What we're reading, June 7, 2016: opioid restrictions disproportionately affect older patients with chronic pain; Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals settle Tarceva lawsuit; and trouble raising Zika virus funds.
With a growing opioid epidemic, new restrictions are making it more difficult to obtain painkillers. Unfortunately, while abuse and misuse of opioids is higher among younger patients, restrictions are disproportionately affecting the elderly, who rely on opioids for chronic pain, reported The New York Times. Older patients are more likely to have painful musculoskeletal disorders, nerve damage, and surgery, and they need treatment to deal with the pain they feel. Unfortunately, this population is also more likely to suffer the ill effects of these drugs, so physicians are left pondering the trade-offs.
Genentech and OSI Pharmaceuticals are paying $67 million to settle a lawsuit over the drug Tarceva. According to the AP, the lawsuit involved allegations that the 2 companies misled physicians about the effectiveness of the lung cancer drug. Neither company is acknowledging wrongdoing.
Raising funds to fight the Zika virus outbreak has been difficult. While the world is alarmed by Zika, and the devastating birth defects it causes, Congress has not approved funding for the United States, the World Health Organization has received a small fraction of the money it requested, and the United Nations isn’t receiving much money either, reported STAT. The problem is that the majority of people affected by Zika show no or mild symptoms, and following the Ebola crisis, donors are fatigued.
FDA Approves Expanded Indication of Eculizumab for Pediatric Generalized Myasthenia Gravis
March 15th 2025The FDA first approved eculizumab for use in adult patients with generalized myasthenia gravis in 2017, before expanding the indication to include pediatric patients who are 6 years or older and positive for antiacetylcholine receptor antibodies.
Read More
Technology Takes Center Stage at the 2025 AAD Annual Meeting
March 14th 2025The role of artificial intelligence, DataDerm, and telehealth in advancing dermatology care was discussed throughout the meeting, with experts highlighting their potential regarding patient access and health equity.
Read More
Regenerating Neurons, Muscle, and Hope in the Field of Muscular Dystrophy
March 13th 2025The 2025 Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinical & Scientific Conference, convening in Dallas, Texas, from March 16-18, will feature clinical updates, expert insights, and breaking trial findings that sum up to a new frontier of care for neuromuscular diseases.
Read More