FDA & Prescription Drugs

• Astra Lawsuits Over Seroquel Link to Diabetes

  Eddie Farah | February 22, 2007 9:01 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  "Achieving Balance Brings Strength"That's the promise of AstraZeneca's Seroquel schizophrenia drug. But 10,000 are claiming the drug brought them severe weight gain and in some cases diabetes.Warnings about diabetes are now included in the AstraZeneca website, however in November 2006, the FDA sent the manufacturer a letter requiring the stronger warning.The promotional material raises...

• Citizens Turn to Petition & YouTube

  Eddie Farah | February 12, 2007 8:55 AM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• Lilly Settles Zyprexa Claims

  Eddie Farah | February 01, 2007 10:07 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• Another Mistrial in Vioxx Lawsuits

  Eddie Farah | January 21, 2007 2:20 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• Toddlers and Cold Medicine

  Eddie Farah | January 13, 2007 8:10 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• FTC Fines Diet Pill Makers

  Eddie Farah | January 05, 2007 8:06 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• Parkinson's drugs risky

  Eddie Farah | January 04, 2007 7:15 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• New warning for pain relievers

  Eddie Farah | December 20, 2006 5:37 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• Celebrex OK for kids

  Eddie Farah | December 16, 2006 9:32 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...

• Antidepressants and young adults

  Eddie Farah | December 13, 2006 10:19 PM | 0 CommentsJacksonville, FL

  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...