Today in London the FDA decided to postpone approval of a new experimental heart drug, seeking more information about the new product. The drug called Certriad, combines AstraZeneca’s blockbuster cholesterol pill Crestor with Abbott Laboratories TriLipix. According to Rueters, The manufacturers said on Tuesday they had received a so-called “complete response letter” from the U.S. [...]

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New studies released today found that many who take the popular diabetes medication metformin find the odor off-putting, and some have trouble taking the medication. The “fishy” odor is especially noticeable in the immediate release versions. “Metformin is an excellent drug, but the immediate-release formulation may have an odor to it. The smell is fishy [...]

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According to reports, the axe is coming down all over the pharma world on research and development projects that are not yielding immediate results. AstraZeneca(Atacand, Crestor), GlaxoSmithKline (Advair, Boniva) and Pfizer (Benadryl, Lipitor) have all already begun to scrap projects, while others like Sanofi-Aventis (Allegra, Plavix) are about to pick up the trend and start [...]

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Healthcare reform isn’t just about the public option and paying for doctor’s visits — it’s also about equal, affordable access to life-saving medications for all Americans. That’s why many Big Pharma watchdogs are so disappointed with a recent amendment slipped into healthcare legislation that proposes extending patent protection on biologic drugs, delaying for years the [...]

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A new blood-pressure treatment has come on the market that is of potential interest to hypertension patients whose blood pressure is not being adequately controlled with monotherapy. Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Novartis’ Valturna (aliskiren and valsartan), which combines in a single pill valsartan, the active ingredient in Diovan — [...]

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Millions of people suffer from severe, debilitating acne that does not respond to over-the-counter treatments such as acne washes and benzoyl peroxide, and even resists prescription antibiotics. Ongoing severe acne can cause physical effects such as pain, infection, and scarring, and social and emotional effects such as shame and low self-esteem. According to the Acne [...]

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Earlier this month, a closely-watched trial over the osteoporosis drug Fosamax ended in mistrial, to the frustration of nearly everyone involved. The trial was marked by great tension, with a deadlocked jury, reports of threats of physical violence, and a judge-ordered cooling-down period. What could cause such intense drama? Well, this was just one of [...]

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Are you one of millions of people battling some type of hair loss? More than half of males experience some degree of male pattern baldness by age 50, but even women and children can experience unwanted hair loss. There are more options than ever before to treat hair loss — such as herbal treatments, scalp [...]

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Painful conditions of the esophagus and stomach are common in our society. Stress, obesity, poor diet, and smoking can all play a part. Whether you suffer from acid reflux or ulcers, controlling acid is probably part of your game plan for comfort and health. But there are two very similar acid-controlling drugs from the same [...]

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A diagnosis of high cholesterol can be intimidating, but there is a lot you can do to control this condition. In addition to modifying your diet and upping your exercise, the addition of a HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor — a class of drugs commonly called “statins” — can safely and effectively lower your cholesterol. (HMG-CoA Reductase [...]

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