Octagam (Immune Globulin Intravenous (human)) 5% Liquid Preparation: Market Withdrawal - Risk of Thromboembolic Events

www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm223968.htm[more]

Study: Hepatitis B-like viruses are millions of years old

Researchers studying the genetic makeup of songbirds found evidence that a family of hepatitis B-like viruses, called hepadnaviruses, are at least 19 million years old. About 75% of the discovered virus fragments are similar to...[more]

Embolic Events Force IVIG Product Recall

All lots of Octapharma USA's 5% liquid intravenous immune globulin product Octagam have been recalled because of an unexpected number of thromboembolic events seen after administration, the FDA announced. The company had...[more]

Blood center discovers West Nile virus in donation

Wisconsin has reported the first human case of West Nile virus in the state this year. The BloodCenter of Wisconsin discovered the virus during routine testing of donated blood. American City Business Journals/Milwaukee

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HIV Prevalence Remains High Among Gay Men

n 2008, the prevalence of HIV was 19% among more than 8,000 men who have sex with men (MSM), the CDC reported. And of those infected in the cohort, 44% were not aware of the fact, the agency reported in the Sept. 24 issue of...[more]

Weight-Based Dosing Best for New HCV Drug (CME/CE)

When given in doses based on weight, an investigational prodrug of ribavirin had efficacy comparable to ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C but with less hemolytic anemia, researchers reported. In a phase IIb trial, the drug --...[more]

Analyst: Recall of Octapharma product could benefit CSL, Baxter

The recall of Octapharma's intravenous immunoglobulin product Octagam 5% would allow the company's rivals, CSL and Baxter International, to gain "high single digit growth" in sales of IVIG products, wrote UBS analyst...[more]