AU InforMed

Volume 3   Number 3  (Issue 66)                                                                    Wednesday, January 26, 2005

 

NEW DRUGS, and other related stuff …

 

Abraxane™ Launch Date … has been announced for February 8, 2005, by American Pharmaceutical Partners.  Abraxane™ is the new product approved January 7, 2005 (AU InforMed 1/18/05) that is a paclitaxel protein-bound particle for injectable suspension. The national sales force of Abraxis Oncology, APP’s proprietary sales and marketing division, will market Abraxane™.

http://www.appdrugs.com/012505PR.html   (Press Release)

www.abraxane.com   (Complete prescribing information)

 

 

FROM THE MEDICAL LITERATURE …

 

Cancer Stats … The American Cancer Society released its annual report on January 19, 2005, and it shows that the US is making significant progress against several of the deadliest and most common cancers in the country. Death rates from colon, breast, and prostate cancers have dropped, according to Cancer Facts & Figures 2005, an annual estimate of cancer cases and deaths in the US. The death rate from lung cancer has also dropped among men and remained steady among women. The estimates are based on statistics from the National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Health Statistics. An overview of the findings is also published in:

CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 2005;55(1):10-30.

 

Antiviral postexposure prophylaxis … In their latest update, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Working Group on Nonoccupational Postexposure Prophylaxis (nPEP) made the following recommendations for the United States. For persons seeking care <72 hours after nonoccupational exposure to blood, genital secretions, or other potentially infectious body fluids of a person known to be HIV infected, when that exposure represents a substantial risk for transmission, a 28-day course of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is recommended. Antiretroviral medications should be initiated as soon as possible after exposure.  No recommendations are made for any other possible prophylactic situation.  For the complete report, see the report of web site.

Smith DK, Grohskopf LA, Black RJ, Auerbach JD, Veronese F, Struble KA, et al. Antiviral postexposure prophyslaxis after sexual, injection-drug use, or other nonoccupational exposure to HIV in the United States. MMWR 2005 Jan 21;54(RR02):1-20.

 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5402a1.htm

 

Tamoxifen drug interaction … A study of 80 women taking tamoxifen were genotyped for selected cytochrome P450 enzymes common for tamoxifen metabolism and for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (a fairly common combination).  The results indicated that the SSRI’s may interfere with tamoxifen metabolism so as to potentially make tamoxifen less effective.

Jin Y, Desta Z, Stearns V, Ward B, Ho H, Lee K-H, et al. CYP2D6 genotype, antidepressant use, and tamoxifen metabolism during adjuvant breast cancer treatment. J Nat Cancer Inst 2005 Jan 5;97(1):30-9.

http://jncicancerspectrum.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/jnci;97/1/30      (abstract)

 

Pharmacists make it worse!?! … In a randomized, controlled study in England, investigators measured hospital emergency readmissions, death and quality of life in a >80 year-old population visited by a pharmacist to follow up with discharge medication counseling and reporting back to the primary physician, and a controlled group without this intervention.  The intervention group (n=415) had more hospital readmissions and a worsening quality of life than the control group (n=414).  The authors felt this to be counterintuitive, but did not have a ready explanation.  One thought offered was that the patients may have been taking their medications as prescribed and were worse off for it.

Holland R, Lenaghan E, Harvey I, Smith R, Shepstone L, Lipp A, et al. Does home based medication review keep older people out of hospital?  The HOMER randomized controlled trial. BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.38338.674583.AE (published 24 Jan 2005)

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/rapidpdf/bmj.38338.674583.AEv2?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=homer&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1106607031226_24145&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=1

 

Guidelines for Inhaler Devices … They are apparently equally effective as long as the patient uses the correct technique.  This applies when used in the management of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is part of new evidence-based guidelines prepared by the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Asthma, Allergy, and

Immunology and published in January.

Dolovich MB, Ahrens RC, Hess DR, Anderson P, Dhand R, Rau JL, et al. Device selection and outcomes of aerosol therapy: Evidence-based guidelines. Chest 2005 Jan;127(1):335-71.

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/reprint/127/1/335

 

Guidelines for Treatment of Asthma in Pregnant Women … Pregnant women with asthma should have an albuterol inhaler available at all times and use it as quick relief for asthma symptoms, and those women who have asthma symptoms at least two days a week or two nights a month need a daily medication, according to guidelines recently released by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program through the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.  These and more are published in three documents totaling over 100 pages.  Go to:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/astpreg.htm

 

Free - Vaccine Textbook Update Available From CDC … The eighth edition of Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, also known as "The Pink Book," can be downloaded chapter by chapter from the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC).  What a deal!

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/default.htm

 

 

Reviews of Note …

  • Hirsch IB. Insulin analogues. N Engl J Med 2005 Jan 13;352(2):174-83.

 

 

FROM THE LAY LITERATURE about medicine …

 

Toss the Botox … A new antiwrinkle cream is apparently taking the cosmetic world by storm.  It is Prevage™, which contains an antioxidant, idebenone.  Apparently the product is not considered a drug and does not require a prescription, but it is very expensive ($115 per ounce) and the company, Allergan, has chosen the marketing strategy of limiting sales through physicians.  Idebenone is a synthetic form of coenzyme Q10 but most of the research comes from the company.  Get in line …

MacGregor HE. Forget Botox; there’s a new star in the wrinkle war. Los Angeles Times.com 2005 Jan 24.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-lotion24jan24,1,3073482.story?coll=la-headlines-health   (Los Angeles Times)

http://www.prevage.com/   (Prevage™ web site)

 

Now Reminyl® is a problem? … On January 21, 2005 Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC (J&JPRD) announced today that health authorities are reviewing scientific data from two clinical trials evaluating an investigational use of the company's Alzheimer's treatment, Reminyl® (galantamine hydrobromide), in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.  The review was initiated based on two clinical trials that showed a higher relative mortality rate in patients with mild cognitive impairment treated with galantamine than in patients treated with placebo. In the studies, 20 deaths due to various causes were reported during the double-blind portion of the two pivotal studies, with 15 occurring in subjects randomized to galantamine and five occurring in patients receiving placebo.  The results were first reported to health authorities worldwide by J&JPRD in August 2004.

http://www.us.reminyl.com/html/rem/consumer/pd_news_article.xml?article=safetydata.jspf

 

In this case, DON’T take a deep breath … very disturbing findings that inhalant abuse is increasing in young teenagers and as early as fourth grade.  It may be as common as 20% in 8th-graders.  It’s toxic, unpredictable and difficult to detect.  Why does it seem that every generation has to learn the hard way?!?

Vedantam S. Inhalant abuse on the rise among children. Washington Post.com 2005 Jan 24; A06.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30968-2005Jan23.html

 

 

Update …

 

A MedWatch report from an item in the last issue of AU InforMed … The FDA and Alliant Pharmaceuticals notified healthcare professionals and consumers of the voluntary recall of one lot of Methylphenidate HCl Chewable Tablets, 5 mg strength, indicated for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Narcolepsy.   Lot number #AMT50402A [exp. April 2006] might contain up to three times the active ingredient, and initiated a recall of the medication. 

Read the MedWatch 2005 safety summary, including links to the Firm Press Release, at:

http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/safety05.htm#Methylin

 

 
  AUBURN HSOP FACULTY in the literature …

 

Levy S. These are a few of R.Ph.s’ favorite things. Drug Topics 2004 Nov 22;148.

Amongst a myriad of “favorites” our own Professor Bill Felkey was named “Favorite Speaker” of pharmacists, amidst the likes of Secretary Colin Powell and Vice President Dick Cheney!

 

 

NEW RESOURCES in the DILRC …

 

  • Billups NF, Billups SM, eds. American Drug Index. 49th ed. St. Louis: Facts and Comparisons, 2005.
  • Kowalsky RJ, Falen SW. Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Pharmacy and Nuclear Medicine. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: American Pharmacists Association, 2004.
  • Mills S, Bone K. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety. St. Louis: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, 2005.
  • LaGow B. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 3rd ed. Montvale, NJ: Thomson PDR, 2004.
  • Duncan L, ed. Mosby’s Drug Consult 2005. St. Louis: Elsevier Mosby, 2005.
  • Trissell LA. Handbook on Injectable Drugs. 13th ed. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 2005.

 

 

TIMELY TOP TECH TIP …           

Practicality … An international survey conducted recently found that an estimated 11,300 laptop computers, 31,400 handheld computers and 200,000 mobile telephones were left in taxis around the world during the last six months.  Most found their way back to their owners, but will yours?!?

Reuters. Survey: Thousands leave laptops, mobiles in cabs. CNN 2005 Jan 24.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/ptech/01/24/taxis.lost.reut/index.html

 

 

The last “dose” …

 

“As to diseases make a habit of two things – to help, or at least, to do no harm. (Primum non nocere).

--Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.), in Epidemics, bk. I, ch. 11.  

 

 

 

 

 

An electronic bulletin of drug and health-related news highlights, a service of …

Auburn University, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Drug Information Center

•  Phone 334-844-4400  •  Fax 334-844-8366  •  http://www.pharmacy.auburn.edu/dilrc/dilrc.htm

Bernie R. Olin, Pharm.D., Director