[e-drug] Contents of Prescrire International, April 2007

["International" <international@prescrire.org>]

E-DRUG: Contents of Prescrire International, April 2007 Vol 16,  88
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Prescrire International is the English language edition of the reference French journal la revue Prescrire. It contains comparative evaluation of new drug interventions, reviews of adverse effects, and papers on drug policy issues. 

Prescrire International is totally funded by subscribers, with no support from pharmaceutical industry or government. It is published six times a year and health professionals in low income countries can also benefit from the journal thanks to Solidarity Subscription Rates. Drug companies are excluded from applying to Solidarity Rates. 
 
Contents of Prescrire International, 

April 2007 Volume 16  NÂ 88
 
Editorial
 
- Distinct and separate roles   

BigPharma should mind its own business

NEW PRODUCTS
 
- Lanthanum (hyperphosphataemia in dialysis patients)            
More potential problems than benefits

- Metformin (children with type 2 diabetes)           
Useful for some children

- Ivabradine (stable angina)               
Best avoided

- Nitisinone (type 1 tyrosinemia)      
An effective drug

- Sertindole (schizophrenia)               
Another 'atypical' neuroleptic ; QT prolongation

- Editor's opinion              
Patenting of indications: irrelevant to healthcare professionals!

- Interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin
(children with chronic hepatitis C)       
More risks than in adults

- Iron 0.5 mg (neonatal iron deficiency)       
A welcome low-dose formulation for neonates

-  Rivastigmine (dementia and Parkinson's disease)            
No thank you!

SHORTCUTS
 
- Bicalutamide (non metastatic prostate cancer)             
Not acceptable

- Simvastatin + ezetimibe
(prevention of cardiovascular disease)            
A combination with no proven advantages

 ADVERSE EFFECTS
 
- Rosuvastatin: renal disorders and rhabdomyolysis        

 - Asthma: fatal exacerbations with long-acting beta2 agonist therapy without concomitant steroid therapy             

- Direct reporting by patients: positive results 

- Modafinil: serious skin reactions           

-  Lamotrigine: birth defects     

- Telithromycin: QT prolongation      

- Intravenous iron and hypersensitivity              

- Deferiprone: agranulocytosis and neurological disorders        

- Imatinib: cardiac risks?   

- Alendronic acid: synovitis, myalgia and arthralgia            

- RotarixÂ: injected by mistake             

 REVIEWS
 
- Arterial 'prehypertension'        
A useful concept for drug companies, useless for patients

 Minireviews
 
- Chickenpox: very low mortality in France & the USA     

OUTLOOK
 
- 2006 Prescrire Awards  

 A look back at pharmaceuticals in 2006: aggressive advertising cannot hide the absence of therapeutic advantage         
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Jaime ROBERT

Development manager 
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