FDA grants accelerated approval for Keytruda for lung cancer treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval on Friday for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to treat patients with advanced (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has progressed after other treatments and with tumors that express a protein called PD-L1. Keytruda, marketed by Merck, works by targeting the cellular pathway known as PD-1/PD-L1, which are proteins found on the body’s immune cells and some cancer cells. Through blocking this pathway, Keytr Read More »

CDC applauds U.S. pharmacists for improving access to vaccines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a letter recognizing the role pharmacists play in improving access to vaccines.“Over the last 20 years, pharmacists have played an expanding role in reducing the risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses by increasing the public’s awareness of the importance of vaccines and improving patient access to vaccination services throughout the United States,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, said in the letter. Read More »