Free Republic

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The U.S. government this week bought $290 million in supplies of a drug designed to treat blood cell injuries following radiological and nuclear emergencies as part of what it said were long-standing efforts to prepare for potential health impacts from threats to national security. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services purchased the drug Nplate from Amgen Inc. When asked whether the purchase, announced Tuesday, was linked to tensions with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, an HHS spokesperson said it was part of ongoing efforts to prepare for a wide range of threats including chemical, biological, radiological,...

Autopsy Shows Withdrawn Drug Was Helping Man With Parkinson'sBy Randolph E. Schmid Associated Press Writer Published: Jul 1, 2005 WASHINGTON (AP) - A drug withdrawn from clinical trials because of safety concerns was helping regrow nerve fibers in the brain of a man with Parkinson's disease, scientists report. The finding probably will renew debate over the drug, GDNF. It had offered encouragement to people with Parkinson's who reported improvement when using it in trials. But the drug was withdrawn by the manufacturer, Amgen Inc., this year. Some of those patients in the trial sued Amgen to get continued supplies of...