Osteoporosis patients who received a low dose of an experimental Pfizer Inc pill were more likely to die within five years than others who got a placebo, U.S. drug reviewers said in an analysis released on Thursday. Reuters Health Information
Amgen announced that it will no longer offer rebates on darbepoetin, and has terminated discounts offered on 2 other agents when all 3 drugs are purchased together, a practice that critics say incentivized the purchase of darbepoetin. Medscape Medical News
Three major television networks in the United States will be airing an hour-long program about cancer tonight, with celebrities raising awareness about the disease and appealing to the public for donations to cancer research. Medscape Medical News
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first nucleic acid test for hepatitis B virus that measures blood levels of viral DNA as an estimate of viral load. Medscape Medical News
Commentary on a study on acute care services provided by trauma surgeons, published July 2008 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Medscape General Surgery
An Australian physician shares the tools and tips that she has gleaned from the Internet to help students and physicians get more organized. Medscape Med Students
Commentary on a study on the risk for bowel injury during elective hernia repair, published June 2008 in the Archives of Surgery. Medscape General Surgery
Better communications, smaller patient census, and plenty of backup power are keys to disaster preparedness, New Orleans hospital administrators say. Medscape Medical News
Anti-malaria campaigners are confident that a deal can be reached with pharmaceuticals groups to cut the cost of new drugs needed to fight a disease estimated to kill more than 1 million people a year. Reuters Health Information
