Link Roundup, Drug-Withdrawal edition

Pergolide, dopamine agonist used as an adjunct to L-Dopa and Carbidopa, is withdrawn voluntarily when evidence showing that the drug increases the risk of damage to heart valves puts the drug on tremulous ground. *Rimshot*

In crappier news, IBS pro-motile drug Zelnorm apparently increases the risk of pretty much everything. FDA asks Novartis nicely to please quit selling people heart attacks and strokes.

Some NIH folks figured out that when monkeys concentrate voluntarily, their prefrontal cortex is in charge, while distractions activate the parietal cortex. ADHD neuroscientists start writing new grants furiously, buying extra bananas.

Nature addresses the growth of dichloroacetate sales (for veterinary uses *wink nudge*) on the internet for cancer patients, and how such activity, besides being illegal, throws a huge monkey wrench into the process of actually testing DCA in real clinical trials.

While the FDA hasn't found anything particularly wrong with Pfizer's inhaled insulin formulation Exubera, doctors and insurance companies just aren't impressed.