PHARM.D

Dear friends, PHARMD FUND TEAM WISHES YOU A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE DIWALI. THIS DIWALI SHOULD BRING GOODNESS OF LIGHTS IN YOUR LIFE. Friends our humble request to you is that use only eco friendly crackers use Diyas (EARTHEN LAMPS) made of sandy material use cotton clothes Do not use any noisey fire works as it causes sound pollution. If you are using crackers keep a bucket full of water near you so that if some burn happens immediately insert in the water and do not apply any oils or creams to the burns and consult your doctor immediately. Wash the hands thoroughly. Do not use any crackers near the hospitals "LET US SAVE OUR EARTH FROM POLLUTION AND MAKE THE EARTH POLLUTION FREE" "LET US MINIMISE THE POISONOUS EFFECT OF CRACKER AND MAXIMISE THE HAPPINESS WITH EARTHEN LAMPS"                                     SAVE NATURE & SAVE LIFE                     ISSUED IN PUBLIC INTEREST BY PHARMD TEAM

FDA Updates Warnings on Methylene Blue, Linezolid, and Serotonergics The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fine-tuned a warning issued in July to avoid prescribing either methylene blue or linezolid ( Zyvox , Pfizer) in combination with serotonergic agents because of the potential to cause serotonin syndrome. Today, the FDA announced that the risk for this harmful interaction appears to be confined, in general, to 2 specific types of serotonergic drugs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Methylene blue is a dye used in diagnostic procedures and in the treatment of conditions ranging from cyanide poisoning to methemoglobinemia. Linezolid is an antibacterial agent. Both drugs inhibit the action of monoamine oxidase A, an enzyme that breaks down serotonin. This allows the levels of the neurotransmitter to

FDA Approvals: Infliximab for Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Clinical Context The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved infliximab ( Remicade , Janssen Biotech) to treat moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in children older than 6 years who have not responded adequately to conventional therapy. Infliximab is an immune system modulator that blocks the activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, which causes inflammation and triggers autoimmune diseases. The FDA has previously approved infliximab to treat adults with UC, and adults and children older than 6 years with Crohn's disease. It is also indicated for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis in adults. The FDA has now extended the UC indication to children older than 6 years. Study Synopsis and Perspective The FDA approved infliximab ( Remicade , Janssen Biotech) to treat moderately to severely active UC in children older than 6 years who ha

Manufacture, Sale and Distribution of Letrozole Suspended In exercise of the powers conferred by section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940 (23 of 1940), the Central Government has suspended the manufacture for sale, sale and distribution of ‘Letrozole for induction of ovulation in anovulatory infertility’ with immediate effect.   The Central Government is satisfied that it is necessary and expedient to regulate by way of suspension of manufacture, sale and distribution of the drug for the said indication in the public interest.   The Central Government is satisfied that the use of the drug letrozole for induction of ovulation in anovulatory infertility is likely to involve risk to human beings and safer alternatives to the said drugs are available.   SBS/ls   (Release ID :76709) REFERENCE:   http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=76709

Enzyme offers hope in tackling autoimmune disorders: expert The Hindu  (From left) A.N. Malaviya, former professor of Medicine and chief of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, S. Rangamani, Vice Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University and S.P. Thyagarajan, Pro-Chancellor (Research), at an endowment oration in Chennai on Saturday. Photo: S.S. Kumar Enzyme IDO effective against disorder: A.N. Malaviya Ongoing research on an enzyme, IDO, has shown a lot of promise in being able to treat autoimmune disorders, A.N. Malaviya, former Professor and Head of Medicine and chief of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology Services, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, said. IDO, which is present in the peripheral mechanism, is likely to emerge as the drug for the future to control autoimmune diseases, Dr. Malaviya explained. Further research would have to validate these initial results. Auto immune disorders are caused when the bod

Multivitamin use and breast cancer incidence in a prospective cohort of   Swedish women Susanna C Larsson, Agneta A kesson, Leif Bergkvist, and Alicja Wolk ABSTRACT Background: Many women use multivitamins in the belief that these supplements will prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, whether the use of multivitamins affects the risk of breast cancer is unclear. Objective: We prospectively examined the association between multivitamin use and the incidence of invasive breast cancer in The Swedish Mammography Cohort. Design: In 1997, 35,329 cancer-free women completed a self administered questionnaire that solicited information on multivitamin use as well as other breast cancer risk factors. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated by using Cox proportional hazard models and adjusted for breast cancer risk factors. Results: During a mean follow-up of 9.5 y, 974 women were diagnosed with incident breast cancer. Multivitamin use was

FDA approves combination therapy Juvisync First combination drug to treat type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol in one tablet The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Juvisync (sitagliptin and simvastatin), a fixed-dose combination (FDC) prescription medication that contains two previously approved medicines in one tablet for use in adults who need both sitagliptin and simvastatin. About 20 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes, and they often have high cholesterol levels as well. These conditions can lead to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and blindness, among other chronic conditions, particularly if left untreated or poorly treated. Sitagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor that enhances the body's own ability to lower elevated blood sugar and is approved for use in combination with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Simvastatin is an HMG-CoA r