for prescription drugs vary wildly between provinces, new research shows.
For example, a 65-year-old single woman on a government pension who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure and is being treated with four prescription drugs pays only $8 for the medication in Ontario but $503 in Manitoba.
Similarly, a 73-year-old married man with an above-average income taking five drugs to treat heart failure pays $60 for the prescription medicine in New Brunswick and $1,332 in Manitoba.
"Given differences in reimbursement according to age, income level, marital status and province of residence, drug reimbursement in Canada is manifestly unequal," said Louise Pilote with the divisions of general internal medicine and clinical epidemiology at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. ...more
Monday, February 11, 2008
NDP touts drug plan
From the Edmonton Sun:
Facing staggering monthly drug bills on top of rising rent, seniors Steve and Arlene Smeredely helped the NDP introduce a drug plan yesterday it says would slash seniors' costs.
The Edmonton couple's monthly drug bill accounts for about $400. Coupled with $840 rent for their one-bedroom apartment and a few hundred for groceries, and the seniors say times are hard.
"It's terrible. By the time we pay our rent and the great big drug supply that we need -- which doesn't always cover our insulin needs, because we're both diabetic -- it can be very hard," said Arlene. "We worry about it, yes we do."
They get some help from family and some government support through the Aids to Daily Living program.
But what the couple really needs is a comprehensive reform of drug benefits in Alberta, said NDP leader Brian Mason. ...more
Facing staggering monthly drug bills on top of rising rent, seniors Steve and Arlene Smeredely helped the NDP introduce a drug plan yesterday it says would slash seniors' costs.
The Edmonton couple's monthly drug bill accounts for about $400. Coupled with $840 rent for their one-bedroom apartment and a few hundred for groceries, and the seniors say times are hard.
"It's terrible. By the time we pay our rent and the great big drug supply that we need -- which doesn't always cover our insulin needs, because we're both diabetic -- it can be very hard," said Arlene. "We worry about it, yes we do."
They get some help from family and some government support through the Aids to Daily Living program.
But what the couple really needs is a comprehensive reform of drug benefits in Alberta, said NDP leader Brian Mason. ...more
Hospitals may have to report bad drug reactions
From the National Post:
Hundreds of hospitals across the country would be forced to inform federal authorities whenever patients had serious reactions to drugs and medical devices under a controversial plan Health Canada is quietly proposing.
The regulator notes that as many as 45,000 hospital patients a year suffer from sometimes fatal side effects to the treatments meant to help them, yet only 2% of the incidents are reported.
The tentative proposal is already meeting resistance, though, with critics arguing that making reporting mandatory is a "quick fix" that by itself will not generate the desired flow of safety information.
"Simply passing a law that says, 'It's mandatory' I don't think is going to remove the barriers that are there to improved reporting," said Jeff Poston of the Canadian Pharmacists Association, whose members produce most ad-verse-reaction reports currently. "I don't think it's really a solution." ...more
Hundreds of hospitals across the country would be forced to inform federal authorities whenever patients had serious reactions to drugs and medical devices under a controversial plan Health Canada is quietly proposing.
The regulator notes that as many as 45,000 hospital patients a year suffer from sometimes fatal side effects to the treatments meant to help them, yet only 2% of the incidents are reported.
The tentative proposal is already meeting resistance, though, with critics arguing that making reporting mandatory is a "quick fix" that by itself will not generate the desired flow of safety information.
"Simply passing a law that says, 'It's mandatory' I don't think is going to remove the barriers that are there to improved reporting," said Jeff Poston of the Canadian Pharmacists Association, whose members produce most ad-verse-reaction reports currently. "I don't think it's really a solution." ...more
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