Big Pharma, Bad Science

In June, the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the most respected medical journals, made a startling announcement. The editors declared that they were dropping their policy stipulating that authors of review articles of medical studies could not have financial ties to drug companies whose medicines were being analyzed.  Read More…

The Great Health Grab

‘I think there’s some mistake,’ I said, pushing the pack of pills back across the counter.
‘Nope. It’s the same drug, just a different name,’ replied the pharmacist with a patient smile.
It was high summer, the peak of the hay fever season and I expect she’d been dealing with quite a few quizzical customers. I picked [...]

Big Pharma and profit priorities

One of the things I’ve observed while doing public speaking, being a part of business councils and interacting with a lot of well-connected people in society, is that many people work with the pharmaceutical company known as Merck. Merck seems to be everywhere, with drug reps, consultants, marketing people, email marketing people, scientists, lobbyists and [...]

Breast cancer chemo raises heart risks

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — New research shows the adage “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger” doesn’t apply in treating breast cancer.
A study published in the October 9 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found certain treatments that cured breast cancer made women more susceptible to heart disease.
“We always felt [...]

Spray Cleaners Linked to 1 in 7 Cases of Adult Asthma

Using cleaning sprays and air fresheners while doing housework may account for up to one in seven cases of asthma in adults, a study has found.
Just spraying a cleaner once a week can trigger an attack, according to the research. The more often the sprays are used, the higher the risk.
“Frequent use of household cleaning [...]

U.S. to review claims that lipsticks contain lead

WASHINGTON: The United States will review an advocacy group’s findings that lipstick sold under brand names including L’Oréal and Cover Girl contained potentially dangerous levels of lead.
Twenty of 33 brand-name lipsticks had detectable levels of lead in the tests, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The Food and Drug Administration has collected lipstick samples [...]

Researchers have cracked the mystery of why eating garlic can help keep the heart healthy. The key is allicin, which is broken down into the foul-smelling sulphur compounds which taint breath. These compounds react with red blood cells and produce hydrogen sulphide which relaxes the blood vessels, and keeps blood flowing easily. The University of [...]

Four-year-old Rebecca Riley of Hull died of an overdose of psychiatric drugs

By Scott Allen, Globe Staff  |  October 7, 2007
Following the death of a 4-year-old Hull girl from an overdose of psychiatric drugs last December, state officials have set up a unique early-warning system to spot preschoolers who may be getting excessive medication for mental illness. In just the first three months, the system has flagged [...]

Prexige, Anti-inflammatory Drug, Withdrawn In Canada

The sale of Prexige (lumiracoxib) has been stopped in Canada. Health Canada advises that it will cancel the medication’s market authorization because of potential for serious liver-related adverse events.
Prexige is a Cox-2 selective inhibitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It has been on the market in Canada since November 2006. The drug is used for treating adult [...]

Polio outbreak in Nigeria sparked by vaccine, experts say

LONDON: For doctors struggling to eradicate polio, fighting the paralytic disease can mean vaccinating children in war-torn regions, persuading governments to pay attention, and begging donors for money.
A recent polio outbreak in Nigeria revealed another potential problem: the vaccine commonly used against it. Last week, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease [...]