- Jamie Sheller | August 29, 2006 1:49 PM |
Category:
Medical MalpracticeA supply of Alaris infusion pumps, worth approximately 1.8 million dollars, was seized by United States Marshals. The seizure involved several models of Alaris infusion pumps, and took place at the company's manufacturing plant in San Diego, California. A design defect called "key bounce" could cause the infusion pumps to deliver an over-infusion of medication, which may result in injury or...
- Jamie Sheller | August 27, 2006 2:20 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsThe results of a Canadian study demonstrate an increased risk of birth defects in babies whose mothers used NSAIDs during the first trimester of pregnancy. NSAIDs, which include Aleve, Advil, Vioxx and Celebrex, are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat pain and inflammation. The study found that "women who filled NSAID prescriptions early in pregnancy had more than twice the...
- Jamie Sheller | August 23, 2006 12:13 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsRecently, the label for the drug Dexedrine was revised to include warnings about sudden death and serious cardiovascular adverse events. Dexedrine is used to treat Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Dexedrine, revised the drug label and sent letters to doctors at the request of the FDA. Two different advisory committees of the...
- Jamie Sheller | August 17, 2006 1:50 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsA federal jury in New Orleans found Merck negligent in warning about the risks of Vioxx. The plaintiff in the case, Jerry Barnett, is a former FBI agent who had a non-fatal heart attack. In addition to the compensatory damages award, the jury also awarded Mr. Barnett, $1 million in punitive damages. In 2004 a study showed that Vioxx increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The drug...
- Jamie Sheller | August 16, 2006 12:45 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsCCS Medical, RoTech Healthcare Inc. and Reliant Pharmacy have been warned by the FDA to stop mas-producing unapproved inhalation drugs. While the targeted companies argue that they are engaging in the practice of traditional pharmacy compounding, the FDA disagrees. Traditional pharmacy compounding is usually done to prepare a unique medicine for a patient when an FDA-approved drug doesn't meet...
- Jamie Sheller | August 11, 2006 1:10 PM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsAccording to researchers, women whose mothers took the synthetic hormone DES while pregnant, have an almost double risk of developing breast cancer after age 40. These findings are the result of a long-term study that began in 1978, and the study is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. These findings support the theory that prenatal exposure to excessive...
- Jamie Sheller | August 07, 2006 11:17 AM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsIn an earnings call with investment analysts, an executive of Medco, which administers drug benefits plans, predicted that a generic formulation of Plavix could reach the market soon. That news sent shares down for Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis, who co-market Plavix. Apotex, a Canadian drug company, received FDA approval for its generic formulation of Plavix earlier this year and...
- Jamie Sheller | August 03, 2006 11:30 AM |
Category:
FDA & Prescription DrugsIn Philadelphia recently, a $5 million verdict was entered against McNeil-PPC, the makers of Infants' Tylenol. In that case, a 1-year-old baby died of liver damage after being treated for three days with Infants' Tylenol. The jury's verdict was based on a finding that the drug's warning labels were defective. The child's family thought that they were giving the child less medicine than they...
- Jamie Sheller | August 01, 2006 3:24 PM |
Category:
MiscellaneousUntil recently, electrophysiologists, highly trained specialists, performed most defibrillator implants. Defibrillators are devices that treat heart rhythm problems. These devices are implanted in a patient's body, near their heart. After the federal government recently increased the number of patients for which it would pay for defibrillator implants, there was a rush by more cardiologists...