Asthma treatment

Asthma’s attack there’s been a dramatic increase worldwide in this sometimes-fatal respiratory disease. Although it’s a familiar ailment, researchers know surprisingly little about it – or why it’s on the rise.
Asthma, a disease once treated as a minor irritant, is now a global medical problem that has reached epidemic proportions. The number of cases in the United States grew more than 150 percent between 1990 and 2008 – from 10 million to 25 million – according to the most recent numbers available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Asthma is the most common chronic problem among children. In fact, the American Lung Association says children make up about one-third of the nation’s 20 million asthma sufferers.The statistics are even more dramatic in some areas. Like in St. Louis, MO around 15 to 20 percent of children suffer from asthma, more than double the national average of 6.3 percent, according to studies by the St. Louis Regional Asthma Consortium.

Asthma, an insidious, suffocating disease, is spreading across New York City in epidemic proportions, overwhelming the public health system as it steals the breath from ever more people. An estimated One million New Yorkers, from the tiniest infants to the frail elderly, now suffer from this chronic, incurable illness more than 9% of the population. With numbers that large, the city has to be termed as the Asthma Capital.

Asthma can be a hard condition to manage for some people. So if an individual has questions regarding their condition or medication and their doctor isn’t readily available, they now have another option. Asthma patients and their caregivers can visit asthma-friendly pharmacies and speak to a specially-trained pharmacist who will address concerns and answer questions about the asthma.

Asthma tops childhood illnesses, New England study examines environment, poverty as contributing factors.
Asthma affects one in eight children in New England, eclipsing all other chronic illnesses of childhood and flooding emergency rooms and clinics with hacking, wheezing youngsters, according to a report scheduled to be released this week. The study from a coalition of federal and state public health agencies provides the most comprehensive assessment ever of asthma in the six-state region. It found that more than 400,000 children have been diagnosed with the condition.

191. (MA) – June 26, 2001 $2. 75M TOWARD ASTHMA RESEARCH Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has given Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital $2. 75 million to establish a professorship and fund asthma research – the largest corporate gift ever made to the Brigham. The money creates an endowed chair at the school, the AstraZeneca Professorship in Respiratory and Inflammatory Diseases, which was awarded yesterday to Dr. K. Frank Austen. Interest income from the award will pay for basic and clinical immunobiology research …. 2. Independent, The (London, England)/Financial Times – August 7, 1998 The Independent: Zeneca suffers a pounds 112m triple blow A “TRIPLE WHAMMY” of sterling strength, the Asian crisis and the year 2000 computer bug wiped pounds 112m off Zeneca’s first-half profits, the pharmaceutical group revealed yesterday. The factors were behind a 2 per cent slide in interim pre-tax profits to pounds 654m despite a 5 per cent rise in sales to pounds 2. 90bn, the drugs group said. The interim dividend rose to 14p per share from 13. 5p a year ago. A worse-than-expected hit from sterling …. 3. Newstex Blogs (USA) – July 4, 2009 Popular Asthma Medicine Singulair Associated With Psychiatric Disorders In Children Jul. 4, 2009 ( Drug Injury Watch delivered by Newstex) New Medical Journal Article Follows June 2009 FDA-Required Warning For Singulair About Neuropsychiatric Events (Posted by Tom Lamb at DrugInjuryWatch. com) On June 12, 2009 the FDA announced a new warning about an increased risk of neuropsychiatric events for the asthma medicine Singulair (montelukast)– as well as some other less popular leukotriene inhibitors, Accolate (zafirlukast) as well as Zyflo and …. 4. Winchester (VA) – January 14, 2009 FDA: asthma drugs, suicide not linked WASHINGTON – Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide – though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We …. 5. (WV) – January 14, 2009 FDA finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide WASHINGTON – Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide – though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We …. 6. – January 13, 2009 FDA probe finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide — though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We have …. 7. – January 13, 2009 FDA probe finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide — though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We have …. 8. Herald and the Sunday Herald, The (Glasgow, Scotland) – August 7, 1998 The Herald (United Kingdom): Business: Zeneca braced for big hit: Currency problems loom large on balance sheet as pharmaceuticals firm boosts crucial US sales by 24% ZENECA yesterday claimed strong underlying progress in the first half of the year but its reported figures were marred by a heavy impact from the strong pound. This took Pounds 81m off profits, which were 2% down at Pounds 654m. The shares rose 12. 5p to 2281. 25p, compared with a speculation-driven peak of 2850p. Zeneca is seen as vulnerable to industry consolidation, although there has been no hint of any action. The interim dividend increased 4% to 14p. Chief executive Sir David …. 9. Spokesman-Review, The (Spokane, WA) – September 22, 2002 Hospitals scanning for drug mix-ups, Bar-code technology being adopted to avoid medication errors With pills named Glyburide and Glipizide sitting side by side on the shelf, it’s understandable that an overworked pharmacist might pull the wrong drug when filling an order. Similar in name and packaging, both drugs treat diabetes. The consequences of mixing them up would be small. But what if a patient got the anxiety drug Xanax instead the ulcer drug Zantac? Or the asthma drug Accolate instead of the hypertension drug Accupril? The error could lead to death. Some ….. Hamilton Spectator, The (Ontario, Canada) – October 21, 1999 ASTHMA TREATMENT LAGGING RESEARCH PAINFULLY SLOW DESPITE BONANZA AWAITING DRUG FIRMS New treatments have been noticeably slow in coming despite the seemingly endless rise in asthma cases. In the past two years, for example, three new drugs have been released to treat migraines, with another due in the spring. But for asthma, which accounts for more pediatric hospitalizations each year than any other illness, only two significant drugs were approved in the U. S. in the same period, Accolate by Astra-Zeneca and Singulair from Merck. These drugs, taken as pills, address the ….

211. Stuart News, The (FL) – October 29, 1997 PROGNOSIS IS EXCELLENT FOR MAN WITH HYDROCELE DEAR DR. GOTT: What is the prognosis for a hydrocele? DEAR READER: A hydrocele is a collection of fluid under the membrane that surrounds the testicle. The collection can be quite small and hardly noticeable, or it may be very large and equal the size of the testicle itself. In this case, the patient may experience a sense of pressure, fullness or pain, especially after prolonged standing. The condition is harmless and common. Removing the fluid with a needle gives only ….. (KY) – June 15, 2009 FDA strengthens warning on popular asthma drugs, Singulair, others could cause psychiatric problems WASHINGTON – New labels on popular asthma drugs including Merck’s Singulair must highlight language about suicidal behavior, depression and anxiousness seen in a small number of patients, federal regulators said Friday. After 15 months of investigation, the Food and Drug Administration said Merck & Co. Inc. , AstraZeneca and Cornerstone Therapeutics will have to raise label warnings about psychiatric problems reported by a handful of patients taking their drugs ….. . New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – January 18, 2009 New Straits Times (Malaysia): Data does not link Singulair to suicide AMERICAN regulators says their review of clinical trials does not suggest Merck & Co’s Singulair asthma drug or similar medicines cause suicide or suicidal thought, although the data were inadequate to draw a firm conclusion. However, the US Food and Drug Administration said it was continuing to review the data to determine if the class of drugs caused other psychiatric problems, including mood and behavioural changes. “If the FDA safety review leads ….. South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – March 28, 2008 FDA LOOKS INTO SINGULAIR FOR POSSIBLE SUICIDE LINK The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a few reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair is used by millions of patients in the United States, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, it’s part of a class of ….. The Washington Times – October 6, 1996 Happiness gene New asthma drugs Spine injuries Dental alternative Diabetes clue Happiness gene Part of the secret to happiness may be in the genes, says leading behavior genetics researcher Dean Hamer, who published a review on the topic in the journal Nature Genetics. “Clearly there are genes that make people happier on average or sadder on average, ” says Mr. Hamer of the National Institutes of Health. However, he considers it unlikely that only one gene controls happiness. Instead, as many as a dozen genes may be involved, he ….. – 12 WPEC (West Palm Beach, FL) – June 15, 2009 CHANNEL 12 NEWS – 04:59:20 TIME START: 04:59:20 FOR 3 LOCAL STUDENTS STUCK IN CHINA. . WHAT THEY PLAN ON DOING ONCE THEY GET OUT. . (SOT) THERE’S NO REASON FOR TH. I DON’T UNDERSTAND (( BEN )) (VO) AN POLICE SHOOTING LEAVES A PORT SAINT CIE MAN – DEAD. WHY FAMILY AN POLICE SHOOTING LEAVES A PORT SAINT LUCIE MAN – DEAD. WHY FAMILY MEMBERS SAY IT WAS NOT JUSTIFIED. ASHLEY (VO) THE MAGIC FADES. . THE LAKERS TAKE THEIR 15TH NBA CHAMPIONSHIP ….AND FANS TAKE TO THE ….. Newstex Blogs (USA) – June 12, 2009 Twitter activity by Drug Injury Watch Jun. 12, 2009 ( Newstex Newstwits delivered by Newstex) RT @pharmalot: Lilly sold Zyprexa for dementia knowing it was useless for the ailment http://bit. ly/kDOec 06-12-2009 at 12:09:45 UTC Merck’s Lack of Social Responsibility Exposed [re phony medical journals] (Reputation Report, 6/10/09) http://bit. ly/OGmAT 06-12-2009 at 12:15:53 UTC RT @InVivoBlogChris: Ah, olde-timey drug ads are a blast. heroin, for coughs! tooth ache? try cocaine! ….. – 28 WBRE (Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA) – January 14, 2009 M-F Evening News – 16:59:00 TIME START: 16:59:00 GOT KINDLES FOR CHRISTMAS — LOVE MINE. BYE. KING WORLD] CAPTIONING INSTITUTE –WWW. NCICAP. ORG–] ( rattling ) ( e-mail alert ) ( rattling continues ) GET A REAL LUNCH. DELI CREATIONS FLATBREAD SANDWICHES FROM OSCAR MAYER. EVERYTHING YOU NEED PACKED FRESH. GRILLED CHICKEN, SHARP CHEDDAR, BACON-RANCH DRESSING. WRAPPED IN WARM FLATBREAD, AND READY ….IN A MICROWAVE MINUTE. DELI CREATIONS FLATBREAD SANDWICHES. THE HOT AND …. 219. PharmaGazette – April 9, 2008 Suicidal on Singulair? Mar. 27, 2008 (Know More Media delivered by Newstex) — The newest drug that has been linked to suicidal behavior, in both adults and children, is the ever popular asthma medication Singulair. This drug, used to treat allergy type symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing as well as asthma, is now under scrutiny after reports were made concerning mood and behavior changes and suicidal thoughts in patients taking the drug. The U. S Food and Drug Administration claims that there is no ….. MondayMorning – March 31, 2008 MondayMorning for 2008 March 31 Mar. 31, 2008 ( MondayMorning delivered by Newstex) — Monday, March 31, 2008 / Vol. 16 / No. 13 MondayMorning Weekly Online News Update for the Healthcare Industry Monday, March 31, 2008 / Vol. 16 / No. 13 ©2008 MedContent, Inc / All Rights Reserved TOP STORIES Medicare Trustees Say Program Running Out of Funds. Medicare spending is increasing at such a fast pace that the next president will be required to propose net benefit cuts or higher taxes, trustees for the ….

201. – May 13, 1999 POYDRAS DANCER PLANS TO DIG LIFE Combine dance steps, acting talent and an interest in archaeology and what do you get? Poydras native Tiffany Starks. Starks, 18, has been performing since she was 2. Now a freshman at Louisiana State University studying anthropology, she can be seen in a nationally televised commercial and has a healthy sense of what she wants to do with her life and her talent. “I’ve always loved it. Always, ” Starks said of performing. She graduated from …. Times, The (London, England) – September 5, 1998 Zeneca pays Pounds 117m for Australian firm, Business Roundup ZENECA has paid Pounds 117 million for the pharmaceuticals business of the former ICI Australia, a deal that has been delayed by months of wrangling over price. Negotiations began when ICI, Zeneca’s former parent, decided to sell its Australian business in the first half of 1997. The sale of ICI’s 62. 4 per cent stake in ICI Australia, since renamed Orica, was completed in July last year. The Australian pharmaceuticals business essentially acts as Zeneca’s ….. (USA) – June 15, 2009 FDA Requests Labeling Change for Leukotriene Modifiers FDA Requests Labeling Change for Leukotriene Modifiers Fri, 12 Jun 2009 The U. S. Food and Drug Administration today provided further updated safety information on a class of asthma drugs known as leukotriene modifiers. FDA has requested that manufacturers include a precaution in the drug prescribing information (drug labeling) regarding neuropsychiatric events (behavior, mood changes) that have been reported in some persons taking montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), ….. (LA) – April 21, 2005 Rules for asthma management may change By Sarah Crooks Clancy sclancy@thetowntalk. com (318) 487-6419 Mild, chronic asthma sufferers shouldn’t throw out their daily medications yet. But a new study published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that many people with mild chronic asthma need to inhale anti-inflammatory steroids only after experiencing an attack. “Only 20 to 25 percent of asthmatics fit in that group, ” said Dr. Benjamin B. Close of Louisiana ….. Evening Standard, The (London, England) – August 6, 1998 Evening Standard: Business Day: Sterling and millennium bug dent Zeneca HIT by the strong pound and the cost of preparing for the millennium, profits at pharmaceuticals group Zeneca slipped by 2% to pounds 654 million over the first half. Chief executive Sir David Barnes said sterling wiped pounds 81 million from operating profits and is likely to cost pounds 110 million for the full year. Preparing computer systems for the year 2000 bug cost pounds 20 million and could total pounds 40 million for the full year. Group sales were up by 5% to pounds 2. 9 ….. Hamilton Spectator, The (Ontario, Canada) – December 8, 1997 Q&A Ask the health experts: New drugs promise better asthma control A new class of drugs for asthma, the first major medical advance in a generation, promises better control of the increasingly prevalent disease. The new drugs, called leukotriene receptor antagonists, are more precise in their action than inhaled corticosteroids, the drugs currently at the forefront of treatment. And they’re tablets, which are bound to be more acceptable than inhalers to children and teens. Leukotriene receptor antagonists include the just-approved drug ….. Times, The (London, England) – June 27, 1995 US launch for Valtrex GLAXO WELLCOME has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to sell Valtrex, its new shingles treatment, the company announced yesterday. The drug is the successor to Zovirax, the most widely used medication of its kind. Zovirax, whose patents expire in Britain this year and in America in 1997, had worldwide sales of Pounds 900 million in 1994. Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, said it has sought regulatory approval in Britain for Accolate, a new asthma treatment ….. 208. (USA) – April 3, 2006 Dr. Mitchell Glass Joins TOPIGEN’s Scientific Advisory Board TOPIGEN Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company specializing in innovative respiratory therapeutics, today announced the appointment of Dr. Mitchell Glass to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Glass is a pulmonary and critical care specialist and recognized expert in developing drug products for pulmonary and inflammatory-related disorders. “We welcome Dr. Glass to TOPIGEN’s SAB, ” said Dr. Paolo ….. – March 27, 2008 FDA investigates Singulair risk The U. S. Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating reports of suicidal behavior in patients taking the asthma drug Singulair. Singulair, which is made by Merck, is used to treat asthma, the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and to prevent exercise-induced asthma, the FDA said Thursday. Merck has been working with the FDA over the past year to update prescribing information and patient information for Singulair to include the the possible risk of tremors, depression, ….. New Hamburg Independent (Ontario, Canada) – September 15, 2004 Brand-name revenue helps develop new drugs I read with interest the article by CPGA president Jim Keon (Brand vs. Generic, August 11). The member companies of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx and D) invest heavily in the research and development (R and D) of new medicines that treat and cure a range of diseases. In 2003, Rx and D member companies invested over $1 billion in R and D. In recent years, advances have included Heptovir, a new medication for the treatment of chronic hepatitis-B; ….

231. (WA) – April 14, 2005 For mild asthma, less may be more An estimated 4 million adults in the United States with a mild form of asthma may not need to take daily steroid doses but can instead use the drug only as needed to control symptoms, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health. The change would make drug use more convenient, minimize side effects from the powerful drugs and possibly save the nation as much as $2 billion per year. The study results do not apply to the 10 million adults with more severe ….. (TX) – January 27, 2005 HEALTH & MEDICINE Pregnancy needn’t halt asthma drug use Illness is more dangerous than the medication, study suggests Federal experts have issued guidelines advising women with asthma not to stop their medications during pregnancy. The guidelines, published in this month’s Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, call asthma drugs less of a risk to mother and fetus than asthma attacks. The advice was issued by a panel of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. An estimated 3. 7 to 8. 4 percent of pregnant women have asthma, an inflammation and constriction of the airways ….. – December 8, 2002 Cops 08 Births Hospitals release the names of only those patients who sign consent forms. Great River Medical Center Dec. 3 Jim and Julie Belger, Burlington, girl Arrests/citations Reports are taken directly from the daily logs of area law enforcement agencies. Some agencies do not differentiate between arrests and citations. Burlington Saturday 3:28 a. m. Riverfront at south railroad bridge. Bradley Smyth, 29, 812 Emmett St. : open burning. 2:46 a. m. 222 Hayes Court ….. . – March 1, 2001 INTRUDER MAKES LIFE CHAOTIC It’s Kody Hollaway’s 12th birthday, and his mother is in the kitchen making his favorite dinner of meatballs with rice and parsley. She’s mixing the meat and arguing with Elizabeth, 11, standing at her elbow, about just how short she can cut her hair. The twins, who just turned 9, are sparring in the garage, each wearing one big red boxing glove and shouting “hi-yah!”Destany, 10, is singing Que Sera Sera, spinning on the …. – November 22, 2000 Police Say Man Forced Wife To Overdose PASSAIC — A man tried to kill his wife by forcing her to take a mixture of prescription drugs while he held a knife to her throat, police said. Sgt. Richard Williams, a police department spokesman, said Tuesday that detectives charged Richard Texidor, 44, of Lexington Avenue, in the attack on his wife, 41-year-old Leonila Texidor. She was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic and was listed in fair condition Tuesday afternoon, a spokeswoman said. Williams said there was a ….. The Florida Times-Union – May 9, 2000 Checkup EATING RESPONSIBLY Trying to eat responsibly and willing to spend time at your computer in order to do it? The Department of Agriculture has a new Web site for you. At the Interactive Healthy Eating Index on www. usda. gov/cnpp, you fill out a form detailing all the food you’ve consumed over the past 24 hours. (Presumably this includes the things you ate standing in front of the refrigerator at night when no one was looking. ) The site will quickly calculate how your ….. – April 29, 2000 News capsules Minister is going to prison for assaulting teacher BOSTON (AP) — A minister accused of assaulting a teacher for giving his daughter a D-minus on her report card was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Friday. A jury convicted Dale Robinson, 36, of assault and battery and disturbing the peace. Judge Rosalind Miller gave Robinson the maximum penalty for assault and battery and ordered him to serve 10 additional days on the disturbing-the-peace charge. Teacher Antonio Centeio lost …. 238. (FL) – December 11, 1999 Dr. Paul G. Donohue ASTHMA AND ATHLETICS ARE COMPATIBLE DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am an overweight asthmatic. I am trying to lose weight so that I can look better. Exercise makes it difficult for me to breathe. I have had asthma since I was 3. I seek help in finding a way to participate in normal teen-ager activiti es. My doctor is no help at all. – N. Y. ANSWER: Most people with asthma can gain an upper hand on the illness so they can exercise and participate in sports. In the 1988 Olympics games, 52 of the …. (WV) – August 20, 1999 PEIA uses funds to add 21 drugs to ‘preferred’ list THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Officials of the state’s Public Employees Insurance Agency have decided to spend $1 million approved during a special legislative session this week on drugs. PEIA will add 21 drugs to its preferred prescription list beginning Sept. 1, director Bob Ayers said Thursday. New drug policies that went into effect July 1 require the agency’s 150, 000 subscribers to pay more for drugs that are not on the list and have no generic ….. The Dallas Morning News – July 11, 1999 HEALTHY ATTITUDE Cigna keeps a low profile to maintain good working relationships, big profits At a wrestling match that pits doctors and consumers against HMOs, Cigna HealthCare of Texas occupies a comfortable ringside seat. While other local health maintenance organizations are losing money and struggling to satisfy members, Cigna has escaped this punishment. It ranks highest in member satisfaction and lowest in doctor turnover. At the same time, it charges the highest premiums and consistently earns the largest profit of any local insurer. And Cigna has managed to elude ….

221. Sauk Valley Newspapers (Dixon-Sterling, IL) – March 29, 2008 FDA looks into Singulair, reports of suicidal thoughts Gannett News Service The Food and Drug Administration is investigating anecdotal reports that people who use Singulair, the popular asthma and allergy drug, are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide. Singulair is a pill prescribed to treat asthma and hay fever symptoms such as sneezing and a nose that is stuffy, runny or itchy. It blocks an inflammation pathway in the body that can cause both asthma and allergy symptoms. It was approved for treating asthma in 1998, and …. (MO) – March 28, 2008 FDA investigates drug suicide link WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration said yesterday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair is used by millions of patients in the United States, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, ….. High Point Enterprise (NC) – March 28, 2008 FDA probes possible allergy drug, suicide link WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair isused by millions of patients in the U. S, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, it’s part of ….. – March 28, 2008 Doctors surprised by probe linking Singulair to suicide The federal Food and Drug Administration is studying a possible link between Singulair, Merck & Co. ’s hugely popular asthma drug, and suicide. The agency will review reports it received about behavior and mood changes, suicidal thoughts and suicide itself among patients on the drug. The FDA did not say how many reports it had received. Merck noted it was a “very limited number” involving both adults and children. Merck’s ….. (TX) – March 28, 2008 Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey set to assume command of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan WASHINGTON (AP) – One of the Army’s most Iraq- generals is taking charge, at least temporarily, of arguably the most important command in the U. S. military, with responsibility for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a ceremony Friday at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. , Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey is to assume command of U. S. Central Command from Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, who announced unexpectedly on March 11 that he was quitting. Fallon cited press reports that he was at …. High Point Enterprise (NC) – March 28, 2008 FDA probes possible allergy drug, suicide link WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair isused by millions of patients in the U. S, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, it’s part of ….. PharmaGazette – March 27, 2008 Suicidal on Singulair? Mar. 27, 2008 ( PharmaGazette delivered by Newstex) — The newest drug that has been linked to suicidal behavior, in both adults and children, is the ever popular asthma medication Singulair. This drug, used to treat allergy type symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing as well as asthma, is now under scrutiny after reports were made concerning mood and behavior changes and suicidal thoughts in patients taking the drug. The U. S Food and Drug Administration claims that there is no ….. Observer, The (London, England) – June 10, 2007 The Observer: ALLERGIES: Hay fever Hay fever is the most common allergy in Western countries, affecting around 15 per cent of the population. In the UK, the rates have soared and it is staggering to think that some 26 per cent of the population now suffer from it, usually for around two to three months each year. The condition, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, is often thought of as a minor ailment, whereas in reality the constant tiredness and sneezing that is part of the condition can have a very real impact on ….. – April 3, 2006 Prednisone just one of many asthma drugs DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife has had asthma since 1998. She weighed 130 pounds then. She has been on prednisone for a few years, and her weight has gone up to 174 and it is all in her middle. Is there anything besides prednisone that would work for her? — M. D. Asthma makes people’s airways (bronchi) very sensitive to the slightest irritation. If they breathe things that wouldn’t bother the rest of us, their airways constrict, and that makes the passage of air into and ….. – April 3, 2006 Prednisone just one of many asthma drugs DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife has had asthma since 1998. She weighed 130 pounds then. She has been on prednisone for a few years, and her weight has gone up to 174 and it is all in her middle. Is there anything besides prednisone that would work for her? — M. D. Asthma makes people’s airways (bronchi) very sensitive to the slightest irritation. If they breathe things that wouldn’t bother the rest of us, their airways constrict, and that makes the passage of air into and ….

251. – April 3, 1994 Drugs Help Asthmatics Breathe ANAHEIM, Calif. A new class of drugs appears to help patients with mild to moderate asthma breathe easier, according to two preliminary studies presented at an allergy meeting here. The drugs, called leukotriene-receptor antagonists, act to reduce the inflammation in the airways that is thought to be responsible for causing asthma, said Dr. William Howland III, medical director of HealthQuest Therapy and Research Institute in Austin, Texas. Asthma is thought to be caused by a type of ….. AFX-CNF (UK) – April 24, 2008 AFX CNF: AstraZeneca PLC – 1st Quarter Results (2 of 2) RNS Number:0203T AstraZeneca PLC 24 April 2008 Consolidated Income Statement 2008 2007 For the quarter ended 31 March $m $m Sales 7, 677 6, 966 Cost of sales (1, 502) (1, 486) Distribution costs (66) (61) Research and development (1, 236) (1, 170) Selling, general and administrative costs (2, 737) (2, 217) Other operating income and expense 121 138 Operating profit 2, 257 2, 170 Finance income 258 247 Finance expense (372) (150) Profit before tax 2, 143 2, 267 Taxation (638) (703) Profit for the period ….. – June 8, 2003 Going straight to the consumer. , Drug companies use more TV advertising. companies use more television advertisingBy Sandy Miller Times-News writerTWIN FALLS — If you want to know one of the biggest reasons for rising prescription costs, you need look no farther than your television screen. During breaks of your favorite TV shows, you’ll see 40-something-year-old arthritic ice skater Dorothy Hamill still able to do early morning glides around the rink thanks to a new drug called Vioxx. And what used to just be plain old heartburn is now “acid ….. Sun-Sentinel – March 22, 1999 ASTHMA SPRAY SAFETY Dear Dr. Donohue: In light of recent warnings about cortisone inhalers and children’s growth, I took my 14-year-old son off his. When he tried alternative treatments, he was a mess. He started back on the spray and his symptoms disappeared in days. Is his body addicted to the spray? — S. A. Dear S. A. : Cortisone inhalers have revolutionized asthma treatment. On the downside, they might stunt growth. Uncontrolled asthma might stunt growth, too. Whether cortisone inhalers will ….. El Nuevo Herald – January 3, 1999 UNA ESTACIÓN IDEAL PARA EL ASMA Se habla de las vacaciones navideñas; pero para ciertas enfermedades, como el asma, ésta no es la mejor época. Los días son frescos y muchos detalles que acompañan a estas fiestas son para los que padecen esta enfermedad, una amenaza. Esta amenaza es especialmente fuerte para los jóvenes asmáticos, quienes se sueltan las riendas para disfrutar, y se olvidan de su asma, cambiando sus rutinas diarias. Como muchos medicamentos se administran mediante inhaladores, cuyo empleo en esta ….. (CT) – December 4, 1998 Asthma drug has serious complications Doctors should carefully watch asthma patients who take the drug Singulair for signs of a rare but serious complication called Curg-Strauss syndrome, manufacturer Merck & Co. warned Thursday. Curg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday that it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Curg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 people worldwide who have ….. (Riverside, CA) – December 4, 1998 Doctors warned about asthma drug Doctors should carefully watch asthma patients who take the drug Singulair for signs of a rare but serious complication called Churg-Strauss syndrome, manufacturer Merck & Co. warned Thursday. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday that it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Churg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 people worldwide who ….. Financial Times (London, England) – October 28, 1998 COMPANIES & FINANCE: UK: Zeneca to take Pounds 130m sterling hit Chemicals, Speciality. Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals. Zeneca’s shares lost some of their recent shine yesterday after the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals group estimated that sterling’s strength would knock Pounds 130m from full-year profits. In August, Zeneca expected a full-year currency effect of Pounds 110m, based on prevailing exchange rates. Zeneca’s shares, which had risen 25 per cent to Pounds 23. 37 in the two weeks leading up to the ….. Los Angeles Times – February 24, 1998 Merck Soars on FDA’s OK of Asthma Drug Merck & Co. said it won U. S. Food and Drug Administration approval of its potential blockbuster asthma drug Singulair, sending the company’s shares up nearly 5%. Merck shares rose $5. 94 to close at $130. 63 in active trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. Peak worldwide sales of Singulair could exceed $1 billion a year, putting pressure on competitors Zeneca and Abbott Laboratories, and asthma-inhaler makers such as Glaxo Wellcome, Schering-Plough Corp ….. . Newsday (Melville, NY) – October 30, 1997 Industry Takes Ad Medicine / Wherever one looks, the drug makers are busy. YOU SEE the ads all over. Commuter trains into Manhattan carry posters touting the prescription drug Claritin “for seasonal allergy relief” and others for Zyban (”It’s here”) that offers a toll-free number for what callers will learn is a pill to help smokers quit. On prime-time TV, the maker of another allergy fighter has been hammering its Allegra name into viewers’ heads by showing a woman wind-surfing through a ….

241. THE – December 14, 1998 SEASON OF SHARING When It’s Hard to Stay Afloat Foster City couple labors with life She starts with the big turquoise ones. Every morning, and again every evening, Pam Alvarado works her way through the handful of pills, from biggest to smallest. Next up are the pale green-and-white capsules, then the pink tablets and the white lozenges. They go down easier in this order. When you take 20 pills a day, you have to have a system. Alvarado, 52, is feeling poorly. In fact, everyone in this household in a Foster City seniors’ residence is ….. (FL) – October 25, 1998 THREE ILLNESSES CAN CRIPPLE LUNGS Dear Dr. Donohue: I have had bronchitis for seven months. Will you explain the difference between bronchitis, emphysema and asthma? I’m so sick of using inhalers. Is there anything else? I blame my troubles on El Nino. What do you think? – E. M. Dear E. M. : Chronic bronchitis is a cough that lingers for at least three months in two consecutive years. Along with the cough, chronic bronchitis produces copious amounts of thick, sticky mucus. “Chronic” is ….. – October 25, 1998 EMPHYSEMA, ASTHMA AFFECT BREATHING Dear Dr. Donohue: I have had bronchitis for seven months. Will you explain the difference between bronchitis, emphysema and asthma? I’m so sick of using inhalers. Is there anything else? I blame my troubles on El Nino. What do you think? Chronic bronchitis is a cough that lingers for at least three months in two consecutive years. Along with the cough, chronic bronchitis produces copious amounts of thick, sticky mucus. “Chronic” is used to distinguish ….. Rocky Mountain News (CO) – April 26, 1998 ALLERGIES TAKE A BREATHER DESIGNER ANTIBODIES MAY BRING THE SPRING SNEEZE TO ITS KNEES As anyone with a nose knows, this spring’s pollen crop has arrived early and often across much of the country, courtesy of the mild, wet El Nino winter. Spores from trees, followed by grasses, followed by weeds, with a bonus dollop of molds, are expected to be seizing the sinuses and clogging up the bronchial tubes from now until the fall frosts. An estimated 35 million Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis or hay fever and about 15 million have asthma, with much overlap …. 245. Times, The (London, England) – April 7, 1993 Drug shares stay under the weather, Stock Market GOOD news is a rare commodity these days in the pharmaceutical sector, which has suffered more than its fair share of setbacks in the past six months. Regarded as a safe haven for investors during times of economic hardship, pharmaceutical companies are emerging from the recession looking positively shell-shocked. These days they appear friendless on both sides of the Atlantic and their prospects remain gloomy. The pharmaceutical industry was dealt a blow with the election of President …. 246. (FL) – May 5, 2007 How Should Pregnant Women Deal With Asthma? , By DENNIS LEDFORD, M. D. Tribune correspondent Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions affecting pregnancy. Approximately 4 percent to 8 percent of pregnant women suffer from asthma. Women whose asthma is well controlled throughout pregnancy have an excellent chance for a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby. However, severe or poorly treated asthma is associated with premature birth, increased need for Caesarean sections, elevated blood pressure for the mother and growth retardation for the ….. Times Union, The (Albany, NY) – December 4, 1998 DRUG MANUFACTURER ISSUES WARNING ABOUT MEDICATION WASHINGTON — Doctors should carefully watch asthma patients who take the drug Singulair for signs of a rare but serious complication called Churg-Strauss syndrome, manufacturer Merck & Co. warned Thursday. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday that it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Churg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 ….. Birmingham Post, The (England) – August 7, 1998 The Birmingham Post: Business: Shares slide as Zeneca disappoints at half time Shares in Zeneca dropped sharply yesterday after the drugs giant revealed a big fall in half-time profits. The company, a persistent subject of takeover rumours in the City, said the strong pound had taken GBP81 million off the bottom line, and was likely to cost it about GBP110 million in full-year profits. Pre-tax profits for the first six months of the year came in at GBP626 million, lower than analysts had been forecasting and down from GBP669 million a year ago. The lower figure ….. Observer, The (London, England) – May 17, 1998 The Observer: Money: Zeneca coming on a treat: Stockwatch: Investment KEEP an eye on Zeneca. The shares, at 2511p, were given a fillip on Friday when data in the Lancet showed that Nolvadex, its anti-cancer treatment, cuts the risk of recurrence of breast cancer after surgery. Nolvadex comes off patent in the US in 2002, but it may be cleared for preventative treatment, which could cushion future sales by up to pounds 150 million a year. Zeneca’s current best-seller is heart-failure treatment Zestril, with pounds 632m of sales last year. It ….. Times, The (London, England) – March 12, 1997 Cupboard far from bare, Tempus THE giddy rise of Zeneca’s share price is enough to give investors altitude sickness. Less than two years ago, the price soared through the Pounds 10 barrier in a fever of takeover speculation, and sceptics warned the market that it could never last. Yesterday, shares in the drugs company leapt to Pounds 19. 38, before falling back to end a hectic day 42p lower at Pounds 18. 60 1/2. Zeneca is now valued at about Pounds 18 billion. Sir David Barnes, Zeneca’s chief ….

261. Delaware County Daily Times (Primos – Upper Darby, PA) – July 25, 1997 Briefly (wire) WASHINGTON (AP) — A human protein thought to be a useless byproduct of insulin — and that drug companies now throw away — may protect against devastating heart and nerve damage that diabetes causes. A new study in rats backs up a handful of reports from Sweden suggesting human diabetics may benefit from the substance. And scientists say the findings, to be published Friday in the journal Science, are intriguing enough for in-depth study of whether adding C-peptide to insulin therapy really …. 262. (OH) – July 24, 1997 BRIEF Jewell sues ` ‘ over coverage of bombing NEW YORK – Richard Jewell sued the for $15 million Wednesday, saying he was libeled and defamed by the newspaper’s “fictionalized” coverage of him while he was a suspect in the Olympic Park bombing. The federal lawsuit cites a series of articles, headlines, photographs and editorial cartoons that appeared in the newspaper in the days after The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta ….. (Walnut Creek, CA) – April 15, 1997 GROUP URGES AGGRESSIVE ASTHMA TREATMENT “Asthma is being underdiagnosed and undertreated, ” said Dr. Shirley Murphy, chair of the National Asthma Education & Prevention Program. “It’s time professionals take this disease seriously and treat it aggressively. “With that goal in mind, the NAEPP has issued new, updated clinical guidelines for treating asthma. The original guidelines were published in 1991. The new guidelines reaffirm that asthma is a chronic …. Sun-Sentinel – October 31, 1996 PAIN PATCH CAN KILL Dear People’s Pharmacy: Please warn about the dangers of Duragesic patches. This transdermal system contains fentanyl, a potent opioid, and is responsible for accidental deaths. Even after 72 hours of use, a Duragesic patch still has a lethal dose of fentanyl left in it if it is orally ingested. I learned this the hard way. My 14-year-old son died in less than an hour after chewing on a used patch. I lost the lawsuit I brought because the jury decided that “Keep out ….. – March 29, 1996 DAILY DIGEST Belk may be a suitor for Leggett Stores Leggett Stores Inc. may be considering a buyout offer from yet another major retailer. Retail industry analysts have added Belk to the list of possible suitors, which, they speculate, already includes Proffitt’s and Dillard. Knoxville, Tenn. -based Proffitt’s has four Hampton Roads locations; Dillard, of Little Rock, Ark. , has no Hampton Roads locations yet, but plans to open one in the MacArthur Center, a proposed downtown ….. Family Life – March 1, 2000 Health FLOSSING FUN Gum disease doesn’t affect only adults. A recent study found that 39 percent of children in the United States have some form of periodontal disease. “Once a child can tie his shoes, he should be flossing on a daily basis, too, ” says Ned Savide, D. D. S. , attending pediatric dentist at Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL. “Flossing is the best way to get between teeth; brushing cleans only the tooth ….. – December 6, 1998 Doctors warned about asthma drug WASHINGTON (AP) — Asthma patients who take the drug Singulair should be watched carefully by their doctors for signs of a rare but serious complication called Churg-Strauss syndrome, drug-maker Merck & Co. advises. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Churg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 ….. – December 3, 1998 Doctors warned about asthma drug Doctors should carefully watch asthma patients who take the drug Singulair for signs of a rare but serious complication called Churg-Strauss syndrome, manufacturer Merck & Co. warned Thursday. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday that it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Churg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 people worldwide ….. Newsday (Melville, NY) – May 9, 2000 Promising Allergy Therapies / Advanced drugs appear more effective than antihistamines SEVERAL NEW TREATMENT options currently under investigation seem to hold out the promise of easing the seasonal battle against allergies. Allergies occur when an antibody in the immune system called immunoglobulin E, or IgE, attaches to cells in the body called mast cells. When the cells come into contact with an allergen – i. e. , pollen, cat, dog or dust-it triggers the release of chemicals such as histamines and leukotrienes, which cause runny noses, nasal congestion, itchiness, watery …. 270. – December 4, 1998 Doctors warned about asthma drug Asthma patients who take the drug Singulair should be watched carefully by their doctors for signs of a rare but serious complication called Churg-Strauss syndrome, drug-maker Merck & Co. advises. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Churg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 people worldwide ….

291. Herald and the Sunday Herald, The (Glasgow, Scotland) – August 7, 1998 The Herald (United Kingdom): Business: No smoke without fire Zeneca bid chatter unlikely to die down ZENECA’S pharmaceutical activities are what interest most people about the group, but it must be remembered that it is also the world’s third-largest agrochemical producer and this business generates 30% ofprofits. Genetically-modified crops are beginning to make an impact on agrochemicals. For all the opposition on this side of the Atlantic, genetically-modified seed is making big inroads on the US farming scene, notably in soya, maize and cotton. The …. The Kansas City Star – December 5, 1998 The morning memo BankAmerica brokerage jobs BankAmerica Corp. said Friday that it will eliminate 300 jobs from its brokerage unit that sells investments to retail customers as the nation’s largest bank consolidates units after its merger with NationsBank Corp. Charlotte, N. C. -based BankAmerica will eliminate the broker and support staff jobs across the country from both NationsBanc Investments Inc. and BA Investment Services, said spokeswoman Ann Anderson. Anderson said she didn’t …. 3. USA TODAY – May 30, 2000 A very real interest in new drugs Researchers’ financial ties to industry are big concern in academia ”Is Academic Medicine For Sale? ” Marcia Angell, editor in chief of The New England Journal of Medicine, asked that pointed question in an editorial that appeared the same week her successor was named. Though the editorial in the May 18 edition did not discuss Jeffrey Drazen and his financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, it was an uncomfortable reminder that the new editor in chief of The New England Journal of Medicine represents …. 4. South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – August 12, 2005 DR. PAUL DONOHUE GOOD HEALTH Dear Dr. Donohue: I have had hives for almost three years. They pop up anywhere on my body. Sometimes my hands swell, too. I have seen a dermatologist, an allergist and a rheumatologist. Nothing has worked so far. Do you have any ideas? — D. F. Dear D. F. : Allergies, medicines such as ACE inhibitors and anti-inflammatory drugs, thyroid-gland disorders, parasite infections and lupus are some of the hidden causes of recurrent crops of hives. And the hand-swelling, called angioedema, is a …. 5. – April 1, 1997 INHALING STEROIDS FOR ASTHMA PRODUCES FEWER SIDE EFFECTS DEAR DR. GOTT: For 10 years, I have had asthma that I can control only by taking prednisone pills. Because of the side effects of the drug, I would like to discontinue it but have been unable to do so. Are there any vitamins or herbs that I might substitute? Unfortunately, no. Prednisone and similar steroid medicines basically shut off the immune system. Hence, they are useful in treating hyperimmune disorders (such as lupus and acute allergies) and asthma, a breathing abnormality …. 6. Newstex Blogs (USA) – June 13, 2009 Twitter activity by Aircrew Health Jun. 12, 2009 ( Newstex Newstwits delivered by Newstex) Latest from @whonews Influenza A(H1N1) – update 48 http://tinyurl. com/luv466 #H1N1 #swineflu #influenza #pandemic #WHO 06-12-2009 at 20:38:09 UTC Thank you @HMCRespiratory @diseaseaday @PandiBearSRT #followfriday 06-12-2009 at 20:42:31 UTC Communication expert endorses WHO’s declaration delay http://bit. ly/biVWW (via @CIDRAP) #H1N1 #influenza #pandemic #communication #policy 06-12-2009 at …. 7. MondayMorning (USA) – March 31, 2008 FDA Investigates Merck’s Singulair for Suicide Risk. Merck & Co. ’s (Whitehouse Station NJ) Singulair may be linked to suicide as well as changes in mood and behavior, the Food and Drug Administration said in announcing a review of the company’s top-selling asthma drug. FDA said it is working with Merck to evaluate studies and patient reports, the agency said in a notice on its Web site. The examination may take as long as nine months. The company declined to say how many deaths were reported. Singulair is …. 8. Winchester (VA) – January 24, 2005 Pregnant Women Should Still Treat Asthma Federal experts have issued new guidelines advising women with asthma not to stop their medications during pregnancy. The guidelines, published in this month’s Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, call asthma drugs less of a risk to mother and fetus than asthma attacks. The advice is issued by a panel of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. An estimated 3. 7 to 8. 4 percent of pregnant women have asthma, an inflammation and constriction of the airways that …. 9. (WV) – June 20, 2000 The sneezing season Doctors offer tests, remedies to treat sniffles, red eyes MOST people take for granted romping with their pets, mowing grass and sleeping soundly on a soft feather pillow. Not William Lingan. And not 5-year-old James David Lingan. The Big Chimney father and son suffer from allergies and asthma. James was diagnosed nearly three years ago, after several scary trips with his parents to the emergency room at Women and Children’s Hospital. For his dad, the definitive diagnosis came just last week from Dr. Nasim Sheikh, a local …. 300. Stuart News, The (FL) – April 1, 1997 ASTHMATICS HAVE TREATMENT OPTIONS DEAR DR. GOTT: For 10 years, I have had asthma that I can control only by taking prednisone pills. Because of the side effects of the drug, I would like to discontinue it but have been unable to do so. Are there any vitamins or herbs that I might substitute? DEAR READER: Unfortunately, no. Prednisone and similar steroid medicines basically shut off the immune system. Hence, they are useful in treating hyper-immune disorders (such as lupus and acute allergies) and asthma, a breathing ….