Lessening of Cancer Drug Shortages in the US

February 23rd, 2012

from Science Photo Library

In order to help to ease the cancer drug shortages in the United States, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the production of cancer medications Doxil and preservative-free methotrexate at new plants. This will significantly ease the burden currently placed on doctors and cancer patients.

Doxil is an important factor in the treatment of ovarian and other cancers, and has been unavailable for new patients in months. Preservative-free methotrexate is used for a type of childhood leukemia and for high-dose treatment of bone cancer. Since 2008, methortrexate has been unable to be obtained with any certainty, and with a sudden closure of a manufacturer, doctors and patients were worried that the supply wouldn’t last through this month. The methotrexate that was available on the market contained preservatives, which had been seen to cause paralysis in children and other patients receiving high doses. Luckily, Canada has not been affected by the shortage, and cancer patients can buy Rheumatrex and Doxil online.

Although there have been shortages of many other medications, the sharpest decline has been in injectable medications, which are commonly used in hospitals, but do not create large profits for pharmaceutical companies. These drugs are one of the strongest weapons against cancer recurrence though, and a sudden inability to provide their patients with these necessary medications worried many doctors. At least 15 deaths since 2010 have been attributed to the cancer drug shortage. A sudden lack of medicine often significantly reduces a patient’s chance of surviving cancer.

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Buy Zioptan FDA-approved Tafluprost Ophthalmic Solution

February 21st, 2012

Zioptan, also known as Tafluprost Ophthalmic Solution, is recently approved by FDA for the treatment of elevated eye pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma.

The drug is also approved for use in patients with higher-than-normal eye pressure (ocular hypertension), an important risk factor for glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. Patients with ocular hypertension frequently are considered to have a greater chance of developing glaucoma.

Zioptan is manufactured by Merck, available in 15 mcg/ml vials, contains 30 single dose per pack.

Zioptan is an eye drop that should be used once daily in the evening. For more information, please visit FDA press announcements. Buy Zioptan online or toll-free 1.877.223.9977

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Big Mountain Drugs Honors Heart Health Awareness Month by Offering a Free Coupon

February 20th, 2012

Healthy heart from asantavi

Big Mountain Drugs, a licensed Canadian online pharmacy, is honouring Heart Health Awareness month by offering ten dollars off of any heart medication. Heart patients, who could already buy Ranexa or generic Plavix for significantly lower prices, can now add an additional $10.00 off. Customers with a prescription to buy Lipitor or other heart medications can use the coupon code heart10, and complete their purchase by either calling in or making an online order. Medications for heart ailments are one of the most widely prescribed in the world. Although they are often used as preventative measures, many patients require these medications for their daily lives. These life saving medications are also some of the most expensive. Big Mountain Drugs is helping to ease the burden on heart patients-many of who take multiple medications each day-by offering ten dollar off pharmacy coupons for when you buy online.

Heart disease, the leading cause of death in America, kills over 700,000 Americans each year. Almost 1500 Americans die each day from a heart disease-related event. Heart disease is actually a group of heart diseases, with coronary artery disease being the number one killer. Coronary artery disease (often called coronary heart disease) is a gradual build up of plaque in the arteries leading to the heart. Over time, this restricts blood flow to the heart, leading to potentially fatal consequences. Many of the medications that Big Mountain Drugs’ $10.00 off coupon can be used for are prophylactic; that is, used to prevent heart disease. The coupon may be used to buy Lipitor and generic Plavix, two of the most highly prescribed medications on the market today. Lipitor, Plavix and many other heart medications are used to prevent heart-related events such as heart attacks and strokes. These drugs work by lowering blood pressure, and controlling cholesterol levels-two of the Center for Disease Control’s heart disease risk factors. Other risk factors include diabetes, obesity, smoking, and alcohol. Doctors will often recommend that patients buy Novolog, a diabetes medication, or other medications designed to help with risk factors for heart disease.

Big Mountain Drugs, an online pharmacy based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, offers certified Canadian pharmacy care at lowered prices. Their mission is to provide safe and reliable medications to their customers. Big Mountain Drugs offers well-known brand-name and generic medications such as generic Cardizem, Crestor, Lipitor and Viagra. Big Mountain Drugs specializes in speedy, secure prescription deliveries right to you. They accept prescription and over the counter orders through fax, online orders, and over the phone. The Canadian online pharmacy is proud to offer their telephone service in multiple languages. Big Mountain Drugs is certified by PharmacyChecker.com, and is a member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA).

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http://www.prweb.com/releases/Canadianpharmacy/buyPlavix/prweb9205892.htm

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FDA Warns About Counterfeit Avastin

February 16th, 2012

The FDA is warning doctors and patients about a batch of counterfeit Avastin that has been accidentally purchased and used by 19 different clinics across the country. The counterfeit version is very similar to Roche Pharmaceuticals’ Avastin, but is missing the essential medicinal ingredient, bevacizumab. This may result in cancer patients not receiving the treatment as needed.

Counterfeit Avastin is labeled with “Roche Pharmaceuticals” and batch numbers starting with B6010, B6011 or B86017. The only Avastin that is FDA-approved for distribution in the United States is distributed by Genentech, which is a member company of Roche.

Avastin is an injectable cancer treatment typically administered in hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics. Doctors may order from a local supplier instead of directly from the manufacturer, which can lead to counterfeit products being used. In order to avoid this, talk to your doctor about your treatment options. Your doctor may suggest that you buy Afinitor or try other cancer medications.

To see the Food and Drug Administration’s original release, click here.

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Big Mountain Drugs Provides Free Coupons in Response to Cancer Drug Shortage

February 14th, 2012

oncology drugs in the pharmacy from ozgurmulazimoglu

Big Mountain Drugs, a leading Canadian online pharmacy, has partnered with BreastCancerCare.us to release a new coupon specifically for cancer patients. With a purchase over $100, customers buying cancer medications will have $25 taken off of their purchase. The code, feb25, can be used with both online purchases and through called-in orders. With the recent shortages of cancer medications such as Femara and Gleevec in the United States, Big Mountain Drugs is encouraging patients, doctors, and hospital staff to buy from a Canadian online pharmacy to provide for their cancer therapy needs.

In the last year, the FDA has released reports detailing the shortage or complete disappearance of important cancer medications. These shortages are causing potentially life-threatening treatment delays for cancer patients. These shortages are caused by many factors, one of them being the introduction of generic alternatives. For example, many cancer patients are choosing generic Gleevec or generic Femara instead of the pricier brand name version. Since the pharmacy companies no longer hold the only patent, they make significantly less profit on the medications, and may choose to discontinue them. Other reasons for the medication shortage include manufacturing problems, or late deliveries of materials necessary for production.

Cancer was the number two killer of Americans in 2011. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1.5 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2011. Over 500,000 cancer patients died last year. How many of these could have been prevented?

Although almost 80% of people diagnosed with cancer are over the age of 55, this terrible disease can affect anyone. Effective and timely treatment is essential to a patient’s survival. Big Mountain Drugs is responding to this need by offering a significant discount for all cancer medications, including chemotherapy and hormone therapy drugs. Anyone with a prescription can now buy Zytiga and Tarceva.

Big Mountain Drugs, an online pharmacy based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, offers certified Canadian pharmacy care at lowered prices. Their mission is to provide safe and reliable medications to their customers. Big Mountain Drugs offers well-known brand-name and generic medications such as Afinitor, Femara, thalidomide and tamoxifen. Big Mountain Drugs specializes in speedy, secure prescription deliveries, so you can buy Gleevec with confidence. They accept prescription and over the counter orders through fax, online orders, and over the phone. The Canadian online pharmacy is proud to offer their telephone service in multiple languages. Big Mountain Drugs is certified by PharmacyChecker.com, and is a member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA).

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For the original version on PRWeb visit:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/canadianpharmacy/buycancerdrugs/prweb9184163.htm

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More Precision in Prostate Cancer Treatment

February 13th, 2012

Prostate cancer is a disease few want to talk about. Due to its location in the body, it is often difficult to treat. However, with a new radiation therapy called Calypso, the stigmas associated with prostate cancer may be reduced. In the past, radiation directed at the cancerous prostate has affected the surrounding organs, causing unpleasant sexual or gastrointestinal side effects.

The Calypso is a GPS tracking system used by doctors to specifically pinpoint prostate location at the time of radiation. The prostate often changes locations depending on the fullness of the bladder or rectum. With the Calypso, three tiny transponders are placed within the prostate at the beginning of the patients’ cancer treatment. This allows the doctors to pinpoint the prostate’s location in real time. Knowing exactly where the prostate is for treatment allows the doctors to irradiate only the affected areas of the prostate, eliminating the radiation that affects the surrounding organs. This has been shown to significantly reduce radiation therapy’s uncomfortable side effects. So far, the treatment has been used on 6,000 American men.

For more information, see the original release here.

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Experimental Drug More Effective than Aspirin in Preventing Repeat Strokes

February 6th, 2012

by Reuters

New drug apixaban, although not yet approved by the FDA, studies are indicating promise for the drug to cut clot risk caused by abnormal heartbeat.

According to a new study funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer the investigational drug apixaban (Eliquis), appears to be better than aspirin at preventing blood clots in certain patients who have already suffered a stroke a “mini-stroke” due to abnormal heart rhythm.

The team of researchers from Canada and Germany, led by Dr. Hans-Christoph Diener of the University Hospital Essen, tracked nearly 5600 atrial fibrillation patients (average age of 70) for about one year. All of the patients selected were deemed unsuitable for standard treatment with the anticoagulant known as warfarin.

The study participants were randomly divided into two groups: one group received two daily doses of 5 mg’s of apixaban, and the other group received between 81-324 mg’s of aspirin daily.

The result
Among those taking apixaban who had a prior history of stroke or mini-stroke, only 2.4% had a subsequent stroke or systemic embolism (blood clot) during the treatment. However, of the participants who were taking the aspirin the figure rose to 9%.

It was concluded that apixaban was well-tolerated and afforded a greater measure of stroke risk reduction than aspirin.

For the time being, Apixaban is currently under review for approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration. All of the finding and data that were retrieved were slated for presentation at the American Stroke Association’s annual conference in New Orleans.

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Colchicine for Cancer Treatment

February 3rd, 2012

The University of Bradford’s Institute of Cancer Therapeutics is developing a new drug designed to target only diseased cancerous cells. One of the main ingredients in the team’s experimental drug is colchicine, which is commonly used to treat gout. Although colchicine is a natural ingredient often derived from the Autumn Crocus, the scientists are creating a chemically matched substitute in a laboratory.

This new form of colchicine was created as a first attempt to remove the existing blood supply to a tumor. Without a blood supply to sustain its cell reproduction, the tumor should die off. Scientists have tailored the drug to specifically target an enzyme only found in diseased tissue. this means the drug will also be able to target secondary tumor cells.

According to the lead researcher on the team, this drug will be particularly powerful as it should be able to safely work alongside the patients’ chemotherapy treatments or hormone therapies such as Femara or Arimidex.

For more information see the original release here.

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Are You Working Too Hard? It May Lead to Depression

January 30th, 2012

Depression from excessive job stress

A new study has found that frequent overtime can lead to depression. Employees who work frequent overtime are twice as likely to have a “major depressive episode” than employees who online work an eight hour day.

The study followed 1200 British civil servants for 6 years. It concluded that those employees who consistently worked overtime (hours more than the regular 7-8) were more prone to depression and mania.

Sure, your wallet is full, so that probably making you happy, but always coming home late, or working on weekends, is taking its toll on your emotional health. Also noted in the article was the addition of changing work hours was also detrimental to personal health. Shift work, combined with overtime, is leading to depression, and ill health in many people.

“That changing pattern strongly predicts mood episodes, both depressive episodes, but also manic episodes in people who are vulnerable to bipolar disorder”, says Kate Harkness, a Queen’s University psychology professor. But, this negative pattern may be counteracted with strict scheduling of sleep, eating, and exercise. Cyclic patterns are thought to help maintain a sense of regularity, and thus lower stress levels.

For more information, click here.

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Stem Cells may Ease Some Types of Blindness

January 27th, 2012

stem cell therapy

Embryonic stem cells are often touted to be “the medication of the future.” A new study has just been released corroborating this idea, that stem cells may be used to cure or ease symptoms of previously untreatable conditions.

A new study, funded by Advanced Cell Technology in Massachusetts, has shown that stem cells may improve blindness caused by certain diseases. Not only does it lessen the blindness, stem cells also work quickly. After four months, neither of the participants had any negative immune responses, as is sometimes seen with stem cell introduction. Ideally, the stem cells could be used in earlier stages of treatment, potentially stopping symptoms in their tracks.

The two patients, a 78 year old woman with dry, age-related macular degeneration (the number one cause of blindness in the developed world), and a 51 year old woman with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, had retinal cells replaced with embryonic stem cells. Stargardt’s is the most common cause of juvenile blindness. The 51 year old went from being unable to read a single to reading 5 after her treatment. The 78 year old went from reading 21 letters in a row to 28.

Stem cells are often considered a controversial treatment, as the uninformed mostly consider them to be taken from embryos (unborn children). Embryonic stem cells are found in the umbilical cord, and are reputed to be able to help stave off many illnesses once activated. The usefulness of a stem cell comes from its ability to grow into other cells. It could be considered the “template cell” for many other body cells. There are now even “banks” in which to keep preserved umbilical cords-essentially keeping a stock of cells that can be grown into other cells for any future mishaps. However, there are also adult stem cells, which can be found in many different types of tissue. Bone marrow transplants, which save thousands of leukemia patients yearly, are based in the transfer of stem cells from a viable donor to a patient.

This study is the first time that there has been information published on the outcome of an embryonic stem cell treatment. Judging by this outcome, we can see why they published it. It was noted in the study however, that researchers are unsure if the positive outcomes on the patients could have also been attributed to immunosuppressive agents or a placebo effect. This type of treatment will not be available to the public for some years, said the researcher, as there are many safety assessments to be completed.

Until such time as stem cell treatments are available outside of a human trial, we will have to use regular medications to treat our symptoms and conditions.

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