The latest in Medical Drug Therapy

Tissue-freezing balloon beats drugs in ablation study

2010-03-15T10:17:45Z

<div><p>An experimental ablation therapy system that freezes heart tissue with a balloon catheter to treat a common heart rhythm disorder is far more effective than drug therapy, a study found Monday.</p><p>Researchers compared the safety and efficacy of the Arctic Front CryoAblation Catheter System produced by US firm Medtronic to drug therapy over at least one year in 245 patients in the Medtronic to drug therapy over at least one year in 245 patients in the Pfizer ends study on potential lung cancer drug, committee says it won't meet treatment goal</div><div><p>Pfizer Inc. said Thursday it discontinued a late-stage study of the drug candidate figitumumab in patients with late-stage lung cancer, citing a lack of effectiveness.</p><p>The company said an independent monitoring committee recommended stopping the study. It concluded that figitumu...

Watson says FDA approves 6-month dose Trelstar

2010-03-11T15:00:28Z

<div id="subtitle">Watson Pharmaceuticals says FDA approves 6-month dose of prostate cancer drug Trelstar</div><div><p>Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. said the Food and Drug Administration approved a six-month dose of the prostate cancer drug Trelstar, which already was available in one- and three-month d...

Hormone Replacement Therapy Still Good For Menopause?

2010-03-10T18:14:23Z

Hormone replacement therapy, now more commonly known as hormone therapy, use to be medical worlds standard treatment for those women suffering from hot flashes and other side effects of going through menopause. They also thought that it could help prevent osteoporosis and even heart disease.<br><br>In 2002 however; the minds of many in the medical field changed when they saw the results of a clinical test. What the test uncovered is that the hormone replacement therapy could actua...

Drug industry pays for Mo. cold medicine database

2010-03-08T13:18:32Z

<div id="subtitle">Drug industry to pay for Mo. database tracking purchases of cold medicines used to make meth</div><div><p>Missouri selected a company Monday to develop a database for tracking purchases of cold medicine that can be used to make methamphetamine.</p><p>Since 2005, Missouri has kept a paper log that law officers can check later to track purchases of cold medications containing pseudoephedrine. A 2...

Sanofi drug shows promise against prostate cancer

2010-03-03T15:16:06Z

<div id="subtitle">Experimental drug modestly boosts survival in men with advanced prostate cancer, study finds</div><div><p>For the first time, an experimental drug has extended the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer who are no longer responding to other treatments and are out of options for fighting the disease, a company-led study found.</p><p>The benefit was modest — an extra 10 weeks — but cancer specialists were excited because no chemotherapy un...

FDA Considers New Restrictions On Pain Relievers Containing Acetaminophen

2010-02-25T11:31:09Z

CHICAGO - JUNE 30: Theraflu cold medicine is sold over-the-counter at a drugstore June 30, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. Theraflu contains acetaminophen, an active ingredient found in many pain killers and cold medicines. Today the Food and Drug Administration's advisory ...

Roche's Avastin fails in stomach cancer trial

2010-02-23T01:30:09Z

<div><p>ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche Holding's cancer drug Avastin missed its main target in a late-stage trial when used with chemotherapy to treat patients with advanced stomach cancer, the Swiss drugmaker said on Tuesday.</p><p>Roche had indicated peak sales of the drug for the diseas...

Roche's Rituxan gets US OK for another cancer

2010-02-22T08:35:22Z

<div id="subtitle">Roche's Genentech gets US OK for blockbuster blood cancer drug Rituxan to treat another cancer</div><div><p>Genentech's blockbuster blood cancer drug Rituxan was approved Thursday for a new use by the Reuters Health) - Boys who are short due to underlying health problems are more likely than their female counterparts to be treated with growth hormone -- but the gap is not explained by a bias in doctors' recommendations for treatment, a new study suggests.</p><p>Growth hormone therapy may be prescribed to children with short stature due to certain medical ...

Keryx, FDA agree on colon cancer drug study goals

2010-02-22T12:18:12Z

<div id="subtitle">Keryx Biopharma, FDA agree on design of late-stage trial for drug against colorectal cancer</div><div><p>Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc. said Wednesday it reached an agreement with regulators on the design of a late-stage study of its cancer drug candidate perifosine.</p><p>The agreement makes it more likely...

Hormone drugs for prostate cancer may hurt heart

2010-02-22T12:54:59Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prostate cancer treatments that cut off the supply of male hormone raise cholesterol, worsen blood sugar and make men fatter and thus likely raise the risk of heart attack, too, doctors said on Monday.</p><p>An advisory published in the American Heart Association...

Poniard Pharma skids on picoplatin study data

2010-02-22T15:12:16Z

<div id="subtitle">Poniard Pharma tumbles as data raises doubts on cancer drug's effectiveness, side effects</div><div><p>Shares of Poniard Pharmaceuticals Inc. dropped Monday due to safety concerns about its experimental chemotherapy drug picoplatin.</p><p>On Sunday, Poniard reported results from a midstage clinical study tha...

Roche drug keeps patients cancer-free longer

2010-02-22T17:16:16Z

<div><p>ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche's cancer drug Xeloda enabled elderly patients being treated for colorectal cancer to live free of the disease for longer, the world's largest maker of cancer drugs said on Thursday.</p><p>A study showed that patients above the age of 65 or 70 years who took Xeloda, or capecitabine, with OSI Pharmaceuticals says 4Q sales of cancer drug Tarceva rise 17 percent in US, abroad</div><div><p>OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday sales of its cancer drug Tarceva jumped 17 percent in the U.S. and abroad during the fourth quarter.&am...

Medications Used in Joint Pain Relief

2010-02-23T13:48:04Z

Joint pain is so excruciating that people who have experienced it even just once cringe at the thought of its recurrence. There are many ways to relieve joint pains. However, each joint pain relief is dependent on what causes the pain. Could it be brought about by arthritis, injury, or gout?<br><br>Whichever the cause is, one of the most common treatments to joint pains is drug treatment. However, you must bear in mind that if you are experiencing joint pains due o...

Diagnosis and Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

2010-02-23T15:30:23Z

Ovarian cancer represents about 25% of all female genital tract malignancies. However, there are more deaths from ovarian cancer each year in the United States than from endometrial cancer and cervical cancer combined. The lifetime risk of developing spontaneous ovarian cancer is about 1.7%. Epithelial ovarian cancer was expected cause 15,520 deaths in 2008. Mean age at diagnosis is 60. There has been a significant improvement in t...

FDA says OSI drug effective against lung cancer

2010-02-23T16:21:17Z

<div id="subtitle">FDA says OSI's Tarceva appears effective against lung cancer as chemotherapy follow-up</div><div><p>Federal health regulators say OSI Pharmaceutical's Tarceva slows the progression of lung cancer and extends patients' lives when used as a follow-up to chemotherapy.</p><p>The