Steroids Blog

Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at all stages of the disease can benefit from cataract surgery, as per a published study in this month’s Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy).

It was revealed in the study that the steroid triamcinolone can prove very effective to treat diabetic macular edema (DME) patients when standard treatment options have failed to live up to the expectations.

From News-Medical.Net:

Cataract surgery improved vision in patients with any stage-from mild to advanced- AMD in the first study to include an adequate number of advanced AMD patients. Data was obtained from the multicenter, prospective Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), which was organized primarily to evaluate the effects of high-dose vitamin and mineral supplements on cataract and AMD. As the American population ages AMD prevalence is expected to rise, and many patients will concurrently develop cataract; both diseases can cause blindness if untreated.

“Earlier epidemiology had suggested cataract surgery might worsen AMD, so the data from the AREDS cohort study were evaluated to answer this important question,” said Emily Y. Chew, MD, who led the study for NEI.

Mark Gillies, PhD, lead researchers, remarked that IVTA (intravitreal triamcinolone) treatment can be considered by doctors while selecting advanced DME patients when standard treatment options have failed to deliver the expected results.

United Natural Products Association (UNPA) pledges to work hand-in-hand with FDA to ensure that they would be able to achieve their common objective, which is to bring safety to US consumers. The FDA’s action is essential step towards eliminating all harmful and illegal dietary products in the market.

Commissioner Margaret Hamburg and Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein of the US Food and Drug Administration was commended by Executive Director of the United Natural Products Association (UNPA) Loren Israelsen, for the agency’s immediate action to recall five products illegally marketed as sports enhancing supplements.

According to the UNPA executive director, the agency is firm in their commitment to steer toward a stronger enforcement of the nation’s dietary supplement laws.

Ms. Israelsen further added that the step taken by FDA is significant to assure safety in the dietary supplement marketplace.

These five products illegally marketed as dietary supplement are Bromodrol, Dual Action Grow Tabs, Grow Tabs, Mass Tabs and Ripped Tabs TR. They are found to contain steroids substances that were not declared in the products’ information label. Furthermore, these products are considered to be controlled substances and are prohibited by law.

The UNPA is committed to provide consumers products, which are all-natural, reliable and only of the highest quality.

From NPI Center:

It is clear to us that the five products the FDA recalls today — Bromodrol, Dual Action Grow Tabs, Grow Tabs, Mass Tabs, and Ripped Tabs TR– have been illegally marketed as dietary supplements, since they contain undeclared steroid substances, which under law are considered to be drugs.

Three defendants who were a part of the largest illegal steroids investigation on history in 2007 called “Operation Juice Box” was sentenced in a federal court on November 16. The operation was a part of “Operation Raw Deal”. It targets anabolic steroids trafficking as well as the import of raw materials mainly from China.

Bryan Wilson, 40, a former resident of Columbia but now lives in Kansas City was sentenced to two years and eleven months in federal prison. April Jones, 35, his former wife, faces only six months of imprisonment. Both sentences are not entitled to a parole.

Wilson faces charges of conspiracy to sell anabolic steroids and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jones, on the other hand, faces one count of money laundering

The third defendant is Jason Varner, 35, of Jefferson City. He attempted to buy steroids worth $10,000. His case was separate although related to the two previous cases. He received three years probation with three months house arrest.

Wilson was arrested on September 15 where he was found to possess one kilogram of raw steroid powder at the Nifong UPS store. Wilson and his ex-wife used to deal steroids illegally from 2003 to September 15, 2007.

From Missourian:

COLUMBIA — Three defendants arrested as part of the largest illegal steroid investigation in history were sentenced in a federal court on Monday, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Missouri.

GMP herbal Products has recalled Pai You Guo, a weight loss dietary supplement manufactured by the company due to its harmful ingredients not declared in the label.

The product was found to contain prohibited substances like phenolphthalein and sibutramine. Phenolphthalein is a suspected cancer-causing substance. It is usually used in chemical experiments and is not approved for marketing in the US. Meanwhile, Sibutramine is a substance that could cause increase in blood pressure and pulse rate in some patients. It could cause complications for those with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia or stroke.

The US FDA has not approved Pai You Guo, therefore, its effectiveness and safety is still unknown. However, according to the Westminster-based California company, no illness or injuries has been reported due to the use of their recalled product.

The manufacturers of Bromodrol, Dual Action Grow Tabs, Grow Tabs, Mass Tabs, and Ripped Tabs TR have also started recalling its products. It has been found to contain steroids. It cause may cause acute injuries to the liver and kidneys, heart attack, stroke and death. So far, no reports of injuries or illnesses have been reported according to the manufacturer IDS Sports.

From The Associated Press:

Steroids can cause acute liver injuries; an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and death; shrinkage of the testes; male infertility; masculinization of women; breast enlargement in males; short stature in children; an increased predilection to misuse drugs and alcohol; and adverse effects on blood lipid levels.

Former Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Jose Canseco may have longed retired from baseball and has moved on to boxing but his reputation will also be connected with steroids use during his MLB days.

He was recently at the 350 Grill in Springfield to promote his fight with Todd Poulton at the Springfield Sheraton on November 6.

After the preliminary introductions of seven fighters, one trainer and one promoter, Celebrity Boxing promoter Damon Feldman opened the floor for questions.

Imagine Canseco’s disappointment when the first question thrown at him did not have something to do with the fight or his boxing career in general. Instead, it was about how he advises his son to stay away from steroids use.

According to Canseco, he simply tells his son not to do it. After retiring from baseball, Canseco turned to boxing and mixed martial arts.

His recent MMA fights include a fight with a Japanese professional but he lost in less than two minutes, a lost fight with former Philadelphia Eagle Vai Sikahema and a draw with former child actor Danny Bonaduce.

Canseco wrote two books about steroids and did a documentary about his life on his steroids abuse. In April, he gave a talk at the University of Southern California. In May, after Ramirez tested positive for steroids, he called his own press conference at his Beverly Hills home with only one reporter showing up.

From The Berkshire Eagle:

SPRINGFIELD – Jose Canseco swaggered in wearing designer jeans, a leather jacket, a tight, white shirt and sunglasses that didn’t leave his eyes for an entire press conference — or as he sipped a drink in a dimly lit bar afterwards.

According to a report from Decision Resources, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, Abbott/Eisai’s Humira is about to earn Gold Standard Status for UV (Ulcerative Colitis) in 2012.

The report consisted of the fact that surveying gastroenterologists have been successful in finding the effect of a therapy on remission induction. This effect is considered to be an important attribute in influencing research decisions in a positive manner in moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UV). It was also revealed that corticosteroids have an advantage over Remicade in this attribute.

From Bio-Medicine.Org:

The new report entitled Ulcerative Colitis: Opportunity Awaits Therapies That Treat Moderate to Severe Disease More Effectively Than Infliximab finds that a drug that maintains remission in a higher percentage of patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis than infliximab at one year would earn a 30 percent patient share in the United States and a 15 percent patient share in Europe, according to surveyed U.S. and European gastroenterologists.

In 2008, Decision Resources’ proprietary clinical gold standard for ulcerative colitis was prednisone. Based on available data and expert opinion, Abbott/Eisai’s Humira (adalimumab) will earn gold-standard status for ulcerative colitis in 2012, following its approval for the indication in 2011. Interviewed experts believe that adalimumab has potential to be superior in maintenance of remission when compared to infliximab.

Decision Resources Analyst Benjamin Guikema, Ph.D., remarked that adalimumab is far better than infliximab for maintenance setting. The fact that adalimumab provides a reduced risk of prominent organ besides being more safe and tolerable as compared to any other present-day drug was the reason behind study findings.