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LONDON — The global market for drugs to treat constipation resulting from use of opioid painkillers will increase more than tenfold by 2017, according to new research.

NEW YORK — A coalition of organizations that includes major retail pharmacy and drug manufacturing groups is warning consumers against purchasing drugs from foreign, online outlets.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A new strength of a drug for athlete's foot made by Merz Pharma Group has become available, the company said Thursday.

Merz, the U.S. affiliate of Germany-based Merz Pharma Group, announced the nationwide availability of Naftin (naftifine hydrochloride) gel in the 2% strength, a topical treatment for the foot fungus infection known medically as tinea pedis. The company called the new drug an improvement on the original 1% Naftin.

LONDON — The drug market in Brazil is expected to grow to nearly $60 billion by the next decade, but problems remain with coverage of the population, according to a new report.

The report, by research and consulting firm GlobalData, found that the Brazilian market would experience compounded annual growth of 12.7%, expanding from $12.4 billion in 2007 to $58.8 billion in 2020.

SILVER SPRING, Md. – One of the Food and Drug Administration's top regulators is not retiring, contrary to rumors reported in news media Thursday.

In a memo sent out to staff, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research director Janet Woodcock wrote that she would not retire, but was becoming "more deeply involved" in such activities as proposed reorganizations of the Office of Pharmaceutical Quality and the Office of Generic Drugs.

TITUSVILLE, N.J. — A subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson has acquired rights to an experimental drug for hepatitis C from GlaxoSmithKline.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals announced that it had bought, for an undisclosed among, the drug GSK2336805 from GSK. The drug, which belongs to a class known as NS5a replication complex inhibitors, is currently in mid-stage development.

NEW YORK — A new law in Maine will allow consumers to purchase drugs by mail order from some pharmacies overseas, according to published reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the law, a first, had sparked lawsuits from drug companies, who say the law will threaten patient safety by opening the U.S. supply chain to counterfeit and adulterated medications. Supporters of the law, including Republican Gov. Paul LePage, say drug makers are more concerned about losing money from the law.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Flu is at the top of the list of diseases older adults plan to ask about, according to results from a new Harris Interactive consumer awareness survey, sponsored by Merck. Most of the more than 600 surveyed adults age 60 years and older are at least somewhat likely to ask their healthcare professional about preventing the flu this year, and are significantly more likely to ask about this than prevention of such other potentially serious diseases as shingles.