Health

Nonmedical school vaccination exemptions increasing

(HealthDay)—Nonmedical exemptions for school vaccination requirements have increased since 2005, particularly in states with easy exemption policies, according to a letter to the editor published in the Sept. 20 issue of ...

Oncology & Cancer

Merck KGaA suffers setback for cancer drug

German pharmaceuticals maker Merck KGaA said Tuesday it is withdrawing its application for its drug Erbitux to be used to treat patients with lung cancer.

Cardiology

Risk of sudden cardiac death up for black patients with HTN

(HealthDay) -- Black patients with hypertension face a significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared with nonblack patients, even after adjusting for multiple confounding variables, according to a study ...

Medications

Baldness drug may cause sexual side effects: FDA

(HealthDay) -- Two Merck & Co. drugs -- one to treat hair loss in men, the other to treat an enlarged prostate gland -- will get revised labels warning of potential sexual side effects that can last even after patients stop ...

Diabetes

Extended-Release niacin raises fasting glucose levels

(HealthDay) -- The combination of extended-release niacin (N) with ezetimibe plus simvastatin (E/S) to treat hyperlipidemia is associated with increased fasting glucose (FG) levels compared with E/S alone, but these cases ...

Cardiology

Merck blood thinner shows mixed results: study

An experimental blood thinning drug made by the pharmaceutical giant Merck may reduce the risk of dying from a heart attack but also boosts the danger of internal bleeding, researchers said Saturday.

Medications

Merck: FDA won't OK its combo cholesterol drug now

(AP) -- Federal regulators have rejected Merck & Co.'s new combination cholesterol drug, which includes a generic version of the mega-blockbuster Lipitor - at least for now.

Medications

FDA approves first diabetes-cholesterol combo pill

(AP) -- The first combination pill for the millions of people with the dangerous combination of diabetes and high cholesterol won U.S. approval Friday, offering convenience - and savings - to patients taking multiple pills.

Medications

Older pills often safer; many think new is better

Many consumers mistakenly believe new prescription drugs are always safer than those with long track records, and that only extremely effective drugs without major side effects win government approval, according to a new ...

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