Colorectal Cancer Survivors Not Adhering to Screening Guidelines, But Computerized System May Help
New data reveal that after curative resection for colorectal cancer, many patients do not adhere to screening guidelines. Although the majority of patients adhered to surveillance guidelines for follow-up office visits, less than half met the guideline-based recommendations for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing. About three quarters of patients met the guideline-specified criteria for colonoscopy, although […]
Plasma DNA More Reliable Than CEA for Detecting Recurrent Esophageal Cancer
Elevated free plasma DNA is a reliable indicator of recurrent esophageal cancer, more so than carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and is able to detect recurrent disease in most patients before clinical evidence emerges. These findings come from a study by researchers at the University of Southern California, published in the July issue of the Journal of […]
Earlier and More Aggressive LDL Lowering, or Better Approaches for Targeting High-Risk Individuals?
A new review by three renowned experts in cardiology suggests that efforts to treat elevated cholesterol levels are not exploiting the full potential of cholesterol-lowering strategies, and current approaches to treatment are simply doing "too little, too late. [1]" The evidence, say these experts, is strong enough to support even more aggressive use of lipid-lowering […]
WellCare to Pay $35.2 Million Amid Medicaid Probe
WellCare Health Plans Inc said on Monday it agreed to pay $35.2 million to the U.S. Attorney related to a government probe into accounting errors in its Florida Medicaid behavioral health contracts.
UK Drugs Watchdog Chief Attacks Drug Firm on Prices
Incentive schemes linking drug industry executives' pay to their firms' share price and profits help drive up the price of new drugs, the head of Britain's health cost-effectiveness watchdog was quoted as saying.
Why Should I Report an Adverse Drug Event?
When I was in charge of the postmarketing drug safety program at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the early 1980s, 1 particular drug report became etched in my memory.
FDA Warns About Injection Site Reactions With Naltrexone
Injectable, extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol, Cephalon), used for the treatment of alcohol dependence, has been linked to adverse injection-site reactions, some requiring surgery, according to a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory notice to healthcare professionals released yesterday.
Factor VII Curbs Bleeding in Non-Hemophiliac Trauma, Surgical Patients
Use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) reduces the need for blood transfusion in patients without hemophilia and may also reduce mortality, according to pooled data from randomized placebo-controlled trials involving more than 3000 participants, Canadian researchers report.
Delayed Axillary Node Dissection Not Detrimental in Breast CA Patients With Positive Sentinel Nodes
Delaying axillary node dissection for a few weeks does not appear to be detrimental in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel nodes, according to a report in the July 20th Journal of Clinical Oncology.
FDA unexpectedly rejects Schering anesthesia drug
Schering-Plough Corp (nyse: SGP – news – people ) said Friday U.S. regulators had rejected Bridion, its drug to reverse the effects of anesthesia that had been heralded as a breakthrough product by analysts and was unanimously recommended by a federal advisory panel.
