Adverse drug reactions.(Brief article)
The FDA Web site now lists drugs currently being evaluated for
potential harm. Selection is based on a review of reports in FDA's
Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS). This is the . . .
Free booklet about pain drugs.
The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality provides free
copies of its, "Choosing Pain Medicine for Osteoarthritis: A Guide
for Consumers." The guide gives the trade-offs between pain . . .
From the director ... people want major changes in health care,
survey shows.(Survey)
A recent Harris survey of how Americans view their health care
should be required reading for policy makers of both political parties.
The survey sends a clear message that, for the majority of . . .
More bad news about Fosamax.
An unusual type of severe fracture has been reported in people
taking Fosamax for more than five years. Ironically, this drug is widely
prescribed to prevent fractures in people with bone loss. The . . .
Old drug, new claim: the women-in-towels Evista ad
explained.
The women in Eli Lilly's new ad campaign are attractive,
healthy-looking and wearing nothing but towels. "Cut two risks with
Evista. The only agent indicated to treat osteoporosis and reduce . . .
Prescription drug use--new podcast dispels many
myths.(Interview)
One information source used in the preparation of HealthFacts is
The Therapeutics Initiative, which publishes a free online newsletter.
This project was established in 1994 by the Department of . . .
Some herbal medicines found to be contaminated.(Brief
article)
Herbal medicines are widely perceived by the public as safe,
certainly in contrast to prescription drugs. But a new study found that
a substantial proportion of ayurvedic medicines, made in the . . .
Preoperative MRI linked to increase in mastectomies at Mayo
Clinic.(Magnetic resonance imaging)
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, made news last spring at a
meeting of cancer doctors when a Mayo Clinic oncologist reported that
the use of this diagnostic technology appears to increase the . . .
New book takes on the drug industry: "Our Daily
Meds".
Yes, we knew that the pharmaceutical industry has been creating new
diseases for at least four decades (recall how menopause became a
hormone-deficiency disease curable by taking estrogen for the . . .
Brighter lights and melatonin improves cognition in elderly
people with dementia.(Brief article)
Brighter than usual lights in nursing homes can improve cognition
and other functions in elderly residents with dementia. The improvements
were described as "modest" by the authors of a new study. . . .
From the director ... new concerns about a class of drugs called
biologics.
The fastest growing class of new drugs in the U.S. is the so-called
biologics. Although the first in this class of drugs was approved in
1982, most have been marketed for a decade or less and . . .
Vytorin and Zetia continue to be prescribed despite hints of
harms and no proof of benefit.
There is no proof that Zetia can do anything beyond lowering
cholesterol--no evidence that it can reduce heart attacks or
cardiovascular disease, which, of course, is the ultimate goal. Once
again, . . .
Having a medical test? Ask questions and don't forget to get
the results.(Survey)(Brief article)
Numerous mistakes are made all along the way once the primary care
doctor orders a test, according to a new survey of eight family medicine
practices. The wrong test is ordered; the test is . . .
Adverse events--at home and at the hospital.(Brief
article)
Hospital patients, interviewed long after discharge, appear to have
a better grasp on the adverse events that occurred during their stays
than is reflected in their medical records. The first study . . .
Three weight-loss diets compared: low-fat diet is the
loser.
Three weight loss diets were compared over the course of two years
in a newly published clinical trial conducted in Israel. The
"winners" are the Mediterranean and the Atkins diets. People
on one . . .
New book called The Healthy Skeptic takes on the hype in health
advice.
Sometimes it's the opening anecdote that draws you into a
book. In the introduction of The Healthy Skeptic: Cutting through the
HYPE about your Health, author Robert J. Davis describes a . . .
Hip- and knee-replacement surgery: need for reoperation within
three years is extremely low.(Clinical report)
People facing hip- or knee-replacement surgery might want to know
whether there's a success rate that can be checked beforehand. The
National Joint Registry for England and Wales has provided just . . .
Arthroscopic surgery for knee arthritis found to be useless (once
again).
Arthroscopic surgery is no better than conservative treatment for
people with knee osteoarthritis. This was shown in a 2002 clinical
trial, and now a new trial has produced the same result. Will it . . .
On exposure to light at night, cancer ... and rethinking normal
sleep.(Interview)
There is no scientific consensus about the cause of breast cancer,
according to Richard G. Stevens, PhD, Professor and Cancer
Epidemiologist at the University of Connecticut Health . . .
Off-label drug promotion--new report.
For seven years, Johnson & Johnson ran a false advertising
campaign for its anti-anemia drug, Procrit. The TV and print ads gave
the impression that Procrit would instantly cure the fatigue . . .
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