Unsafe Drugs

Contact Solution Pulled from Market

2007-06-07T19:56:12Z

Advanced Medical Optics plans to remove Complete MoisurePlus from the market because reports of acanthamoeba keratitis have been linked to the solution. Complete MoisturePlus is used as a cleanser for soft contact lenses and also as a solution in which to store them. Acanthamoeba keratitis is caused by a parasite and can cause blindness in those who do not treat the condition.

Contact Lens Solution Yanked

]]> The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that the solution has been linked to infections in at least 138 patients since January 2005. Those who wear soft contact lenses and use the solution should get rid of all bottles of the solution in their possession and replace their lenses and their storage containers. Symptoms of acanthamoeba keratitis include eye pain, redness, blurry vision, and light sensitivity.

Mother Sues Bayer Over Death of Son

2007-06-06T18:33:35Z

Beverly Rockwell plans to seek compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of her son, Trevor A. Drake, who died after an injection of Magnevist. Rockwell claims that Magnevist, made by Bayer, was responsible for her son's death. The lawsuit alleges that the drug caused a skin and joint disease known as Nephrogenic System Fibrosis or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy and these diseases proved fatal to Drake.

Norwalk, Ohio Mother Sues Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals for the Death of Her 24-Year-Old Son

]]> This is the first lawsuit against Bayer over the effects of Magnevist. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that there were 200 cases worldwide of NSF/NFD and the cases developed following patient exposure to gadolinium-based contrast agents, such as Magnevist.

FDA Takes Action to Stop Unapproved Marketing of Guaifenesin Drugs

2007-06-05T18:06:17Z

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to stop companies that sell unapproved drug products in time-release dosage form that contain guaifenesin. Guaifenesin is a substance usually used to relieve cough and cold symptoms by causing removal of mucus from the lungs. About 20 companies currently make timed-release products that contain guaifensin that have not been reviewed by the FDA.

Action Taken to Stop Marketing of Unapproved Timed-Release Guifenesin Drug Products

]]> Steven K. Glason, the director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, says that "today's action is another example of our commitment to ensure all drugs marketed in the United States that require FDA approval have that approval. This benefits consumers because drugs that skirt the approval process may be unsafe, may not work, and often have inadequate labeling or are improperly manufactured."

China Food and Drug Administrator Sentenced to Death

2007-06-04T17:49:56Z

China is working to cut back on corruption in its government. Case in point: China has sentenced its 62-year-old former head of the food and drug administration to death for allegedly taking bribes. Zheng Xiaoyu will be the first senior Chinese official to face the death penalty in seven years.

Death Penalty for Chinese Executive

]]> Zheng is believed to have taken up to $850,000 in bribes during his tenure at the food and drug administration, from 1998 to 2005. Under Zheng's watch, dozens of people in China died from fake or bad drugs and food products. Citizens in Beijing said of Zheng's conviction: 'The damage that his corruption has brought is much worse than that caused by a dealer who sells fake drugs. The harm he has caused affects more people and brings more damage... Fake drugs can't cure diseases, instead they make things worse. Young people may be strong enough to recover, but I am afraid it could be fatal to old people."

Wyeth's "No Period" Birth Control Approved

2007-06-01T18:42:15Z

Lybrel, Wyeth's new oral contraceptive that eliminates the monthly bleeding associated with the menstruation cycle, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA says that no excessive risks have been seen in those taking Lybrel: "The risks of using Lybrel are similar to the risks of other conventional oral contraceptives and include an increased risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes."

Wyeth Contraceptive Approved

]]> Wyeth plans to conduct a post-marketing survey to see if Lybrel causes any other side effects that are more severe than those caused by other contraceptives. However, Dr. Daniel Shames, a deputy director at the FDA's office of drug evaluation, says that "we don't expect any surprises." The main concern for women on Lybrel is that, because the drug eliminates regular periods, women may have trouble recognizing if they are pregnant. Lybrel will become available in July.

Ohio Doctor Charged in Drug Deaths

2007-06-01T05:27:12Z

Dr. Paul Volkman, 60, an Ohio doctor, and two of his office managers have been charged with distributing painkillers illegally. The illegal distribution is believed to have lead to the deaths of at least 14 people. Volkman and the office managers are accused of having giving out more than 1.5 million painkillers between 2001 and 2006 while working at south Ohio clinics.

Ohio Doctor Indicted in Drug Deaths

]]> Volkman is believed to have written prescriptions for excessive dosages of drugs and prescriptions for patients who did not need the drugs. After pharmacists became wary and refused to fill the prescriptions, Volkman and the office managers opened their own drug dispensary center. Many of the 14 patients who died after using drugs prescribed to them died from "multiple drug intoxication." Many of the patients at the clinic are believed to have been drug addicts who traveled extensive distances in order to get the drugs.

Bladder Control May Be Less Effective Than Thought

2007-05-31T04:46:06Z

An article published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that surgery to help improve bladder control in women may not be as effective as believed. Past studies of urinary incontinence surgery had indicated cure rates of 70 percent to 85 percent. The most recent article, however, says that incontinence is relieved in one 35 percent to 43 percent of women.

Bladder Control Surgery May Be Less Effective

]]> The women in the study all suffered from stress incontinence. This is usually caused by childbirth and is more common after menopause. Stress incontinence can cause women to leak urine while running, coughing, sneezing, and any activities that put pressure on the bladder. In the most recent study, 655 women were underwent sling procedure operations or a Burch colposuspension. The sling procedure helped 47 percent of women, while the Burch technique helped 38 percent. However, Linda Brubaker, co-author of the study said that both techniques still had merit: "Women don't have to be perfect to get their life back."

Risks of Getting Drugs Without Proper Medical Supervision

2007-05-29T18:12:40Z

Most states currently mandate that pharmacies only can sell drugs to those with prescriptions from licensed medical professionals. These rules are in place for good reason. There are many dangers that those who attempt to treat themselves with prescription drugs face.

Risks of Obtaining Prescription Drugs Without Proper Medical Care

]]> These risks include undertreatment of the condition, inappropriate treatment, unsafe treatment, drug-drug interactions, allergic reactions, medical complications, adverse reactions and, oftentimes, pharmacies that are willing to sell drugs to those without a prescription sell mislabeled or weaker strains of the drugs. If you need medication, seek the advice of a medical professional.

Avandia Unsafe?

2007-05-28T17:46:33Z

A new review suggests that the diabetes drug Avandia might cause a higher risk of heart attack and death in those who take it. More than 6 million people worldwide have taken Avandia; the drug is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and came onto the market eight years ago. Avandia is used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes; this is the most common type of diabetes.

Diabetes Drug Tied to Heart Risks

]]> Avandia works by sensitizing the body to insulin and was considered a medical breakthrough. Some experts say that Avandia dangers are another Vioxx-like example of the Food and Drug Administration's failings. GlaxoSmithKline plans a press conference to discuss the report.

Controversy Surrounds Ephedra

2007-05-26T03:53:05Z

Ephedra in the form of the Ma Huang plant was discovered more than 5,000 years ago by the Chinese. The Chinese have used ephedra for a long time to treat cold and flu symptoms, among other things. Research has indicated that ephedra increases weight loss and fat burning, burbs the appetite, relaxes the air passages in the lungs, and also helps promote urination to relieve water retention.

The Controversy Surrounding Ephedra

]]> However, concerns over the cardiovascular effects of ephedra caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban ephedra supplements in 2004. Consumer reaction to the ban was mixed: those who still wanted to use ephedra simply used "copycat" products to achieve affects similar to those of ephedra. In April 2005, Judge Tena Campbell ruled in favor of a Utah supplement company that had challenged the FDA's ephedra ban. Because the FDA had not demonstrated adequately that ephedra was unsafe in small doses, she lifted the ban on sales of 10 mg or less. The FDA, however, stands by its ban firmly.

Dozens with Erroneous Cancer Test Errors Died

2007-05-25T02:07:33Z

A top Newfoundland medical examiner says that three dozen women who were given a false negative on a flawed breast cancer test have died. A letter obtained by The Canadian Press says that 36 women who got a false negative on the test ended up dying because they did not receive potentially life-saving treatment.

Dozens Who Got Cancer Test Errors Died: Examiner

]]> A class action lawsuit has been filed against the Eastern Health authority over the flawed tests. The group arranged for the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto to retest more than 2,000 hormone receptor tests dating back to May 1997 in 2005. "I was advised, I think it was in November or December of last year, of the severity of the number of cases," said Justice Minister Tom Osborne.

ID Required to Buy Many Cough Medicines

2007-05-24T01:13:29Z

Because of concerns over the abuse of cough syrups and cold medications, grocery stores plan to begin requiring identification to purchase the products. Those under the age of 18 will not be able to purchase drugs containing DXM or dextromethorphan. An increasing number of studies have shown that teenagers are using cough syrup and other medications to get high or go "robo-tripping."

ID Will Be Required to Buy Many Cough Medicines

]]> Robert Keane, a spokesman for Stop & Shop, one of the chains instituting the new policy, said that abuse of cold medication is increasing: "It's recognized by drugstores as a growing trend. We wanted to stem the trend as much as we can." A 2005 Partnership for a Drug-Free America survey found that 10 percent of teenagers admitted to using cough syrup to get high. The drugs will remain on shelves, but a prompt will pop up as a cashier scans the items.

Hospital Offers Guarantee on Surgical Procedure

2007-05-22T21:23:59Z

Geisinger Health System, a hospital group in central Pennsylvania, plans to offer heart bypass surgery patients a "guarantee of its worksmanship;" the group plans to give 90 days of follow-up treatment after the procedure for no additional cost. The program will be called ProvenCare and will use a 40-step system that is based on the recognized best practices for pre- and post-operative surgical treatment. Geisinger doctors also have created procedures that will "ensure the steps would always be followed, regardless of which surgeon or which one of its three hospitals was involved."

Hospital System Offers 90-Day Guarantee on Heart Surgery

]]> The New York Times says that Geisinger's approach is "noteworthy as a distinct departure from the typical medical reimbursement system,... under which doctors and hospitals are paid mainly for delivering more care- not necessarily better care." The guarantee currently only is available for those under the hospital's own insurance unit.

Vitamins Linked to Deaths from Prostate Cancer

2007-05-21T20:51:27Z

Taking too many vitamins has been linked to an increased risk in death from prostate cancer. While the study that makes the correlation was published in the Journal of National Cancer Institute, it has not yet been definitely established. However, this is the largest study yet that suggests high-dose multivitamins may harm the prostate.

href="http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=7cded44d-34d1-4613-866e-b40c33b985f8&k=18569">Vitamins Linked to Prostate Cancer Deaths

]]> Government scientists tracked the diet and the health of almost 300,000 men. About a third of the men took daily multivitamins and five percent took multivitamins more than seven times a week. Five years after the study's start, 10,241 men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. 1,476 of these men had advanced cancer and 179 died. Men who took vitamins more than seven times a week were almost twice as likely to contract fatal prostate cancer as men who never took the vitamins. Despite this evidence, the researchers did not find a link between multivitamin use and early stage prostate cancer. Researchers concluded that high-dose vitamins had little effect on prostate cancer risk until a tumor appeared; they then could spur its growth. The National Cancer Institute says that more research is needed.