The FDA has not approved extended release Remoxy, a gel capsule formulation of oxycodone, concluding that its potential benefits do not outweigh its risks…... [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are better than opioids at easing the intensity of chronic pain in the back, knees or hips, a U.S. experiment suggests. And opioids are no better than these other drugs at reducing how much pain interferes with daily activities, such as walking, working, sleeping or enjoying… [Read More]
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune-mediated rheumatic disease characterized by multisystem involvement that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a rare, fulminant, autoimmune-mediated, demyelinating disease involving the white matter of the central nervous system (CNS), and is considered a manifestation of neuropsychiatric lupus. Few reported cases involve SLE and… [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—Prescriptions for nerve pain medicines like Neurontin and Lyrica have more than tripled in recent years, driven by increased use among chronically ill older adults and patients already taking opioids, a U.S. study suggests. The proportion of U.S. adults prescribed Neurontin and other drugs in the same family of medicines climbed from 1.2% in… [Read More]
NEW YORK (Reuters)—Life expectancy in the United States dipped in 2016 as the number of deaths due to opioid drug overdoses surged and total drug overdose deaths rose 21% to 63,600, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. Life expectancy fell to 78.6 years, a decrease of 0.1 year from 2015,… [Read More]
My dear electronic health records How do I dislike thee? Let me count the ways Adaptation of Sonnet 43 By Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806–1861 As my tenure as physician editor winds down, it’s worth reviewing some of the more nettlesome issues confronting clinicians that have been previously discussed in these pages and gauge their current… [Read More]
(Reuters)—Amid a growing U.S. opioid addiction, health insurer Cigna Corp will stop covering OxyContin, the opioid painkiller sold by Purdue Pharma LP, as of January 1 and will instead cover an equivalent with a formulation less vulnerable to abuse, the company said on Wednesday. The insurer has signed a “value-based contract” with Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc… [Read More]
(Reuters)—The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Friday proposed a 20% reduction in the manufacture of certain commonly prescribed opioid painkillers, as well as other controlled substances for next year. The proposal comes as U.S. regulators and lawmakers take steps to limit the supply of opioids—a class of drugs that include prescription painkillers and heroin—to… [Read More]
NEW YORK (Reuters)—Generic drug makers are turning to mergers and acquisitions to shield themselves against a concerted effort by U.S. regulators to crack down on steep drug prices. Impax Laboratories Inc, Perrigo Company Plc and Alvogen Inc have been talking to advisers about strategic options for their generics businesses, ranging from acquisitions to increase scale… [Read More]
(Reuters)—Mallinckrodt Plc., one of the largest manufacturers of the generic opioid painkiller oxycodone, will pay $35 million to resolve allegations that it failed to report suspicious drug orders, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday. The deal, in which Mallinckrodt did not admit wrongdoing, marked a record settlement of claims that a drugmaker failed to properly… [Read More]