ARLINGTON, Va. October 23, 2000 During the turn of the 20th century, most people died from communicable diseases. According to the World Health Organization, in 2000, non-communicable diseases cause approximately 60 percent of the worlds deaths. More than 7,000 attendees at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting will discuss the worlds unmet medical needs and share new technologies, clinical research and the latest drug therapies that are expected to impact this centurys greatest health needs.
The AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition: Unmet Medical Needs: Therapies for a New Millennium will be held Oct. 29 Nov. 2 in Indianapolis. In addition to roundtable discussions, more than 1,800 scientific research studies will be presented. Here is a sampling:
Warning to Consumers Taking St. Johns Wort It is estimated that one out of five people using prescription anti-depressant medications also take the popular dietary supplement St. Johns Wort in hopes of additional mood elevation (JAMA, 1998: 280, pgs. 1569-1575). A new study released at the AAPS Annual Meeting shows that the effect of many prescription medications may be dramatically reduced when combined with St. John's Wort. In fact, this study shows a staggering 50 percent of all prescription and over-the-counter medications, when combined with St. Johns Wort, become ineffective. Most at risk are those taking birth control pills, heart medications, antibiotics, sedatives, protease inhibitors (used by AIDS patients) and others.
AIDS Medications Evolving From 15 Pills to Two a Day AIDS sufferers currently can take 15 pills or more a day to control the virus. A new drug being eva
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Contact: Marie Bertot
bertot@nixongroup.com
305-573-9955
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
22-Oct-2000