Bergen County Personal Injury Lawyer - FDA & Prescription Drugs

Cold Medicine Warning: Do not Administer to Children Under Four Years of Age

Karen Gatlin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:37:01 GMT

Attention, parents: Don't give your children under 4 over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, and read the fine print on labels, say makers of such remedies who have been under pressure to strengthen their warnings. The cough and cold medicine industry, in the wake of intensifying criticism from consumer groups, lawmakers and pediatricians, agreed Tuesday to add "do not use" warnings to pediatric cough and cold medicines. The voluntary move by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which includes Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth, Novartis AG and Procter & Gamble among its members, follows earlier recommendations that products be banned for children under 6, saying they don't work and that the risks to kids outweigh the benefits.

The Food and Drug Administration, which advises parents against giving such medicines to children under 2, said it supports the move by the industry even while it has undertaken a highly publicized evaluation of cough and cold medicines. The FDA has yet to give its own guidance but worries that parents would give adult doses if it instituted a ban of products for children under age 6.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Karen Gatlin

Is Big Pharma getting too cozy with doctors?

Donald Caminiti — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:14:12 GMT

Well respected members of the medical community are increasingly calling on their colleagues to quell the influence of big pharma in research and prescribing practices. In recent months, top medical schools and teaching hospitals have limited interaction between drug sales representatives and doctors while a top medical journal has come out in favor of litigation as a valuable tool to combat drugmaker misconduct. It is perhaps time to rethink whether the tv ads for prescription drugs are really in the public interest.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti

New Drug may Offer Hope for Alzheimer's Patients

Karen Gatlin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:00:24 GMT

The incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease is growing as the population of the United States is aging. A new drug, Rember, may slow or even halt the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease, a disease which affects millions of Americans and their caregivers. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease strikes fear in the hearts of patients because it not only affects daily functioning, but robs patients of their memories, of their thoughts, of their very selves. Drugs presently in use treat the symptoms of the disease, but not the cause. Rember destroys the protein which attacks the brains of Alzheimer patients by causing tangles in the nerve cells of the brain. Rember can dissolve the tangles.

Methylene blue, which has been used for years to treat chronic bladder infections, is one of the main chemicals in Rember. The drug is not yet available and must undergo further testing and development before it may be available for use. Researchers are very hopeful that Rember will significantly improve the lives of millions of patients who suffer from the disease.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Karen Gatlin

Vytorin fails test

Donald Caminiti — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:57:00 GMT

In a recent SEAS study, it was determined that the cholesterol reducing drug, Vytorin, did not prevent worsening of heart valve disease or lower the need for valve surgery.

Preliminary results showed that Vytorin, a combination of Zocor and Zetia, was no better than placebos at lowering the risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, heart surgery and death in patients with aortic stenosis, although it did cut cholesterol levels about 60 percent.

Vytorin did however cut cholesterol levels about 60 percent

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti

Heart Medication Recall

Karen Gatlin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:14:17 GMT

Many patients with heart failure take Digoxin to improve their heart function. One medication, Digitek, whose main ingredient is Digoxin, is produced in New Jersey by Activis, and marketed as "Bertek" or "UDL". It is being recalled because of improper dosage in the active ingredient, Digoxin, and it may contain twice the appropriate amount of Digoxin.

Activis has advised that: "Tablets with double the appropriate thickness may have been commercially released. These tablets may contain twice the approved level of active ingredient than is appropriate,"

Patients taking the double-strength pills are at risk for digitalis toxicity, characterized by such symptoms as nausea vomiting, low blood pressure and, possibly, death. Patients taking Digitek should contact their physician immediately for medical advice, and pharmacies selling Digitek should return the product to the place of purchase.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Karen Gatlin

HPV Vaccine: Safe?

Karen Gatlin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:46:45 GMT

Over a year ago, the FDA approved GARDASIL for use as a vaccine against human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a virus thought to cause cervical cancer, and the FDA recommended vaccinating young women against it. Unfortunately adverse effects have been reported, ranging from seizures and shock to a neurological condition known as Guillian-Barre Syndrome, the latter causing weakness and, at times, paralysis, which may become permanent. Less serious effects are headache, joint pain, speech problems, dizziness, and fainting. The vaccine is intended to be administered in three separate doses, and side effects invariably appear after the first dose, usually that same day. Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil, has been advised to warn against these events in a package insert. For further information, see www.NVIC.org

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Karen Gatlin

Rankings Fault Medical Schools for Corporate Influence

Donald Caminiti — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:03:00 GMT

A new ranking of medical schools has concluded that the influence of pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers is extensive on the majority of campuses. The rankings, released by the American Medical Student Association, failed more than one-third of schools and found that nearly one in five were working on changes to their conflict of interest policies. Earlier this year, the Association of American Medical Colleges proposed a ban of perks for medical school students. Gardiner Harris, The New York Times 06/03/2008

Read Article: The New York Times

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti