Last week The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Taxotere (docetaxel) for the use in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil prior to radiation therapy for the treatment of patients with inoperable, locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

A trial was conducted that included 358 patients with previously untreated, inoperable, locally advanced head and neck cancer. The patients were divided into two groups. One group received Taxotere in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil and the other group received only cisplatin and fluorouracil. Chemotherapy was administered before radiation treatments. The patients that received the Taxotere experienced a longer survival time and a longer time to disease progression.

Steven Galson, M.D., director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said "Today's approval will provide prescribers with a new treatment option that has been shown to help slow the spread of the disease and prolong patient's survival."

Nevada is home to the loneliest road in America, legalized brothels and Las Vegas. Now -- according to a spokesman for Gov. Kenny Guinn -- the state government will help Nevadans with the ability to purchase low-cost prescription drugs from Canada via the internet by providing direct web links to pharmacies in Canada. Nevada is not listening to the staunch objections from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to the fact that it is illegal. The legislators state that the import option is needed because many people pay twice as much for similar prescriptions in this country and often cannot afford the drugs they need to live. Lawmakers contend that the federal policies regarding the ability to obtain low-cost prescription drugs are simply a disgrace.

Nevada lawmakers passed the measure allowing Nevadans access to less expensive prescription drugs from Canada, and Nevada regulators have given approval to move ahead with implementing links to pharmacies in Canada. There will be a warning on the state website saying that the federal government views getting prescriptions filled in Canada with non-FDA-approved drugs an illegal act. The state website and links to Canadian pharmacies is scheduled to go live today.