FDA & Prescription Drugs

• NY State and Big Apple Sue Merck for Fraud

  Staff Writer | September 18, 2007 11:42 AM | 0 CommentsPinellas, FL

  NY Attorney General and son of former Governor Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo has filed a lawsuit against Merck and Co. for fraudulently concealing safety information about the embattled drug Vioxx. NY joins ten other states who have sued the company for failing to disclose safety information about Vioxx. NY city Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also joined the lawsuit which seeks restitution for tens...

• FDA Issues Warnings on Schizophrenia Drug Haldol

  Courtney Mills | 2007-09-18T10:34:24 | 0 Comments

  The FDA issued serious new warnings about Johnson and Johnson's schizophrenia drug Haldol, generically known as haloperidol. The drug was reported to have caused several life-threatening heart conditions in patients using the medication at higher than recommended dosages or taking the drug intravenously, which is not an FDA recommended use for haloperidol.Haldol is reported to have caused...

• E. Coli in Dole Salad Mix Prompts Recall

  Lee Coleman | 2007-09-18T08:32:30 | 0 Comments

  E. coli was found in a package of Dole's Hearts Delight salad mix in Canada and has prompted a recall in at least nine states. Neither the U.S. or Canadian health officials have received reports of illnesses at this point. The recall issued Monday affects all packages of Hearts Delight sold in the United States and Canada. It has a best if used by date of September 19th, 2007. Production codes...

• Study to Analyze ADHD Medications and Heart Attack Risks

  Chrissie Cole | 2007-09-17T19:06:29 | 0 Comments

  A comprehensive new study is underway by two U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies, to determine if prescription medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increases the risk of heart attack, cardiovascular problems or stroke.Research supported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)...

• Braun Recalls Lot "SFR" Flush Saline Syringes

  Courtney Mills | 2007-09-17T14:53:40 | 0 Comments

  Braun Medical has issued a recall of all normal saline flush syringes with lot numbers ending in "SFR". There have been a heightened number of customer complaints of particulate matter in Braun's saline solution, which has prompted the recall. Patients may not develop any signs of injury until receiving multiple exposures to tainted saline, but multiple exposures pose a risk of severe injury. ...

• China Announces Recall of Cancer Drugs

  Courtney Mills | 2007-09-17T13:13:33 | 0 Comments

  Chinese regulatory agencies recalled two drugs used in the fight against leukemia, a blood-borne cancer, out of safety concerns over the weekend. This medical recall is the latest in a series of recalls to plague China and has stirred heated controversy within the country and abroad over what to do about the poor state of quality control of all varieties of consumer goods in China.The Xinhua...

• Study shows increase in drug deaths reported to FDA

  Staff Writer | 2007-09-17T12:24:54 | 0 Comments

  The Chicago Tribune reported that a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a big increase in the number of drug deaths and injuries reported to the FDA between the years of 1998 and 2005. This may shed some light on recent problems that have arisen with the government agency that monitors prescription and over-the-counter drugs.The sudden increase in "adverse events"...

• Do ADHD drugs have heart risks?

  Staff Writer | 2007-09-17T12:12:30 | 0 Comments

  Forbes magazine and the Associated Press report that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality announced today that it will take a closer look at data from children who have been using ADHD drugs to determine whether these medications can cause heart problems. Apparently there have been a number of reports of deaths, heart attacks and strokes among...

• Fentora Misuse Causes Four Deaths

  Scott Kappes | 2007-09-17T12:10:58 | 0 Comments

  The prescription medication Fentora has been implicated in four deaths this summer. The drug is intended for use in cancer patients suffering from intense pain and who are already tolerant of opioid drugs. Some doctors, however, are prescribing the drug for off-label uses, such as headaches and back pain. Fentora maker, Cephalon, responded to the deaths by issuing letters to doctors warning of...

• Pain Medication Tied to Four Deaths

  Scott Kappes | 2007-09-17T10:26:38 | 0 Comments

  Four deaths this summer have been linked to the cancer pain medication Fentora. Cephalon Inc., the drug's maker, has sent letters to doctors warning of these deaths. Fentora is an extremely powerful and addictive opiate approved by the FDA to treat pain in cancer patients. Doctors, however, are prescribing the drug for "off-label" uses, like headaches and back pain. The company is accused of...