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Zydelig
EMA reviews cancer drug
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has, at the request of the European Commission, started a review of cancer medicine Zydelig (idelalisib), which is authorised in the EU to treat two types of rare blood cancers called chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and follicular lymphoma (one of a group of cancers called non-Hodgkin lymphoma). The review follows an increased rate of serious adverse events including deaths, mostly due to infections, seen in three clinical trials of the medicine given in combination with other cancer medicines. Patients starting or on Zydelig should be monitored for infections, the EMA said.
osteoarthritis
Paracetamol ‘not effective’
In a large-scale analysis of pain-relief medication for osteoarthritis, researchers found that paracetamol does not meet the minimum standard of clinical effectiveness in reducing pain or improving physical function in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis. Although paracetamol was slightly better than placebo, researchers conclude that, taken on its own, paracetamol has no role in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis. The study, published in The Lancet , finds that diclofenac 150mg/day, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is the most effective short-term pain relief. However, the authors caution against long-term use of NSAIDs because of known side-effects.
Easy access
Pharmacy & the cop
A tie-up between the Maharashtra police and Indian pharmacy aggregator, PharmEasy has been successful with 1,000 police men and women from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune downloading PharmEasy’s app in just a fortnight, the aggregator said. About 385 of them used the service seeking cost-effective and easy access to medicines, it added. PharmEasy’s retail partners have dispensed medicines worth ₹3,28,180 to policemen and their families ever since the tie-up came into effect on March 1, 2016, bringing about savings of ₹82,045 to police personnel and their families, it said. PharmEasy, provides an online platform connecting end-users to retail pharmacies.
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