InjuryBoard Philadelphia Archives

• Danger of Accidental Acetaminophen Toxicity for Hepatitis Patients

  Jamie Sheller | May 29, 2006 2:53 PM | 0 Comments
  Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs

  Hepatitis patients who use common over-the-counter cold and flu medicines may suffer acute liver failure caused by acetaminophen toxicity. Many cold and flu products, such as Nyquil and Theraflu, contain acetaminophen. A well-known side effect of acetaminophen is liver toxicity. However, many people using the over-the-counter medications do not know that their over-the-counter medicine...

• Study Finds Link Between Arthritis Drugs and Cancer and Infections

  Jamie Sheller | May 24, 2006 7:48 PM | 0 Comments
  Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs

  Two rheumatoid arthritis drugs, Remicade and Humira, have been linked to a doubled risk of serious infections and a tripled risk of cancer, according to a recent study led by the Mayo Clinic and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Humira is made by Abbott Laboratories and was approved in 2002, and Remicade is made by Centocor and was approved in 1998. People with...

• Permanent Recall By Bausch & Lomb

  Jamie Sheller | May 18, 2006 11:37 AM | 0 Comments
  Category: Defective & Dangerous Products

  Bausch & Lomb permanently recalled its ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution. According to the company's CEO, the recall is worldwide and the product will not be reintroduced. Recently ReNu with MoistureLoc had been linked to a rising number of U.S. infections with the fusarium keratitis fungus, and Bausch & Lomb halted shipment of the product. As of May 12, 2006, the Centers for...

• New Warning About Defect In Guidant Heart Devices

  Jamie Sheller | May 17, 2006 8:33 AM | 0 Comments
  Category: Medical Malpractice

  Boston Scientific recently announced a new defect in Guidant heart defibrillators that may cause the devices to quit prematurely. The battery failure is due to a defective low-voltage capacitor. According to the company, the problem affects the following models: Vitality DS, Vitality AVT, Vitality 2, Contak Renewal 3 and 4, and Contak Renewal 4 AVT. The capacitor in question came from a...

• Warning Issued For Suicide Risk Of Paxil

  Jamie Sheller | May 16, 2006 8:31 AM | 0 Comments
  Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs

  The FDA and GlaxoSmithKline issued a warning letter regarding the risk of suicide in young Paxil users. A recently anaylzed clinical trial demonstrated a higher frequency of suicidal behavior in young adults using Paxil, as opposed to those given a dummy pill. Paxil is an antidepressant manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. There is also a controlled release version of Paxil, called Paxil CR,which...

• No Solid Support For Most Off-Label Drug Use

  Jamie Sheller | May 10, 2006 7:54 AM | 0 Comments
  Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs

  Doctors often write prescriptions for off-label use of drugs. Off-label is the use of a drug for other than its FDA-approved use. According to a national survey of doctors, in 2001, about 150 million of an estimated 725 million prescriptions were for off-label use. According to an analysis of the 2001 survey, about 109 million of those off-label prescriptions lacked solid scientific support. ...

• New Study Confirms Vioxx Defects

  Jamie Sheller | May 06, 2006 4:45 PM | 0 Comments
  Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs

  A recently completed study by Canadian researchers, shows that the increased risk of heart attacks caused by Vioxx, begins very soon after starting the drug. This seems to be a contradiction of earlier reports that the Vioxx risk only affected long-term users of the drug. This recent study also shows that the risk of heart attacks from Vioxx does not immediately stop after a patient stops...

• Company To Stop Selling Tequin

  Jamie Sheller | May 03, 2006 10:30 AM | 0 Comments
  Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs

  Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that it will stop manufacturing the antibiotic Tequin. However, the drug is not being pulled from pharmacy shelves right now. The rights to the drug will be returned to a Japanese company, Kyorin Pharmaceutical. A recently published study found that elderly patients using Tequin, were at an increased risk of developing hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Those...