FDA & Prescription Drugs

• Trasylol Increases a Patients Risk of Death

  Laura Mackie | February 19, 2007 12:31 PM | 0 CommentsSacramento, CA

  According to a study recently published ( February 7, 2007) in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there is a significant increase in the possibility of death for patients taking the anti-bleeding drug known as aprotinin following cardiac surgery. Although aprotinin was approved by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993, more recent advice by the agency has been to closely...

• Merck Prepares To Defend Fosamax Lawsuits

  IB Contributor | February 17, 2007 9:42 AM | 0 CommentsOrange County, CA

  Osteonecrosis allege by Fosamax Users Merck & Co., the drug maker who was already battered by numerous Vioxx lawsuits, is preparing for an avalanche of litigation from patients claiming they were harmed by Fosamax, the company's quick-selling osteoporosis drug, according to an article on consumer.com.Merck reportedly announced last week that it is setting aside $48 million to set up a defense...

• Improved Drug Safety Promised By FDA

  IB Contributor | February 08, 2007 12:30 AM | 0 CommentsOrange County, CA

  The Food and Drug Administration is now proposing steps to improve the safety of prescription medication after years of criticism of its drug safety standards and the much-publicized Vioxx scandal.The new steps are designed to make sure concerns about potential drug safety are widely circulated within the agency before a drug is given the stamp of approval, according to an article in...

• FDA Promises Improved Drug Safety

  IB Contributor | February 05, 2007 9:26 PM | 0 CommentsLong Beach, CA

  After years of criticism of its drug safety standards and the much-publicized Vioxx scandal, the Food and Drug Administration is now proposing steps to improve the safety of prescription medication. According to an article on www.consumeraffairs.org, the new steps are designed to make sure concerns about potential drug safety are widely circulated within the agency before a drug is given the...

• Paxil and the Risk of Birth Defects

  Christina Cole | February 03, 2007 11:59 PM | 0 CommentsLong Beach, CA

  Early study results for Paxil (paroxetine) suggest the drug increases the risk of birth defects, in particular heart defects, when women take it during the first trimester of pregnancy. Paxil is approved to treat depression and several other various psychiatric conditions. The FDA is currently gathering additional data and waiting for the final results of the studies to understand further the...

• Blood Thinning Medicine Tied To Brain Bleeds

  IB Contributor | January 11, 2007 10:44 PM | 0 CommentsOrange County, CA

  Elderly people, especially those over 80, who take the blood-thinning medicine warfarin to prevent heart attacks or strokes, may be at a greater risk for serious brain hemorrhage, according to a new study released this week in the Journal of Neurology.According to a Jan. 9 article written by Jamie Talan in Newsday, scientists at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine found that use of...

• FDA Tightened Approval Process Since Vioxx Debacle

  IB Contributor | January 10, 2007 1:17 AM | 0 CommentsOrange County, CA

  Apparently, the Food and Drug Administration is getting very picky about the drugs it approves after the Vioxx debacle. As it should be. The nations health depends upon their expertise. According to a news report by George E. Jordan for Newhouse News Service, FDA has approved only 17 new drugs last year, which is a new low since the peak of 53 approvals a decade ago."That compares with 36...

• Prescription Drug Warning

  IB Contributor | January 05, 2007 10:56 PM | 0 CommentsOrange County, CA

  Alzheimer's drugs may cause heart valve damage.Aging is a tough process and diseases such as Alzheimer's make that process even more challenging for millions of Americans, both sufferers and care givers.Two drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease may cause similar problems as the withdrawn fen-phen diet drugs, leading to heart valve damage in about one in four patients, according to two studies...

• Ortho Evra Named in Suit Filed by Johnson & Johnson Exec.

  Christina Cole | December 30, 2006 6:02 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  In a civil complaint filed by Dr. Joel S. Lippman, he alleges he was unlawfully terminated on May 15, after being employed by Johnson & Johnson for 15 years because he continually complained of product safety problems and urged several products be recalled or not launched. Lippman, former vice president at two Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries claims in the suit that he was fired for seeking...

• Controlling Birth Can Be Fatal

  Greg Owen | December 14, 2006 3:32 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Ortho Evra is the first birth control patch approved by the FDA for use in the United States as a safe and effective way to control reproduction through a transdermal system. This form of birth was first marketed nationwide beginning in 2001. In 2005, concerns about serious problems relating to the birth control patch began to surface. However, these claims were refuted by many...