Drug Topics - November 26, 2007 - (Page 8)

8 DRUG TOPICS NOVEMBER 26, 2007 www.drugtopics.com > > > NEWS Roundup Rx Care AstraZeneca’s Purple Plus members offered savings on Nexium AstraZeneca announced enhancements to the Purple Plus program for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who are prescribed Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium). This patient support program is designed to make Nexium more affordable for patients through instant rebates and to provide educational tools that can assist patients in staying adherent to their prescribed therapy. Patients can access on-line resources at www.PurplePill.com and call 1-(888) PurplePill for more information. study was halted early because of increased risk of death in cardiac surgery patients receiving the drug. The agency plans to do a detailed review of the preliminary BART data before it decides whether aprotinin should be allowed back on the market. This action follows an FDA advisory panel recommendation in September to allow the antifibrinolytic to stay on the market despite evidence that the drug had serious adverse effects. In 2006, the FDA strengthened its warnings for aprotinin after researchers found an increased risk of kidney failure, heart failure, and stroke. The same group published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February that found patients taking the drug were at a greater risk of dying over the next five years compared with patients taking aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid. Bayer called the suspension temporary and believes that, once analyzed, the data will support a favorable risk-benefit profile for aprotinin when used according to labeling. Many drugs in works to inhibit drug-resistant strains of MRSA Pharmaceutical research companies in the United States are currently testing 338 new products to fight contagious diseases, including 11 medicines and four vaccines to treat staph infections. A new report by PhRMA said the medicines being developed to eradicate staph are designed to inhibit drugresistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. “America’s pharmaceutical research companies are working hard to develop new medicines that will treat staph and even prevent patients from infection in the first place,” said PhRMA president and CEO Billy Tauzin. Other drugs in development, according to the report, include a hepatitis C treatment and a medicine to stop the life cycle of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. PhRMA’s report is available on the association’s Web site, www.phrma.org. ACEIs involve more dry cough than ARBs A new Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality study has found that two classes of antihypertensives— angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)—are equally effective at managing hypertension. However, of the two, ACEIs are associated with a higher incidence of dry cough than ARBs (1.7% versus 0.6%). The study, done by AHRQ’s Duke University Evidence-based Practice Center, covered 16,597 patients for 12 weeks to five years. It did not examine other blood pressure medications, such as diuretics or beta-blockers. The results can be accessed at AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Web site. BIO issues white paper on comparative effectiveness The Biotechnology Industry Organization has issued a white paper on comparative effectiveness. Authored by BIO’s director of economic policy Ted Buckley, Ph.D., the document maintains that while comparative effectiveness is a helpful tool for healthcare decision-makers when comparing different products, it cannot be used to provide one-size-fits-all answers. The report can be found on www.bio.org. Eight pharmacies to distribute pulmonary hypertension drug Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical firm based in Foster City, Calif., has chosen eight specialty pharmacies to distribute Letairis (ambrisentan), a drug that treats a potentially deadly form of pulmonary high blood pressure. The pharmacies chosen to distribute Letairis include Accredo Health Group, Aetna Specialty Pharmacy, CVS Caremark, CIGNA Tel-Drug, CuraScript, Fairview, PrecisionRx, and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. These pharmacies are authorized to file patients’ insurance claims for Letairis and ship Marketing of aprotinin halted until FDA can evaluate safety Following results from Canadian trial BART, the FDA has decided to suspend marketing of aprotinin (Trasylol, Bayer) pending further investigation. The http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.drugtopics.com/drugtopics/Cardiovascular+Disease/Blood-loss-prophylactic-associated-with-higher-mor/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/468929?contextCategoryId=10239&searchString=trasylol http://www.PurplePill.com http://www.phrma.org http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm http://www.bio.org

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Drug Topics - November 26, 2007 Contents Cough & Cold Recommendations May Impact Other Products More Novelty OTCs Elbow Onto Store Shelves Medication Reconciliation Policies Incomplete at Many Hospitals Hospitals Regress in Reconciling Drugs in 2006 Latest News Roundup

Drug Topics - November 26, 2007

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