FDA & Prescription Drugs

• Ambien sleep aid side effects

  Staff Writer | May 25, 2007 11:43 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The prescription drug Ambien (genericly named zolpidem) has been reported to cause serious side effects, including disorientation, sleep walking, and more, according to an article published on WorstPills.org. (http://www.worstpills.org/member/newsletter.cfm?n_id=529)A Democratic representative from Rhode Island reported crashing his car near the Capitol building in Washington while disoriented...

• Avandia increases heart risks, FDA says

  Staff Writer | May 25, 2007 9:26 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The Washington Post reports that popular diabetes drug Avandia has been shown to increase heart risks, according to an FDA study and a report published in a medical journal.The study confirms that 60,000 to 100,000 reported heart attacks from Avandia users may be linked to the drug, which has been on the market for 8 years.Avandia's manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline PLC, a British company, has sold...

• Judge approves $64 million Paxil settlement

  Staff Writer | April 28, 2007 4:40 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The world's second largest drug manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, will pay nearly $64 million to settle claims from parents of minor patients who were taking antidepressant drug Paxil.The plaintiffs claim that the company provided misleading information about giving Paxil to minors, not adequately warning about possible suicidal side effects and withdrawal symptoms. ``The settlement was agreed upon...

• Epilepsy drug associated with mental retardation

  Staff Writer | April 04, 2007 3:32 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  A story from The New York Times details a new study that shows an increased risk of mental retardation in children who were exposed to epilepsy drug Depakote prenatally. The authors of the study presented their research at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting this year.Toddlers who had been exposed in the womb to the drug Depakote, from Abbott Laboratories, scored seven to eight...

• Narcotic overdose with Patient Controlled Analgesics (PCAs)

  Staff Writer | March 12, 2007 10:59 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  Thomas A. Sharon, R.N., M.P.H. points out the hazards of using Patient Controlled Analgesics (PCAs) in hospitals and other health care facilities. He says that much of the information available to patients about the supposed safety of PCAs is misleading. On his Forensicare Blog, Sharon reveals the actual dangers and possible side effects patients may experience due to accidental narcotic...

• Merck abandons vaccine campaign

  Staff Writer | February 21, 2007 2:26 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  Drug manufacturer Merck & Co. released a new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer called Gardasil, which actually vaccinates against HPV or the herpes virus, a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer. According to the Associated Press, Merck has been quietly pushing a campaign through a third party to encourage schools to require vaccination among 11- and 12-year-old girls....

• Lamictal may cause birth defects

  Staff Writer | February 06, 2007 9:21 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  An announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2006, warned that Lamictal (lamotrigine), a drug used to treat seizures and depression, may cause birth defects. Specifically, if a patient is pregnant and taking Lamictal during her first trimester, birth defects such as cleft lip or cleft palate are more likely to occur.Findings from the NAAED (North American...

• HRT side effects and risks

  Staff Writer | January 19, 2007 10:29 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  Many doctors recommend their female patients take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for a variety of reasons, including protecting the heart and helping curb mood swings during menopause. However, patients should be aware of the HRT risks and side effects. Many women have reported serious side effects while using HRT, including blood clots or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can be fatal.Like...

• Drug interactions major concern among seniors

  Staff Writer | December 27, 2006 8:37 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  Today's seniors are taking a variety of medications to keep health issues under control. Many doctors may unknowingly prescribe medications that interact with other medications the patient is taking. A report out of Idaho's Times-News says that drug interactions and overmedicating are growing problems among our nation's aging population.The pharmacist interviewed in the article says that he sees...

• Health officials want painkillers to include new warnings

  Staff Writer | December 20, 2006 7:47 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  A Reuters report Tuesday revealed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) receive a U.S. proposal recommending that over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, aspirin and acetaminophen to include warnings on labels about possible liver and stomach damage. The proposed new warnings are mostly associated with possible liver damage and stomach bleeding associated with taking these...