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The European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) was founded 25 years ago by more than 20 national pharmaceutical societies and faculty members. As a pan‐European organization, it brings together pharmaceutical societies as well as academic, industrial and regulatory scientists engaged in drug research and development, drug regulation and education of professionals working in these fields. EUFEPS represents pharmaceutical sciences in Europe and is recognized as such by both the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency. EUFEPS cooperates with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and other European organizations and maintains global connections with agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. EUFEPS has established specified networks forming the basis of its activities. The creation of a Network on Veterinary Medicines is prompted by the manifold problems resulting from the use of veterinary drugs and its inherent interconnections with human medicine, environmental and public health. A long‐term goal of this initiative was to expand the spectrum of available therapeutics for use in animals, including the development of innovative delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine hundred and fifty-two fleas were collected from 148 cats and 133 dogs at 18 widely distributed geographic locations in Germany and France and examined for the presence of six different Bartonella spp. ( Bartonella bacilliformis, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana, Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii) by PCR. Thirty-five specimens (3.7%) tested positive for either B. henselae (14 positive fleas) or B. clarridgeiae (21 positive fleas). DNA of other Bartonella spp. were not detected. Bartonella clarridgeiae was the dominating species in samples from France (19 out of 22 positive fleas), whereas B. henselae was more frequent in Germany (11 out of 13 positive fleas). With 3.5% (22 out of 632 fleas) in France and 4.1% (13 out of 320 fleas) in Germany, the overall prevalences of pathogen did not vary significantly between the flea populations of both countries. 5.4% of cats in France versus 16.1% of cats from Germany were infested by fleas carrying Bartonella, whereas 9.5% of dogs in France but none of the examined dogs from Germany were infested by Bartonella positive fleas. The molecular evidence of Bartonella infections reveals that agents of zoonotic potential are established in flea populations in Germany and France and that the spectrum of species can vary significantly from country to country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficacy and safety of treatment with imidacloprid 10%+moiddectin 2.5% spot–on (Advocate®, Advantage multi®; Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) were tested in dogs naturally infested with Sarcoptes scabiei or Otodectes cynotis in a multi–centre, controlled, randomized, blinded field study conducted in France, Germany, Albania and the UK. The study was performed according to a non–inferiority design to demonstrate that the efficacy of imidacloprid/moxidectin spot–on was not inferior to that of a control product containing selamectin (Stronghold spot–on; Pfizer). All Sarcoptes–infested dogs were topically treated twice (days 0 and 28) with the dosage recommended by the respective manufacturer (27 dogs with imidacloprid/moxidectin, 26 with selamectin). All Otodectes–infested dogs were treated on day 0 (35 dogs with imidacloprid/moxidectin, 34 with selamectin), and only those still positive on day 28 received a second treatment. Parasitological cure rate in Sarcoptes–infested dogs was 100% for both treatments, while parasitological cures rates in the Otodectes–infested dogs at day 28 and day 56 were 68.6 and 85.7% with imidacloprid/moxidectin, and 64.7 and 88.2% with Stronghold. Non–inferiority of Advocate was confirmed statistically. Clinical assessment of skin lesion scores at day 56 showed that with either product >96% of the dogs treated against sarcoptic mange were improved or cured, the difference between the groups being non–significant. On the basis of a final clinical assessment of lesion scores, 80% of the dogs treated with imidacloprid/moxidectin against otoacariosis and 85.3% of those treated with selamectin were rated cured or improved. Only three mild, possibly drug–relatedBadverse reactions were observed among alI treated animals (two in the imidacloprid/moxidectin group, one in the selamectin group). It is concluded that imidacloprid/moxidectin spot–on is an effective and safe treatment for sarcoptic mange and otoacariosis in the dog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dexrazoxane combined with doxorubicin (+ 5-fluorouracil + cyclophosphamide - the FAC regime) leads to a significant decrease in doxorubicin cardiotoxicity and a significant increase in median survival time for patients with advanced breast cancer responsive to FAC. The reason for this increase in survival may be due to interference with the mechanism involved in the emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR). In order to test this hypothesis, we induced resistance to doxorubicin in the K562 cell line by growing cells in increasing concentrations of doxorubicin (10-30 nM) in the presence and absence of dexrazoxane (20 nM). The doxorubicin sensitivity of all resultant sublines was measured using the MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to assess the MDR1 phenotype, measuring P-glycoprotein expression with MRK 16 antibody and drug accumulation in the presence and absence of PSC 833 for functional P-glycoprotein. Long-term growth in doxorubicin increased the cellular resistance (IC[SUB50]) of K562 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (r[SUP2] = 0.908). Doxorubicin resistance was not induced in the presence of dexrazoxane (P < 0.0001) for several months. In parallel, the expression of functional P-glycoprotein was delayed after concomitant addition of dexrazoxane to the selecting medium (P < 0.001). Dexrazoxane did not act as a conventional modulator of P-glycoprotein. These results suggest that dexrazoxane may delay the development of MDR1, thus allowing responders to the FAC regime to continue to respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports global developments in medicine as of December 1988. Improvements in the practice of occupational health services in Great Britain; Effects of continuing war on the health services and development projects in Sudan; Effectiveness of interleukin-2 on cancer treatment.