Category: Pharmaceuticals
New anti-cholesterol drugs, effective but too expensive
Two new anti-cholesterol drugs are too expensive, according to a report by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). The new drugs are Praulent (from Sanofi and Regeneron) and Repatha (from Amgen). Both of these drugs reduce cholesterol levels […]
UK scientists are developing a drug to combat sepsis and ARDS
Sepsis and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) are among the leading causes of death in hospitalized patients, killing 37,000 in the UK every year. There is no effective treatment for these ailments yet, but a team of scientists are quickly […]
UK rolls out world’s first Meningitis B vaccines for infants
Starting this month, infants will get Meningitis B (MenB) vaccines as part of the Childhood Immunisation Programme in England. Britain is the first country to have a vaccination programme for the disease that kills one in 10 infected infants.Babies will […]
Omega-3 has does not slow mental aging, study says
“Contrary to popular belief, we didn’t see any benefit of omega-3 supplements for stopping cognitive decline,” said Emily Chew, M.D., deputy director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications and deputy clinical director at the National Eye Institute (NEI), […]
Women on birth control pills have lower risk of getting endometrial cancer
Women who use birth control pills during their reproductive years are better protected from endometrial cancer. 36 studies of more than 140, 000 women from all over the globe were analysed. Researchers found that every five years of taking birth […]
Why antibiotics are vital
70 years ago, a minor scratch could kill you, and so were surgery and childbirth. Penicillin had been discovered in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming, but human trials did not begin for over a decade. The first patient was an […]
A gel that treats inflammatory bowel problems
A new hydrogel that sticks to ulcers and slowly dispenses a drug to help treat them has been developed. US researchers developed the gel to help patients with ulcerative colitis. Before, people with the disease had to rely on medicine […]
Risk of getting bowel cancer reduced in obese patients who take aspirin
Aspirin can reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is common in obese people. The study is published in the US-based Journal of Clinical Oncology. It followed 937 people with an inherited genetic disorder known as Lynch Syndrome in […]
Fear of side effects lead to patients skipping breast cancer drugs
A study has found that breast cancer patients who experience more side effects from their breast cancer treatment (including hormone therapy drugs) are less likely to stick with their medication. Poor communication with their doctors is also a factor. “Endocrine” […]
New treatment XELJANZ for rheumatoid arthritis approved in Singapore
Pfizer announced today the launch of XELJANZ (tofacitinib citrate) in Singapore for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults who have had an inadequate response to existing therapies. XELJANZ is the first approved treatment in a new class of […]
