FDA & Prescription Drugs

• Child Vaccine Recall

  Eddie Farah | December 13, 2007 1:03 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Merck has announced a voluntary recall for a drug used to fight bacterial meningitis in children.The vaccine is known as Hib. It is given in a three-dose shot for children under the age of five.Merck, the maker, says some bacteria contaminated a processing plant for the vaccine in Pennsylvania, although the company says none of the vaccine lots were contaminated.The company says they brought...

• Did HPV Vaccine Cause 12-Yr-olds Paralysis?

  Eddie Farah | November 14, 2007 9:51 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Christina Bell says she had seen ads for a vaccine called Gardasil. The "One Less.." campaign by drugmaker Merck has been very effective and aggressively placed to reach all adolecent girls and their families encouraging them to be injected against Human Papillomavirus or HPV with Gardasil, the drug approved by the FDA in June 2006.So after consulting with her doctor, her 12-year-old, Brittany...

• Major Drug Settlement To Help Vioxx Victims

  Eddie Farah | November 10, 2007 7:39 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Janis Roberts is only 56-years old but already she's had several heart attacks, heart by-pass surgery, a dozen stents inserted in her arteries and a stroke. She's on oxygen and disability living with her sister in St. Nicholas. For her the news Friday morning that drug maker, Merck had agreed to a $4.85 billion settlement over Vioxx meant, "I can finally see some light at the end of the...

• Diabetes Drug Linked to Acute Pancreatitis

  Eddie Farah | October 19, 2007 12:41 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Doctors are being warned that a drug to treat Type-2 diabetes may be causing acute pancreatitis.So far, 30 cases have been reviewed. In six cases, patient's symptoms got worse when they doubled their dose of the drug, Byetta. Doctors received a letter from the FDA asking them to tell patients on exenatide (Byetta) to seek treatment immediately if that have any unexplained abdominal pains and...

• Drug Whistleblower Smeared by FDA

  Eddie Farah | May 31, 2007 4:14 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Rarely do we get to look inside the tactics that Big Pharma is not afraid to use when threatened.The case of the drug, Avandia which is prescribed to treat Type II Diabetes, largely a lifestyle disease that affects up to 20 million Americans. Data collected at the Cleveland Clinic shows Avandia users could have up to a 43% risk of heart attack and a sharp (64%) likelihood of an increase in...

• "Sicko" Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You

  Eddie Farah | May 22, 2007 6:02 PM | 2 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  More than 2,000 movie goers at the Cannes Film Festival applauded loudly at the first showing of Michal Moore's newest film, "Sicko," all about the perils of our country's modern healthcare system.Expect it in theatres in June.So far the reviews are mixed between hilarious and very sad. The latter is a good summary of our healthcare system which is likely responsible for more deaths than we...

• Blackmarket Botox Cripples Couple

  Eddie Farah | May 18, 2007 8:06 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  If you've ever considered the cosmetic, Botox, to smooth out wrinkles and give you a "rested" look--check out this story first.A middle-aged couple wanted to try the procedure together just before the holidays in 2004. Today they've written a book, "Dying To Be Young - From Botox To Botulism" to warn others about their near-death experience in this video on ABC News. Apparently the problem comes...

• FluMist Warnings May Not Deter FDA

  Eddie Farah | May 14, 2007 11:05 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  You have to admit that our federal drug regulators appear never to have met a drug manufacturer they didn't like. Such a cozy relationship. Here is the latest that has the potential to affect our most vulnerable citizens, our children.MedImmune makes a nasal spray that contains a live influenza virus and now the maker wants children under five years of age to be able to take it.That despite...

• GI Drug Taken Off the Market, Link to Heart Problems

  Eddie Farah | April 04, 2007 9:00 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  The FDA is asking Novartis Pharmaceuticals to stop making Zelnorm because of a suspected link to cardiovascular problems.Zelnorm is prescribed primarily to women for gastro-intestinal problems and constipation. It is marketed in 55 countries. Earlier this year, Novartis reported to the FDA the result of 29 short term clinical trials involving more than 11,000 patients taking Zelnorm. 7,000 were...

• Seroquel & Anti-Psychotics Use Up for Teens, Aged

  Eddie Farah | March 19, 2007 5:38 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  Bloomberg News has compiled data showing that a surge in prescriptions for Seroquel and other anti-psychotic drugs in its class are being promoted by drugmakers for use by teenagers and the elderly. Doctors are prescribing these drugs to treat mental-health issues and Alzheimer's disease, even though those are considered off-label use. Legally doctors, desperate for solutions to these ills, can...