Merck

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Tough Choice for Bald Men: Hair or Sex?

Those taking finasteride likely to experience long-lasting effects

(Newser) - Tough news for the follicly challenged: Balding men taking finasteride, Merck's prescription drug that goes by the names Propecia and Proscar, may find they have trouble in bed—for a long while. Though the drug's label warns of "reversible" symptoms of sexual dysfunction, a small survey of 76 men...

Disgraced Doctors Land at Big Pharma
 Disgraced Doctors 
 Land at Big Pharma 

investigation

Disgraced Doctors Land at Big Pharma

Hundreds of pitchmen found to have blemished records

(Newser) - Pharmaceutical companies say they hire highly respected doctors as their white-coat sales force, peddling their drugs to other physicians. But a Pro Publica investigation has discovered that hundreds of these pitchmen have been accused of professional misconduct, been disciplined by state boards, or lacked credentials. Medical board records in the...

After 20 Years, Scientists Crack HIV Puzzle

Enzyme integrase made visible for first time

(Newser) - After 40,000 failed trials and "painstakingly slow progress," scientists have solved a puzzle that stumped AIDS researchers for more than 20 years—and their findings could help develop more effective HIV drugs. The researchers at Harvard and Imperial College London grew a crystal that for the first...

Drugmakers Hike Prices Ahead of Reform

9% rise, in a year of falling prices, will add $10B to drug spending

(Newser) - Bracing for health care reform, drug companies have been raising prices at the fastest rate in almost 20 years—even as they pledge to support Washington's goal of cutting the nation's drug bill. The pharmaceutical industry is scrambling to get the price base as high as possible before legislation to...

Cervical Cancer Vaccine Linked to 32 Deaths

Teen-targeted Gardasil also tied to blood clots, fainting in gov't study

(Newser) - Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine marketed to teen girls, has been linked to 32 deaths and other serious side effects including fainting and blood clots, according to a government report released yesterday. Since 2006, several complications of the vaccine have been reported, ABC News reports, ranging from neurological disorders to...

Tech Snaps Nadaq's Streak; Dow Climbs 24

Amazon, Microsoft fall after weak earnings

(Newser) - The tech sector exerted downward pressure on stocks today, snapping the Nasdaq’s 12-day winning streak, the Wall Street Journal reports. Microsoft sank 8.9% after reporting a 29% drop in quarterly earnings, while Amazon fell 8.3% after also reporting a disappointing quarter. Alcoa, Pfizer, and Merck helped the...

Spending on Health Care Lobbying Up 41%

Drug, insurance companies oppose public insurance

(Newser) - As the health care debate heats up in Washington, insurance and drug companies are keeping their lobbyists busy. So far this year, those industries have increased their lobbyist spending by 41% as they fight a proposed public insurance plan, USA Today reports. That's $35 million in the first quarter for...

Drugs, Oil Push Dow Up 50
 Drugs, Oil Push Dow Up 50 
MARKETS

Drugs, Oil Push Dow Up 50

(Newser) - Financials dipped today as firms continued stock sell-offs to finance TARP repayments, but strong performance by drug and energy companies stabilized the market, the Wall Street Journal reports. Merck and Pfizer were up as much as 2% and 6%, respectively; oil got a boost from $60 barrels. The Dow was...

Earnings Send Stocks South
 Earnings Send Stocks South 
MARKET Open

Earnings Send Stocks South

(Newser) - Stocks slid at the open this morning, after a rash of less-than-inspiring earnings reports from major companies. The Dow was down 30 points, as components Coca-Cola, Caterpillar, Dupont, and Merck all posted lousy first quarters. Caterpillar swung to a loss and slashed guidance, sending shares down 5%, while Dupont fell...

Push to Use HPV Vaccine on Boys Stirs Debate

Is pricey STD prevention necessary?

(Newser) - Merck is pushing the FDA to approve its HPV vaccine for men, and that’s raising a whole new set of controversies, the Washington Post reports. When the human papillomavirus vaccine was originally marketed for girls, many questioned whether or not it would encourage young girls to have sex. With...

Dow Up 54, Gains 9% for Week
 Dow Up 54, Gains 9% for Week 
MARKETS

Dow Up 54, Gains 9% for Week

Merck surges on proposed merger

(Newser) - Stocks made gains today, extending a winning streak into its fourth day, MarketWatch reports. Merck rose 12.5% on announcement of its merger with Schering-Plough, while General Motors built on recent gains with a 22.9% jump. The Dow closed up 53.92 at 7,223.98. The Nasdaq rose...

Merck to Buy Schering-Plough in Latest Pharma Merger

Drug giant's purchase comes weeks after Pfizer-Wyeth merger

(Newser) - Merck announced today that it will merge with fellow drugmaker Schering-Plough in a $41.1 billion cash-and-stock deal to enlarge its pipeline of new drugs in development, reports the Wall Street Journal. The two companies have already collaborated on cholesterol drug Zetia—whose sales plummeted after a study questioned its...

Dow Rebounds, Rises 142
 Dow Rebounds, Rises 142 
MARKETS

Dow Rebounds, Rises 142

Banks still feel pain ahead of next bailout

(Newser) - Stocks bounced back in the wake of yesterday’s sell-off, with news of a rise in December existing-home sales feeding optimism, the Wall Street Journal reports. Merck continued to rise after reporting a quarterly profit, closing up 7.7% and boosting other pharmaceuticals. The Dow closed up 141.53 points...

Drug Companies Hide Data From Docs
Drug Companies Hide Data
From Docs

Drug Companies Hide Data From Docs

Edited info could mislead those prescribing meds

(Newser) - Pharmaceutical companies aren't as upfront with doctors as they are with the government about their new products, a study finds. Though drug companies must provide the FDA with all of the data from clinical trials, related papers published in medical journals were found to omit info from 20% of the...

Dow Sinks 514 on Bad Earnings
 Dow Sinks 514 on Bad Earnings 
MARKETS

Dow Sinks 514 on Bad Earnings

Third-quarter reports detail suffering across the board

(Newser) - Stocks continued yesterday’s decline amid a wave of poor earnings reports across the board, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow, down at one point nearly 700 points in the final hour, fell 514.45 to close at 8,519.21. The Nasdaq shed 80.93 points, closing at...

Scientists Still Question Popular Drugs Zetia, Vytorin

Much-prescribed cholesterol medicines may not reduce risk of heart disease, death

(Newser) - Some cholesterol medicines have shown no indication they actually work—but that hasn’t stopped doctors from heavily prescribing them, the New York Times reports. Short trials of Zetia and Vytorin, known generically as ezetimibe, showed no evidence they reduced risk of heart attack or cardiovascular disease, while tests raised...

Pharma, Tech Kill Early Gains
 Pharma, Tech Kill Early Gains 
MARKETS

Pharma, Tech Kill Early Gains

Pricier oil, Merck troubles outshine Bank of America's 'success'

(Newser) - The markets failed to hold on to early-session gains today as oil rose above $131 per barrel and the overall economic outlook remained downcast, MarketWatch reports. The Dow lost 29.23 points to close at 11,467.34, the Nasdaq fell 3.25 to 2,279.53, and the S&...

CDC: Older Americans Need Shingles Vaccines

Drug cuts risk of getting disease in half

(Newser) - The CDC is recommending that all adults age 60 and older get vaccinated against shingles, a common condition that can result in chronic plan, the Washington Post reports. Research has found that the recommended Merck vaccine reduces the occurrence of shingles by some 50% in this age group. Only those...

Court Tosses $32M Verdict Against Vioxx

Says evidence insufficient that it contributed to Texan's death

(Newser) - A Texas appellate court threw out a $32 million verdict against Merck today, citing a lack of evidence that Vioxx contributed to a man’s fatal heart attack. Lionel Garza was taking the painkiller when he died in 2001 at age 71, but was also a smoker with high blood...

Congress to Probe 'Misleading' Drug Ads

Cholesterol, anemia drugs in spotlight

(Newser) - A congressional panel will examine three ad campaigns as part of a move to tighten regulations on drug companies' direct-to-consumer marketing, the Wall Street Journal reports. The committee will focus on ads for cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Lipitor, and anemia drug Procrit, which has been promoted as an anti-fatigue drug...

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