In an opinion piece for Forbes, writer Mindy Lubber addresses potential water shortages from the method of natural gas extraction known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”
Fracking involves pumping millions of gallons of chemically treated water underground, to break up underlying rock formations and release trapped deposits of natural gas. It’s used in a number of regions throughout the country, including along the Marcellus Shale — a gas-rich underground rock ...
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A U.S. Senate committee has approved a bill designed to impose tighter restrictions on compounding pharmacies, such as the one blamed for a deadly meningitis outbreak. The legislation is now headed for the full Senate.
But according to a story in the Washington Post, consumer health and public advocacy groups are criticizing the proposed legislation for not going far enough.
Compounding pharmacies are specialty pharmacies that prepare medications from ingredients provided ...
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In a piece for Forbes, writer John LaMattina takes issue with Merck’s attempts to get the LDL cholesterol lowering drug, Liptruzet, approved and on the market. He also finds fault with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approving it in the first place.
LaMattina writes that Liptruzet is really a combination of two drugs that are already on the market – Merck’s own Zetia and Pzizer’s Lipitor.
Despite the U.S. Food ...
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An analysis of for-profit kidney dialysis centers published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that they used more of an expensive and dangerous class of drugs known as erythropoiesis-stimulation agents (ESAs) than non-profit facilities.
This isn’t the first time that commercial dialysis centers have been accused of engaging in unsafe practices.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating allegations that Fresenius, a German company that is the largest operator ...
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A study published in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, measured the success of a surgery called abdominal sacrocolpopexy, which is the standard treatment for a condition called pelvic organ prolapse.
The study analyzed the results of 200 women who underwent the surgery, according to the Wall Street Journal. Many of them reported short-term relief from symptoms and didn’t need repeat surgery.
But about 25 percent experienced a recurrence of ...
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In a video posted on investing Website Motley Fool, contributing writer Max Chatsko says there are a couple of “red flags” investors should be aware of regarding Merck’s bestselling Januvia/Janumet franchise for treating type 2 diabetes.
Revenue from that franchise fell 2 percent in the first quarter of 2013, compared to the same period in 2012. And while that may not seem like much, the same franchise had double-digit growth almost ...
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