http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. India's Supreme Court on Monday rejected drug maker Novartis AG's attempt to patent an updated version of a cancer drug in a landmark decision that health activists say ensures poor patients around the world will get continued access to cheap versions of lifesaving medicines. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-drug-maker-india-patent.html Medications Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:28:55 EST news284009309 (Medical Xpress)—Patients with advanced, recurrent, or persistent cervical cancer that was not curable with standard treatment who received the drug bevacizumab (Avastin) lived 3.7 months longer than patients who did not receive the drug, according to an interim analysis of a large, randomized clinical trial. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-bevacizumab-significantly-survival-patients-recurrent.html Cancer Fri, 08 Feb 2013 07:50:01 EST news279531567 The drug aclidinium bromide (trade names Eklira, Bretaris) has been approved since October 2012 for widening the narrowed airways of adults with chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined the added benefit of the drug pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG). No proof of an added benefit of aclidinium bromide compared with the appropriate comparator therapy (ACT) can be inferred from the data in the drug manufacturer's dossier. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-added-benefit-aclidinium-bromide-proven.html Medications Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:38:03 EST news278760982 Vandetanib (trade name Caprelsa) has been approved in Germany since February 2012 for adult patients suffering from a particular form of aggressive thyroid cancer. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined the added benefit of the drug pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG). According to the findings, there is no proof of added benefit, because no data on patient-relevant outcomes for those patients for whom the drug is approved were presented by the drug manufacturer in its dossier. In view of these deficiencies, IQWiG considered itself compelled to declare the contents of the dossier as "incomplete". http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-vandetanib-thyroid-cancer-proof-added.html Cancer Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:18:41 EST news271689514 (AP)—Massachusetts state officials investigating a pharmacy linked to a deadly outbreak of meningitis said Tuesday they found shoddy sterilization practices and unclean conditions there, including debris-covered floor mats and standing water from a leaking boiler. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-state-visible-fungus-meningitis-linked-firm.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:50:02 EST news270229115 An extract from the plant Cannabis sativa (trade name Sativex) was approved in May 2011 for patients suffering from moderate to severe spastic paralysis and muscle spasms due to multiple sclerosis (MS). In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether the new drug, which is used as a mouth spray, offers an added benefit over the optimized standard therapy. However, no such added benefit can be inferred from the dossier, as the drug manufacturer deviated from the specifications of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) and chose a different comparator therapy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-added-benefit-cannabis-sativa-spasticity.html Medications Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:31:52 EST news267096705 Conflict-of-interest statements made by physicians and scientists in their medical journal articles after they had been allegedly paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers as part of off-label marketing programs are often inadequate, highlighting the deficiencies in relying on author candidness and the weaknesses in some journal practices in ensuring proper disclosure, according to a study by international researchers published in this week's PLoS Medicine. Off-label marketing is the promotion by a manufacturer of a drug for use in a condition or age group, or in a dose or form of administration that has not been specifically approved by a drugs regulatory body; it is illegal in the United States. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-coi-declarations-off-label-drug.html Other Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:32:11 EST news263579521 Collagenase extracted from Clostridium histolyticum (trade name: Xiapex) was approved in the beginning of 2011 for the treatment of people with Dupuytren's contracture. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether collagenase offers an added benefit in comparison with conventional regimens. However, such an added benefit cannot be inferred from the dossier, as the drug manufacturer presented either no data or unsuitable data. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-collagenase-dupuytren-contracture-added-benefit.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:15:36 EST news261306915 Linagliptin (trade name: Trajenta) has been approved since August 2011 to improve blood glucose control ("glycaemic control") in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus whose elevated blood glucose levels are inadequately controlled by diet and exercise. It is an option for patients who do not tolerate or should not take the usual treatment with the drug metformin. Moreover, linagliptin can be added if treatment with metformin alone is not sufficient. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-added-benefit-linagliptin-proven.html Medications Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:48:26 EST news245065697 Abiraterone (trade name: Zytiga) has been approved since September 2011 for men with metastatic prostate cancer that is no longer responsive to hormone therapy and progresses further during or after therapy with the cytostatic drug docetaxel. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether abiraterone offers an added benefit compared with the present standard therapy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-abiraterone-indication-considerable-added-benefit.html Medications Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:46:34 EST news245065586 The six-minute walking distance test (6MWD), a test that measures a patient's ability to tolerate exercise and physical activity, is an effective tool for understanding disease severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a three-year global study of patients with COPD sponsored by drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-distance-accurate-indicator-disease-severity.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 16 May 2011 05:03:43 EST news224740996