Bayer AG, Germany's largest pharmaceutical company, will withdraw the liquid formulation of the Leukine cancer drug in the U.S.

Bayer decided to pull out the cancer drug after meeting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on reports of the its side effects including fainting

While the majority of Americans in a national survey released today reported experiencing pain in the past 12 months, many, especially acute pain sufferers, are reluctant to seek professional help or take prescription pills.

In a Harris Interactive survey, sponsored by the National Pain Foundation through a grant from Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, many respondents reported that pain disrupts their work productivity (48 percent), participation in recreational activities (65 percent), ability to take care of their homes and do chores (59 percent), and ability to take care of themselves and family members (41 percent)

Experts have warned that millions of people could be at risk as hundreds of medicinal plants are facing extinction, which could limit the possibility of curing diseases in the future.

According to the reports, over 50 percent of prescription drugs prescribed by doctors are derived from chemicals first identified in plants and it could provoke a global healthcare crisis

With the U.S. Congress asking for information about the Enhance clinical trial on using Vytorin to lower cholesterol the future of the drug is uncertain.

Researchers structured the Enhance study to show a benefit among patients taking Vytorin as a way to document there was less plaque buildup on the carotid arteries of patients who used it so that it slowed the progression of coronary artery disease

Hong Kong's Consumer Council wants tighter government regulation on non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as whitening drips, placenta extracts, carbon dioxide injections and gold thread facelifts. The council is raising the alarm after several incidents of botched cosmetic surgeries recently led to deaths.

The procedures are not under the supervision of the SAR's Pharmacy and Poisons and Medical Registration Ordinance. Hong Kong laws state that substances used for cosmetic injections are not deemed pharmaceutical products, thus there are no legal requirements over its use. The council also pointed out collagens are not considered medical devices in Hong Kong, so its makers may submit to administrative control on a voluntary basis only