Although pregnancy is generally considered to be a safe time during which hormonal changes protect women from psychiatric disorders, this is a myth, say researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Emory University. In a study of 201 pregnant women, 65 stopped antidepressant treatment around the time of conception; of those, [...]]]...

Hanford Pharmaceuticals is voluntarily recalling four lots (379,975 vials) of Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 g/10-ml vials, an antibiotic used in hospitals to treat skin and skin structure, respiratory, and other infections. Some lots of the product’s active ingredient were contaminated with Bacillus pumilus, Staphylococcus hom-inis, Propionibacterium acnes, or Micro-coccus luteus. Such microbial contami­nation may be [...]]]...

Berlex, Inc., a U.S. affiliate of Schering AG, Germany, has announced the FDA’s approval of a monophasic oral contraceptive (Yaz). This is the first tablet to combine 20 mcg of ethinyl estradiol generic with 3 mg of the progestin drospirenone. This 24-day regimen causes less hormonal fluctuation than traditional oral contraceptives providing a 21-day course. In a [...]]]...

Genentech, Inc., and Biogen Idec have announced the FDA’s approval of the therapeutic antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in combination with generic methotrexate (MTX) for adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not responded adequately to one or more tumor necrosis factor antagonist therapies. This is the first RA therapy that targets immune [...]]]...

Two prescription creams used to treat eczema will now carry strong warnings about the possible risk of skin cancer, lymphoma, and other cancers associated with their use. The packaging for pimecrolimus (Elidel, Novartis AG) and medication tacrolimus (Protopic generic, Astellas Pharma) will contain “black-box” warnings—the strongest type used in the U.S.—10 months after the agency first [...]]]...