Category Archives: Drugs

Lance Armstrong's former team-mate George Hincapie has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs. The American, who rode for the US Postal Service team, helped Armstrong win his seven Tour de France wins. "Given the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs by cyclists at the top of the profession, it was not possible to compete without them," said the 39-year-old Hincapie. His testimony will further damage Armstrong's reputation. Hincapie was among 11 riders identified as having provided evidence to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) in its investigation into doping. In their report released on Wednesday, Usada said Armstrong's team ran "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme the sport has ever seen". Hincapie, who retired in August, has joined a number of former Armstrong team-mates, including Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton, who have admitted to doping during their career. Armstrong has always denied using drugs but was banned for life in August after deciding not to fight the charges laid against him by Usada. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Hamilton saw Armstrong take drugs Go here to see the original: Hincapie admits to taking drugs … Continue reading →

Experimental drugs from Roche Holding AG and Eli Lilly & Co have been selected for a global Alzheimer's disease prevention trial, and a second Lilly drug is being considered for inclusion in the study, Washington University said on Wednesday. The trial, expected to begin in early 2013, will enroll 160 patients with inherited gene mutations that typically lead to Alzheimer's disease at a young age, the St. Louis university said on Wednesday. The drugs chosen for the study are Roche's gantenerumab and Lilly's solanezumab. Under consideration is an experimental Lilly drug called a beta-secretase inhibitor. Researchers in August said solanezumab failed to prevent decline in cognitive and physical function among patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's in two large late-stage studies. But hopes for the drug were revived a bit on Monday when Lilly said an analysis of pooled data from the two studies showed solanezumab led to a 34 percent reduction in memory decline for patients with mild symptoms over a period of 18 months. It said the change was statistically significant. Solanezumab, a monoclonal antibody, attacks beta amyloid, a protein that forms plaques in the brain that many scientists believe are a main cause of the progressive memory-robbing … Continue reading →

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwire - Oct. 11, 2012) - Miraculins Inc. (MOM.V), a medical diagnostic company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing diagnostic tests and risk assessment technologies for unmet clinical needs; London Drugs, one of Canada's leading pharmacy chains; and Pear Healthcare Solutions, a leading provider of in-pharmacy health screening and educational services, today announce further details surrounding the retail pharmacy launch of the PreVu(R) Non-Invasive Skin Cholesterol Point of Care (POC) Test in London Drugs locations in Western Canada this fall. "We are pleased to confirm that we will be launching the PreVu(R) POC Test in eleven of our stores, with ten being located in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, and another store now being added in Winnipeg," said John Tse, Vice President, Pharmacy for London Drugs. "This includes our prestigious, brand new Olympic Village store, which is located in the previous home of the Canadian National Olympic Committee and the Athletes' Multimedia Centre for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games." (A complete list of participating stores follows.) The dates for the launch program will be Monday, October 29th with 6 of the stores participating, and Thursday, November 1st with the remaining 5 stores participating. Customers can call their pharmacists … Continue reading →

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Experimental Alzheimer's drugs from Roche Holding AG and Eli Lilly & Co have been selected for a high-profile clinical trial to test whether it is possible to prevent the brain-wasting disease from developing in at-risk patients. The trial, expected to start early next year, will enroll 160 patients worldwide with inherited gene mutations that typically lead to Alzheimer's symptoms when they are as young as in their 30s, Washington University in St. Louis said on Wednesday in announcing the drugs' selection. Drug studies over the past decade have tried and failed to slow progression of Alzheimer's among patients who already have dementia. The hope is that success in arresting symptoms in patients who are so highly predisposed to develop the disease will show the way to preventing Alzheimer's in a much wider population. "We're going in with three different drugs, with three different mechanisms of action, to find out which works best," said Dr. Randall Bateman, a neurologist at the Washington University School of Medicine who will lead the trial. Bateman, in a telephone interview, said about half the patients in the trial will have no symptoms at all when the study begins, while the rest … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday called for stricter federal oversight of compounding pharmacies in the wake a deadly meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated injections made by a Massachusetts specialty pharmacy. Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Edward Markey said in separate statements that they will draft legislation to give the Food and Drug Administration more authority to police the safety of custom-mixed medicines, known as compounded drugs. Compounding pharmacies traditionally supply products that are not available commercially, based on an individual doctor's prescription. But some pharmacies have grown into larger businesses, operating across state lines and supplying drugs to thousands of hospitals, clinics and physicians. As many as 13,000 people received steroid shots from the New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The contaminated shots have now been associated with 119 cases of meningitis, including 11 deaths, the agency said Tuesday. The company has recalled the fungus-contaminated steroid, which was shipped to 23 states. Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include severe headache, nausea, dizziness and fever. Unlike drugs manufactured by large pharmaceutical companies, compounded drugs have never been reviewed for safety … Continue reading →

Even as Latin American countries are at the forefront of the war against narcotraffickers, they are also pushing alternative strategies including the legalization of drugs, particularly marijuana HECTOR GUERRERO / AFP / Getty Images A Mexican soldier pulls up marijuana plants found in a field of blue agave in Hostotipaquillo, Jalisco state, on Sept. 27, 2012. Members of the Mexican military conducted an operation in the area, where so far they have destroyed 40 hectares of marijuana plantations and burned more than 50 tons of plants Guatemalan President Otto Prez Molina has never been soft on crime. The 30-year military veteran rose to power last year on the wings of his law-and-order platform, crystallized in his campaign slogan: Iron fist, head and heart. And he recently approved the creation of two military bases, outfitted with 2,500 soldiers, to guard against the growing presence of drug cartels that have turned Guatemala into a trafficking corridor and fueled some of the worlds highest murder rates. Since February, though, Prez has coupled his tough talk on crime with calls for a drastic change in crime-fighting tactics centered on the legalization and decriminalization of drugs. Legalization, he insists, should supplement military buildup to stem … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: http://www.reportlinker.com/p01010194/Global-Human-Growth-Hormone-Drugs-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_and_Medication This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Human Growth Hormone Drugs in US$ Million. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Japan, Europe, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2009 through 2018. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. The report profiles 37 companies including many key and niche players such as Eli Lilly and Company, Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S, Genentech, Inc., GeneScience Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Merck Serono SA, Sandoz International GmbH, Novo Nordisk A/S, Pfizer, Inc., and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based upon search engine sources in the public domain. To order this report:Drug_and_Medication Industry: Global Human Growth Hormone Drugs Industry CONTACT: Nicolas Bombourg Reportlinker Email: nicolasbombourg@reportlinker.com US: (805)652-2626 Intl: +1 805-652-2626 Read more here: Global Human Growth Hormone Drugs Industry … Continue reading →

Drugs rushed through Health Canadas approval process are significantly more likely to have serious safety problems once on the market than those that undergo a standard review, a new study has found. The study found nearly 35 per cent of new drugs approved through the federal regulators priority review system later received serious safety warnings or were withdrawn from the market, compared with only some 20 per cent of those reviewed through the standard process. Health Canadas standard approval involves reviewing drugs for 300 days, nearly double the 180 days taken in a priority review. The length of time matters because it appears they missed things, said York University professor Joel Lexchin, who authored the study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The issue is, can you do as good a job evaluating that material in 180 days as you would in 300 days? Or are you going to miss things? Drug companies can request that their new products be given a priority review. If the company provides convincing evidence that a drug is an effective treatment that isnt currently available, or that the drug is a significant improvement over existing treatments for serious diseases, Health Canada may … Continue reading →

Top drugs cartel leader Heriberto Lazcano is reported to have been killed in a gunfight with marines in Mexico. The Mexican navy said there was strong evidence that the body of one of two men killed in the Sunday exchange of fire was Lazcano, known as "El Lazca" but said more tests would have to be done before official confirmation. "Information was obtained after the first forensics tests were carried out that yielded indications that suggest that one of the bodies is Heriberto Lazcano," the navy's statement said. "The Navy Department is coordinating efforts with Coahuila state, and will be awaiting the conclusions of the forensics examination in the case." The death of Lazcano, if confirmed, would be a major victory for Mexican law enforcement. The Zetas cartel that he helped found with other deserters from an elite army unit went on to carry out some of Mexico's bloodiest massacres, biggest jail breaks and fiercest attacks on authorities. Lazcano, who is also known as "El Verdugo" (the executioner) for his brutality, is suspected of involvement in hundreds of killings, including the June 2004 slaying of Francisco Ortiz Franco, a top editor of a crusading weekly newspaper in Tijuana that often … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/mh28rv/synthesis_of) has announced the addition of Elsevier Science and Technology's new book "Synthesis of Essential Drugs" to their offering. This book represents an effort to express a long overdue need of compiling information which has been accumulated over the course of more than 30 years of our work in the area of the synthesis of medicinal drugs. Our effort fills obvious gaps that exist in the literature of drug synthesis. The synthesis of various groups of drugs are presented in an order similar to that traditionally presented in a pharmacology curriculum. This was done with a very specific goal in mind - to harmonize the chemical aspects with the pharmacology curriculum in a manner useful to chemists. Practically every chapter begins with an accepted brief definition and description of a particular group of drugs, proposes their classification, and briefly explains the present model of their action. This is followed by a detailed description of methods for their synthesis. Of the thousands of drugs existing on the pharmaceutical market, we mainly discuss generic drugs that are included in the WHO's "Essential List of Drugs." For practically all of the 700+ drugs described in the book, references … Continue reading →