Only a third of illegal drugs smuggled from Latin America into the United States are seized by authorities because of a lack of resources, the head of the US Southern Command said Wednesday. The one-third figure is based on an estimate from intelligence services that monitor ships and aircraft used for smuggling, General Douglas Fraser told reporters. He acknowledged that a more exact estimate would be difficult. "Do we have enough interceptor vessels for the targets that we have," Fraser asked. "Right now, we do not." Planes taking off with illegal drugs from South America land mainly in Honduras, but also in areas of Panama, he said. Most of the drugs are transported on ships and submersible vessels, which unload their cargo in Central America and Mexico. From there, it continues overland into the United States, Fraser said. About 90% of the cocaine reaching the United States passes through Central America and Mexico, he said. Central American countries simply do not have the air forces capable of intercepting all the drug flights landing in their territory, he said. At times, he said, "We know where they are and we could have intercepted if we had a vessel available." The problem … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An experimental technique seems to be freeing some kidney transplant patients from having to take anti-rejection drugs. Researchers transplanted certain cells from the kidney donor's bone marrow along with the new organ. Five of eight transplant recipients who tried the method so far were off immune-suppressing medication up to 2 years later, the researchers reported Wednesday. The preliminary results were considered important enough to be published in the journal Science Translational Medicine even though the study still is under way, because the technique worked for patients who didn't have well-matched or related donors. The idea is that if a sort of twin immune system takes root and lasts, it can allow the patient's body to accept the foreign organ and not attack it, said study co-author Dr. Suzanne Ildstad of the University of Lousville. Scientists call it chimerism. "The most reliable indicator of really being successful at taking someone off immune-suppressing drugs is durable chimerism," says Ildstad, who teamed with doctors at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital for the research. Transplant recipients usually must take multiple immune-suppressing pills for life to prevent rejection of their new organ. Those drugs cause lots of side effects, such as raising the … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON (AP) Some of the most widely used prescription drugs, including those to treat cholesterol and high blood pressure, could be available over the counter under a new proposal being weighed by government regulators. Food and Drug Administration officials said Wednesday they are considering waiving prescription requirements for certain drugs used to treat ailments like diabetes, asthma and migraine. Driving the move is a wave of computer technology, including touch-screen kiosks found in pharmacies, designed to help patients self-diagnose common diseases. FDA regulators told reporters that easing access to obtain certain medications could help address undertreated epidemics like diabetes. Of the more than 25 million Americans with diabetes, an estimated 7 million are not diagnosed and therefore do not receive treatment. Diabetes is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. "These are discussions that need to start happening as we think about people's health needs and how to improve access," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg. The over-the-counter switch is one of several FDA proposals aimed at increasing access to established drugs or speeding up approval of experimental medications. After years of high-profile drug-safety cases in which the FDA restricted access to certain medications, the agency is increasingly highlighting … Continue reading →