Monday, January 03, 2005

FDA approves genetics-based lab test that can tailor drug doses Boston Globe story reprinted at PsycPORT - "The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first genetics-based lab test to help physicians personalize their patients' drug doses. The approval hastens a move away from a one-size-fits-all drug dose, offering help to patients with wildly varying responses to such popular drugs as antidepressants and antipsychotics. The AmpliChip Cytochrome P450 genotyping test could reduce toxic side effects experienced by people who process prescription drugs slower than normal. At the same time, the test could personalize doses for hypermetabolizers, who often feel no benefit from standard drug doses. The test is made by Roche Molecular Systems Inc. An agency official expects that more genetic test kits are on the way as the FDA pushes drug companies to embrace cutting-edge science to improve drug safety."  
  

FDA to review drug company documents  Story in the British Medical Journal - "The US Food and Drug Administration has agreed to review confidential drug company documents that went missing during a controversial product liability suit more than 10 years ago. The documents appear to suggest a link between the drug fluoxetine (Prozac), made by Eli Lilly, and suicide attempts and violence. The missing documents, which were sent to the BMJ by an anonymous source last month, include reviews and memos indicating that Eli Lilly officials were aware in the 1980s that fluoxetine had troubling side effects and sought to minimise their likely negative effect on prescribing..." See also Journal hands over Prozac papers (BBC), Journal tells FDA Lilly knew of Prozac risk and Lilly unaware of any missing documents (both fromReuters, reprinted at Yahoo) and  
  

Finding the key to battling stigma (UK) Article at the BBC by Scottish student Anna Murray, who "is travelling to the Czech Republic to compare the experiences of young people suffering from mental health problems. Ms. Murray won the trip after writing about the taboo of mental illness and her own battle with severe depression..."