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The ruling may end the era of what are also called "reverse-payment" deals, in which the maker of a brand-name drug pays a maker of generic drugs to not produce a lower-priced version of their product. The Federal Trade Commission can challenge such deals in court, the justices say.
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There's more evidence that the anesthetic ketamine, sometimes abused as a club drug, has potential as a fast-acting treatment for depression. But patients relapse quickly after treatment with the drug.
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Prescriptions for testosterone have surged for men 40 and older. Drugmakers have touted use of drugs to manage symptoms attributed to low testosterone, such as fatigue and a drop in libido. But those symptoms can also be caused by depression and normal aging.
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The goal is to counter drug resistance, which is largely a consequence of antibiotics overuse. Supporters say the plan would entice companies back into the market because it would be much cheaper to gain approval. But critics call it "a tragedy of monumental proportions."
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Seemingly safe pills for cholesterol and diabetes have become a big cause of poisonings in children and teenagers, a study finds. Narcotic painkillers remain a significant problem, but other commonly prescribed drugs for chronic conditions can cause serious injuries and deaths.
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Doctors in China concluded that early treatment of bird flu cases with Tamiflu could help patients even days after infection. But the doctors also found in two cases that the virus apparently became resistant to the antiviral drug.
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Valeant Pharmaceuticals says it will pay $8.7 billion to buy Bausch + Lomb, one of the world's best-known makers of contact lenses. And Club Med has received a $700 million buyout offer from Chinese investors.
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When researchers challenged people with heart disease to perform some stressful tasks, those who took a popular antidepressant had fewer symptoms related to low blood flow to the heart. The findings, though preliminary, suggest another avenue for treatment.
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Iin denying the government's motion for a stay, U.S. District Court Judge Korman, who has overseen the case since 2005, also laid out several substantive problems with the situation that last week's approval by the Food and Drug Administration created.
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Men still need a prescription for the diamond-shaped blue pills. But instead of going to the pharmacy in person, or taking their chances buying from an online pharmacy of unknown repute, men will be able to buy Viagra from the maker of the drug itself and have it shipped to their homes.