Websites Cash-In on Internet Mugshots Online users promised photos will be removed in return for hefty fees. By: ABCNews … Continue reading →

Russell Brand said he turned to drink and drugs as a youngster because he felt "lonely and sad" and that addressing the underlying issues for young people was more important than "moralising". The comedian spoke as he backed an initiative by Amy Winehouse's father to tackle young people's drug and drink problems that "does not moralise" and does not tell children not to take drugs. The Amy Winehouse Resilience Programme will be rolled out to 50 secondary schools across England and will provide a free confidential phone and online service for young people, supported by Childline. It will also use recovering addicts to tell their stories in schools, rather than medical workers, police or teachers. Russell, who stars in Get Him To The Greek, is now clean of drugs and alcohol, and threw his backing behind the programme. "When you are talking to young people about drugs and alcohol, what's important is not to moralise about it or say 'don't do drugs' or futile, impotent messages that don't reach young people," he said. "I think that it's important to address why people drink or take drugs in the first place, whether they are young or old. I remember when I … Continue reading →

More than two dozen of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies have agreed to provide funding and other support to Interpol's battle against counterfeit prescription drugs, the international police agency said Tuesday. Interpol's newly created Pharmaceutical Crime Program aims to help health agencies, police and customs bureaus in countries around the globe stem the supply of bogus brand-name and generic medicines, as well as identify and dismantle the organized crime rings distributing them. Those rings, which operate across borders, are raking in billions of dollars every year, costing legitimate drugmakers a small fortune in lost sales. Meanwhile patients who unknowingly take counterfeit drugs often are poisoned or get sicker because they're not receiving what the doctor prescribed. Experts estimate hundreds of thousands of people around the world die because of counterfeit medicines each year. Play Video The pharmaceutical companies have pledged a total of (EURO)4.5 million, or nearly $5.9 million, over three years to help Interpol with efforts including training local law enforcement officials on investigative procedures, evidence handling and how to better work with partners outside their countries. Interpol also will help those authorities build up their infrastructure and target enforcement actions against crime rings that make and sell fake … Continue reading →

By Max Macaluso, Ph.D. | More Articles March 12, 2013 | Pain relievers, cough syrup, antihistamines, therapeutic ointments, antiseptic, digestive aids -- you name it, we take it. Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs have become a normal part of our everyday lives, but few people take the time to think about how new medicines are actually discovered. Do scientists just create drugs from scratch in a laboratory, or do they sometimes draw inspiration from nature? Drugs have actually been discovered using a variety of methods; some are synthetic versions of molecules that the human body makes naturally, like insulin or testosterone, while others are derived from more exotic sources like snake venom and tree bark. In the following video, Motley Fool health care analyst Max Macaluso discusses the surprising stories behind the discovery of three drugs, namely Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE: BMY) off-patent drug Capoten, AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE: BMY) diabetes medication Byetta, and Celgene's (NASDAQ: CELG) cancer drug Abraxane. Can Celgene continue to soar? Every in-the-know biotech investor has an eye on Celgene. Shares have skyrocketed this year as the company outlined a plan to almost triple its profits in only a few years. But should you … Continue reading →

No illicit drug could give a Formula One driver any sort of advantage, according to Torro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo. The West Australian, who has been tested twice by World Anti Doping Agency officials, says he knows of no banned substance which an F1 driver would consider using. Ricciardo says that drivers do not benefit from any of the drugs which athletes in other sports have been accused of taking. "I can't honestly think of anything that would help us," he said. "I've obviously never tried anything but it's not really a sport where your maximum strength or things like this pay off. "It's not who lifts the most weights in the gym is the quicker driver, so I don't know of any performance enhancing stuff that would make us drive quicker." However, in an era where a number of sports have been targeted over drug use, Ricciardo said Formula One should not simply be ignored by WADA. "I guess it is fair and good for the sport that we do get tested," he said. "I don't think anyone would find much anyway but it's good to know that we're clean. "If you get tested twice (a year) I think … Continue reading →

12 March 2013 Last updated at 21:24 ET Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Humphrey Hawksley visits Pavoncito Prison in Guatemala Guatemala is one of the most violent countries in Latin America, with thousands of drug-related killings each year. The BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports on the authorities' new approach to fighting the drugs trade, which may include legalising the growing and transport of hard drugs. Three layers of electric fencing and razor wire separate Pavoncito prison near Guatemala City from its isolated perimeter road that is constantly monitored by armed foot patrols. The prison's maximum security wings house leaders of gangs funded by international drug money. It has a bloody record of violence. In 2008, a fight between rival gangs left seven prisoners dead, five of them beheaded. Pavoncito became a battlefield between inmates who supported the prison authorities and the gangs who had taken control of large parts of it. The gangs resorted to cannibalism after food supplies ran out, according to inmates. "For four months, the authorities could not come past this line," explains one inmate, pointing to prison cells and an area of open land, where prisoners are now playing football. The gangs' hold … Continue reading →

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The board charged with overseeing physicians in California lacks the authority to identify those who might be overprescribing pain killers and other drugs, a problem that has led to overdose deaths and criminal charges against a handful of doctors in recent years. The president of the Medical Board of California on Monday responded to criticism that the body has failed to properly police its ranks. Sharon Levine told a joint legislative committee that the state's prescription drug tracking system is underfunded and that the board cannot track doctors even if the program had sufficient money. The testimony came in response to a Los Angeles Times investigation last year that found drugs prescribed by physicians caused or contributed to nearly half the accidental deaths involving prescription drugs in four Southern California counties between 2006 and 2011. Levine, a physician appointed to the board in 2009, said a complaint is needed to begin a review and determine whether the prescribing doctor bears any responsibility. "Complaints regarding prescription drug-related offenses can be somewhat difficult for the board to obtain," Levine testified. "In many instances, patients who are receiving prescription drugs in a manner that is not within the standard … Continue reading →

The Greek health ministry is under pressure to cut social funding covering the cost of most drugs. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Athens (CNN) -- Having to skip cancer therapy twice in the last two months due to a lack of drugs normally available through Greece's national health system, 45-year-old Morfo Karadona says a new fear has entered her life. "I have been battling cancer for the last six years. Now I can't find the drugs I need. Ensuring I get my treatment every two weeks is a matter of life and death for me." Karadona is one of thousands of Greeks trapped in a vicious circle involving a cash-strapped government unable to pay its bills. She spoke as some international pharmaceutical companies have limited supplies to Greece, and increased fears of a parallel export trade as wholesalers and pharmacies look for cash. Diagnosed as the sick man of Europe, Greece is in its sixth year of recession and hugely in debt, struggling to put its finances in order. While servicing a massive bailout loan to its lenders, the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the state owes pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies around 2 billion euros ($2.6 billion) … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Drugs and Diagnostics for Hematological Disorders: Global Markets http://www.reportlinker.com/p01119541/Drugs-and-Diagnostics-for-Hematological-Disorders-Global-Markets.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Pathology INTRODUCTION STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES This BCC market research report will increase the awareness of current and emerging drugs and technologies for hematological disorders and blood cancers, including hematological disorder therapeutics, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical therapy, immunotherapy and also nutrition therapy. INTENDED AUDIENCE This report is an exhaustive study on the global hematological disorders and blood cancer market, with important statistics and analysis on existing drugs and diagnostic technologies, latest trends, market structure, market size, key drug segments and trends in technology. This study contributes to the areas of market growth in hematological disorders and blood cancer prevention and treatment strategies from the point of view of manufacturers, product suppliers, healthcare providers, and consumers of hematological disorder and cancer products and services. This study will be of interest largely to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, as well as clinics, hospitals and research institutes. This report may also prove crucial for investment firms in the concerned sector. This report shows tests currently being used for hematological disorders and cancer diagnosis and prognosis, … Continue reading →