The placebo effect: expecting the best, fearing the worst

Poor expectations of treatment can override all the effect of a potent pain-relieving drug, a brain imaging study at Oxford University has shown. 10 Mar 2011 08:36

New evidence about broadly-reactive neutralising antibodies that block HIV infection

New findings are bringing scientists closer to an effective HIV vaccine. Researchers from Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (Seattle BioMed), Vanderbilt University and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard report findings showing new evidence about broadly-reactive neutralising antibodies, which block HIV infection. Details are published January 13 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens. 18 Jan 2011 12:33

Complementary medicine: Is your product safe?

Complementary medicines have come under scrutiny once more, following recent revelations that many of these products are not doing what their labels say. In the most recent case, four 'herbal' medicines that are supposed to treat low libidos were reportedly found to contain illegal ingredients. That's raised the question for South African consumers: do we know what's in the complementary medicine we're buying; and who is checking up on these manufacturers? 18 Jan 2011 08:08

New study finds physicians comfortable with efficacy of generic medications

A new study by researchers at Harvard, Brigham and Women's Hospital and CVS Caremark finds that 23% of doctors' have negative perceptions of the effectiveness and quality of generic drugs and that may lead to doctors prescribing unnecessarily expensive medications. 12 Jan 2011 13:06

Tips for surviving a bout of 'stomach flu'

Stomach flu is one of those ailments that tends to strike from time to time - and it sees a crush of patients crowding into area physician offices and hospital emergency rooms as individuals of all ages suddenly find themselves laid low by a highly contagious and quick-striking virus. 10 Jan 2011 11:09

Drug firms 'let down' by snub on price rules

[Tamar Kahn] Pharmaceutical manufacturers expressed disappointment on Monday, 3 January 2011, with the Department of Health's latest proposals for benchmarking medicine prices, saying the bulk of their recommendations were ignored. 4 Jan 2011 16:14

Use of aspirin and statins can reduce depression: Study

A study that appears in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics addresses the association between use of aspirin and statins and the risk of major depression. 26 Nov 2010 09:34

Regulatory conference highlights new paradigm for TB drug development

New model is designed to dramatically improve timelines to deliver novel TB regimens to patients. 19 Aug 2010 13:21

WHO, UNICEF issue guide, call for more research into medicines for children

Along with the release of a WHO-UNICEF guide on medicines for children, the U.N. agencies on Friday said the guide "exposed dangerous shortfalls" in medicines designed for children and called for more research into treating children, Reuters reports. "While effective medicines exist to fight disease and treat life-threatening conditions like malnutrition, formulations suitable for children are often difficult to source," Francisco Blanco, UNICEF's chief of medicines and nutrition, said, according to the news service. 4 May 2010 08:10

WHO recommends against homeopathic treatments for HIV, TB, malaria, influenza, infant diarrhoea

The WHO has warned that people with conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria should not rely on homeopathic treatments, the BBC reports. The agency was responding to a June letter (full text available here), in which researchers from the Voice of Young Science Network called on the agency "to condemn the promotion of homeopathy for treating TB, infant diarrhoea, influenza, malaria and HIV." 24 Aug 2009 08:27

Health experts discuss counterfeit medicine

An international conference discussing threats of counterfeit medicine and their effects on patients in Africa is underway in Johannesburg. 14 Feb 2008 06:26

Owlhurst Communications

Industry news: Sandoz uses ongoing X/Procure® system to promote products

X/procure®, the advertising procurement system directly targeting pharmacists has launched a campaign for Sandoz, one of the world's leading generic pharmaceutical companies. The ongoing campaign has seen four new central nervous system (CNS) products launch into more than 1500 pharmacies countrywide. 6 Sep 2007 12:27

Owlhurst Communications

Industry news: Pfizer breaks into generics

To enhance the quality of life of more people in South Africa, Pfizer SA recently launched Pharmacia, focusing exclusively on the provision of original generic medicines to specifically address some of the country's critical disease areas. 23 Aug 2007 15:56

FDA tells drug giant to come clean about Alzheimer's drug

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has warned a major drug company about misleading the medical profession over a drug for dementia. 16 Aug 2007 10:24