Washington government announced that 6% reduction in Medicaid reimbursements for brand-name prescription drugs will be effective from May 1. The government is also insisting on cheaper, generic drugs for low-income Medicaid clients if available and equivalent to brand-name drugs. As a revolt against to new rule, Walgreen, one of the largest U. S. pharmacy chains has planned to withdraw 44 of its 111 pharmacies from the Medicaid program. Walgreen has track record of providing efficient service to people.

Trails result of the experimental obesity drug by Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA. O) showed that the drug only helped in reducing 10 pounds. The trails results led to fall of shares of company.

Arena Pharmaceuticals said its two-year study on lorcaserin met all primary goals and showed the drug was well-tolerated by patients. The drug showed statistical significance in weight loss compared with patients on a placebo. After 12 months, patients on lorcaserin lost an average of 5.8% of body weight, or 12.7 pounds, compared with 2.2%, or 4.7 pounds, for the placebo group.

Recent approved efficiency of "Polypill," a cheap five-in-one pill in reducing the average person's risk of heart disease and stroke. This new pill is combination of five heart drugs -- three blood-pressure-lowering drugs, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, and aspirin.

Research team led by Salim Yusuf, MD, of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario analyzed data collected from more than 2,000 people with one heart disease risk factor, such as obesity, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

Setton Farms in Terra Bella, California, the second-largest pistachio processor in the United States, is recalling roasted pistachio products under suspicion of presence of salmonella. However no illness has been reported due to consumption of its products.

Dr. David Acheson, FDA's associate commissioner said that salmonella strains were found last week during routine test by Kraft Foods, one of about three dozen companies that purchase pistachios from Setton Farms.

U. S. Food and Drug Administration gave given green signal to Afinitor made by Novartis for treating advanced kidney cancer in people that is ineffective to other therapies. Afinitor works by blocking cells' ability to communicate hence preventing the growth of tumors.

FDA said patients tested with Novartis' Afinitor lived more than twice as long without tumor growth as those who didn't receive the drug. The study by the Swiss drugmaker showed Afinitor delayed tumor growth nearly 5 months, compared with less than two months for patients not taking the drug.

According to reports, Fortis Healthcare is likely to strike a deal to get hold of 74% equity stake in unlisted Wockhardt Hospitals for about Rs 7.5 billion.

If the deal get finalizes, Fortis will have to invest Rs 4 billion during the initial phase to acquire a 40% equity stake, which will be raised later.

But, a formal agreement is yet to be sealed, with both companies in the process of ironing out differences, which include the issue of branding the hospital chain, the report added.