Formulary staff

The long-term use of gingko biloba extract does not lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report published September 6 online for The Lancet.

Tight glycemic control can be achieved in children following cardiac surgery, but it does not reduce the infection rate, mortality, or length of hospital stay compared to standard care, according to a study published in the September 7 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine

An Endocrine Society task force has established new clinical-practice guidelines that recommend screening adults for high triglyceride levels once every 5 years because of the potential risk of cardiovascular disease and pancreatitis associated with hypertriglyceridemia.

Biologic response modifiers developed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of cancer, according to a study published September 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Children with asthma who use glucocorticoid inhalers may grow shorter on average than those who do not use inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), according to a study published September 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The risks of end stage renal disease, chronic kidney disease, and sustained doubling of serum creatinine concentration are significantly higher in people with at least 1 symptomatic kidney stone episode, according to the results of a study published August 30 in the British Medical Journal.

Caffeine may offer promise to patients with Parkinson disease, according to a small study published in Neurology.

Prasugrel may not improve outcomes for patients under the age of 75 years with unstable angina or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who have not undergone revascularization, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Recommendations for the 2012-2013 influenza season were recently published by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The recommendations include an updated vaccination schedule for children and information on virus strains, seizures, and egg allergy.

Anticoagulant therapy, particularly the use of aspirin, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality in men treated with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy for prostate cancer, according to a study published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

There is considerable discrepancy among caregivers and pharmacists regarding the appropriate dosage of acetaminophen for overweight and obese children, according to a recent study published online in the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy Science and Practice.

FDA's Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee recommended against approving lixivaptan (CRTX 080, Cornerstone Therapeutics), for the treatment of symptomatic hypervolemic and euvolemic hyponatremia associated with heart failure and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone, respectively.

FDA has approved teriflunomide (Aubagio, Genzyme, a Sanofi company), a once-daily, oral treatment indicated for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.

Qualitest, a subsidiary of Endo Health Solutions, has issued a voluntary, nationwide retail-level recall for 1 lot of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets, USP 10 mg/500 mg.

FDA has approved the production and use of Choline C-11 Injection (Mayo Clinic PET Radiochemistry Facility), a PET imaging agent used to help detect recurrent prostate cancer.

International pharmaceutical companies are increasingly out-sourcing clinical trials to countries in Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, in an attempt to save time, money, and resources, according to a new report from GBI Research.

Retail pharmacies’ smoking cessation programs are effective in helping smokers quit, according to a study published in the September issue of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Early administration of intravenous aspirin, in addition to alteplase, does not improve functional outcome at 3 months for patients with acute ischemic stroke, but increases the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, according to a study published online August 25 in The Lancet.

Mepolizumab significantly reduces asthma exacerbations in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, according to a study published in the August 18 issue of The Lancet.

An FDA advisory panel voted 13 to 1 that there was adequate evidence of efficacy and safety to support the use of tobramycin inhalation powder (Novartis) for the management of cystic fibrosis patients whose lungs contain bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

FDA has granted priority review to bedaquiline, or TMC207 (Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Research & Development), for treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

FDA approved bosutinib (Bosulif, Pfizer) to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia, a blood and bone marrow disease that usually affects older adults.

Recent FDA action (through August 2012) related to, ferric carboxymaltose injection, Injectafer, abiraterone acetate, Zytiga, cabozantinib, Exelixis, eltrombopag, Promacta, AEZS-130 oral ghrelin agonist, inhaled nitric oxide, GeNO LLC, gevokizumab, XOMA, calcipotriene cream, Dovonex, montelukast sodium, Singulair, lidocaine topical patch 5%, Lidoderm, filgrastim, Neupogen

New molecular entity: FDA approved Mirabegron (Myrbetriq, Astellas Pharma US) for the treatment of OAB with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency.

Recent FDA Approvals (through August 2012) related to (CSL Limited, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, ID Biomedical Corp, MedImmune Vaccines, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, Sanofi Pasteur, Genentech, Talon Therapeutics, Amarin, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Horizon Pharma, Forest Pharmaceuticals, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, Sagent Pharmaceuticals)

New molecular entity: FDA approved Lorcaserin (Belviq, Arena Pharmaceuticals GMBH), as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index deemed obese and the presence of at least 1 weight-related comorbid condition.

Growth hormone-releasing hormone has favorable effects on cognition in healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published online in the August issue of the Archives of Neurology.

Aminoglycoside-loaded bone cement implants, frequently used in orthopedic surgery, may result in systemic effects that raise aminoglycoside serum concentrations and lead to acute kidney injury, according to a study published July 3 in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Systemic corticosteroid monotherapy of prednisone is not effective for patients with acute rhinosinusitis, according to a study published in the August 7 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Vitamin D deficiency in critically ill children may make them more vulnerable to severe illnesses, according to 2 studies that were published ahead of the September print issue of Pediatrics.