Debra Sherman

Marijuana: The next diabetes drug?

cnn.com — (TIME.com) -- Toking up may help marijuana users to stay slim and lower their risk of developing diabetes, according to the latest study, which suggests that cannabis compounds may help in controlling blood sugar.

Lawmaker would give FDA more oversight of drug compounding

reuters.com — U.S. lawmakers, responding to a deadly meningitis outbreak in 2012, continue to wrestle with ways to regulate the pharmacies that compound large volumes of drugs for hospitals, individuals and clinics. The meningitis outbreak, which has killed 53 people and sickened more than 700, was linked to tainted steroid injections distributed by the Framingham, Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center.

New J&J anti-depressant related to 'Special K' party drug

reuters.com — It said products launched since 2009 are due to account for nearly half of its pharmaceuticals sales by 2017. It also said that it plans to continue developing its pipeline of new development stage drugs in Japan and China. (Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Intuitive's first da Vinci suit heads to jury with $8.5M on the line

fiercemedicaldevices.com — Intuitive Surgical faces at least 26 lawsuits over its da Vinci robotic surgery device.--Courtesy of Intuitive Surgical Intuitive Surgical ($ISRG) is looking at up to $8.5 million in damages in its first lawsuit over injuries caused by the da Vinci robotic surgery system, and the company's fate is now in the hands of a Washington jury.

U.S. government taps GlaxoSmithKline for new antibiotics

reuters.com — Credit: Reuters/Toby Melville Signage is pictured on the company headquarters of GlaxoSmithKline in west London July 21, 2008. GlaxoSmithKline announce their half yearly results on Wednesday July 23. The collaboration, the first of its kind between Washington and a drug company, will allow funding to move around GSK's antibiotics portfolio rather than focusing on a single drug candidate.

Oncolytics cancer drug meets mid-stage trial goal, shares rise

reuters.com — Shares of the Calgary-based company rose as much as 11 percent to C$3.14 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Its Nasdaq-listed shares were up 10 percent. Reolysin was administered intravenously along with chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel to patients who either failed to respond to prior therapies or were not considered for standard first-line cancer treatment.

Immune system cancer drugs tipped to be a $35 billion market

reuters.com — That bullish sales forecast by analysts at U.S. bank Citigroup highlights the growing excitement surrounding so-called immunotherapy after positive results from clinical trials conducted by companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roche Holding.

Regeneron, Sanofi asthma drug seen as potential game changer

reuters.com — "Overall, these are the most exciting data we've seen in asthma in 20 years," said Dr. Sally Wenzel, lead investigator for the 104-patient study of dupilumab, an injectable treatment being developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and French drugmaker Sanofi.

Analysis: Some Republicans see new scandal in Sebelius fundraising

reuters.com — Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing President Barack Obama makes a statement next to Secretary of HHS Kathleen Sebelius about contraceptive care funding in the press room of the White House in Washington, February 10, 2012.

Health sites too complex, full of cliches: study

reuters.com — She played the role of a "salty tongue," a Cambodian expression that paints outspokenness in a positive light. But even though the patient's family was in the room when doctors took the time to answer every last question about test results and treatment options, the refugee's family would call Gualtieri hours later to review what doctors had said.