Valeant Pharmaceuticals Announces Availability of Complimentary ``Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects For Dummies'' Cancer Chemotherapy Resource; Special Edition ``For Dummies''(R) Book Now Available for Cancer Chemotherapy Patients and Caregivers.COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Valeant Pharmaceuticals International is a pharmaceutical company with activities spanning the drug discovery pipeline from target identification through clinical trials and commercialization. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :VRX VRX Virtual Resources Executive VRX Voice Receive Mode ) today announced that it will make available a new complimentary resource, "Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects For Dummies," for cancer chemotherapy patients and their caregivers. The special edition book from the popular "For Dummies" series was written by a medical oncologist, a supportive care physician and nurse and a professional writer, who is a cancer survivor, to help manage the disease and its treatment side effects, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting Nausea and Vomiting Definition Nausea is the sensation of being about to vomit. Vomiting, or emesis, is the expelling of undigested food through the mouth. (CINV CINV Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting ), and is available at www.chemofordummies.com. The availability of the special edition book coincides with the recent announcement by Valeant for the availability of Cesamet (CII CII Confederation of Indian Industry CII Chartered Insurance Institute (UK) CII Construction Industry Institute (University of Texas) CII Council of Institutional Investors ) (nabilone) Capsules, a synthetic cannabinoid cannabinoid /can·nab·i·noid/ (kah-nab´i-noid) any of the principles of Cannabis, including tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol, and cannabidiol. can·nab·i·noid n. approved for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conventional anti-emetic treatments. "In addition to making Cesamet available for patients who continue to struggle with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting despite their current treatment options, we are excited to provide an important, complimentary resource for the cancer community that supports them in managing common side effects associated with the condition," said Wes P. Wheeler, Valeant's president of North America and product development. Nausea and vomiting are two of the most feared side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatment. Inadequately controlled nausea and vomiting can lead to poor patient compliance with treatment, up to and including complete cessation of potentially life-saving therapy. Despite the availability of several classes of anti-emetics, 40 to 60 percent of patients still report experiencing CINV. "Patients are overwhelmed by the amount of information that physicians share with them about cancer, its treatments and potential side effects. 'Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects For Dummies' is a resource that can empower patients and their caregivers to feel more comfortable when talking about side effects of cancer chemotherapy such as CINV," said Neal Slatkin, M.D., DABPM DABPM Diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine and director, Department of Supportive Care, Pain and Palliative Medicine at City of Hope. "It's important that patients know there are new ways to manage these side effects so they do not refuse therapy that could save their life." Valeant received approval for Cesamet from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. ) on May 15, 2006 for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conventional anti-emetic treatments. Cesamet is a synthetic cannabinoid, with a significantly different mechanism of action from conventional anti-emetics. Valeant currently sells Cesamet in Canada, where the product has an 87 percent share of the cannabinoid market, according to IMS (1) See IP Multimedia Subsystem. (2) (Information Management System) An early IBM hierarchical DBMS for IBM mainframes. IMS was widely implemented throughout the 1970s under MVS and continues to be used under z/OS. Compuscript data from June 2006. Important Safety Information Cesamet, a synthetic cannabinoid similar to the active ingredient found in naturally occurring Cannabis sativa L. (Marijuana; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabainol (delta-9-THC)), is contraindicated in any patient who has a history of hypersensitivity to any cannabinoid. Patients receiving treatment with Cesamet should be specifically warned not to drive, operate machinery, or engage in any hazardous activity while receiving Cesamet. During controlled clinical trials of Cesamet, virtually all patients experienced at least one adverse reaction. The most commonly encountered events were drowsiness, vertigo, dry mouth, euphoria (feeling "high"), ataxia ataxia (ətăk`sēə), lack of coordination of the voluntary muscles resulting in irregular movements of the body. Ataxia can be brought on by an injury, infection, or degenerative disease of the central nervous system, e.g. , headache, and concentration difficulties. Cesamet should not be taken with alcohol, sedatives, hypnotics, or other psychoactive substances because these substances can potentiate po·ten·ti·ate v. 1. To make potent or powerful. 2. To enhance or increase the effect of a drug. 3. To promote or strengthen a biochemical or physiological action or effect. the central nervous system effects of nabilone. Since Cesamet can elevate supine and standing heart rates and cause postural hypotension, it should be used with caution in the elderly, and in patients with hypertension or heart disease. Cesamet should also be used with caution in patients with current or previous psychiatric disorders, (including manic depressive illness Noun 1. manic depressive illness - a mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression bipolar disorder, manic depression, manic-depressive psychosis , depression, and schizophrenia) as the symptoms of these disease states may be unmasked by the use of cannabinoids Cannabinoids The chemical compounds that are the active principles in marijuana. Mentioned in: Marijuana . Cesamet should be used with caution in individuals receiving concomitant therapy with sedatives, hypnotics, or other psychoactive drugs because of the potential for additive or synergistic CNS See Continuous net settlement. CNS See continuous net settlement (CNS). effects. Cesamet should be used with caution in patients with a history of substance abuse, including alcohol abuse or dependence and marijuana use, since Cesamet contains a similar active compound to marijuana. Cesamet should be used with caution in pregnant patients, nursing mothers, or pediatric patients because it has not been studied in these patient populations. For complete prescribing details, please see full prescribing information. For product-related questions, call Valeant Pharmaceuticals at 1-877-361-2719 or visit www.cesamet.com. About "For Dummies"(R) With near universal name recognition, more than 150 million books in print, and over 900 topics, "For Dummies" is the world's bestselling reference series. With loyal customers around the globe, "For Dummies" enriches people's lives by making knowledge accessible in a fun and easy way. Described by the N.Y. Times as "more than a publishing phenomenon, but a sign of the times A Sign of the Times was a 1966 single by Petula Clark. Written by Tony Hatch, the uptempo pop number juxtaposed Clark's driving vocals with a powerful brass section. She introduced the tune on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 27, 1966. ," "For Dummies" span every section of the bookstore, covering everything from health to history, music to math, sports to self-help, technology to travel, and more. The "For Dummies" brand has expanded into new products and categories with an extensive licensed product line, including fitness and hobby DVDs, grilling kits, business software, cleaning products, automotive kits, craft kits, and apparel. For more information, visit www.dummies.com. "For Dummies" is a branded imprint of Wiley. About Valeant Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE:VRX) is a global specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of pharmaceutical products primarily in the areas of neurology, infectious disease and dermatology. More information about Valeant can be found at www.valeant.com. Cesamet is a trademark of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International or its related companies. All other trademarks are the trademarks or the registered trademarks of their respective owners. |
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