Chicago, IL (PRWEB) May 24, 2013 The birth control information center at DrugRisk.com is announcing new information on the site for women who have taken the contraceptives Yaz or Yasmin. Records show the number of pending cases filed alleging blood clots has decreased as Bayer continues to settle claims*. The goal of DrugRisk is to improve the safety of patients taking popular prescription drugs like Yaz and Yasmin, by providing the latest research, safety alerts, recalls and litigation news. Visitors can determine if others have experienced similar side effects and decide if they need legal advice. The resource center has added warnings from health experts like the British Medical Journal** and FDA*** that birth control pills containing the hormone drospirenone, such as Yaz and Yasmin, can increase the risk of blood clots, DVT and pulmonary embolism by as much as 74%. When thousands of patients came forward to file a Yaz lawsuit alleging blood clots, cases were consolidated to a special federal Multi-District Litigation court in Illinois (Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 2100, Southern District Illinois)). DrugRisk has gathered information from Bayers latest annual report, showing the company faced claims from as … Continue reading →

New and notable this week on DVD: Side Effects (Rated R for sexuality, nudity, violence and language; Open Road, $29.98): Nothing is ever all that simple when it comes to director Steven Soderbergh and that certainly holds true in this fine psychological thriller. The wife (Rooney Mara) of a financier (Channing Tatum) convicted of fraud becomes severely depressed when he comes home from prison. A psychiatrist (Jude Law) prescribes a new drug that leads to an enthralling and unexpected spiral of violence and betrayal. Sly, surprising and so well-made. GRADE: B+ True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season (Not rated; HBO, $59.99): The supernatural series bounced back strong after wandering in its fourth year, taking on the idea of religious devotion while still having lots of fun. Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) become partners with captives of an all-powerful council of vampires that may or may not believe in their own divinity. The worldwide supply of True Blood is threatened, which may turn vamps back to their human-eating ways. And, of course, there are about 250 crazy side stories as well. Tasty stuff. GRADE: B+ Stand Up Guys (Rated R for language, sexual content, violence and brief drug use; … Continue reading →

Public release date: 23-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Nik Papageorgiou n.papageorgiou@epfl.ch Ecole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne Since the discovery of Prontosil in 1932, sulfonamide antibiotics have been used to combat a wide spectrum of bacterial infections, from acne to chlamydia and pneumonia. However, their side effects can include serious neurological problems like nausea, headache, dizziness, hallucinations and even psychosis. In a recent Science publication, EPFL researchers have shown for the first time how sulfonamides can interfere with a patient's nervous system. The problem is that, even though we know how sulfonamides work, we do not understand the actual molecular mechanics behind their side effects. Consequently, it is difficult to modify drug structure or customize therapeutic regimes in order to better serve the needs of patients. That is the critical issue addressed by a team of EPFL scientists lead by Kai Johnsson at EPFL's Laboratory of Protein Engineering. The team drew from previous research showing that blocking the activity of a certain enzyme (sepiapterin reductase) affects the levels of an important molecule called tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) in cells. BH4 is critical for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, and BH4 deficiency causes similar neurological problems to those … Continue reading →