The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the nod to Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), the first cell-based gene therapy granted approval for the treatment of certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and only the second gene therapy to gain FDA approval. The drug is indicated for...

California Governor Edmund G Brown Jr has declared a State of Emergency to control the recent outbreak of hepatitis A. Vaccines have already been distributed, but additional supplies are needed to control the outbreak. A total of 80,110 doses of the vaccine had already been distributed by the...

Antibiotics such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and Amoxil (amoxicillin) are prescribed to treat a staggering range of different medical conditions, but their pervasive use could be reducing their efficacy in the long-term. The more these drugs are used, the greater the risk of antibiotic-resistant...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced improvements to its Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). The system is a database of reported medication issues, including product quality complaints leading to adverse events, medication error reports and other adverse event...

Governor Edmund G Brown Jr of California has signed legislation SB 17 aimed at improving the transparency of prescription drug prices in the Golden State. It is hoped the Drug Price Transparency Bill, authored by Senator Ed Hernandez, will curb price hikes and help patients struggling with...

Pfizer's Lyrica CR (pregabalin) extended-release tablets CV gained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use treating neuropathic pain experienced by patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and for managing postherpetic neuralgia.  The drug's safety and efficacy were...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough therapy (BTD) designation to the AstraZeneca drug Tagrisso (osimertinib).  It is the sixth such designation granted to AstraZeneca oncology medicine since 2014. Tagrisso received BTD for first-line treatment of patients with...

A generic version of the contraceptive injection Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone), likely to be cheaper than its branded counterpart, will be reintroduced into local pharmacies across the United States, Teva Pharmaceuticals has announced.  Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection...

A new treatment will soon be available for adults with relapsed follicular lymphoma, a slow-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, following the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of Aliqopa (copanlisib). The drug was granted Accelerated Approval as it fills an unmet medical need....

Over the next four years, more than $22 million in grants have been awarded for clinical trials and research into treatment for patients with rare diseases, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced. In a statement released by the regulatory body, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD,...

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new indication for the Actelion Pharmaceutical's drug Tracleer (bosentan). The medication may now be used to treat pediatric patients aged three and over who suffer from idiopathic or congenital pulmonary arterial hypertension...

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Sanofi has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FGA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to Cemiplimab (REGN2810) as a treatment for adults with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and adults with locally advanced and unresectable...

A combination therapy used to reduce the chances of HIV infection in adult patients is safe for adolescents, a new study by the National Institutes of Health network suggests. Truvada (tenofovir, emtricitabine) is a single pill combination drug currently approved as a pre-exposure prophylaxis...

Patients whose healthcare providers adopt a collaborative communication style are more likely to take their high blood pressure medication correctly, according to a recent study. Research published in the American Heart Association's (AHA) journal Circulation: Quality and Outcomes suggests patients...

The first treatment for Chagas disease in the United States has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Benznidazole was granted accelerated approval for use in children between the ages of two and 12 years old. The drug also received priority review and orphan product...

Vabomere (meropenem and vaborbactam), an injection for treating adult patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) will be available in the United States. by the end of 2017. Rempex Pharmaceuticals was granted approval for the antibiotic by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA),...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statement clarifying its position on Keytruda (pembrolizumab) after scientists monitoring studies of the drug found an excess of deaths among patients given the drug in combination with certain other medicines.  Currently, Keytruda is...

Pfizer's acute myeloid leukemia (AML) medicine Mylotarg (gemtuzumab, ozogamicin) has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The drug is indicated for the treatment of adults with newly diagnosed AML whose tumors express the CD33 antigen (CD33-positive...

Everyone needs a vacation, but when traveling overseas it is important to make preparations to ensure holidays are not cut short by illness and sickness. Some simple steps include: packing prescription medications, and the prescriptions themselves; ensuring all vaccines are up to date; and checking...

Many medications are available for treating type 2 diabetes, but intensive lifestyle management could hold the key to controlling blood sugar levels, according to a recent clinical trial. The results of the study conducted in Denmark suggest adding "intensive" lifestyle management to traditional...