Posts tagged Drug Products

• Anemia Drugs Given Stronger Warnings

  Jamie Sheller | March 26, 2008 9:59 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  The makers of Aranesp, Epogen and Procrit have recently been advised by the FDA to expand its black box warnings. The new warnings indicate the risks of death and tumor growth when used by cancer patients with early stage breast cancer or cancer in the head and neck. Aransep, Epogen and Procrit are popular drugs used to treat the blood disorder anemia in patients with kidney failure and those...

• Respiratory Inhaler May Pose Greater Stroke Risk

  Joe Saunders | March 19, 2008 9:05 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  The FDA is looking into whether Boehringer Ingelheim' respiratory inhaler poses a greater risk of stroke. According to the FDA, the data submitted by the German drug manufacturer, shows that its Spiriva Handihaler poses a greater risk of stroke compared with a placebo. FDA said it has not yet analyzed the figures, which were compiled from 29 patient studies. The FDA has asked doctors to report...

• Dennis Quaid Sues Baxter for Heparin Overdose

  Linda Snyder | March 18, 2008 3:07 PM | 0 CommentsCheyenne, WY Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  Actor Dennis Quaid and his wife Kimberly Buffington filed a lawsuit in December 2007 against Baxter Healthcare Corporation, claiming the drug maker was negligent when packaging different doses of the same drug in similar packaging. Both heparin and the lower dose version, hep-lock are packaged in similar vials with blue backgrounds and very small print on both labels.Quaid's newborn twins, who...

• Heparin contaminated with Counterfeit Ingredient

  Jamie Sheller | March 12, 2008 12:53 PM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  In January 2008, Baxter Healthcare voluntarily recalled various lots of its blood thinner, Heparin. The recall was due to an increase in reports of adverse patient reactions. These reactions included abdominal pain, decreased blood pressure, chest pain, loss of consciousness, and hypotension. This voluntary recall was followed by a more extensive recall mandated by the FDA in February of...

• FDA Issues Warning on Use of Tussionex

  Sandy Grinnell | March 12, 2008 5:11 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension is an often prescribed childrens cough suppressant that contains hydrocodone and the extened release antihistamine chlorpheniramine. The Food and Drug Administration has issued this warning because the medication is improperly being used on patients younger than 6 years old, and is being prescribed and administered more frequently than the...

• Pharmaceutical Companies Spend Twice as Much on Marketing than on Research and Development

  Linda Snyder | March 11, 2008 7:42 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  PLOS Medicine, an online medical journal conducted a study using numbers from 2004 and concluded that pharmaceutical companies spent almost twice as much on marketing than on their research and development for their United States markets.As a marketing person, on the one hand I am in awe of these marketing budgets, in excess of $57.5 billion dollars. But as a consumer, I'm a bit dismayed that...

• GlaxoSmithKline Escapes Criminal Prosecution

  Jamie Sheller | March 10, 2008 11:32 AM | 0 CommentsPhiladelphia, PA Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  Drugmaker, GlaxoSmithKline, escapes criminal prosecution in Britian, for withholding information about adverse effects of its drug, Seroxat. Seroxat, is marketed in the United States, as Paxil. According to Britian authorities, GlaxoSmithKline had information that Seroxat could increase sucidial thoughts in teens under the age of 18. However, GlaxoSmithKline did not release that information...

• Heparin Recalled by Baxter Healthcare

  Ed Normand | March 07, 2008 6:24 PM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  Heparin sodium is medication used to thin the blood. It is often administered intravenously. It is used with patients that need kidney dialysis, many types of cardiac surgery, and many other conditions often those involving risk of blood clots. Severe injuries have been reported with this drug recently. The adverse events usually started within minutes of the administration of the ...

• FDA Warning - Internet Sales of Bogus STD Preventatives

  Sandy Grinnell | March 06, 2008 5:28 PM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  The FDA issued an emergency alert today warning consumers of drugs being sold on the Internet falsely claiming that they can prevent or treat sexually transmitted diseases. The products are sold under the names of Tetrasil, Genisil, Aviralex, OXi-MED, Imulux, Beta-mannan, Micronutrient, Qina, and SlicPlus and make claims such as:"Treatment Kills all Herpes Viruses WITHOUT having to use...

• Direct-to-Consumer Advertising by Drug Companies

  Jim Clark | March 06, 2008 3:36 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
  

  The idea of drug companies advertising the prescription medicines they manufacture on TV and in other consumer directed media has always been offensive to me. I have often wondered if other consumers like me consider the fact that the drug products these companies advertise are for conditions that never go away. In other words, with few exceptions the products do not heal anything, they just...