In an attempt to inhibit the supply of illegal and dangerous medicines, Operation Pangea II was coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Health Organization’s International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT).

This global initiative, aimed at highlighting the dangers of buying drugs online, lasted for a week and characterized by a series of arrests and seizure of thousands of potentially harmful medical products.

From News-Medical.Net:

During the operation, Internet monitoring revealed 751 websites engaged in illegal activity, including offering controlled or prescription only drugs, 72 of which have now been taken down. In addition, more than 16,000 packages were inspected by regulators and customs, 995 packages were seized and nearly 167,000 illicit and counterfeit pills – including antibiotics, steroids and slimming pills, confiscated.

Twenty-two individuals are currently under investigation for a range of crimes including illegally selling and supplying unlicensed or prescription-only medicines.

“As the very positive results of this global effort are made public, INTERPOL and its member countries will prove again that the Internet is not an anonymous safe haven for those who use it for criminal purposes. We hope that by raising public awareness about the dangers of illegal internet pharmacies, consumers will exercise greater care when purchasing medicines on the Internet,” added Secretary General Noble.

“Our thanks go to the police, customs and regulatory officials in the 24 participating countries as well as to our partner international organizations such as the World Health Organization’s IMPACT, the World Customs Organization and Universal Postal Union whose tireless efforts and dedication have made Operation Pangea II such a success,” Noble concluded.

The operation received significant support from the Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC) the World Customs Organization, the UK’s Medicines and Health Care products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Health Canada.

Tags: antibiotics, slimming pills, steroids

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A promising target to a new class of antibiotics has been identified by Technische Universität München (TUM) researchers.

The discovery is believed to have implications on dealing with bacterial stems that develop resistance to previously considered life-saving antibiotics.

The results were presented in an issue of the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

From Sciencedaily.com:

The cells of virtually all life forms synthesize essential natural substances belonging to the class of terpenes and steroids from the small isoprene building blocks dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). Mammals and a large number of other organisms generate these essential metabolites via the so-called mevalonate pathway. But most human pathogens, including Plasmodium falciparum, have developed an alternate mechanism for producing these important substances. Now, this special pathway may spell doom for those bacteria. The TUM researchers have unraveled the structural basis of the terminal step in bacterial isoprene synthesis. The crucial enzyme has a most unusual structure, similar to a three-leaf clover, and may open a forceful line of attack for custom-tailored antibiotics.

Professor Michael Groll, Dr. Jörg Eppinger and Dr. Tobias Gräwert, biochemists at the Technische Universität München and their team of researchers disclosed in detail the structural basis for new reaction steps important to micro-organisms but playing no relevant role among humans.

Tags: antibiotics, bacterial stems, steroids

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Asthma is one of the most prevalent diseases in today’s times with more than 5 million people being affected with the disease in the United Kingdom alone.

According to a major study in the UK that was highlighted by the researchers examining the medical records of 900,000 asthma patients across the UK, non-prescription of the most suitable inhalers is the biggest reason why asthma sufferers are dying needlessly.

From Bio-medicine.org:

Professor David Price, who led the study, said that there are a wide variety of inhaler devices available for the delivery of medication into the lungs and using the correct inhaler was crucial. He added that outcomes were consistently better in those using the breath-actuated device, with less use of rescue medication for asthma symptoms, fewer courses of steroids and less courses of antibiotics for respiratory infections prescribed to this group.

The study compared asthma control levels and the need and quantity of doctor appointments for patients making use of different devices and it was disclosed that asthma patients had far better control over their disease by making use of inhalers they would activate by breathing in, when compared with the traditional devices commonly recommended by medical practitioners.

Tags: antibiotics, Asthma, asthma control, inhalers, steroids

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Researchers have noted that a simple blood test could solve a treatment-based issue presently faced by doctors in managing patients who develop rashes on a regular basis after transplantation of the bone marrow.

A biomarker was identified by researchers that could make it effective and easier for doctors to ascertain which all of their patients are likely to run a high risk of death due to graft-versus-host disease, or GVHD.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Rashes are very common in patients after bone marrow transplants. They may signal the onset of acute GVHD. But until now, a skin biopsy was the only reliable way for doctors to determine whether the rash is caused by antibiotics commonly used to treat bone marrow transplant patients, or is instead GVHD of the skin, where the disease appears in about half of cases.

Because a firm diagnosis is not easy and the threat of GVHD is grave, many doctors who suspect a rash is due to GVHD prescribe systemic high-dose steroids to suppress GVHD, which further weaken a patient’s already compromised immune system.

The U-M scientists identified a key biomarker or signature protein of GVHD of the skin called elafin. Elafin levels can be measured in a blood test to identify which bone marrow transplant patients with skin rashes actually have GVHD.

The blood test is believed to help in making informed decisions, according to James Ferrara, M.D., Ruth Heyn Endowed Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases and director of the bone marrow transplant program at U-M and senior author of this study.

Tags: antibiotics, GvHD, steroids

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Patients with pneumonia could expect significant relief coming their way with steroids, even better than what could have been achieved with the use of antibiotics alone, as per a study by researchers from the UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Health of a patient with pneumonia can be restored back with a combination of steroids and antibiotics, according to the study.

From News-medical.net:

Adding corticosteroids to traditional antimicrobial therapy might help people with pneumonia recover more quickly than with antibiotics alone, UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have found.

Unlike the anabolic steroids used to bulk up muscle, corticosteroids are often used to treat inflammation related to infectious diseases, such as bacterial meningitis. Used against other infectious diseases, however, steroid therapy has been shown to be ineffective or even harmful.

In a study available online and in a future issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, researchers at UT Southwestern show that mice infected with a type of severe bacterial pneumonia and subsequently treated with steroids and antibiotics recovered faster and had far less inflammation in their lungs than mice treated with antibiotics alone.

The combination can also be effective to provide relief to patients in midst of an asthma attack (M pneumoniae infection).

Clinical trials will soon be conducted to confirm the findings, as per Dr. Robert Hardy, Study’s Senior Author & Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

Tags: anabolic steroids, antibiotics, corticosteroids, pneumonia, steroids

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A class of antibiotics, systematic fluoroquinolones, which is used as a treatment option for bacterial infections, could possibly lead to double vision, as per a review of the safety and efficacy of a commonly-used corneal transplant procedure that was highlighted by September’s Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Administration of fluoroquinolone in a systemic manner to treat a wide range of bacterial infections could result in diplopia or double vision in some of the patients, as per the review.

From News-Medical.net:

The researchers, led by Frederick W. Fraunfelder, M.D., found 171 cases between 1986 and 2009 of fluoroquinolone use associated with double vision through a review of reports from the Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization, and the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects. The median patient age was 51.6 years, medication doses were within recommended levels, and the interval from starting medication to onset of double vision was 9.6 days on average. Medication was discontinued in 53 patients, and diplopia resolved in all cases.

“Doctors need to be aware of this potential reaction when prescribing these antibiotics and consider stopping therapy if diplopia occurs,” Dr. Fraunfelder said. He also said that special care should be taken with patients who are older than 60, have had renal failure, or are taking steroids, and that thorough ophthalmic and neurological exams should be done to rule out other causes of double vision.

Before the review, it was considered that double vision is caused by tendinitis in the muscles around the eyes.

Tags: antibiotics, diplopia, double vision, steroids

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In a bid to highlight the dangers of purchasing drugs online, Operation Pangea II was coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Health Organization’s International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT). This joint operation was exercised to curb the supply of dangerous and illegal medicines.

The global initiative, lasting for a week, was marked by a series of arrests and seizure of thousands of potentially harmful medical products.

From News-Medical.Net:

During the operation, Internet monitoring revealed 751 websites engaged in illegal activity, including offering controlled or prescription only drugs, 72 of which have now been taken down. In addition, more than 16,000 packages were inspected by regulators and customs, 995 packages were seized and nearly 167,000 illicit and counterfeit pills – including antibiotics, steroids and slimming pills, confiscated.

Twenty-two individuals are currently under investigation for a range of crimes including illegally selling and supplying unlicensed or prescription-only medicines.

“As the very positive results of this global effort are made public, INTERPOL and its member countries will prove again that the Internet is not an anonymous safe haven for those who use it for criminal purposes. We hope that by raising public awareness about the dangers of illegal internet pharmacies, consumers will exercise greater care when purchasing medicines on the Internet,” added Secretary General Noble.

“Our thanks go to the police, customs and regulatory officials in the 24 participating countries as well as to our partner international organizations such as the World Health Organization’s IMPACT, the World Customs Organization and Universal Postal Union whose tireless efforts and dedication have made Operation Pangea II such a success,” Noble concluded.

The operation received significant support from the Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC) the World Customs Organization, the UK’s Medicines and Health Care products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Health Canada.

Tags: antibiotics, slimming pills, steroids

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

A lump in the breast region is a possible sign of breast cancer for many of us but we may not be aware of one type of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer that may not be characterized by any lump.

Sofia Merajver, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the Breast Oncology Program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, remarked that this complication warrants urgent diagnosis so that life of afflicted patients could be saved.

From News-Medical.Net:

Inflammatory breast cancer is a very aggressive type of cancer in which the cancerous cells move rapidly throughout the breast and clog the lymph vessels in the skin, causing the breast to look swollen, red, itchy or inflamed. It’s often mistaken for a rash or infection and many women are initially treated with antibiotics or steroids.

“There are many options for treating this disease. In many cases, the treatment is going to be on and off for life. There will be times of remission, but this is a serious disease that has a high chance of recurring,” says Merajver, a professor of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School.

About inflammatory breast cancer

* Represents 3 percent to 6 percent of the 180,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

* With treatment, 20 percent to 40 percent of patients survive 10 years. This is up from 5 percent to 10 percent 20 years ago.

* Characterized by redness, warmth or an orange-skin appearance on the skin of the breast. A persistent red breast should be biopsied promptly.

* May or may not cause a lump or mass.

* Treatment includes aggressive chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiation therapy.

It was also remarked by Merajver that U-M Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic will be turning into a clearinghouse to communicate information pertaining to tertiary care and advice.

Tags: antibiotics, breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, steroids

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A study published on bmj.com has reported that a single dose of corticosteroid drugs together with antibiotics can be used for alleviating pain and this treatment is more effective than with antibiotics alone. However, it was not indicated that this finding holds equally good for children with sore throat.

Dr Matthew Thompson at the University of Oxford and collaborators expected the premise that corticosteroids can successfully ease sore throat symptoms because of their anti-inflammatory effects.

From MedicalNewsToday.com:

The results of eight trials were analyzed. They compared corticosteroids to placebo in adults or children. Overall, 743 patients were involved in the trial, including 369 children and 374 adults. They all had symptoms of severe sore throat.

In order to reduce partiality, variations in study feature and quality were considered.

Results showed patients given corticosteroids together with antibiotics were three times more likely to report total clearing up of pain after 24 hours than patients given placebo. After 48 hours the effect on pain was less evident. According to the authors, this indicates that a single dose of corticosteroids may be sufficient.

In addition, corticosteroids reduced the average time to pain relief by about six hours. But, the researchers specify that considerable effects were observed only in adult patients and only in those receiving oral corticosteroids. After assessing the trials, it was apparent that the use of simple painkillers made no difference.

The authors explain: “These findings suggest that, in patients with severe sore throat, pain can be reduced and resolution hastened by use of corticosteroids in conjunction with antibiotic therapy.” They write in conclusion: “These results may also help to prevent antibiotic use, particularly in the context of delayed prescribing. Future research should focus on the effect of corticosteroids independent of antibiotics.”

It was acknowledged by an associated editorial that steroids can minimize pain in the first day but the editorial cautioned about lack of information on the possible harmful effects.

Tags: antibiotics, corticosteroid, corticosteroids, steroids

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A promising target for a new class of antibiotics has been identified by researchers at the Technische Universität München (TUM). This finding is expected to provide insights on how to tackle with bacterial stems developing resistance to previously life-saving antibiotics.

The new target is expected to cast light on a metabolic step, which appears in many aggressive microorganisms such as malaria or tuberculosis pathogens.

Results of the work by involved researchers were presented in an issue of the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

From Sciencedaily.com:

The cells of virtually all life forms synthesize essential natural substances belonging to the class of terpenes and steroids from the small isoprene building blocks dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). Mammals and a large number of other organisms generate these essential metabolites via the so-called mevalonate pathway. But most human pathogens, including Plasmodium falciparum, have developed an alternate mechanism for producing these important substances. Now, this special pathway may spell doom for those bacteria. The TUM researchers have unraveled the structural basis of the terminal step in bacterial isoprene synthesis. The crucial enzyme has a most unusual structure, similar to a three-leaf clover, and may open a forceful line of attack for custom-tailored antibiotics.

The structural basis for new reaction steps critical to microorganisms but playing no relevant role in humans was described in detail by Professor Michael Groll, Dr. Jörg Eppinger and Dr. Tobias Gräwert, biochemists at the Technische Universität München, and their team of researchers.

Tags: antibiotics, bacterial stems, steroids

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids