Pharmacy Technology

PHILADELPHIA The Food and Drug Administration did not completely withdraw from the market a drug used to treat a dangerous low blood pressure condition, but merely proposed to do so as a “step in the regulatory process,” according to a document posted on the agency’s website Monday.

The agency said its proposal last month to withdraw approval for Shire’s drug ProAmatine (midodrine) did not represent the actual withdrawal of the drug from the market, while calling for more data on the drug to verify its clinical benefit.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT It’s about time.

(THE NEWS: NACDS, NCPA in joint statement praise CMS' move to withdraw provisions of AMP rule currently blocked by injunction. For the full story, click here)

BOSTON Close to 400 drugs and vaccines are in development for fighting infectious diseases, according to one of the pharmaceutical industry’s largest lobbying groups.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America announced Friday that drug makers have 395 new medicines and vaccines in clinical development or under review by the Food and Drug Administration. These include five vaccines and six drugs for malaria, as well as agents for infections like cholera, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the Ebola virus.

NEW YORK Revlon has partnered with its global artistic director Gucci Westman to help create the beauty looks for spring 2011 during New York Fashion Week, Sept. 9 to 16.

During New York Fashion Week, Westman is leading her team of makeup artists to create beauty looks that are gracing the runways at such shows as Richard Chai, Rag & Bone, Ohne Titel and Oscar de la Renta.

In addition to New York City, Westman also will be backstage with Revlon during London and Paris Fashion Weeks.

NEW YORK Coty has signed German supermodel and TV presenter Heidi Klum as the new face and artistic adviser for the global beauty brand Astor.

The first-of-its-kind creative collaboration allows the Astor brand to integrate Klum's fashion-forward point of view into the brand collections and capitalize on the style trends, as part of the company's mission to introduce the brand to a new audience and speak to consumers in a new way.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. Johnson & Johnson is seeking to aid the health of women and children in developing countries with a new initiative.

J&J's Every Mother, Every Child effort is supporting the United Nations' effort to reduce mortality in women and children by 2015. The effort includes treatments for intestinal worms, health information for pregnant women over existing mobile phones, research and development of new medicines for HIV and tuberculosis, and efforts focused on enhancing birth safety and improving health.