- Scott Kappes | October 31, 2007 5:29 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsA story published in the Wall Street Journal claims that Medtronic may have had knowledge of problems with their Sprit Fidelis defibrillator leads as far back as February but did not act until October. Last week the FDA issued a Class I Recall on the leads in question after two reports surfaced of people experiencing unwarranted shocks from their defibrillators. One 65-year-old woman claims that...
- Scott Kappes | October 30, 2007 2:28 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsThe FDA issue a warning to healthcare professionals on Monday about elevated risks of birth defects associated with the drug CellCept. The drug is used as anti-rejection aid for patients that have received transplants. The FDA warns of concerns of an increased likelihood of miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of severe birth defects during fetal development. The FDA has...
- Scott Kappes | October 24, 2007 4:57 PM |
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Wrongful DeathA wrongful death case has been filed against drug store giant Walgreen Co. after an allegedly incorrect prescription caused a woman to have a miscarriage. The incident occurred outside St. Louis where Chanda Givens tried to fill a prescription for Materna, a prenatal vitamin, and was allegedly given Matulane, a strong chemotherapy drug, instead. The lawsuit claims that Givens became ill soon...
- Scott Kappes | October 23, 2007 12:41 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsScottish researchers have now confirmed the suspected link between gadolinium based contrast agents, used in MRI's, and a rare skin disease known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). This news comes by way of a report in the most recent issue of Radiology(online),and is based on a retrospective study of patients who underwent renal replacement therapy (RRT) between 2000 and 2006 at Glasgow...
- Scott Kappes | October 22, 2007 1:47 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsThe FDA has issued a warning to healthcare professionals and consumers of sudden decreases in hearing and hearing loss associated with certain erectile dysfunction medications. Labeling changes for such blockbuster medications as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis have already been initiated. The FDA says that the hearing loss can be accompanied by tinnitus, the ringing of the ears, and dizziness....
- Scott Kappes | October 18, 2007 1:54 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsOn Monday Medtronic issued a warning about the possible fracture danger associated with a small percentage of defibrillator leads. This warning was accompanied by a voluntary stop in distribution of these allegedly defective leads. Yesterday the company updated the warning and issued a Class I Recall. The recall covers Medtronic Inc Sprint Fidelis Defibrillator Leads manufactured September of...
- Scott Kappes | October 16, 2007 9:13 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsFriday the FDA announced increased warnings for ultrasound micro-bubble contrast agents after receiving several reports of serious cardiopulmonary reactions and 11 deaths related to the contrast agents. These contrast agents are used in conjunction with an echocardiograph to enhance the image, allowing doctors greater ability to see potentially dangerous cardiovascular conditions. There have...
- Scott Kappes | October 11, 2007 9:30 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsDrugmakers have announced that they are recalling several infants' cold and cough medicines because of a risk of overdose. Serious injury and death have been reported in association with these over the counter drugs and there has been very little confidence in their effectiveness in such young children. Children under two years of age are at particular risk from these medications as their tiny...
- Scott Kappes | October 09, 2007 10:42 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsLast week the FDA order Eli Lilly and Co. to stop disseminating advertising material for the popular antidepressant Cymbalta, they characterized as misleading. The FDA posted the letter sent to Lilly on their website last Tuesday claiming that the advertising mailer for Cymbalta overstates the effectiveness of the drug and fails to point out the serious potential dangers associated with the...
- Scott Kappes | October 08, 2007 10:20 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsEvery day I am finding more and more people who have experience drastic side effects while using the drug Chantix, side effects which are not listed in the Chantix warning label. Chantix is a new drug, manufactured by Pfizer, to purportedly help people quit smoking. The results experienced by many of the people who have taken this drug range from severe depression, psychotic episodes and...
- Scott Kappes | October 04, 2007 3:40 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsToday Kentucky Attorney General, Greg Stumbo, and Pikes County officials filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, the makers of the highly abused painkiller Oxycontin. The drug has come to be called "hillbilly heroin" due to its overwhelming abuse in states like Kentucky and Virginia. The drug is fitted with a time-release coating but resourceful abusers have developed a simple method to...
- Scott Kappes | October 03, 2007 10:49 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsI have been writing over Chantix for just about a month now and our law firm has received dozens of inquiries about Chantix form patients claiming bizarre side effects. Just yesterday we were contacted by a couple that took the drug together and both experienced such bad side effects, including but not limited to suicidal ideation, that they had to stop taking the medication. I saw a report...
- Scott Kappes | October 02, 2007 11:52 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsFriday the FDA posted a warning to healthcare professionals and consumers about the presence of hydrocodone in certain unapproved drugs. Hydrocodone is a powerful narcotic painkiller and cough suppressant and has been of the most commonly abused drugs out there. Abuse can lead to serious injury and even death in some cases. It has been reported to the FDA that several cough suppressants not...
- Scott Kappes | October 01, 2007 10:33 AM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsFriday the FDA finalized the its announcement made in May that it would add the "black box" warnings to gadolinium based contrast agents used to enhance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These contrast agents have been linked to rare skin disease known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). This is very serious disease characterized by the thickening of the skin and even internal tissue and...