H1N1 Global Status as on 17th November’2009
Swine flue, after first detection in Mexico City 18th March 2009 has since spread over the globe including all the states of USA. According to World Health Organization (WHO) report of 13th November this year, the world figure of laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 were more than 503,000 resulting [...]

We need to understand first what is influenza or also known as flu, and it is described as infection caused by virus. It is very contagious and affects the upper airways and lungs. Each year the common flu kills approximately 30,000 Americans each year as stated in the news this year. We now question what [...]

There was a recent Knock-off Viagra seized in raid Counterfeit drugs sold online and in sex shops, police say as published in The Ottawa Sun
In MONTREAL which was the first time in Quebec, the RCMP busted a major network that was producing and distributing counterfeit drugs.

During the investigation which led to nine arrests, 11 properties being searched and the seizure of 15,000 counterfeit pills for erectile dysfunction.

Health regulatory world wide is informing health professionals of an ongoing safety review of the potential association between the diabetes drug Lantus (insulin glargine) and an increased risk of developing cancer.

A similar review was recently announced by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency in light of four recently published studies that looked at the use of Lantus and the development of various types of cancer in patients with diabetes.

There were four studies conducted and three results suggested a very slightly increased risk of cancer associated with use of Lantus, while the fourth study found no link between the drug and the development of cancer. All studies showed that the number of patients who developed cancer was small. The four studies were published in Diabetologia.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has recently received approval from the US FDA to market its emergency contraceptive Plan B (levonorgestrel) in a new dosage formulation that requires a single 1.5mg tablet, instead of two 0.75mg tablets which need to be taken 12 hours apart. Teva touts as an advantage the fact that the new formulation, Plan B One-Step, can be taken “right away” after unprotected sex has occurred. It is known that Emergency contraception is more effective the sooner it is taken. Plan B One-Step is expected to be in retail pharmacies in August, Teva said. The new formulation will replace the two-pill formulation in Teva’s product line just as the original Plan B product loses its US exclusivity (as an OTC product) on August 24th. Pricing of the new single-tablet formulation has not been announced, but industry observers believe it might be similar to the original Plan B product, which costs $49.99 on the on-line retailer drugstore.com. In addition to approving the single-dose emergency contraceptive, the FDA has also expanded OTC access to both Plan B One-Step and the original two-dose Plan B

The news is that effective from May 20th, 2009, the ODBF Limited Use codes for PLAVIX® have been revised. Please note the revisions to the criteria for the existing codes (i.e. 375 and 376) as well as the addition of a new code (i.e. 411). For access to the criteria, please consult the ODBF website. MI and Stroke and also factor Established Peripheral Arterial Disease PLAVIX® is indicated for the secondary prevention of atherothrombotic events (myocardial infarction, stroke and vascular death) in patients with atherosclerosis documented by stroke, MI, or established peripheral arterial disease. Acute Coronary Syndrome PLAVIX®, in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is indicated for the early and long-term secondary prevention of atherothrombotic events (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, cardiovascular death and/or refractory ischemia) in patients with acute coronary syndromes - without ST-segment elevation (i.e. unstable angina or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction).

Mr. Smith is a diabetic patient and walks into Dr. James office to get his refill. After getting his prescription he walks just like another American to save money to Wal-Mart pharmacy and gives it to the pharmacists who ask him to come back in half an hour. Mr. Smith had to do some grocery shopping keeping his diabetes factor in mind very carefully chooses what he eats and what he buys and after a while he comes back to pick up his pills and that is the time the pharmacist would spend little time to talk to Mr. Smith explaining how he can control his diabetes and how the pill would work and much more in 1-2 minutes but least that they know that the medicines that Mr. Smith (and probably the pharmacist might know) is getting from the pharmacy is made in India by either Aurobindo Pharma India or Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, India or may be Dr.Reddy’s Pharmaceutical Company, India or some other who have challenged the USFDA patents laws and after winning the law suite they get their medicines quality checked and then launch their medicine in the generic market and that is how it finally lands into Mr. Smiths refills.

The recent news about Dr. Torino Jennings from Richmond, USA who was working with Retreat Doctor’s Hospital in Richmond was accused by the federal for approximately 11 federal felonies. This doctor was accused for writing prescription over the internet without seeing the patients. On top of that he was not reporting the income that he was making out of this act.

Dr. Jennings is specialized in internal medicines. The explanations of the charges in brief were introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and for tax evasion.

The investigators believe that between 2004 and 2007 Dr. Jennings wrote 50,000 to 100,000 prescriptions online for muscle relaxants like for example baclofen, carisoprodol, chlorzoxazone, cyclobenzaprine, diazepam, metaxalone, methocarbamol, orphenadrine, tizanidine and so the list continues. Drugs like Robaxin (Methocarbamol) are still approved and are over the counter. The generic robaxin which is methocarbamol is also available on online pharmacy and can be bought using website like genericmedicine.com to save more than 70% but then other drugs do need a valid prescription without which can cause serious issues.

More and more countries and their provinces are coming up with ban of smoking at workplace and public place. It is good to hear this news and as being a writer I appreciate this news and would like to share it with the world and my readers. Todays news covered about a province called as Saskatchewan in Canada. For last three years Saskatchewan was having problem with the increase in smoking population as reported by Donna Pasiechnik, the Canadian Cancer Society Saskatchewan’s tobacco control co-ordinator. This news was posted on Canada.com where this ban will be in effect immediately.

It is not only Canadian but worldwide cancer societies have this major concern over the increase smoking habits of the ever increasing world population. It has been only few years ago once again Pfizer the major pharmaceutical giant came ahead with their drug called as CHANTIX in USA and Champix in Europe but the generic name is Varenicline.

Zetia (ezetimibe) is a drug which recently went under research trial and came up with question on the safety of this drug. Zetia (ezetimibe) is taken to lower the cholesterol which reduces the intake of cholesterol. Zetia (ezetimibe) is prescribed along with drugs like atrovastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor). Zetia (ezetimibe) is available in 10mg which is taken once daily and or combined with simvastatin (Vytorin 10/20mg and 10/40mg)

The result of the enhanced trial was where the patients received either simvastatin alone or with simvastatin combined with ezetimibe (Vytorin). This trial was done for two years and approximately 700 patients were used of this trial and all these test was done in Netherlands. The people on whom the drugs was tested had genetic deficit, heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and because of these disease they had a very high level of “bad” cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL)