Air pollution tied to hospitalizations for wide range of illnesses

Older adults who are exposed to tiny particles in air pollution for just a day or two are more likely to be hospitalized for a wide variety of common health problems, a U.S. study suggests.

Researchers focused on PM 2.5, a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter that can include dust, dirt, soot and smoke. They confirmed previously-known links between short-term exposure to PM 2.5 and an increased risk of hospitalization and death from heart and lung diseases, diabetes, and clots in the large veins of the legs. They also found new links between short-term exposure and increased hospitalizations for conditions ranging from sepsis to kidney failure… (Reuters, December 10, 2019)

Healthcare News Monitor

Pharma companies giving payouts to doctors, claims All India Drug Action Network

Business Today- Joe C Mathew

Delhi based civil society group All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) has sought intervention of the Chemicals and Fertilizers minister D V Sadandanda Gowda to curb alleged unethical inducements given by pharmaceutical companies to doctors. The group attached a complaint made by a whistle blower from Vishakhapatnam where he accuses the Indian subsidiary of a multinational company of providing direct payments and inducements to doctors in open violation of the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) notified by the Department of Pharmaceuticals for voluntary adoption by the industry. Terming UCPMP as a failure, AIDAN wanted the government to frame a statutory marketing and ethical promotion code for pharmaceuticals and medical device industry. The move could trigger a fresh round of debate over the need for government intervention in regulating marketing and promotional practices of pharmaceutical and medical device companies in India. AIDANs submission on December 7 cited the whistle blowers letter and documents of proof to allege that the MNC had provided inducements to doctors in the form of honorariums for participation in conferences, travel assistance, accommodation, food expenses, and registration fees - all of which are strictly prohibited under the UCPMP as well as the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 for registered medical practitioners.

Correvio suffers fresh blow as heart drug fails to win FDA panel backing

ET Healthworld- Reuters

Independent experts to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday voted against Correvio Pharma Corps drug to correct irregular rhythm in the upper chambers of the heart in adult patients, the latest setback to the companys efforts to market a potential blockbuster in the country. The panel voted 11-2 against approving the drug, Brinavess, citing serious safety risks, including low blood pressure and irregular rhythm in the lower heart chambers, and deaths during the trials. "It clearly has benefit but it does have risk," said panel member Dr. Barry Davis of the University of Texas School of Public Health, who voted against the drug. "If this were the only drug or treatment around, yes, but there are other options."

Don’t use buprenorphine for poppy husk, alcohol de-addiction: Experts

ET Healthworld- Vinod Kumar

CHANDIGARH: After huge diversion of buprenorphine tablets by private de-addiction centres came to fore, voices for checking the misuse of the potent medicine have started growing louder. The Punjab health department held a meeting with civil surgeons, private psychiatrists and experts from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, to find ways for stopping misuse of the de-addiction medicine. Though the experts recognised the effectiveness of buprenorphine in treatment for opioid abuse cases by harm reduction with opioid substitution therapy (OST), they termed its misuse and diversion a serious matter. They pointed out that the medicine was being commonly dispensed in routine to users of low-potency opioids like poppy husk and even alcohol against the standard operating procedures (SOPs) framed by the state government. As per the SOPs framed in 2018, buprenorphine should not be used for opioid use unless the opioid dependence is established. The medicine cannot be prescribed in routine for low-potency opioids like poppy husk, low-quality opium, codeine cough syrups and propoxyphene capsules unless there are specific reasons for prescribing, which should be documented in patient record.

AbbVie, Scripps Research collaborate to develop new therapies for range of diseases

Pharmabiz

AbbVie, a research-based global biopharmaceutical company, and Scripps Research, an international leader in non-profit biomedical research and drug discovery, announced a collaboration to develop new therapies for a range of diseases, including in the therapeutic areas of oncology, immunology, neurology and fibrosis. "Based on our strong switchable CAR-T alliance launched in 2018, we feel the expanded relationship with AbbVie represents a robust path forward for some of our programs, complementing a diverse ecosystem of innovation weve created over the past several years at Scripps to advance life-changing therapies," says Peter Schultz, Ph.D, chief executive officer, Scripps Research and Calibr, its drug discovery division. In addition to programs initially named in the collaboration from preclinical to IND stages of development, Scripps Research will present to AbbVie a certain number of preclinical programs of mutual interest per year for consideration to be included in the collaboration. Scripps and AbbVie will also work together in parallel to advance CD3 bispecifics against oncology targets nominated by AbbVie. Under the terms of the license agreement, Scripps Research will continue to conduct pre-clinical research and development activities and, in some cases, phase 1 clinical trials with AbbVie having an exclusive option to further develop and commercialise.