Archive for January, 2009

USA TODAY - Alcoholics cut heavy drinking when taking drug off-label

Sunday, January 11th, 2009

A drug sold to prevent seizures and migraines was more effective than a placebo in reducing alcoholics’ heavy-drinking days, a study says.

Unlike other drugs to treat alcoholism, topiramate, or Topamax, does not require people to stop drinking before starting treatment, the study’s authors write in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association.

In addition, treatment required a weekly 15-minute counseling session, done by nurses in the study.

Chain Drug Review - Ortho-McNeil, J&J step up the fight against dispensing errors

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

TITUSVILLE, N.J. — OrthoMcNeil Neurologics Inc. and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development LLC are alerting prescribers and other health care professionals to the possibility of dispensing errors involving Topamax, Razadyne ER and Razadyne.
“Dispensing confusion between two drug products with similar brand names…

Chain Drug Review - Top 50 prescription drugs by dollar sales

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

Ton 50 Prescription Drugs by Dollar Sales

DOLLAR % CHANGE
SALES MARKET VS. YEAR
PRODUCT COMPANY (000) SHARE AGO

Lipitor Pfizer $8,100 2.8% -7%
Nexium …

USA TODAY - Epilepsy drug adds birth risk

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

Pregnant women who take the epilepsy drug topiramate may increase their newborn’s risk of birth defects, especially if they combine the drug with other epilepsy medications, according to a small study in this week’s Neurology.

Scientists who evaluated 203 women who became pregnant while taking topiramate, generic for Topamax, reported that of 178 babies born, 16 had major birth defects, including cleft palate and other …