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FDA Warns Consumers About Fake Tamiflu
Rockville, MD — The FDA is warning consumers that a fake version of Tamiflu being sold on the Internet could cause adverse reactions in some people. The phony product is being sold as "generic Tamiflu," even though the FDA has not approved a generic version of the drug. FDA investigators purchased the fraudulent Tamiflu on the Internet without a prescription. The product label claimed that the capsules contained 75 mg of oseltamivir phosphate, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. Laboratory testing, however, revealed that the product contained not oseltamivir, but rather cloxacillin, which could cause a life-threatening reaction in individuals allergic to penicillin. As of yet, the FDA has not received any reports of adverse reactions. Officials advise consumers to buy online medications only through licensed Internet pharmacies. |
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Walgreens to Continue Participating in CVS Caremark PBM
Woonsocket, RI, and Deerfield, IL — Under a mutual, multiyear agreement, CVS Caremark Corporation and Walgreens announced that Walgreens will continue to participate in the CVS Caremark pharmacy benefit management (PBM) national retail network for new, existing, or renewal plans. The financial terms have not been disclosed. According to the companies, the plan makes good business sense and will allow them to continue to meet their customers' needs nationwide. Customers will be assured convenience and access to affordable high-quality pharmacy health care without disruption of service. |
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Probiotic Therapy Reduces Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Some ICU Patients
Omaha, NE — New research from Creighton University School of Medicine found that daily use of probiotics significantly reduced the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in selected ICU patients. VAP is estimated to complicate the care of up to 30% of critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation. "We chose to study probiotics in this context because VAP is increasingly caused by pathogens associated with antimicrobial resistance and the supply of novel antibiotics is essentially nonexistent for the foreseeable future," according to lead researcher Lee E. Morrow, MD. After 5 years of study in carefully selected patients, daily probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) use decreased VAP infections by about half and reduced the amount of antibiotics needed. "Lactobacillus may represent a novel, inexpensive..., and non-antibiotic approach to prevention of nosocomial infections in properly selected ICU patients," said Dr. Morrow. |
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