Gleevec wins new approvals and a warning

The FDA has approved Novartis' Gleevec for five rare diseases. The approval came as the drug maker announced that a new warning about congestive heart failure would be placed on the drug. Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society said that patients should take note of the new warning, but emphasized that the benefits of Gleevec still far outweighed the risks associated with taking it.

- read the AP report on the approvals
- and the Forbes report on the new warning