Trumm Drug

June 2008 Drug News

Internet Prescription Drug Law Signed In Minnesota
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed “Justin’s Law,” which makes addictive prescription drugs more difficult to purchase over the internet. The law, the first of its kind in the nation, tightens language defining legal prescriptions and requires a face-to-face visit between a patient and a doctor prescribing the medication. The law also prohibits pharmacies from filling prescriptions they know are not based on a legitimate medical relationship, and could subject ones that knowingly violate the law to loss of license or criminal charges. St. Cloud Times

Companies Looking To Push Prescription Vending Machines
More than 30 states now allow for stores to carry self-service prescription vending machines, and companies are competing to get their products into U.S. pharmacies. Manufacturers hope for the kind of momentum seen in the growth of Redbox DVD kiosks at groceries and convenience stores. “I think you’re going to see that same kind of rollout,” predicted Jay Blandford, senior director of sales and marketing for Parata. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Consumer Group To FDA: Take Birth Control Patch Off The Market
Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen petitioned FDA to pull the birth-control patch Ortho-Evra off the market, calling it far riskier than the pill. Some, but not all, studies of the risk suggest patch users have twice the risk of clots in the legs and lungs as do women who swallow the pill, because patients absorb up to 60% more estrogen via the patch. A spokeswoman for patch maker Ortho Women’s Health & Urology, a J&J company, stated that “Ortho-Evra is a safe and effective hormonal birth control option when used according to its labeling.” The Associated Press

Allergy sufferers can ease discomfort with nasal irrigation
Individuals who suffer from allergies may find that allergy drugs sap energy and dry out the system. Many doctors and allergy sufferers are turning to nasal irrigation techniques, such as the popular Neti Pot, to help keep allergies under control. The Washington Post/HealthDay News (5/11)

CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine For Older Adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that people 60 and older should get Merck’s vaccine Zostavax to protect against shingles, an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chicken pox. Researchers found the vaccine reduces the occurrence of shingles by about 50% in older adults. Reuters, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Vitamin D Deficiency Tied to Breast Cancer: Study
Patients suffering from breast cancer with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to see the disease metastasize and/or die than those with normal levels of the nutrient, according to new study to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Those with vitamin D deficiencies were 94% more likely to see the disease spread and 73% more likely to die. More than 75% women studied were found to either have “deficient” or “insufficient” levels of vitamin D. American Society of Clinical Oncology Press Release

One In Four Share, Borrow Prescription Medicine: Survey
About 23% of Americans loan their prescription medications to someone else and approximately 27% borrow prescription medications belonging to others, according to a survey of 700 Americans published online by the American Journal of Public Health. The medications most frequently shared were allergy drugs like Allegra (25%), followed by pain medications such as Darvoset and OxyContin (22%), and antibiotics like amoxicillin (21%). About 7% of those interviewed reported sharing mood-altering drugs like Paxil, Zoloft, Ritalin, and Valium. A little more than 6% stated they shared the anti-acne drug Accutane and about 5% shared birth control pills. The information “isn’t terribly surprising; however, the extent of sharing was higher than we expected,” stated study leader Dr. Richard Goldsworthy, director of research and development at The Academic Edge, Inc. Reuters, Study abstract

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