Lawsuit filed against makers of drug Avandia
Lufkin Daily News - Lufkin,TX,USA
By SANDRA CASON MARSHALL -- A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in federal court here against the manufacturer of Avandia, a diabetes treatment drug ...
Patients taking Avandia should consult doctor
Therapeutics Daily (subscription) (press release) - Newtown,PA,USA
As I promised readers, here's an update on Avandia. The drug has been at the epicenter of controversy since findings from a recent meta-analysis suggested ...
Avandia Fight: Drs. Nissen And Home "Battle" Over Drug
CNBC - Englewood Cliffs,NJ,USA
(%) ] sponsored study that, so far, supports Avandia's safety. Because of the predicament the conflicting reports have put doctors in, the ADA added this ...
In Defense Of Home Remedies To Treat Ailments
Hartford Courant - United States
Vioxx for arthritis and Avandia for diabetes have both reinforced the fear that long-term side effects may not show up for years. Vioxx increased the risk ...
Congress Debates Avandia's Safety, Researchers' Motives and FDA Role
U.S. Medicine - Washington,DC,USA
By Stephen Spotswood WASHINGTON-Whether Avandia, the GlaxoSmithKline's blockbuster diabetes drug, raises the risk of heart attacks while it lowers blood ...
Understand How Recent Safety Concerns Will Affect PPAR-Gamma Agonists
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
Sales of the two PPAR-gamma agonists, GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia and Takeda's Actos, are significant drivers of type 2 diabetes market sales. ...
What do all the studies on diabetes drug Avandia really mean?
Nature.com (subscription) - London,England,UK
In this case Steve Nissen, who published the analysis on Avandia, pooled information from 42 randomized trials (N. Engl. J. Med. 356, 2457-2471; 2007). ...
Avandia Story Heats Up
dLife.com - Westport,CT,USA
By Daniel Trecroci It seems every week there is a new twist to the Avandia(r) plot that makes it more and more of a soap opera--as the TZDs turn! ...
Avandia - What You Should Know
dLife.com - Westport,CT,USA
If you are taking Avandia as part of your diabetes treatment - or are considering it - you've probably been glued to news surrounding the potential ...
Glaxo's Avandia in spotlight at diabetes meet
Reuters.uk - UK
By Kim Dixon CHICAGO (Reuters) - Controversy over the popular diabetes pill Avandia is taking centre stage among the world's experts on the disease on ...
Conflict of interest?
Chemistry World - London,UK
Panic-stricken headlines about Avandia have damaged the FDA's reputation once again. This time it was quick to respond and a safety alert about the drug ...
Avandia Sales Drop
InjuryBoard.com - Tampa,FL,USA
By Greg Owen Sales of Avandia, the drug developed to aid diabetes patients, have dropped by approximately 10% since The New England Journal of Medicine ...
Glaxo plays down new study on Avandia bone risk
Reuters.uk - UK
LONDON, July 2 (Reuters) - A new small clinical study suggests diabetes drug Avandia could lead to bone fractures in men as well as women, ...
The right diet could change lives for diabetics
San Jose Mercury News - CA, USA
By Caroline Trapp Larry Alan Stanford died of a heart attack May 21 - the very same day that a study came out revealing that Avandia, a diabetes drug he had ...
Anapol Schwartz Weiss Cohan Feldman & Smalley announce that the Firm has filed four lawsuits against Merck for osteonecrosis of the jaw caused by Fosamax.
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) July 26, 2007 -- The Philadelphia law firm of Anapol Schwartz Weiss Cohan Feldman & Smalley has filed four lawsuits against Merck in NJ Superior Court, Middlesex County, New Brunswick NJ against the manufacturer of Fosamax (see: Stroup v. Merck - L-5869-07; Mahuron v. Merck - L-5863-07; Metcalf v. Merck - L-5836-07; & Sambrano v. Merck - L-5867-07). Fosamax is one of a class of drugs called bisphosphonates, which have been found to cause osteonecrosis of the jaw ("ONJ") or jaw bone death (See: Osteonecrosis of the Jaw and Bisphosphonates, N Engl J Med 2005;353(25):2728). Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a disabling and disfiguring jawbone condition that suffers literal death of the jaw or rotting of the jaw. ONJ is manifested by exposed jaw bone, rotting jaw bone, jaw bone fractures, gum lesions, severe jaw pain, loose teeth, and secondary infections.
The allegations include that Merck & Co., Inc. ("Merck"), a New Jersey corporation, was engaged in the business of testing, developing, manufacturing, distributing, licensing, labeling, and marketing the drug Fosamax. The compound used in Fosamax, called alendronate, was approved by the FDA in 1995 for the treatment of osteoporosis and Paget's disease. Fosamax is a bisphosphonate drug, with sales peaking in excess of $3 billion per year.
One of the plaintiffs' Fosamax Lawyers in these cases said that plaintiffs have a strong case. Tracy Finken, Esq. explains, "Medical articles and studies appeared in the 1990's and 2000's reporting the frequent and common occurrence of osteonecrosis of the jaw of chemotherapy patients using nitrogenous bisphosphonates. Based on this information, and based on adverse event reports that Merck and the FDA received, Merck should have known, with their heightened knowledge and experience, that bisphosphonates inhibit vascularization of the jaw bones, leading to the ONJ disease."
According to Attorney Finken, "we have already identified thirty more lawsuits we expect to file." Litigation is nothing new to Merck, as Ms. Finken points out, "Merck is the same company facing many lawsuits involving its pain reliever, Vioxx."
There is already consolidated litigation in Federal Court -- Multi-District Litigation (MDL-1789) -- in regards to Fosamax. This means that the Federal Courts have identified so many Fosamax cases that they have consolidated these cases for the purposes of discovery. This will allow a team of attorneys (a plaintiffs' steering committee) appointed by the court to conduct discovery (depositions, interrogatories, requests for documents, requests for admissions) on behalf of many plaintiffs. Upon the completion of discovery, the cases can then proceed individually on their merits.
Attorney Finken indicated that "it is likely that there will be similar consolidation of Fosamax lawsuits in State Court in New Jersey so that plaintiffs suing Merck in New Jersey will have a common work product produced for the purposes of discovery."
Tracey A. Finken, Esquire
Ms. Finken is a civil trial attorney known for her ability to present each case in such a way that brings out her clients' unique situation. In 2002, Ms. Finken was recognized as one of the "40 on the Fast Track", a listing of the top 40 young attorneys in the State of Pennsylvania by the Legal Intelligencer. Ms. Finken was also named a Pennsylvania "Rising Star Super Lawyer" in the December 2005 and 2006 editions of Philadelphia magazine which recognizes the top 2.5 percent of attorneys 40 years old or younger in the state of Pennsylvania. Ms. Finken concentrates on class actions, pharmaceutical liability, medical and other professional malpractice, products liability, and other complex civil litigation.
SOURCE: Anapol Schwartz, Weiss, Cohan, Feldman and Smalley, P.C. CONTACT: Anapol Schwartz, Tracey Finken, 215-735-1130.
About Anapol Schwartz P.C. Since 1977 Anapol Schwartz has been of the nation's preeminent law firms known for landmark verdicts and settlements and for providing clients with the highest level of personalized legal services. Eleven of Anapol Schwartz's lawyers have received jury verdicts in excess of $1 million. The firm focuses on maintaining its tradition of excellence in personal injury, medical malpractice, pharmaceutical, toxic tort, class actions, construction site accidents, products liability, automobile litigation, security/investment fraud, and employment litigation.
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Press Contact: TRACY FINKEN
Company Name: Anapol Schwartz Weiss Cohan Feldman & Smalley
Phone: 215-735-1130
Website: http://www.anapolschwartz.com/practices/fosamax/index.shtml
CyberKnife Treatment Center Uses Revolutionary Methods to Completely Eliminate Tumors and Lesions in a Nonsurgical Manner. Dr. Schwadenternationally a recognized expert in the field of radiosurgery creates Centers in Mimai & West Palm Beach Florida.
Miami, FL (PRWEB) July 10, 2007 -- MORSE LLC - which operates The CyberKnife Centers of Miami and Palm Beach have taken measures to make pertinent life-saving information, more accessible for cancer patients, their families, or other individuals who wish to become knowledgeable about radiosurgery by launching a new website, http://www.morsecyberknife.com Specifically for individuals who suffer from conditions that require radiation treatment or therapy, the website features sections for doctors and patients as well as an interactive feature to help pinpoint where the user's specific problem may be in their individual body. Contact information for highly experienced and trained staff, physicians and surgeons in the South Florida region is also available.
CyberKnife Treatments
CyberKnife is a highly advanced radiation tool that facilitates the administration of radiation to parts of the body that are deemed inoperable with more conventional treatment methods. These areas include, but are not limited to, parts of the brain, internal organs, and spinal cord. Using this revolutionary method, tumors and lesions can be completely eliminated in a nonsurgical procedure with three to five treatments and virtually no side effects.
With the CyberKnife:
No incisions are made
No anesthesia is required
There is no blood or pain
There is no recovery time needed after the procedure.
"We treat brain, spine, lung, pancreas, liver, prostate, head and neck, and other conditions throughout the body where radiation treatment is indicated. Many of our patients are treated with the CyberKnife for conditions that have been deemed inoperable, or for areas that have previously received the maximum level of radiation," says Executive Director James G. Schwade, MD, FACR, FACRO. "The range, accuracy and precision of the CyberKnife system can help target areas that may not be suitable for treatments with traditional surgery, radiation therapy, or older radiosurgery systems like the gamma knife."
The procedure is performed with a team of experienced physicians and can cost 20% to 45% less than traditional radiosurgery treatments. Conditions treated with the CyberKnife include various cancers, tumors, functional disorders, and lesions throughout various parts of the body. Over 10,000 patients worldwide have been treated using this system, and many operations have proven successful for patients previously told that their tumors were inoperable with traditional forms of radiation therapy.
About The CyberKnife Center of Miami/Palm Beach Online
The CyberKnife Center of Miami is dedicated to providing world class treatment and support for eligible candidates who may have lost hope for recovery with prior procedures. By visiting the CyberKnife Center of Miami /Palm Beach online, individuals are able to review information regarding treatments and procedures. The new website features detailed information about candidate eligibility for this type of radiosurgery, conditions treated, individual case studies, cybernotes, and more. Visitors are able to contact the center via the website with questions about radiosurgery or the team of medical professionals administering treatments.
James G. Schwade, MD, FACR, FACRO
Executive Director
Dr. Schwade is an internationally recognized expert in the field of radiosurgery who has performed over 1,700 treatments and authored over 80 scientific articles in the span of his 20 year career. A member of numerous state and national professional societies, he currently holds the rank of Clinical Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. A cum laude graduate of both Washington University and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Schwade has served as Co-Medical Director at the Miami NeuroScience Center, Associate Director of Clinical Research at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Center, Medical Director of the Regional Cancer Treatment Center at Baptist Hospital in Miami, and Chief of the Radiology Biology Section of the Radiation Oncology Branch at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
Xiadong Wu, PhD
Medical Physicist
Dr. Wu is Associate Professor and Chief of the Medical Physics Division in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
He graduated from the University of Miami with a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and has an undergraduate degree in Physics from Xiamen University in the People's Republic of China. Dr. Wu is certified by the American Board of Radiology in Therapeutic Physics and in 2000 received a U.S. patent for Iso-Energetic Intensity Modulator for Therapeutic Electron Beams. He is a frequent lecturer on medical physics throughout the United States and has authored and co-authored numerous monographs, peer-reviewed journals and abstracts.
Steven Pinkert, MD, JD, MBA
Corporate Counsel
As a key member of the management team, Dr. Pinkert provides corporate, regulatory and intellectual property services invaluable to the success of the company. He graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California, and holds a medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law, and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Miami Graduate School of Business Administration. A member of the American Medical Association, American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, his experience and exceptional background in Medicine, Law and Business play a vital role in the development and operations of the CyberKnife Center of Miami.
The MorseCyberKnife.com Web site is developed by a leading Maimi | West Palm Beach Web Design Company // Forte Interactive.
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Press Contact: James G. Schwade, MD, FACR, FACRO
Company Name: MORSE LLC
Phone: 305-279-2900
Website: http://www.morsecyberknife.com
Far from being a fading issue, mesothelioma related to asbestos exposure is an ongoing problem, particularly for disaster relief workers who may have been exposed during Hurricane Katrina and September 11th cleanup efforts. LegalView.com is proud to keep its readers updated with the latest news and science on mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) July 13, 2007 -- Your resource on the web for legal issues that affect contemporary America, LegalView.com, is pleased to continue bringing readers up-to-date on the news, research and legal developments about mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and severe type of lung cancer that is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, a once-popular building material that doctors now know is a carcinogen. Visitors to LegalView.com's mesothelioma lawyer portal may browse continually-updated news feeds, original articles, encyclopedia entries, a glossary of mesothelioma-related terms and an Asbestos & Mesothelioma blog, where users can read and comment on the latest news related to these important topics.
Thousands of Americans, mostly men, were exposed to asbestos through their jobs in the first half of the 20th century, when the material was widely mined and used in building insulation, shipyards, brake pads and other industrial applications. Decades later, many of these workers discovered too late that their work with asbestos led to developing mesothelioma, a crippling type of lung cancer that attacks the lining of the lung. Others may have been exposed more recently, due to illegal and unsafe practices at modern work sites, disaster relief work near buildings that contain asbestos, or work in the few industries that still use asbestos, despite decades of evidence that it causes serious cancers. Unlike most lung cancers, mesothelioma is not caused by smoking, according to the National Cancer Institute; the Institute reports that 80 percent of mesothelioma patients had known asbestos exposure earlier in life. Mesothelioma can kill quickly; on average, doctors give patients six months to a year to live after their diagnosis. With this in mind, LegalView.com continues to provide factual information, news and links to more information for mesothelioma patients and their families through its mesothelioma and asbestos internet portal.
LegalView.com strives to bring its readers complete, up-to-date information on legal issues that affect ordinary Americans. In addition to the mesothelioma resources, LegalView.com offers comprehensive sites with information concerning brain injury litigation, auto accident lawsuits, diabetes drug Avandia attorneys and peanut butter recall lawyers. These are in addition to general resources LegalView.com maintains on possible unsafe drugs, medical malpractice cases, and defective consumer products and foods. All of these sites, and others at LegalView.com, combine easy-to-understand information facts with the latest news, government information, jury verdicts and settlements, as well as links to more information specific to each legal issue. And for those who are ready to seek out a mesothelioma attorney or other type of experienced lawyer can find one in their areas using LegalView.com's free attorney search service.
LegalView.com is a free public service brought to you by Legal WebTV Network, LLC, a Limited Liability Corporation created by a group of the nation's most highly respected law firms: Anapol Schwartz; Brent Coon and Associates; Burg Simpson; Cohen, Placitella and Roth; James F. Humphreys and Associates; Lopez Hodes; and Thornton and Naumes. For more information on the accomplishments and track records of LegalView.com's respected sponsoring law firms and to get in touch with LegalView.com attorneys, visit LegalView.com at http://www.legalview.com/.
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Press Contact: Alan Haburchak
Company Name: LegalView.com
Phone: 720-226-6613
Website: http://www.legalview.com
RxHub Fully Supports New Study Findings Indicating That E-Prescribing can Reduce Medication Errors and Generate Up to $29 Billion in Savings
July 12, 2007 - ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RxHub® today commended the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) for its foresight and leadership in commissioning a comprehensive study of the costs and benefits of electronic prescribing to the Nation's health care system.
The study found that widespread adoption of ePrescribing could save the federal government $29 billion and prevent nearly 2 million medication errors over the next decade if physicians were required to use the technology in caring for Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, fewer than 10 percent of physicians are estimated to be using electronic prescribing, which ultimately denies patients, providers, and the American taxpayers of the significant safety benefits and cost savings that result from ePrescribing adoption. Study details are on the PCMA website, www.pcmanet.org.
"This study further substantiates the necessity to provide physicians with immediate access to patient medication histories, preferred drug options, and pharmacy choices so that they can better counsel patients on safe and affordable choices before prescriptions are electronically transmitted to the pharmacy," stated JP Little, Chief Operating Officer for RxHub. "The study indicated that approximately 70% of the safety and savings advantages of ePrescribing result from this information being provided to the physician at the point of care."
RxHub - operating the RxHub National Patient Health Information NetworkT - has access to medication-related information for more than 160 million patients in the United States through certified connections to contracted Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and payers. Access to this information is only granted to authorized physicians utilizing RxHub certified technology applications and is only available for patients who provide consent. The secure RxHub infrastructure has processed more than 30 million requests for patient eligibility, benefits, formulary and medication history information so far this year. Although this volume is significantly higher than the volume processed through RxHub during the same time last year, it still only represents a fraction of patient visits that could benefit from providing physicians with patient specific pharmacy information before prescriptions are written.
"The growth in ePrescribing transactions through RxHub is due to the early adopters of ePrescribing technology," noted COO Little. "RxHub is ready to facilitate and process an increased volume of ePrescribing transactions nationwide."
RxHub was founded in 2001 by the three largest Pharmacy Benefit Managers - CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Medco Health Solutions, Inc. - to establish a national ePrescribing solution that connects authorized physicians with critical patient information at the point of care and enables prescriptions to be electronically routed to retail and mail order pharmacies in real-time. In the past year 12 additional PBMs and Payers, representing over 50 million additional lives, have contracted with RxHub to provide physicians and pharmacists with access to pharmacy information for consenting patients. With the addition of these new lives, RxHub will have the ability to provide vital patient-specific information for over 200 million Americans. This represents over 90% of the commercially covered lives in the United States, establishing the RxHub National Patient Health Information NetworkT as the largest in the country.
On a national basis, RxHub is participating in a number of ePrescribing initiatives including the two programs highlighted in the PCMA report - one in Massachusetts and one in South East Michigan (SEMI). In addition, RxHub is an advisor to ePrescribe Florida and is an active participant in ePrescribing initiatives within Illinois, New Jersey and North Carolina as well as others.
About RxHub LLC
RxHub® (www.rxhub.net) manages the RxHub National Patient Health Information NetworkT which electronically routes up-to-date patient-specific medication history and pharmacy benefit information to caregivers at every point of care. Our end-to-end solution enables physicians to prescribe the most clinically appropriate and cost effective prescription and send it electronically to the patient's pharmacy of choice. Operating as a cost recovery business model, RxHub partners with stakeholders in the prescribing industry to improve patient safety, increase workflow efficiency and reduce the overall cost of health care delivery. For more information on RxHub Certified Partners, please visit: http://www.rxhub.net/partners.html.
Contacts
RxHub, LLC
Media Contact:
Chris Van Horrick, 651-855-3078
Chris.vanhorrick@rxhub.net
A group of premium Canadian domain names has recently been put on sale, including a rare 3-letter word domain. This is the first time that such exclusive health-related domain names have become available.
Toronto, ON (PRWEB) July 2, 2007 -- A group of premium Canadian domain names has recently been put on sale. They are: Hospital.ca, Hopital.ca (French translation of "hospital"), Telemedicine.ca, and Eye.ca. This is the first time that such exclusive health-related domain names have become available.
Health care has repeatedly ranked as the top priority for Canadians and excellence in medicine is one of the hallmarks of the Canadian identity. It is therefore no surprise that these health-focused domain name listings have generated a great deal of excitement in Canada.
Like good locations in real estate, single-word domain names are a scarce and desirable commodity. All the words in the dictionary have long been registered and it's very rare to see any single-word domain name with broad commercial appeal become available. Some .CA domain names representing smaller niche markets (e.g., cruise trips, or computer parts) have recently sold in the $20,000 - $40,000 ($CDN) range. It is anticipated that these premium health domains will be bid up even higher.
Hospital.ca, Hopital.ca, Telemedicine.ca and Eye.ca are currently available for sale by their respective owners on our domain name exchange and escrow platform. Interested parties are directed to visit the bidding pages for each of the domains, for example: http://www.sedo.com/search/details.php4?domain=telemedicine.ca.
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Press Contact: Maria Berdugo
Company Name: Sedo.com, LLC
Phone: +49 (221) 340 30 235
Website: http://www.sedo.com
AdvancedMD launches a Web video campaign promoting its industry leading medical billing and electronic medical record software. The campaign features three humorous video clips depicting a few potential pitfalls related to server-based medical billing applications.
Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) July 1, 2007 -- AdvancedMD, the leading provider of Web-based practice management solutions for physician offices and medical billing services, launches a Web video campaign promoting its industry leading medical billing and electronic medical record (EMR) software. The campaign features three humorous video clips depicting a few potential pitfalls related to older server-based medical billing applications.
"We're excited to launch this new video campaign to our prospects," said Lane Peterson, Vice President of Marketing for AdvancedMD. "These videos not only align with the personality of AdvancedMD as a company, but also AdvancedMD's dedication to utilizing the best technologies available in our products and services as well as our promotional efforts."
AdvancedMD offers unparalleled data security and availability through its unique Web-based medical practice management suite. Physicians and medical billing businesses using AdvancedMD enjoy free live technical support, free unlimited data backups and free software updates.
To view the videos visit www.advancedmd.com/movie/default.asp.
About AdvancedMD Software:
AdvancedMD Software, Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the leader in Web-based practice management and medical billing software. AdvancedMD Software brings to market AdvancedMD, a full-featured medical billing and scheduling solution and AdvancedEMR, a flexible electronic medical records management system. AdvancedMD solutions include free technical support, world-class security, and fully HIPAA compliant accessibility. AdvancedMD maintains a 98% customer retention rate and serves thousands of providers nationwide. For more information please visit www.advancedmd.com.
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Press Contact: Lane Peterson
Company Name: AdvancedMD
Phone: 800-825-0224
Website: http://www.advancedmd.com
