Low-cost drugs in poor nations get lift in court
NEW DELHI — People in developing countries in Africa and Asia will continue to have access to low-cost copycat versions of drugs for diseases like HIV and cancer, at least for a while.
India warns Kashmiris to prepare for nuclear war
NEW DELHI — Indian officials are advising residents of strife-torn Kashmir to prepare for a possible nuclear war by building bombproof basements and stockpiling food and water, adding to tensions between India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, after deadly cross-border skirmishes in recent weeks.
FDA officials point to increased drug approvals
Federal drug officials Thursday claimed credit for an increase in the approval of new drugs and argued that the results demonstrated the need for legislation to continue financing the current drug approval system.
Vaccine once again cleared as autism culprit
Yet another panel of scientists has found no evidence that a popular vaccine causes autism. But despite the scientists’ best efforts, their report is unlikely to have any impact on the frustrating debate about the safety of these crucial medicines.
Shorts (left)
The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that four New Jersey congressmen and its own former commissioner unduly influenced the process that led to its decision last year to approve a patch for injured knees, an approval it is now revisiting.
NIH Pleads for Discretion, Hopes Grantees Hire Fast
The acting director of the National Institutes of Health begged university administrators on Wednesday to avoid even applying for stimulus money unless the universities planned to hire people almost immediately.
Shorts (right)
Candy, snacks, bakery products, pet food and other Chinese products that contain milk will be detained at the border until tests prove that they are not contaminated, the federal government announced Thursday.
Bayer Pulls Heart Surgery Drug From Market After Controversy
Pressured by regulators, the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG announced on Monday that it had agreed to withdraw the controversial heart surgery drug Trasylol after a Canadian study suggested that it increased death rates.
Drug Companies Remove Infant Cold Medications From Market
Major makers of over-the-counter infant cough and cold medicines announced Thursday that they were voluntarily withdrawing their products from the market for fear that they could be misused by parents.
FDA Issues Its Strictest Health Warning on Two Diabetes Drugs
The government's top drug regulator told a packed House hearing Wednesday that the agency had recently decided to put the agency's most serious safety warning on two diabetes drugs — Avandia and Actos — whose health risks have become a focus of congressional concern.