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A new study from Sweden found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, with the most severe form of the disease, are some 70 times (7000%) more likely to develop lymphoma than patients with a mild form of the disease.

The data from this study offer strong evidence that the elevated lymphoma risk among RA patients is linked to the disease rather than to the medications used to treat it. (more…)

Reuters Health is reporting that according to researchers, a “newly identified virus, tentatively called XMRV, seems to be associated with the development of prostate cancer in genetically susceptible men.”

The findings were presented Friday morning in San Francisco at the 2006 Prostate Cancer Symposium. (more…)

By Steven DiJoseph

Although the American Academy of Dermatology and other critics of the iPledge registry (designed to prevent pregnant women from using the acne drug Accutane) mounted a last-minute campaign to further postpone the system from going into effect, the FDA has decided to adhere to the March 1 starting date.

After only a few months of trial use of the registry system, the nation’s leading dermatology association told an FDA advisory panel that the program was a “disaster.” The program was originally scheduled to begin on November 1, 2005.

According to Academy member Dr. Diane M. Thiboutot: “Pharmacies, prescribers and patients are confused and frustrated.” There have been hundreds of complaints from dermatologists prompting the association to request that the FDA delay the system’s mandatory starting date of March 1 by at least two months. (more…)