FDA Allows Sales of 700 Generic Medicines Banned by European Medicines Agency
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) instituted a ban on about 700 generic medicines that were approved based in part on what were said to be flawed clinical studies conducted at GVK BioSciences, a contract research organization based in Hyderabad, India. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it found no systemic issues … [Read more...] about FDA Allows Sales of 700 Generic Medicines Banned by European Medicines Agency
FDA Warns of Danger of Giving Codeine Cough-and-Cold Medicines to Children
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating the potential risks of using medicines with codeine to treat coughs and colds in children and has issued a Drug Safety Communication about such medicines. There is a potential for serious side effects, including slowed or difficult breathing. Codeine is a type of opioid used … [Read more...] about FDA Warns of Danger of Giving Codeine Cough-and-Cold Medicines to Children
Medtronic’s Payments to Doctors Raises Questions
Data Show That Medtronic Still Makes Payments to Doctors. Federal data show that Medtronic still makes payments to doctors over InFuse, a controversial spine product that has prompted questions about industry-funded research. Star Tribune reports that 79 doctors and their affiliates received a total of $60.7 million from … [Read more...] about Medtronic’s Payments to Doctors Raises Questions
Efforts Underway to Reduce Industry Influence in Medicine
Industry Influence in Medicine. One of the most frequent critics of these unseemly financial ties has been Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). Earlier this week, Grassley criticized a University of Texas researcher who worked on a National Institutes of Health study involving the GlaxoSmithKline antidepressant Paxil. The … [Read more...] about Efforts Underway to Reduce Industry Influence in Medicine
Baltimore Medicine Shoppes Sold Expired, Possibly Counterfeit Prescription Drugs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers who filled prescriptions at The Medicine Shoppe pharmacies located at 8035A Liberty Road and 5900 Reisterstown Road, both located in Baltimore, Maryland. The FDA is reporting that such consumers may have received defective drugs that were either expired or … [Read more...] about Baltimore Medicine Shoppes Sold Expired, Possibly Counterfeit Prescription Drugs
Unsupervised Use of Cold Medicine
Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that the majority of children’s emergency room (ER) visits for side effects linked with taking cough and cold medicines are a result of unsupervised ingestion of these medicines. The CDC findings are reported in the journal Pediatrics. Data estimating the … [Read more...] about Unsupervised Use of Cold Medicine
Cold and Cough Medicine Deemed Unsafe for Infants, Says CDC
Cold and Cough Medicine Potential Hazards. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning today about the potential hazards of administering over-the-counter cough and cold medicine to infants. Citing the deaths of three infants associated with the drugs, the CDC urged all parents to consult with … [Read more...] about Cold and Cough Medicine Deemed Unsafe for Infants, Says CDC
Millions of Acetaminophen Pills Recalled
Acetaminophen Pills Are Being Recalled. Check your medicine cabinet: Millions of bottles of the widely used pain reliever acetaminophen some sold as long as three years ago are being recalled because they may contain metal fragments. The recall affects 11 million bottles containing varying quantities of 500-milligram … [Read more...] about Millions of Acetaminophen Pills Recalled
Beijing Bausch & Lomb Stops Selling ReNu Contact Lens Solution
Bausch & Lomb Stop Selling ReNu Contact Lens. Beijing Bausch & Lomb has decided to stop selling the homemade ReNu contact lens solution. That's according to China's State Food and Medicine Supervision Bureau. The Beijing Bausch & Lomb has stopped the sales of imported ‘ReNu contact lens solution’ since last … [Read more...] about Beijing Bausch & Lomb Stops Selling ReNu Contact Lens Solution
Markey Criticizes FDA
Markey Criticizes FDA. U.S. Rep. Edward Markey accused the Food and Drug Administration this week of conducting a "seriously flawed" approval process for an antibiotic that may be linked to severe liver failure. Ketek, a drug used to treat bacterial infections of the lung and sinus, is approved for use in adults and is being … [Read more...] about Markey Criticizes FDA
Parkinson’s medicine has odd side effect: Gambling
Parkinson’s Medicine Odd Side Effects. A 52-year-old married man had gambled away more than $100,000 when his wife finally asked for help. She didn't call Gamblers Anonymous. Instead, she talked to the Mayo Clinic doctor who had been treating her husband for Parkinson's, an incurable brain disorder. M. Leann Dodd of … [Read more...] about Parkinson’s medicine has odd side effect: Gambling
Cough Medicine Abuse On The Rise
Cough Medicine Abuse. During a year spent mostly under the influence of a powerful drug, 19-year-old Timothy Harper had numerous brushes with the law, suffered at least one serious overdose and eventually landed in jail. During the overdose, Harper's heart briefly stopped, his mother said. But the close call didn't dissuade him. … [Read more...] about Cough Medicine Abuse On The Rise
