FDA & Prescription Drugs | InjuryBoard Jacksonville

In sort of a new twist on calling for responsible and responsive government, a petition filed by Public Citizen against the FDA over a controversial birth control pill, has been echoed in a video on YouTube.The petition by Public Citizen, asks the FDA to ban oral contraceptives containing desogestrel. The consumer group points to studies that show this third-generation of pills almost doubles...

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Drug Giant Eli Lilly and Co. says the claims are without merit, but plans to cover more than 18,000 claims over the antipsychotic drug, Zyprexa. Plaintiffs say the drug made them gain weight causing them to develop diabetes. Lilly will pay $500 million, less than the $700 million it had agreed to pay on 8,000 claims in 2005.Referring to an article in the New York Times,"Lilly's own published...

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Lawrence Appell, a former truck driver suffered a heart attack in 2002 at age 72. Rudolph Arrigale suffered his in December 2000. Both brought suit in California against the manufacturer Merck arguing the drug Vioxx cause them to have a heart attackThe two cases were tried together before a Superior Court jury that deadlocked in their deliberations. Even though the jury found that Vioxx did...

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According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention children under the age of 2 shouldn't be given over the counter cold remedies without physician approval. In 2005 three deaths in infants under six months had been reported, launching an investigationHigh levels of pseudoephedrine, up to 14 times the recommended amount recommended for children ages 2 to 12 were reported. The study...

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Makers of four weight loss pills were fined $25 million by the FTC for false advertising claims. False advertising claims ranged from rapid weight loss to reducing the risk of cancer.Marketers of Xenadrine EFX face a fine of $8 million maybe more. Windrow Rock Health Laboratories, makers of CortiSlim and CortiStress were fined $12 million. Bayer Corp will pay civil penalties amounting $3...

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Research studies by both Italians and Germans on certain drugs taken by Parkinson's patients significantly increased the risk of heart valve damage.As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Italian study revealed Pergolide or cabergoline, sold as Permax, Dostinex and other brands, presented moderate to severe problems. The German doctors advise users of either drug were five to...

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The FDA announced planned label changes to warn of potential serious side effects on popular over-the-counter painkillers.Aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and other related over-the-counter drugs remain safe and effective when used as directed. However overdoes of acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage. Aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase risk of...

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On Friday, Pfizer Inc. won approval to market Celebrex as a treatment for Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).Pfizer will not promote the drug for JTA patents two and older. Some doctors have already prescribed off-label use of this drug as a treatment for the disease.FDA advisers recommended the drug as an effective but not necessarily safe treatment for the autoimmune disease and will require...

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The Food and Drug Administration recently announced a plan to update drug labels on antidepressants due to increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in patients 24 years or younger.The FDA further recommends that patients of all ages be carefully monitored, especially when antidepressant treatment begins.Nearly 190 million prescriptions for ">antidepressant medication are dispensed in the...

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U. S. District Court Judge Fallon ruled on Wednesday, that thousands of lawsuits, which claim Vioxx, caused heart attacks, strokes and other conditions couldn't be pooled into one national class action suit.Judge Fallon was appointed to deal with all federal suits involving Merck's withdrawal painkiller has ruled on the possibility of separate class-action suits on a state level. He rejected...

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Government officials have announced that children treated with the flu drug Tamiflu should be watched for signs of bizarre behavior.The FDA is currently conducting investigation to determine whether the 100 reported cases including three deaths from falls, are linked to the drug or the flu virus or a combination ob both. Staff at the FDA suggests updating Tamiflu's label to recommend all closle...

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Today a nationwide recall of generic brand of 500-milligarm caplets of Acetaminophen was recalled because they may contain metal fragmentsThis recalled affects 11 million bottles containing 500-milligram ">acetaminophen caplets made by Perrigo Co., sold under store brands by Wal-Mart, CVS, Safeway and more than 120 other retailers.Although there are no immediate reports of injuries or illness,...

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In 2004, The Coalition for Mercury-Free Drugs petitioned the FDA iseeking restrictions on Thimerosal citing it was linked to autism. Yesterday the FDA rejected the petitions.Only a small number of licensed and approved products still contain thimerosal, and the available evidence supports FDA's conclusion that all currently licensed vaccines and other pharmaceutical drug products containing...

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U. S. regulators warned Lamictal an epilepsy drug may increase chances of babies being born with a cleft pip or palate when sued during the first three months of pregnancy.The FDA advises "women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant should not stop taking Lamictal without talking to a doctor. Lamotrigine is the generic name for Lamictal. This drug is used to control seizures or...

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The FDA has updated the label on the Ortho Evra birth-control patch to reflect women face twice the risk of blood clots over women using the pill, even though a second study found no difference in risk between the patch and the pillAlthough the results of the two studies are conflicting, the results of the second epidemiology study support FDA's concerns regarding the potential for Ortho Evra...

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