Recent FDA Approvals (through June 2010) related to Namenda XR, Dulera, Lucentis, Symbicort, Vimpat, Jevtana, Architecht HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay, Tasigna
Memantine hydrochloride (Namenda XR, Forest and Mertz) was approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type.
Fixed-dose combination of mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate dihydrate (Dulera, Merck) inhalation aerosol was approved for asthma treatment for patients 12 years of age and older.
A new indication for ranibizumab injection (Lucentis, Genentech) was approved for the treatment of macular edema following retinal vein occulsion.
Lacosamide (Vimpat, UCB) C-V 10 mg/mL oral solution formulation was approved for add-on treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients aged 17 years and older with epilepsy. This new formulation allows for consistent treatment in patients who may have trouble swallowing pills, such as older adults or individuals in long-term care settings.
Cabazitaxel (Jevtana, Sanofi-aventis) injection in combination with prednisone was approved for the treatment of patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing treatment regimen.
The first diagnostic assay to detect both antigen and antibodies to HIV was approved for use as an aid in the diagnosis of HIV-1/HIV-2 infection (Architecht HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay, Abbott) in adults including pregnant women. It is also the first assay for use as an aid in the diagnosis of HIV-1/HIV-2 infection in children as young as aged 2 years.
A new indication for nilotinib (Tasigna, Novartis) was approved for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase.
Coalition promotes important acetaminophen dosing reminders
November 18th 2014It may come as a surprise that each year Americans catch approximately 1 billion colds, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 20% get the flu. This cold and flu season, 7 in 10 patients will reach for an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to treat their coughs, stuffy noses, and sniffles. It’s an important time of the year to remind patients to double check their medicine labels so they don’t double up on medicines containing acetaminophen.
Support consumer access to specialty medications through value-based insurance design
June 30th 2014The driving force behind consumer cost-sharing provisions for specialty medications is the acquisition cost and not clinical value. This appears to be true for almost all public and private health plans, says a new report from researchers at the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID Center) and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC).
Management of antipsychotic medication polypharmacy
June 13th 2013Within our healthcare-driven society, the increase in the identification and diagnosis of mental illnesses has led to a proportional increase in the prescribing of psychotropic medications. The prevalence of mental illnesses and subsequent treatment approaches may employ monotherapy as first-line treatment, but in many cases the use of combination of therapy can occur, leading to polypharmacy.1 Polypharmacy can be defined in several ways but it generally recognized as the use of multiple medications by one patient and the most common definition is the concurrent use of five more medications. The presence of polyharmacy has the potential to contribute to non-compliance, drug-drug interactions, medication errors, adverse events, or poor quality of life.
Medical innovation improves outcomes
June 12th 2013I have been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the pancreas, a disease that’s long been considered not just incurable, but almost impossible to treat-a recalcitrant disease that some practitioners feel has given oncology a bad name. I was told my life would be measured in weeks.