US FDA alerts health care providers of recall of anemia drug Omontys – In US, Omontys Injection is recalled due to reports of anaphylaxis, a serious and life-threatening allergic reaction. Omontys is used to treat anemia in adult dialysis patients. Until further notice, health care providers should stop using Omontys.
US FDA approves new treatment for late-stage breast cancer – Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) – a new therapy for patients with HER2-positive, late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer is approved by US FDA. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Almost 20 percent of breast cancers have increased amounts of the HER2 protein.
FDA approves new silicone gel-filled breast implant — Agency requires post-approval safety studies to assess rare events – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Natrelle 410 Highly Cohesive Anatomically Shaped Silicone-Gel Filled Breast Implant to increase breast size (augmentation) in women at least 22 years old and to rebuild breast tissue (reconstruction) in women of any age. Natrelle 410 implants are manufactured by Allergan, Inc.
Folic acid supplements early in pregnancy may reduce child’s risk of autism by 40 percent — Large study in Norway finds early timing of folic acid supplements is critical – Prenatal folic acid supplements appear to reduce the risk for autistic spectrum disorders. It is estimated that about 1 in 88 children in the U.S. have been identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Reducing sodium consumption could save 280,000 to 500,000 lives in the United States over 10 years. — Americans consume about 3,600 mg of sodium per day ? more than twice the recommended limit. – Less sodium in the U.S. diet could save 280,000 to 500,000 lives over 10 years, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension.
More mothers are breastfeeding — African American mothers need more support – Percentage of mothers who start and continue breastfeeding is rising, says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From 2000 to 2008, mothers who started breastfeeding increased more than 4 percentage points. During that same time, the number of mothers still breastfeeding at six months jumped nearly 10 percentage points, from 35 percent in 2000 to nearly 45 percent in 2008.
Treatment with clot-busting drug yields better results after stroke than supportive therapy alone – In an update to previous research, Johns Hopkins neurologists say minimally invasive delivery of the drug tPA directly into potentially lethal blood clots in the brain helped more patients function independently a year after suffering an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a deadly and debilitating form of stroke.
NIH scientists identify molecular link between metabolism and breast cancer – A protein associated with conditions of metabolic imbalance, such as diabetes and obesity, may play a role in the development of aggressive forms of breast cancer, according to new findings by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
New CDC Vital Signs: Smoking among those with Mental Illness – Adults with some form of mental illness have a smoking rate 70 percent higher than adults with no mental illness, according to a Vital Signs report. Combined data from SAMHSA?s 2009?2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used to calculate national and state estimates of cigarette smoking among adults aged 18 years and older who reported having any mental illness.
FDA approval of generic version of cancer drug Doxil is expected to help resolve shortage – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of the cancer drug Doxil (doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome injection). Doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome injection is currently on the FDA?s drug shortage list.
The Nutrition Facts Label: Helping Americans Make Heart-Healthy Choices – February is American Heart Month, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a tool to help you achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle. It?s called the Nutrition Facts Label, and it can be found on all packaged foods and beverages.
Next-generation CT scanner provides better images with minimal radiation – A new computed tomography (CT) scanner substantially reduces potentially harmful radiation while still improving overall image quality. National Institutes of Health researchers, along with engineers at Toshiba Medical Systems, worked on the scanner.
