FDA & Prescription Drugs

• Concerns Raised By Use of Antipsychotics By Children

  Jamie Sheller | March 21, 2006 8:51 AM | 1 CommentPhiladelphia, PA

  A recent study demonstrates that the use of antipsychotics in children has increased from about 8.6 out of every 1,000 children in the mid-1990's to almost 40 out of 1,000. Antipsychotics include drugs such as Zyprexa and Risperdal, which generally cost several dollars per pill. These drugs are heavily marketed by the drug companies. Increasingly, children are being prescribed antipsychotic...

• Plavix and Aspirin Combination Not Beneficial For Preventing Heart Attacks

  Jamie Sheller | March 14, 2006 9:13 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  The results of a new study show that a combination of Plavix and aspirin should not be used to prevent heart attacks in people without coronary artery disease. Plavix is a blood thinner made by Sanofi-Adventis SA. For people who have already suffered a heart attack, adding Plavix to aspirin cuts the risk of a second heart attack or death. The study was conducted to determine whether the...

• New Jersey Drug Companies May Be Sued There By Out-of-State Plaintiffs

  Jamie Sheller | March 10, 2006 10:28 AM | 1 CommentPhiladelphia, PA

  According to the New Jersey Appellate Division, a out-of-state plaintiff may continue his product liability case against Hoffman-La Roche. In the case, Rowe v. Hoffman-La Roche, Mr. Rowe alleges that the acne drug Accutane, which is manufactured by Hoffman-La Roche, caused his depression and suicide attempt. A lower court had dismissed the suit because the plaintiff is from Michigan and under...

• Use of Some Antidepressants Linked to Lung Defects in Newborns

  Jamie Sheller | March 09, 2006 9:47 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) may be associated with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). A recently completed study revealed that maternal use of SSRI's late in the third trimester of pregnancy results in an increased risk of PPHN. SSRI's are a class of antidepressant drugs, and include...

• Merck Trying To Sever Vioxx Defective Drug Cases

  Jamie Sheller | February 24, 2006 8:39 AM | 1 CommentPhiladelphia, PA

  Merck Pharmaceutical Company is attempting to sever two Vioxx defective drug cases scheduled to begin trial on February 27, 2006. Thomas Cona and John McDarby both allege to have suffered heart attacks after taking Vioxx for more than two years, and their cases are set to be tried together in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, in a motion to sever the cases, Merck argues that the facts are...

• FDA Panel Recommends Strongest Warning for ADHD Drugs

  Jamie Sheller | February 15, 2006 1:26 PM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  An advisory panel of the FDA voted to recommend "black box" warnings on popular drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The warning would indicate that the drugs may be linked to an increased risk of death and injury. A "black box" warning is the strongest warning available for prescription drugs, and this recommendation comes after reports of 25 deaths, including 19...

• New Warnings Required for Eczema Medications

  Jamie Sheller | January 26, 2006 8:51 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  The FDA has decided to require black box warnings for Elidel cream and Protopic ointment. These are two prescription medications used to treat eczema. The FDA had been notified of almost 80 cases of cancer in patients treated with Elidel and Protopic. Also, animal tests have shown an increased risk in cancer associated with these two drugs. The new warnings will advise patients about the...

• Sales of Neutrospec Suspended

  Jamie Sheller | December 20, 2005 11:27 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  On December 19, 2005, Palatin Technologies suspended sales, marketing and distribution of Neutrospec, which is a radiolabeled imaging agent used primarily for diagnosing appendicitis. Serious adverse events, including two deaths, have been reported with the use of Neutrospec, which was approved for marketing in July 2004. After learning of the adverse events from Palatin, and meeting with the...

• Paxil Linked to Birth Defects

  Jamie Sheller | December 15, 2005 7:54 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  New information indicates that pregnant women who suffer from mental illness, such as depression and panic disorder, must be careful when taking a particular drug used to treat such diseases. According to the FDA, exposure to paroxetine, also known as Paxil, in the first trimester of pregnancy, may increase the risk of birth defects, particularly cardiac malformations.The manufacturer of Paxil...

• Antipsychotic Drugs Raise Concern For Elderly

  Jamie Sheller | December 15, 2005 7:48 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA

  Antipsychotic drugs approved for use in treating mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and manic depression, are also used by doctors to treat patients with dementia, including Alzheimers disease. However, recently the newer antipsychotic drugs have been linked to an increased risk of death for older patients. But researchers caution against switching elderly patients to the older generation...