American Chemical Society's weekly PressPac -- Jan. 2, 2008

CONTACT:
Patricia Nyman
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
College Park, Md. 20740
Phone: 301-436-1679
Email:

ARTICLE #3 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toward solving the mystery of idiosyncratic drug reactions
Chemical Research in Toxicology

A mysterious and unpredictable group of side effects from modern medications called idiosyncratic drug reactions (IDRs) likely will persist as a major health care problem unless there is a dramatic increase in research funding, according to a 20-year review of research in the field scheduled for the January issue of ACS’ Chemical Research in Toxicology, a monthly journal.

The review, by Jack Uetrecht, defines IDRs as reactions that happen unexpectedly and with no obvious connection to the known effects of a medication’s ingredients or dosage. Although relatively rare, IDRs make an important contribution to the annual burden of death, illness, and increased health care costs from serious adverse drug reactions. In addition, serious IDRs that appear after a new drug has gone into wide use can force drug companies to withdraw products after R&D investments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

Two decades of research have produced significant progress, the report acknowledges. However, medical science still has only a “superficial” understanding of how and why IDRs occur and a growing recognition that the mechanisms behind IDRs may be as complicated as those involved in cancer or diabetes. The review describes a need for increased research funding, with more scientists focusing on IDRs, in order to achieve faster progress. — JS

ARTICLE #3 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Idiosyncratic Drug Reactions: Past, Present, and Future”

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CONTACT:
Jack Uetrecht, M. D., Ph.D.
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada M5S, 3M2
Phone: 416-978-8939
Fax: 416-978-8511
Email:

ARTICLE #4 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toward preventing the warping and splitting of wood
Biomacromolecules

Scientists in France and Japan report an advance toward unlocking the secrets of “tension wood (TW),” a step that could have practical applications in preventing costly warping and splitting of wood used in construction projects. The report is scheduled for the Jan. 14 issue of ACS’ Biomacromolecules, a bi-monthly journal.

In the study, Bruno Clair and colleagues point out that whereas normal wood tends to shrink a small amount when dried, TW undergoes surprisingly high shrinkage. This shrinkage makes it undesirable for use in sun decks and other construction applications. Now, researchers want a valid explanation for this phenomenon.