Prescription Drug News

Eli Lilly and the FDA have notified health care professionals of changes to the prescribing information for olanzapine (Zyprexa).

According to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, women taking commonly prescribed antidepressants may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve their breastfeeding goals.

A new study concludes that many doctors appear to have largely ignored an FDA warning to screen patients taking new antipsychotic drugs for high blood sugar and cholesterol, which poses risks to their health and raises questions about the efficacy of warning protocols in general.

Novartis has announced that Fanapt (iloperidone) is now available for use across the U.S. for the acute treatment of schizophrenia in adults.

A study reported in the December 14 edition of Pediatrics found that nearly 15 percent of  a group of more than 3,000 children ages 8 to 15 met the criteria for a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia), depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorder.

An analysis of randomized trials indicates that compared with placebo, the magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medications varies with the severity of depressive symptoms, may provide little benefit for patients with mild or moderate depression but appear to provide substantial benefit for patients with very severe depression, according to an article in the January 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

About three-quarters of children in the U.S. received recommended vaccinations in 2008, up from about half in 2000, reports a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cigarette smoking is a well-known risk factor for type 2 diabetes, but new research from Johns Hopkins suggests that quitting the habit may actually raise diabetes risk in the short term.

Despite government warnings and professional recommendations about diabetes risks associated with second-generation antipsychotic drugs, fewer than one-third of Medicaid patients treated with these medications undergo tests of blood glucose or lipid levels, according to a report in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

An increasing number of U.S. adults are being prescribed combinations of antidepressants and antipsychotic medications, according to a report in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.