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30 Apr 2010 00:37

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U.S.: The newly approved Provenge: It’s a cure for prostate cancer, kinda

  • $93,000 the amount the cancer vaccine,
    which the FDA just approved
    yesterday, costs
  • four the number of months the drug
    adds to the life expectancy of a
    prostate cancer patient source
  • » It’s a vaccine that doesn’t really work like a vaccine. The vaccine, administered in three shots, is made from a patient’s own cells, and is used to teach the body how to kill malignant cancer cells. However, unlike most vaccines, it doesn’t prevent the disease, just slows it down. The drug may be expensive, but it’s more effective than chemotherapy.

22 Feb 2010 10:23

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22 Feb 2010 10:07

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Biz: U.S. to Glaxo: Uh, you should pull Avandia from the market

  • The drug has long been linked to heart attacks. The Senate Finance Committee released a report over the weekend containing internal FDA documents recommending it should be pulled from the market. Glaxo, though, is trying its hardest to avoid the pulling of the diabetes drug, and is in the midst of a blind test with another drug, Actos, to show how safe it is. That’s despite the use of a fear-of-God “black box” warning on the drug, and despite a study noting a 43 percent increase in heart trouble for Avendia users. The report suggests Glaxo knew the issues but kept the drug on the market anyway. Yikes. source

17 Nov 2009 09:33

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Culture: Janet Jackson lays blame squarely on Dr. Conrad Murray

  • He was the one that was administering. I think he is responsible.
  • Janet Jackson • Talking about her brother Michael’s death, and Dr. Conrad Murray’s role in it, on ABC. She goes on, saying that Murray shouldn’t be allowed to practice medicine. “Not at all,” she said. “So this could happen to someone else? Another family?” • source

23 Sep 2009 10:40

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Biz: Medical malpractice leads to more wasteful medical spending

  • $60 billion each year spent on wasteful CYA treatment source

02 Sep 2009 10:28

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Biz: There’s no cure for cancer, but drugmakers sure want to find it

Drug companies like Pfizer – which has little history with cancer drugs – are throwing lots of money at the cancer problem right now. It’s a big risk. source

26 Jun 2009 15:26

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Culture: A doctor was already in Michael Jackson’s house yesterday

  • A person of interest Apparently, Jackson had a doctor living with him who officials have not named. He is currently being held by the L.A.P.D., who want to spend more time questioning him before they let him go. The doctor’s car has also been seized as evidence.
  • Jackson’s history with drugs Michael Jackson has long been associated with the use and overuse of prescription drugs. While a toxicology report is still forthcoming, Jackson was sued for $100,000 by a Beverly Hills pharmacy for prescription drugs he had not paid for. source
 

08 Feb 2009 10:40

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Offbeat, U.S.: The FDA’s got your goat; it makes your medicine

They just approved gene-altered goats for drug-making. That’s baahhhhdass. source

26 Jan 2009 10:16

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Biz: Pfizer and Wyeth; two weird names, one massive drug company

  • $68 billion, the amount Pfizer is paying to buy Wyeth source