FDA & Prescription Drugs

• Child Cold Meds Pulled From Shelves

  Courtney Mills | 2007-10-12T09:18:03 | 0 Comments

  Major consumer manufacturers of over-the-counter infant cough and cold medications recalled fourteen different infant cold meds yesterday because of the danger of overdose of these medicines in young children.Consumer groups have long advocated changes in administering cough syrup to young children, especially two and younger. In this age group the risk of toxicity and overdose is much higher...

• Infant Cold Medicines Recalled

  Scott Kappes | 2007-10-11T09:30:21 | 0 Comments

  Drugmakers have announced that they are recalling several infants' cold and cough medicines because of a risk of overdose. Serious injury and death have been reported in association with these over the counter drugs and there has been very little confidence in their effectiveness in such young children. Children under two years of age are at particular risk from these medications as their tiny...

• Winn-Dixie Pulls Mislabeled Ice Cream from Shelves

  Courtney Mills | 2007-10-09T16:47:43 | 0 Comments

  Winn-Dixie Grocery Stores has issued a recall on Prestige Chocolate Ice Cream because of possible mislabeled packaging. Some of the Prestige Ice Cream product shipped by Winn-Dixie may have actually been Chocolate Almond flavor ice cream instead of Chocolate.Persons who suffer from nut allergies or from sensitivity to almonds may risk life-threatening complications from eating the product, and...

• Lilly Gives Zyprexa Stronger Warnings for Weight Gain, Hyperglycemia

  Courtney Mills | 2007-10-09T14:25:03 | 0 Comments

  Eli Lilly & Company, at long last, has stepped up the Zyprexa warning label on its flagship treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The warning label for olanzapine, the generic name for Zyprexa, now will read that Zyprexa has a greater propensity to cause weight gain and high blood sugar than other atypical antipsychotics.Physicians have noticed for several years the alarming side...

• Zyprexa Gets Stronger Warnings

  Scott Kappes | 2007-10-09T13:08:06 | 0 Comments

  Last Friday Eli Lilly and Co. announced that they will be pumping up the warnings on the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa. Zyprexa is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The drug has been seen to induce weight gain, increase blood sugar levels and cholesterol among other concerns. The new warnings will give a more accurate representation of these potential risks associated with the use...

• Ultrasound Contrast Agents To Get FDA Warnings

  Courtney Mills | 2007-10-09T12:37:38 | 0 Comments

  The federal government is planning on requiring warnings for certain contrast agents used with ultrasound technology. These contrast agents are used to improve diagnoses of heart problems in patients evaluated with ultrasound imaging equipment.The contrast agents are sold under the brand name Definity, by Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Optison, of General Electric. Physicians inject the imaging...

• Lilly Ordered to "Immediately Cease" Cymbalta Promotion

  Scott Kappes | 2007-10-09T10:42:01 | 0 Comments

  Last week the FDA order Eli Lilly and Co. to stop disseminating advertising material for the popular antidepressant Cymbalta, they characterized as misleading. The FDA posted the letter sent to Lilly on their website last Tuesday claiming that the advertising mailer for Cymbalta overstates the effectiveness of the drug and fails to point out the serious potential dangers associated with the...

• Ultrasound Imaging Drugs to Get Black Box Warning from FDA

  Joe Saunders | 2007-10-09T06:57:59 | 0 Comments

  Ultrasound imaging drugs, particularly Definity made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Optison from General Electric have drawn the attention of the FDA due to reports of deaths and serious cardiopulmonary reactions. These drugs are used to help doctors with difficult ultrasound tests that prove inconclusive in attempting to diagnose cardiac problems. The new black boxes will alert doctors to avoid...

• Novartis Chief Executive Says FDA Succumbing to Political Pressure in its Attempt to Increase Drug Safety

  Joe Saunders | 2007-10-09T05:09:39 | 0 Comments

  During the three day Clinton Global Initiative, Novartis Chief Executive Dan Vasella said that the FDA was buckling under political pressure to monitor the safety and efficacy of new pharmaceuticals. HIs comments were made in the wake of rising awareness of overly aggressive marketing tacticts by pharmaceutical companies at the expense of consumer safety. Two Novartis drugs, Prexige and Galvus...

• Doctors to be Warned About Imaging Agent Risks

  Scott Kappes | 2007-10-08T17:37:17 | 0 Comments

  Today it was announced that the FDA will be issuing warnings to doctors about the risks associated with certain imaging agents used to better view the heart in an echocardiograph. The FDA has been investigating reports of serious cardiopulmonary reactions and even deaths associated with the imaging agents. The agents in question are manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. under the name...