FDA & Prescription Drugs

• FDA Study Finds Private-Sector Consumer Medication Information not Consistently Useful

  Jessica Smagacz | December 17, 2008 10:48 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  FDA released the results of a study today finding printed consumer medication information voluntarily provided by retail pharmacies with new prescriptions does not provide user friendly, easy to...

• The Line has been Drawn—Serevent & Foradil Should no Longer be Used to Treat Asthma

  Jessica Smagacz | December 12, 2008 11:39 AM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  The FDA panel, with outside advisers, made their decision and decided that two of the four asthma drugs should not longer be used in the treatment of asthma as discussed in my previous post: FDA to...

• FDA to decide whether to Leave Four Medications Used for Asthma on the Market

  Jessica Smagacz | December 11, 2008 8:37 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  Today FDA is seeking the advice of a large panel of medical and scientific advisers concerning whether four medications used for asthma patients should remain on the market. NY times reports that...

• Use of Avandia Doubles Women’s Fracture Risk

  Jessica Smagacz | December 10, 2008 1:05 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  USA Today reports that researchers at Wake Forest University of Medicine reviewed 10 previous drug trials and found for every 20 women in their 70s with type 2 diabetes who took the brand name...

• FDA Investigation of Potential Risk from Phenytoin & Fosphenytoin

  Jessica Smagacz | November 25, 2008 9:09 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  FDA released an alert yesterday regarding investigation of new data about a potential risk of serious skin reaction from phenytoin therapy in Asian patients positive for a particular human leukocyte...

• Updates on Bisphosphonate (Fosamax)

  Jessica Smagacz | November 14, 2008 7:44 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  In October of 2007, FDA began reviewing safety data that raised concerns about the potential increased risk for atrial fibrillation in patients who were treated with a bisphosphonate drug. The New...

• Contaminated Heparin seized by FDA

  Jessica Smagacz | November 07, 2008 10:37 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  After asking a Cincinnati based manufacturer of medical products to recall contaminated heparin and the manufacturer not answering, FDA seized the contaminated heparin. This past Thursday, FDA sent...

• Public Citizen warns FDA danger of Avandia

  Jessica Smagacz | November 01, 2008 5:57 PM | 1 CommentAtlanta, GA

  Public Citizen, a consumer group, petitioned the FDA asking them to ban Avandia. Avandia is a prescription drug used for diabetes by GlaxoSmithKline. Public Citizen said “the government...

• Bayer & Illegal marketing of 2 Aspirin Products

  Jessica Smagacz | October 30, 2008 10:04 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  Bayer is illegally marketing two aspirin products by claiming that the over-the-counter medications are effective in battling heart disease and osteoporosis. These effective health claims are...

• 2008 First Quarter Reports High Number of People Continue to Suffer Injuries from Prescription Drugs

  Jessica Smagacz | October 26, 2008 1:49 PM | 0 CommentsAtlanta, GA

  A study done by The Institute for Safe Medication Practices recently identified a record number of serious injuries and deaths associated with drug therapy the first quarter of 2008. As consumers,...