More than skin deep

NitroMed Inc. has taken the first steps toward understanding why its BiDil heart failure treatment works better in African Americans than in white patients. Ultimately, this could lead to a more scientific - and potentially broader - label than the current one, which says the drug is indicated for "self-identified black patients."

Separately last week, NIH researchers published evidence for a genetic association for drug-response outcomes to a marketed antidepressant, which also suggested further avenues for study of race-based responses to drugs...