Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval — a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don't know how to begin tackling it.

Did you read about the revolutionary study of the statin drug, Crestor? A story in the LA Times (reprinted in the Star Tribune) was almost breathless in its praise:

The companies that make your drugs fear price cuts from the Obama administration. Biotech companies already price drugs at very high gross margins, they fear Barack Obama’s health care reform will cut into their profits. Obama supports lowering drug prices as a requirement for making health care coverage affordable to all Americans.

The statement recently issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), acknowledging that there may be a link between the use of the pharmaceutical drug Singulair and suicidal thoughts in its users, represents yet another instance of case reports conflicting with clinical trials and causing the FDA to have to step in. The struggle for more, and better, disclosure between the pharmaceutical industry, medical practitioners and patients is a battle of the utmost importance.

University of Cambridge to pioneer drug development by “academic incubators”

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have created a list of prescription drugs that increase the risk of falling for patients aged 65 and older who take four or more medications on a regular basis.

A new study of state-subsidized pharmacy assistance programs showed that providing prescription drug coverage for low-income seniors reduces Medicaid and Medicare costs. Moreover, needy seniors enrolled in the programs were able to cut their dose skimping and nursing home admissions in half, according to the Brandeis University research.

In 2006, more Utahns died as a result of unintentional over-the-counter or prescription drug overdoses than died in motor vehicle crashes. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) today unveiled a new education campaign meant to reduce the number of unintentional prescription pain medication overdoses in Utah by 15 percent by 2009.

The program by the National Institute of Aging hopes that the smartphone technology should improve compliance with taking prescription drugs for the elderly and disease management.

In an address to the Council of Teaching Hospitals in New Orleans, Wal-Mart's senior vice president and president of health and wellness, Dr. John Agwunobi will confirm a major milestone for the company's $4 prescription program. Since its launch in September 2006, the program walmart.com/pharmacy has now saved Americans more than $1 billion ($1,032,573,012.61 as of March 10, 2008).

The FDA just issued a statement on its ongoing investigation of Montelukast (Singulair), saying that initially FDA thinks that there may be a link between Singulair usage and suicide.

People have been going to doctors’ offices for at least a century without worrying too much about any germs they might pick up there. But if you are concerned, you can reduce your family’s risk by taking a few simple precautions.