An advisory committee for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted to endorse the agency’s recommendation to revoke approval of the cancer drug Avastin for breast cancer, reported the New York Times.  The unprecedented two-day appeal hearing began on Tuesday to address the FDA’s 2010 recommendation which rejected accelerated approval of the drug. Genentech, [...]

A recent report reveals a major study of the antiepileptic drug Neurontin was designed to generate money and not to collect data concerning patient health.  On Monday, a report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims drug manufacturer Parke-Davis, a subsidiary of Pfizer, initiated a 1995 study of the Neurontin with the intentions to [...]

Lawmakers are responding to a New York Times’ report that the gas industry may be overstating the long-term profitability and gas extraction amounts to investors in shale gas drilling.  State and federal lawmakers are requesting agencies conduct an investigation to determine if gas companies intentionally misled investors. Several U.S. senators and representatives s have written [...]

Spine specialists are publically repudiating expert findings saying Medtronic Inc.’s  spinal product Infuse is beneficial and linked to low health risks.  The group of specialists called the research “misleading and biased,” reported the New York Times.   On Tuesday, a full issue of The Spine Journal is dedicated to exposing the highly debated issue of whether [...]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will conduct an appeal hearing over the agency’s decision to revoke accelerated approval of cancer drug Avastin.  The two-day hearing commenced on Tuesday, will allow drug manufacturer Roche the chance to appeal the agency’s 2010 recommendation that revoked approval of Avastin for breast cancer.  FDA officials said Avastin [...]

On Monday, Health Canada warned Canadians that the smoking cessation drug Champix is linked to an increased risk of heart problems in patients with cardiovascular disease.  The popular drug is sold as Chantix in the U.S.  The Canadian federal department based the announcement on clinical data recently reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [...]

A national, environmental organization is making a plea for a ban on natural gas drilling that is done via hydraulic fracturing.  The Food and Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish consumed is safe.   The organization is engaging in a “national movement against fracking” and recently released a report detailing study results [...]

A Texas couple filed a lawsuit against a natural gas drilling company claiming the company’s drilling site contaminated their drinking water well.  Earlier this week, Steven and Shyla Lipsky sued Range Production Co. after the couple “discovered that their well water contained benzene, toluene, ethane and a large amount of methane gas…”   The Lipskys claim [...]

A recent analysis found high doses of cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor increased the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.  The meta-analysis revealed patients taking intensive doses of statins, such as Zocor and Lipitor, experienced an increased risk of being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes versus those taking low to moderate doses, reported HealthDay. Physicians collected data from five [...]

There are potential problems with silicone breasts implants, including the possibility of developing a rare type of cancer, reported the Boston Globe.   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a report on Wednesday saying women with silicone breast implants “may have a very small but increased likelihood of being diagnosed with anaplastic large cell [...]