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FDA says users of Singulair and similar meds should watch for such problems

According to a new Canadian study, people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease are more likely to become infected with the 'superbug' methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus  than people with other gastrointestinal problems.

By as early as 7 years of age, being obese may raise a child's future risk of heart disease and stroke, even without the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, a new study found.

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. (MedPage Today) -- Certain pacemakers manufactured by Medtronic have been withdrawn from the market because of wiring problems, the FDA announced.

Researchers in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester are developing a new way to make protein based drugs with potential applications in stroke, vascular inflammation, blood vessel formation, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

VIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIAP), a biotechnology company focused on the development of compounds for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, announced today that an end of Phase 2a meeting for the Company's lead drug, VIA-2291 (atreleuton), was recently held with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Recovering stroke patients and others who find it hard to swallow when they eat and drink are now at a lower risk of developing pneumonia or chest infections, thanks to new technology which will help assess and treat their swallowing difficulties. Many patients suffering from stroke, head injury or major trauma often have swallowing difficulties when food and drink can go down the wrong way - patients can later develop nasty chest infections and pneumonias.

Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, today announced that 11 additional schools in Illinois will begin implementing the CATCH program - Coordinated Approach to Child Health. With the expansion of the CATCH program, the state is continuing efforts to address the obesity problem by changing children's and parents' attitudes and behaviors toward nutrition and physical activity.

'Tobacco is such a serious and compelling public health problem, and we really do feel by being able to regulate tobacco and tobacco products we can reduce the burden of disease and help promote stronger smoking cessation efforts,' Hamburg told reporters. Critics have questioned whether the agency is ready to handle an entire new sector after struggling through recent troubles involving tainted food and drug safety issues. Some experts have said the bill essentially seals Philip Morris' position as market leader. Reynolds American Inc's (RAI.N) R.J. Reynolds Tobacco unit and Lorillard Inc's (LO.N) Lorillard Tobacco Co. have spoken out against the plan. 'It's going to make it almost impossible for any new product to enter the market,' said Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor at Boston University's School of Public Health. Critics like Siegel said the bill did not go far enough.

I'm no fan of cigarettes, but the Senate's just-passed tobacco regulation bill is a problem area for the Food and Drug Administration for two reasons. First, the FDA's role is to regulate food and drugs and deem them safe for use. Tobacco, which would be regulated by the FDA under the bill, is neither food nor drug, and thus constitutes uncharted territory for the FDA. Given how dangerous tobacco is, it's extremely difficult for the FDA to declare tobacco in any way to be safe and maintain its public-health credibility. In addition, the FDA's resources are already stretched thin by its oversight over food, drugs, and devices. Getting new drug approvals alone from the FDA is a 10-year, billion-dollar endeavor. Adding tobacco to the FDA's responsibilities would stretch the agency's capabilities and complicate the commissioner's arduous job. As a former FDA commissioner's chief of staff told me, 'they could give us all the responsibility in the world, but there's still only one commission