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Acne Drug Accutane Ups Cholesterol
In a study involving almost 14,000, mostly young patients taking the drug, elevations in blood cholesterol, triglycerides (a blood fat), and a blood liver function test were more common than have been previously reported. Blood levels returned to normal or to pretreatment levels in the vast majority of patients in the months after they stopped taking Accutane, however. Researchers say this finding is reassuring, but they add that patients should be followed longer to see if there are long-term implications for cardiovascular and liver disease risk. "We do want to know if there are long-term consequences, but that was not a part of this research," researcher Michele Manos, PhD, MPH, tells WebMD. Tighter Controls on Drug First approved in 1982 for the treatment of severe disfiguring acne , Accutane use in women has long been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and birth defects.
Suicide rating’ could be given to every new drug licensed in UK
Every new drug licensed in Britain will be given a "suicide rating" under proposals for a big shake-up in the rules governing pharmaceutical development. European regulators are also to require pharmaceutical companies to include a comprehensive suicide assessment into trials of new medicines. The reform, based on a system adopted recently in the United States, has been fuelled by a growing body of evidence that drugs that affect the brain can heavily influence behaviour through seemingly innocuous changes in body chemistry. Medicines to treat acne, swelling, heartburn, pain, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, bacterial infections, smoking and insomnia have all been associated recently with psychiatric problems. There have been warnings about the potential side-effects of Acomplia, an antiobesity drug, Roaccutane, an acne treatment, and Champix, an antismoking medication, which together have been prescribed to more than 60,000 patients in Britain.
Gadgets Microsoft Insider: Xbox 360 Team Knowingly Launched Faulty ...
During the previous generation, Microsoft attributed much of PlayStation 2's lead over the Xbox to its earlier arrival on the market. Microsoft was determined to beat Sony to the punch for the next generation, as the source explained, "MS was so focused on beating Sony this cycle that the 360 was rushed to market when all indications were that it had serious flaws. The design [quality] testing was insufficient and incomplete when the product was released to production. The manufacturing test equipment had major gaps in test coverage and wasn't reliable or repeatable. Manufacturing processes at [all] levels of suppliers were immature and not in control. Initial end to end yields were in the mid 30%. Low yields always indicate serious design and manufacturing defects. "Management chose to continue to ship anyways, and keep the lines running while trying to solve problems and bring the yields up.
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