Family Practice News articles from January 2003

Family Practice News archives from January 2003

Fighting words erupt on Medicare. (Delegates Stage Protest).
January 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS - Wearing white lab coats and waving colorful signs, physicians at the interim meeting of the American Medical Association's House of Delegates protested the flawed Medicare payment formula and vowed to lobby Congress to get it...

Smallpox plan relies on PCPs to educate patients: certain medical professionals could receive vaccine as early as this month. (Information at Smallpox.gov).(primary care physicians)
January 1, 2003... Physician education about smallpox vaccination has become a priority for both the public and private health sectors now that President Bush has announced his plan to reintroduce the vaccine into the U.S. population. In mid-December, the...

Vital Signs.(Voters Sound Off on Which Health Care Issue Is Most Important )
January 1, 2003... VITAL SIGNS Voters Sound Off on Which Health Care Issue Is Most Important Voted Voted Split Democrat Republican Their Vote Total Coverage for uninsured 32%...

Diuretics 'unsurpassed' as first-line hypertension tx. (Thiazide Reduced Risk for Heart Failure).
January 1, 2003... ALLHAT results called simple, stunning. WASHINGTON - In the world of hypertension treatment, old hat appears to be the best hat. That is the bottom-line finding from the long-awaited results of ALLHAT-the Antihypertensive and...

Pravastatin changes in standard of care.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A lipid-lowering study conducted in a subset of ALLHAT participants with moderate hypercholesterolemia found that treatment with pravastatin 40 mg/dL "had no significant impact on mortality;" compared with usual therapy. But the study is not a...

CIGNA Settlement. (AMA Briefs).(Kaiser v. CIGNA et al)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The AMA has taken no official position regarding the class action lawsuit Kaiser v. CIGNA et al, or the proposed settlement. In response to widespread confusion on the issue, the delegates agreed to "state [the AMAs position] unequivocally" and...

Health care coverage for all. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The AMA and interested medical organizations should jointly advocate for universal health coverage, the delegates said, enthusiastically supporting a resolution sponsored by several specialty societies including the American Academy of Family...

The pediatric drug rule. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration must be given statutory authority to require drug companies to study drugs in children, the delegates said. The action comes in the wake of a U.S. circuit court decision in October to strike down the FDA's...

Reimbursement for multivalent vaccines. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Reimbursement for multivalent vaccine administration is inadequate, and efforts must be made to develop pediatric-specific immunization codes and to increase these fees in accordance with the true costs to physicians, the delegates agreed. The...

E-mail with patients. (AMA Briefs).(protecting patient privacy)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Physicians must use the same caution and concern for patient confidentiality when communicating via e-mail as they do when using other forms of communication, the delegates agreed. They adopted recommendations from a Council on Ethical and...

Racial and ethnic disparities. (AMA Briefs).(in quality of health care)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Despite advances in health care, racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of care remain a significant problem that should not be tolerated, the delegates said. They concurred with the findings of a Council on Medical Service report...

HIV/STD Prevention. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Don't stand by while HIV and STD prevention programs are eliminated, delegates urged the AMA. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently removed a condom information sheet and a sex education curriculum from its Web site, and $135...

First bone-building drug approved by the FDA: reduces risk of fractures. (News).(teriparatide (Forteo) from Eli Lilly and Co.)
January 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first osteoporosis treatment that stimulates new bone formation. Teriparatide, manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co. and marketed as Forteo, is a portion of human parathyroid hormone, which is the...

Letters.(Postprandial Education)(DHEA Studies Fall Short)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... Postprandial Education I would like to share with the readers of FAMILY PRACTICE NEWS what is happening with my patients with type 2 diabetes since I have asked them to do intermittent postprandial monitoring ("Pro and Con: Should...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2003... In the article, "Many Pharmacists Uninformed on Emergency Contraception" (Dec. 1, 2002, p. 39), a study finding was misreported. The article should have stated that in the study a total of 13% of surveyed pharmacists called emergency...

Burned out? no way! Guest editorial. (Opinion).
January 1, 2003... Some of my peers are thinking about moving into other professions (business, law, teaching)-or even opting for early retirement. They have lost their enthusiasm after dealing with Medicare, TennCare, HMOs, prior authorization requests,...

Pro & Con: does diet influence arthritis pain?
January 1, 2003... YES It depends on which arthritis pain we are talking about. In rheumatoid arthritis, diet has an effect. The effect, however, is modest. There are people who swear by eicosapentaenoic acids-the fish oil diet. They go out and eat a lot of...

New campaign promotes [HbA.sub.1c] diabetes testing. (Below 7% is Target).
January 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Few diabetic patients know their hemoglobin [A.sub.1c] level, but that may be about to change. A coalition of nearly two dozen diabetes groups has launched a national campaign to alert physicians and patients about the...

New ophthalmoscope aids diabetic retinopathy referrals. (One-Minute Examination).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- A quick retinal examination with an easy-to-use ophthalmoscope helped family physicians better select which diabetic patients to refer for evaluation of diabetic retinopathy Dr. James M. Gill reported at the annual meeting of the...

Physicians get poor grades on advising patients to quit tobacco. (Smoking Cessation Counseling).
January 1, 2003... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Physicians need to do a better job advising their patients to quit using tobacco, two researchers asserted at a conference on patient education sponsored by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. The federal...

Sustained-Release bupropion boosts smoking cessation in African Americans. (Add Cultural Counseling).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The use of sustained-release bupropion can improve smoking-cessation rates in African Americans in conjunction with culturally sensitive counseling, said Dr. Jasjit S. Ahluwalia of the University of Kansas, Kansas City, and colleagues. In...

Offer recovering alcoholics help with smoking. (Address at Regular Checkups).
January 1, 2003... Evans, Jeff WASHINGTON -- Smoking cessation should always be addressed at regular checkups in recovering alcoholic patients who continue to smoke, Dr. John R. Hughes said at the annual conference of the Association for Medical Education...

Chronic fatigue: try yoga, citalopram, placebo. (Three Studies).
January 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Some subgroups of patients with idiopathic chronic fatigue respond to treatment with the antidepressant citalopram, some benefit from yoga, and some demonstrate a significant placebo response, three independent studies have...

New tool measures fatigue severity in primary care patients. (Combines, Condenses Several Other Scales).(Iowa Fatigue Scale)
January 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- A new scale for measuring the dimensions of fatigue can minimize the exhaustive investigations that current fatigue scales require and thus better equip primary care physicians to assess patients who report substantial, chronic...

Stress training aids caregivers' immune function. (Elderly Spouses of Dementia Patients).
January 1, 2003... BARCELONA, SPAIN -- Participation in stress management training appears to attenuate the impact of immune impairment that may result from chronic stress in elderly persons caring for a spouse, Kavita Vedhara, Ph.D., reported at the annual...

New warnings for Depakote label. (Clinical Rounds).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration and Abbott Laboratories have strengthened the contraindications, warnings, and precautions sections of the label for divalproex sodium, valproic acid, and valproate sodium, marketed as Depakote tablets, Depakote...

Anxiety disorders improved with Escitalopram. (Recently Approved).
January 1, 2003... YOKOHAMA, JAPAN -- The new antidepressant drug escitalopram is effective in treating panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder, several investigators reported in poster presentations at the 12th World Congress of...

New Rhythm control drugs slated for Atrial Fib. (Azimilide May Get Marketing Approval Soon).
January 1, 2003... BERLIN -- A surprisingly large crop of new antiarrhythmic agents is in development for atrial fibrillation. This flurry of research activity contrasts with the drubbing that the rhythm control strategy sustained after the release of results...

Clopidogrel plus aspirin cut ischemic events 27%. (Dual Therapy Post Angioplasty).(Plavix)
January 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A full year of clopidogrel plus aspirin following angioplasty has resulted in a sharp reduction in adverse ischemic events in a landmark trial comparing this regimen with the current standard 2-4 weeks of clopidogrel. Results of...

Stenting without predilatation found feasible. (Less Resource Utilization).
January 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Direct stenting, rather than balloon predilatation of the coronary vessel followed by stenting, is feasible in most patients and uses significantly fewer resources, Dr. Keith D. Dawkins said at a meeting sponsored by the...

CRP may predict cardic events better than LDL levels. (Women's Health Study).(C-reactive protein)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The level of C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than is LDL cholesterol level, reported Dr. Paul M. Ridker of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston,...

Imaging devices assist in skin cancer diagnosis. (Moles that Fall into 'Gray Zone').
January 1, 2003... Epiluminescent microscopy, or dermatoscopy, can help primary care physicians and dermatologists--even experts--decide whether to remove a mole that falls into the "gray zone" between benign and malignant, said Dr. Mark Naylor of the University...

Imiquimod shows promise for nonmelanoma skin cancers. (Optimal Dosing Still Unknown).
January 1, 2003... PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC -- Imiquimod shows promise for treatment of epithelial skin tumors, but optimal dosing remains a question, according to two presentations at the 11th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. ...

Sunburn warning proposed for popular cosmetics. (Alpha Hydroxy Acid Products).(skin sun sensitivity increased)
January 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Cosmetic products containing alpha hydroxy acids should include labeling that warns the products can make the skin more sensitive to the sun and increase the risk of sunburn, the Food and Drug Administration has proposed. ...

Derm diagnosis. (Clinical Rounds).(cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A 35-year-old African American woman with systemic lupus erythematosus on chronic immunosuppressive therapy and type 2 diabetes presented with multiple indurated nodules on the left arm that were extremely tender to palpation. She had been seen...

Congressional panel takes hard look at accutane side effects. (Pregnancies, Suicides on Agenda).
January 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Tempers flared at a 5-hour hearing of the House subcommittee on oversight and investigations, as members of Congress grilled officials from the Food and Drug Administration and Accutane manufacturer Hoffmann-LaRoche about efforts...

Pap detects anal dysplasia in HPV-positive men. (Federal Guidelines are Needed).(human papillomavirus)
January 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Men infected with human papillomavirus should have regular anal Pap smears looking for dysplasia, as should women with either cervical or anal human papillomavirus, Dr. Ciro R. Martins said at the Atlantic Dermatological...

Levalbuterol rapidly eases adults' acute asthma.
January 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO - Accumulating data supports levalbuterol as the bronchodilator of choice for the treatment of acute asthma in adults, Dr. Richard Nowak said at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. ...

Risks of inhaled corticosteroids rise with age and dosage. (Bone, Eyes, Skin).
January 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Most adverse events associated with use of inhaled steroids in elderly asthma patients are dose related and do not rule out their use, according to Dr. Michael Schatz. Long-term use of high doses of inhaled steroids has been...

Leukotriene modifiers have role in treating cough-variant asthma. (Common Chronic Cough Culprit).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- A variant of asthma whose only symptom is cough is increasingly being recognized by pulmonologists and other experts, Dr. Peter V Dicpinigaitis said at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. Cough is...

Diabetics unaware of CV risks. (Clinical Capsules).(cardiovascular disease risks)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... More than two-thirds of patients with diabetes don't realize that cardiovascular illness is a serious complication of their disease, said Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and associates. They surveyed...

Red wine and dementia risk. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The flavonoids contained in red wine may protect against dementia, said Dr. Thomas Truelsen and his colleagues at the National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen. In a study of 83 subjects with dementia and 1,626 controls aged 65 and...

HBV does not worsen HIV. (Clinical Capsules).(hepatitis B virus)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... HIV was not worsened by coinfection with the hepatitis B virus in a retrospective study of 459 patients, Dr. Ron Palmon reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Of the group of mostly...

Surgery for carpal tunnel. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... In the long term, carpal tunnel syndrome patients treated with surgery improved more than those treated with splinting, reported Annette A.M. Gerritsen, Ph.D., of Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam, and her associates. At the end...

West Nile Virus vaccine. (Clinical Capsules).(Acambis to begin trials of its ChimeriVax-West Nile vaccine)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Human trials of a West Nile Virus vaccine may begin as early as March. Acambis, a Cambridge, Mass.-based biopharmaceuticals firm, will seek Food and Drug Administration approval to start clinical trials of its ChimeriVax-West Nile vaccine,...

Acupuncture effective for reducing pain. (Ready for Mainstream?).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- The ancient practice of acupuncture could be ready to enter mainstream medicine. Acupuncture may have a role in treating many complaints common in a family medicine practice, such as musculoskeletal pain or some...

St. John's wort for depression. (Alternative Medicine).
January 1, 2003... * Treatment of mild depression with St. John's wort may be effective and is generally well tolerated. * Data don't support use in more severe depression. History of Use Medicinal properties have been ascribed to the small, woody...

Raloxifene surprises with cardioprotective benefits. (Analysis of Osteoporosis Trial Data).
January 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Treatment with raloxifene continues to show an ability to protect against cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women, based on additional, post hoc analyses of data collected in a large, osteoporosis trial. The cardiovascular...

Early results show solo teriparatide may build bones best. (Combo Treatment not more Effective).
January 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- A new drug for building stronger bones, a recombinant fragment of human parathyroid hormone, looks as if it works best when used on its own, without concurrent treatment with a bisphosphonate or raloxifene, experts said at the...

Interstitial cystitis may cause chronic pelvic pain. (Also may be Behind Overactive Bladder).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Interstitial cystitis may be the culprit behind millions of cases of overactive bladder and chronic pelvic pain, investigators said at a meeting sponsored by the International Pelvic Pain Society. Approximately one-third of...

Regular periods don't rule out low testosterone. (Patients with Low Libido).
January 1, 2003... MONTREAL -- Physicians who see young women complaining of low libido should consider that the problem could be low testosterone even if the women have regular menstrual periods. That advice was offered by several experts in female sexual...

Ultrasound, blood test flag down syndrome early. (93% First-Trimester Detection Rate).
January 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- First-trimester screening using a combination of dried blood biochemistries and ultrasound examination of fetal nuchal translucency detected 93% of Down syndrome cases with a false-positive rate of 5% in a prospective study of...

Sonographer's skill key to efficacy of nuchal translucency test. (Demands Experience, Quality Control).
January 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- First-trimester nuchal translucency screening shows great promise for the early detection of Down syndrome and other aneuploidies, but its detection rate is highly variable and remains dependent on the skill of the individual...

Bone loss from GnRH agonists. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Premenopausal women treated with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for 6 months had a uniform loss of bone mineral density, regardless of their age, in a retrospective review of a large study population, said Dr. Sanjay K. Agarwal of the...

Estrogens added to cancer list. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A federal report has added steroidal estrogens used in hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives to the list of known carcinogens. The biennial report was prepared by the National Toxicology Program, an arm of the Department of Health...

FDA approves new lupus test. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a diagnostic test for systemic lupus erythematosus that was developed by investigators at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Until now the mainstay of systemic lupus...

HSV trial seeks volunteers. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... As a major trial for a promising genital herpes vaccine gears up, researchers face the daunting task of recruiting enough volunteers. The trial, a partnership between the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and...

Hormones and bipolar disorder. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Mood fluctuations in female bipolar patients appear to be influenced by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, and this may account in part for high rates of rapid cycling in this population, Dr. David Printz said at a schizophrenia...

Oral contraceptive sparks fertility in patients who have failed on clomiphene. (Randomized, Controlled Trial).
January 1, 2003... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Ovulation and pregnancy rates soared in women who had previously failed clomiphene citrate--based infertility therapy when they received 2 months of monophasic oral contraception before trying clomiphene again, Dr....

More complications seen in older mothers, African Americans. (Hypertension, Diabetes, Malpresentation).
January 1, 2003... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- More than a quarter of all pregnancies were complicated by at least one major medical condition in a large, cross-sectional cohort study representing the vast majority of births during 1 year in California. Topping...

Techniques improve outcomes for obese gravidas. (Antepartum, Intrapartum, Postpartum Care).
January 1, 2003... SARASOTA, FLA. - Obesity is the most common chronic condition complicating pregnancies in developed countries. Up to 10% of pregnant women are obese, weighing at least 200 pounds, and up to 3% are massively obese, weighing at least 300...

Try subcutaneous drain in obese patients during C-sections. (Improved Outcomes Seen).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... SARASOTA, FLA. -- Use of a subcutaneous drain appears to result in improved outcomes in obese gravidas undergoing cesarean delivery, Dr. Haywood L. Brown said at a perinatal symposium sponsored by Symposia Medicus. At least one...

Metformin may block gestational diabetes in women with PCOS. (Study of 72 Patients).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Treatment with metformin appeared to cut the risk of gestational diabetes in a study of 72 women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The women together had a total of 76 pregnancies during which they were treated with metformin; the...

Multiple facets of urban life exacerbate asthma. (Socioeconomic and Environmental).
January 1, 2003... Urban environmental, social, and economic factors might help explain why half of the children and adolescents diagnosed with asthma in Hartford, Conn.--the fourth poorest medium-sized city in America--have persistent asthma. Of children...

Two for the price of one: catch-up immunization chart new in 2003. (Minor Changes for flu Vaccine).
January 1, 2003... You'll have to dear a bit more wall space for the 2003 childhood and adolescent immunization schedule: Now there's a catch-up chart to go alongside the regular recommendations. The catch-up recommendations include separate tables for...

Hip web site advises youngsters on weight issues. (Endorsed by AAFP).
January 1, 2003... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Overweight youngsters and their parents can find kid-friendly but medically sound guidance to help them get active, eat well, and lose weight at a new nonprofit Web site, www.kidnetic.com. Stuffed with...

Data Watch.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... DATA WATCH Children Increasingly Are Putting on the Pounds Percent Who Are Overweight NHANES II NHANES I NHANES (1976-1980) (1988-1994) (1999-2000) 6-23...

Depression appears to double risk for obesity in Adolescents. (Prospective Cohort Study).
January 1, 2003... Depressed youths are twice as likely to develop obesity during adolescence as their nondepressed peers, a longitudinal analysis has shown. In a prospective cohort study of 9,374 adolescents in grades 7-12, 8.8% of the patients fit the...

New formulation. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Lotrel (amlodipine/benazepril HCI) is now available in a 10/20-mg formulation combining 10 mg of amlodipine and 20 mg of benazepril. It is indicated for treatment of high blood pressure when control is inadequate with calcium channel blockers...

Pulmonary embolism rx. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The reintroduction of Abbokinase (urokinase) has been approved. It is indicated for the lysis of acute massive pulmonary emboli, defined as obstruction of blood flow to a lobe or multiple segments, and for the lysis of pulmonary emboli...

Fluoroquinolone for pneumonia. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Levaquin (levofloxacin) tablets/injection and Levaquin (levofloxacin in 5% dextrose) injection 750 mg are now indicated for treatment of nosocomial pneumonia. For more information, contact Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, 877-323-2200,...

New use for antidiabetic rx. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Prandin (repaglinide) is now indicated for use in combination with a thiazolidinedione to lower blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes whose hyperglycemia cannot be controlled by diet and exercise plus monotherapy with metformin,...

Acne treatment gel. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Duac (clindamycin 1%, benzoyl peroxide 5%) topical gel is now indicated for the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris. For more information, contact Stiefel Laboratories Inc., 888-784-3335, custserv@stiefel.com.

Short-term prevacid for kids. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Prevacid (lansoprazole) is now indicated for the short-term treatment of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease and erosive esophagitis in children aged 1-11 years. In pediatric GERD patients, the most frequently reported adverse events...

New Avapro indication. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Avapro (irbesartan) is now indicated for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy in people who have hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Tablets are available in doses of 75, 150, and 300 mg. For more information, contact Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co.,...

Mini insulin needle. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The BD Ultra-Fine III mini pen needle (31 gauge) is 5 mm in length and provides consistent, reliable subcutaneous insulin delivery to adults and children with diabetes. For more information, contact Becton, Dickinson & Co., 888-232-2737, or...

Enlarged prostate care. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Avodart (dutasteride), a second-generation 5 [alpha]-reductase inhibitor, is approved for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia in men with an enlarged prostate to improve urinary symptoms and to reduce the risk of acute...

Headache remedy. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Excedrin QuickTabs, headache relief tablets contain 500 mg acetaminophen and 65 mg caffeine, and can be taken without water. The spearmint or peppermint flavored tablets melt on the tongue, and come in 16-count and 32-count boxes. The suggested...

Nicotine lozenges. (Products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Commit (nicotine polacrilex) lozenges (2 mg and 4 mg) are now available for over-the-counter use by adults aged 18 years and older to reduce the withdrawal symptoms, including nicotine craving, associated with smoking cessation. For more...

Drug update: hormone replacement therapy. (RX).
January 1, 2003... Management of the menopausal woman is more of an art than a science. For patients plagued by urogenital atrophy or vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia, female hormones are among the most effective treatments. ...

One epoetin alfa linked to pure red cell aplasia. (Note Sold in United States).
January 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA - Treatment with a specific brand of recombinant human erythropoietin, Eprex, has been strongly linked to 96 cases of pure red cell aplasia in a review done by the drug's manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson. The Eprex brand of...

Loratadine makes switch to over-the-counter drug. (FDA Approves Status Change).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a change to over-the-counter status for the antihistamine Claritin (loratadine) for treatment of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Manufactured by Schering-Plough, the antihistamine was slated...

Over 97% of medication errors in hospitals do not harm patients. (Staff Performance Problems Faulted).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Most medication errors that occur in hospitals do not harm patients, Diane Cousins said in a Webcast on medication errors sponsored by U.S. Pharmacopeia. Overall, 97.6% of medication errors that occurred in hospitals voluntarily reporting...

Risks of obesity. (FYI).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Web site, www.WeightRisks.com, is designed to educate patients about the short- and long-term health risks associated with gaining weight and being overweight. Visitors can calculate their Body Mass Index, and obtain information on specific...