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FDA issued drug safety communications about a serious adverse effect associated with the use of over-the-counter benzocaine gels, sprays, and liquids applied to the throat and gums to reduce pain.

FDA has approved gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant Extended-Release Tablets, GlaxoSmithKline and XenoPort), a once-daily treatment for moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome, also known as Ekbom disease. It is the first medication in its class to be approved for this condition.

The American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists recently published Anticoagulation Therapy: A Point-of-Care Guide for clinicians, pharmacists, and pharmacy residents.

The use of high-dose clopidogrel compared with use of standard-dose clopidogrel does not reduce the incidence of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis among patients with high on-treatment reactivity after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents, according to a recent multicenter study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Antibiotic use is rising at Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the country, according to findings released at the annual meeting in Dallas of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

Both the Food and Drug Administration and officials from a number of generic drug companies indicate they are in active talks on creating user fees to be paid by that industry to give the agency more resources to speed generics to the market, carry out inspections and other functions.

The American Pharmacists Association Foundation recently announced the first 25 healthcare organizations that will be participating in its Project IMPACT: Diabetes program.

Kathleen Jaeger has resigned as executive vice president and CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) because she disagreed with NCPA executives about the organization's direction.

APP Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Schaumburg, Ill., recently recalled 5 lots of irinotecan hydrochloride injection, used to treat recurrent or progressive metastatic colorectal cancer. Greenstone LLC has recalled 1 lot of Citalopram, used to treat depression, because the bottles may contain finasteride.

5α-reductase inhibitors may cause persistent erectile dysfunction, depression, and loss of libido, even after discontinuing use, in men being treated for systems of benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia, according to a literature review published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are commonly nonadherent to therapy, according to a recent study published in Arthritis Care & Research.

Prescription Solutions, a pharmacy benefits manager and a UnitedHealth Group company in Irvine, Calif., recently launched an online service that speeds up approval of prior authorization requests.

The risk of fracture is unlikely in patients taking short-term, low-dose proton pump inhibitors, according to a review of available safety data by FDA.

Evidence supports metformin as a first-line agent to treat type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the online edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

While Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, has offered the State of Florida $1 million for a pill mill database, the anticipated cost of sustaining the program may deter Florida Governor Rick Scott and other legislators from accepting the grant.

American Regent, a division of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals in Shirley, N.Y., recently recalled several lots of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection and Sodium Chloride Injection because they may contain particulates.

Walgreens has acquired online retailer Drugstore.com Inc. for $409 million in cash.

Patients with diabetes who are more adherent to their therapy incur slightly lower healthcare costs, according to a recent study in the journal Health Services Research.

FDA recently released new medication guides and made revisions to a number of others. The following is a synopsis of FDA's actions.

Bartell Drugs is holding a "Health and Beauty Event," featuring health clinics, free beauty "mini-makeover" demonstrations and hair-styling tips, and product samplings ranging from cosmetics to specialty foods and candies.

The 2011 Health & Wellness Conference taking place April 3 to April 5 at the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate in Orlando, Fla., will give supermarket executives opportunities to collaborate with suppliers and service providers on ways to meet the wellness needs of consumers.

Weight-loss products that promise consumers quick and easy ways to shed pounds don't live up to their claims and, even worse, can cause serious harm, FDA has announced.

FDA has a new target in its continuing efforts to clean up pharmaceutical industry abuses: individual corporate officials. The most recent targets are the vice president of quality and the vice president of operations for OTC Products at McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

FDA has approved ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb) to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

FDA has approved an expanded age indication for Zoster Vaccine Live, (Zostavax, Merck) for the prevention of herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, in adults ages 50 years and older.

SmartTots, a partnership between the International Anesthesia Research Society and FDA, is gathering more research on safe anesthesia for children under 4 years old.

The American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Association of Poison Control Centers are raising awareness about the dangers of drug poisoning as part of Poison Prevention Week, which is taking place March 20 to 26.

In this section we showcase products and product news that ran up against space limitations or fell outside the parameters of recently featured categories in the print edition. Look for more OTC Product News in upcoming issues of the Drug Topics e-newsletter.