North America

Statins effective at preventing first heart attack or stroke

Statins were associated with a 36% lower risk of heart attack and 29% lower risk of stroke compared with placebo in a review of data from more than 70,000 patients.…

Actavis accused of overcharging NHS for hydrocortisone tablets

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accused pharmaceutical company Actavis UK of breaking competition law by charging the NHS excessive prices for hydrocortisone tablets. Actavis UK (formerly Auden Mckenzie) increased the price of 10mg hydrocortisone tablets by over 12,000% compare…

What impact president-elect Donald Trump will have on the US healthcare system

William Seligman takes a look at what might happen to the US healthcare system and pharma under a Trump presidency.…

US bill that heralds reform of drug approval process passed by House of Representatives

A landmark US law that would boost funding for medical research, mental health and substance misuse services and speed up drug and medical device approval has passed its latest legislative hurdle.…

Companies producing homeopathy medicines in US must state they do not work

Producers of homeopathic treatments sold over the counter (OTC) in the United States must state on their labels and marketing materials that the products do not work or provide evidence of efficacy for any claims made, a US government agency says. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an agen…

Assessing the safety of hormonal replacement therapy

Since the dawn of hormonal replacement therapy — now known as menopausal hormone therapy — there have been conflicting reports about its risks and safety. A thorough examination of the evidence suggests it can be used safely in menopausal women.…

Comprehensible reference text on injectable drugs

Handbook on injectable drugs 19th edition, Editor-in-chief Gerald K McEvoy…

A new perspective on addiction

Unbroken brain: a revolutionary new way of understanding addiction, by Maia Szalavitz.…

A cutting indictment of US healthcare

A spirit of charity, by Mike King…

World Health Organization to send 1 million doses of cholera vaccine to Haiti to avert new cases

The World Health Organization will send 1 million doses of oral cholera vaccine to Haiti because of concerns that the hurricane-devastated country will experience a spike in new cholera cases.…