Phenoxodiol’s fast track status at FDA generates a lot on interest among men with advanced prostate cancer. But despite evidence that Phenoxodiol delays progression in hormone refractory prostate cancer, is the fast track to FDA approval petering out?

Reuters reports that Panama on Friday”withdrew stocks of a medicine used by thousands to treat high blood pressure after investigations linked it to a mystery illness that has killed 19 people.”

Lisinopril is a drug made by several companies that is used to treat hypertension and heart failure.

“The death toll from the mystery illness — which starts with nausea, fever, diarrhea and weakness, and soon progresses to acute kidney failure, partial paralysis and death — rose by one to 19 on Friday. Another 11 people are sick.

First reported a month ago, the illness has struck mainly elderly men being treated for high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disorders. Most were taking multiple treatments.”
Full story at Reuters.

Starting Monday, U.S. Customs agents no longer will seize Canadian prescription drugs mailed to Americans, federal officials announced. The drug imports are still illegal but customs will let them through.

According to the Mineapolis Star Tribune, “The Department of Homeland Security, which operates Customs, told members of Congress in e-mails Monday that it will stop seizing Canadian drugs and instead will conduct random sampling to identify those that are counterfeit or unsafe.”

Dutch medical researchers say that long-term quality of life among prostate cancer survivors in their country varies by treatment and in one respect, mental health, is better than for men in the same age bracket who have never been treated for prostate cancer.

Long-term prostate cancer survivors 5 to 10 years after diagnosis reported comparable overall health related quality of life but showed worse general health perceptions yet better mental health scores than age-matched men in the general population.

An Australian man has died after swallowing 10,000 times the daily dose of selenium, reports The Age online newspaper. The 75-year-old mistakenly “purchased sodium selenite powder used primarily as a supplement for livestock, swallowing 10 grams.”

The man’s case is reported was reported October 2 in the Medical Journal of Australia (“Accidental death from acute selenium poisoning“).

According to The Age, Australian doctors who treated the 75-year-old “have used his death to highlight the dangers of promoting complementary medicines without adequate instructions.” The doctors blame the internet.

Selenium for human consumption, as sold in pharmacies, health stores and supermarkets , typically comes in 200 microgram pills or capsules, which may be printed “200 mcg.”