Clinical News

The National Institutes of Health, FDA, 10 biopharmaceutical companies, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and several nonprofit organizations have launched an unprecedented public/private partnership to transform the current model for identifying and validating the most promising biological targets of disease for new diagnostics and drug development.

Saline shortages are affecting three out of four hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout the country, with nearly 30% of these facilities not having adequate supplies to meet patient needs, according to a survey by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Patients who take low-dose aspirin daily can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 20%.

Among patients with high ASCVD risk, lower-intensity statin plus a bile acid sequestrant or ezetimibe lowered LDL cholesterol as well as higher-intensity statin mono therapy did.

Analysts expect to see key developments in categories that include cancer, heart failure, obesity and diabetes, and hepatitis C. They also look toward some greatly needed antibiotics to deploy in the war against superbugs.

FDA approved vortioxetine as oral tablets indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Among more than 4,500 patients studied, there were 45 strokes and 103 major bleeding events after an average follow-up of 325 ± 164 days.

Two oncologists call on ASCO and their peers to support a system that will meet the needs of their patients.

A quality improvement initiative conducted in a primary care setting greatly improved asthma control and outcomes for high-risk adolescents.

Vitamin D has a strong protective effect against the disease process that underlies multiple sclerosis.

Study of 166,715 people showed that adults with diabetes had more comorbidities and got more flu shots than did nondiabetics.

Continued use of statins may help prevent delirium in critically ill patients who received statins before hospital admission, according to a study published online ahead of print in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

An analysis of emergency department (ED) visits over a 10-year period found that while inappropriate antibiotic use is decreasing in pediatric settings, it continues to remain a problem in adults, according to a study published ahead of print in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

The marketplace is flooded with antibacterial hand soaps and body washes that supposedly prevent the spread of bacteria. Problem is, according to the FDA, there’s no evidence that they work.

The direct oral factor Xa inhibitor edoxaban was found to be noninferior to well-managed warfarin for preventing strokes or systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation.

All pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes mellitus at 24 weeks gestation, even if they have no symptoms, according to new recommendations from the USPSTF.

Hunger in the United States may have important health consequences, including a higher risk of low blood sugar, a new study suggested.

GSK's Mekinist and Tafinlar combination received accelerated approval after priority review.

Patch treating overactive bladder in women is now available OTC.

Portola is pursuing accelerated approval for andexanet alfa and plans to initiate studies on a larger scale in 2014.

Researchers say they have linked high testosterone levels in men to a poor immune response to an influenza vaccine.

In the last 10 years, deaths in the ICU from severe pneumococcal pneumonia have decreased notably. Earlier use of antibiotics and more combo therapy have made the difference.

FDA approved umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder (Anoro Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance) for the once-daily, long-term maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.

Winners of the ISMP Cheers Awards have achieved “extraordinary advances in medication error prevention.”

With U.S. life expectancy for people with cancer at an all-time high, life-years saved now surpass 50 million.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has launched a national medication safety initiative and an accompanying guide.

Although measles has been practically eliminated in the U.S, measles cases spiked in 2013 because of international travel, according to a new study.