MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'drug safety'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:00:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181781&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F09%2Finfant-rotavirus-vaccine-may-protect-all-of-us.html Rotavirus infections can be devastating for infants and young children, causing inflammation of the stomach and intestines leading to severe diarrhea, and often abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting. But a study published this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that rotavirus may infect many more older children and adults than previously thought—and that vaccinating infants may protect the older groups as well. Rotavirus vaccines were introduced and recommended for infants in 2006, and can prevent 85 percent or more of severe cases. Before the current vaccines, rotavirus was the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and small children in the U.S., causing up to 70,000 hospitalizations each... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181781 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5181781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174606&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fdont-use-medicines-affected-by-hurricane-irene.html If Hurricane Irene left you with flooding and water damage, chances are food, drinking water, and even medicines in your home were affected, exposing you and your family to potential illness and other serious health risks. To lessen these risks, the Food and Drug Administration is recommending that you discard any drug products—even those in their original containers—that have come into contact with flood or contaminated water. That includes capsules, tablets, and liquids in drug containers with screw-top caps, snap lids, or droppers and injections, inhalers, and skin medications. If needed, contact your doctor or pharmacist for replacements. In addition, medications that have been placed in any alternative storage containers should be discarded if they have come in contact wi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174606 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5174606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158967&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fvaccines-cause-very-few-serious-side-effects.html The start of school means it’s vaccine time, and a new 667-page report released today from the Institute of Medicine should offer parents some reassurance. It found that there is no connection between the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and autism, despite some parent’s lingering concerns. And it said that other serious side effects of that and other childhood vaccines were rare. A committee of experts convened by the IOM culled through more than 12,000 peer-reviewed articles to examine whether eight childhood vaccines caused adverse events. The report specifically ruled out any causal relationship between the flu shot and Bell’s Palsy, and found that getting vaccinated against the flu doesn’t make asthma worse. It also dispelled any notions of a con... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158967 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:01:00 +0100 5158967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158969&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Ffda-warns-that-high-doses-of-celexa-are-linked-to-heart-problems.html People should not take more than 40 milligrams a day of the antidepressant citalopram (Celexa and generic) because higher doses appear to trigger potentially fatal heart rhythm problems, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. People at greatest risk include those with heart conditions or low potassium or magnesium levels. The FDA's warning is based on reports it received of people taking the drug who developed abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart that could lead to deadly heart rhythm conditions. In addition, a study involving 119 adults found that higher doses of citalopram (up to 60 mg per day) increased the abnormal heart activity. Other research suggests that doses over 40 milligrams are no more effective than lower doses. Bottom line: If you’re ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158969 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:55:00 +0100 5158969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096184&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fover-the-counter-lipitor-thats-risky.html Pfizer hopes consumers will soon be able to get its cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) without a prescription, according to two news reports. But our medical advisors say that’s a bad idea because Lipitor and other statins are potent medications that can cause dangerous side effects, and should only be taken with a doctor's supervision. The company is likely looking for ways to make up lost sales—the drug racked up nearly $11 billion last year according to figures from IMS Health—when the patent expires in November. The Food and Drug Administration would have to grant permission for the switch, but that seems unlikely because it has previously said no to over-the-counter sales of two other statins—Mevacor (lovastatin) and Pravachol (pravastatin)&#8212... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096184 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:01:00 +0100 5096184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077673&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Ftylenols-maximum-dose-reduced-to-help-prevent-overdoses.html The maximum daily dose for Tylenol will be lowered on all acetaminophen-containing adult products from 4,000 mg (8 Extra Strength Tylenol pills) to 3,000 mg (6 pills), the manufacturer said today. The move is intended to reduce the risk of accidental acetaminophen overdoses that can lead to liver failure and death. People can unknowingly take too much acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, because it's included in more than 600 hundred over-the-counter medications that are intended to treat back pain, cold and flu symptoms, headaches, and other conditions. Acetaminophen is also found in certain prescription painkillers, such as Percocet and Vicodin. The reduction in the maximum daily dose will appear on bottle labels in the fall for Extra Strength Tylenol. Regular strength Tyle... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077673 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:35:00 +0100 5077673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077674&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Ffewer-young-people-dying-from-chickenpox-thanks-to-vaccine.html Chickenpox deaths have declined 97 percent among people under 20, and 88 percent overall since the vaccine came on the market in 1995, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published this week in the journal Pediatrics. In fact, the chickenpox vaccine has been so effective that public health officials now foresee a potential elimination of deaths from the disease in the near future. Before the chickenpox vaccine, approximately 13 children between one and four years old, and 16 children between five and nine died every year from complications of the disease. But since the single dose vaccine was introduced the number of childhood deaths from chickenpox has been drastically reduced. Only 3 children from each of those age groups died during the entire six years betw... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077674 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:20:00 +0100 5077674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057718&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fdrug-used-to-treat-atrial-fibrillation-increases-heart-risks.html The drug Multaq, also known as dronedarone, which is used to treat abnormal heart rhythms, appears to double the risk of premature death in patients with a long-term form of atrial fibrillation, according to early results of a major clinical trial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said yesterday. Patients 65 and older with the condition who took Multaq also faced a higher risk of stroke and hospitalizations for heart failure. It’s still unclear whether the drug poses similar risks to patients with other forms of atrial fibrillation. The FDA said patients taking Multaq should not stop taking the drug but should contact their doctor or other health-care professional. The agency also said doctors should not prescribe Multaq to patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. About ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057718 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5057718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008179&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Flooking-for-an-alternative-to-recalled-tylenol.html Since the recall last week of nearly 61,000 bottles of Tylenol Extra Strength pain relief because of a musty, moldy odor, you may be finding it hard to find the product on pharmacy shelves. Or the string of Tylenol recalls for that same problem going back over a year now might make you think that it’s time to look for alternatives. Our advice: Look for store-brand or generic versions of acetaminophen instead. Generic acetaminophen typically costs much less than brand-name versions, is just as safe and effective, and hasn’t been implicated in these recalls. Read more about our tips on using generic drugs. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008179 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:30:00 +0100 5008179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975856&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fcr-secret-shoppers-find-dangers-with-prescription-labels-and-inserts.html It seemed like a straightforward “spot check.” We sent Consumer Reports Health staffers to five pharmacies—Costco, CVS, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart—near our Yonkers, N.Y. office to fill prescriptions for the blood-thinner warfarin to see what kinds of instructions and warnings we’d find on the prescription bottles and patient-information sheets. But what we found was troubling. We expected clear and consistent label information for two reasons. First, if not taken correctly warfarin, the generic version of Coumadin, can cause bleeding problems, which can be fatal. In fact, it’s the second most commonly implicated drug in emergency room visits in the U.S. In addition, it’s taken so often that it ranked among the top 20 most prescribed medication... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975856 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4975856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975857&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fsafety%2F2011%2F06%2Fendocet-bottles-recalled-for-incorrect-dosage.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Endo Pharmaceuticals have issued a nationwide recall of bottles of Endocet. The problem: The bottle may contain tablets with higher concentrations of acetaminophen than indicated on the label, which could lead to health complications. The recall affects bottles labeled "Endocet® (oxycodone/acetaminophen, USP) Tablets, 10 mg /325 mg 100 count" with an expiration date of January 2014 and a Lot number of either 402415NV or 402426NV. Some of these bottles may contain the larger Endocet tablets (see image) which have higher oxycodone/acetaminophen ratios of 10mg/650mg. The flawed Endocet bottles were distributed between April and May to wholesalers in 18 states, including California, Florida, New York and Ohio. The affected bottles may have been furt... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975857 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:45:00 +0100 4975857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968478&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fsafety%2F2011%2F06%2Frecall-rugby-child-pain-and-fever-dropspackaging-not-childproof.html Almost 900,000 bottles of children’s concentrated pain and fever drops were recalled because the dispenser fails to meet standards for child-resistant closure. Although the original bottle has child-resistant packaging, a dropper for dispensing the drug to children does not. A child could access the medicine, posing serious health problems or death if more than the recommended dosage is consumed. No injuries or incidents have been reported in relation to this product. This over-the-counter medicine was sold at drug and grocery stores plus other retailers nation wide since January 2009. The drops contain acetaminophen, which calls for child-resistant packaging under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. To arrange for a free replacement dropper, contact Altaire Pharmaceuticals at 80... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968478 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:45:00 +0100 4968478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960060&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fchantix-may-cause-heart-attacks.html The drug varenicline—sold under the brand name Chantix and used to help smokers quit—may increase the risk of heart problems, the FDA has warned. Varenicline more than doubles a smoker’s chance of quitting compared with willpower alone, but it has side effects. More than 1 in 10 people taking it feel nauseated, have trouble sleeping, get strange dreams, or get a headache. Some people have reported changes in mood or even suicidal feelings with the drug, although a 2009 study didn't find any link between varenicline and suicidal thoughts. Now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that varenicline may increase the risk of heart problems. In a year-long study of people trying to quit smoking, 2 in 100 people taking varenicline had a heart attack, compared wit... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960060 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4960060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952825&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fsafety%2F2011%2F06%2Ffda-report-addresses-safety-concerns-with-imported-goods.html The Food and Drug Administration released a special report Monday that addresses rising number of foods and drugs being imported into the U.S. each year, and the challenges the agency faces in inspecting the safety of those products. The report, titled “Pathway to Global Product Safety and Quality,” says nearly two-thirds of all fruits and vegetables and 80 percent of seafood consumed in America comes from outside the country. Additionally, half of the medical devices and 80 percent of the ingredients for pharmaceuticals that are sold here are manufactured abroad. The number of products being imported has spiked in the last decade. In 2001, the FDA inspected 6 million products at 300 ports around the country; this year, the agency is expected to police 24 million products. ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952825 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:25:37 +0100 4952825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952833&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Ffda-warns-of-bladder-cancer-risk-with-actos.html The diabetes drug pioglitazone (Actos) increases the risk of bladder cancer in people who take it for a year or longer, the Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday. The warning applies to all drugs containing pioglitazone, including Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR, and Duetact. The FDA said an ongoing study involving more than 193,000 people 40 or older with type 2 diabetes found that those who took Actos for more than a year had a 40 percent higher risk of developing bladder cancer. France banned the drug last week after a study that followed 1.5 million people with diabetes also found an increased risk of bladder cancer, particularly in men. Signs of bladder cancer include blood or red color in your urine, urgent need to urinate or pain while urinating, and pain in your back or... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952833 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:15:00 +0100 4952833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934144&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Ffda-warns-of-dangerous-mix-up-between-risperdal-and-requip.html If you take either risperidone (Risperdal), used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or ropinirole (Requip), used for Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome, check the label carefully to make sure you have the right medication, the Food and Drug Administration cautioned Monday. Confusion between the drugs has led to at least 226 cases in which people took the wrong one, including five who had to be hospitalized and possibly one who died. Similarities between the drugs names and packaging, or illegible handwriting on prescriptions, appear to have contributed to the confusion, the FDA said. The agency has asked manufacturers of the medications to change the labeling and packaging so the drugs are more easily distinguished from each other. Bottom line. If you take risperid... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934144 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:30:00 +0100 4934144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921406&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Ffda-links-zocor-to-muscle-damage-especially-in-women.html Most people should not take the 80 milligram dose of simvastatin (Zocor, Vytorin, and generic), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week after it found a clear link between that dose and muscle pain as well as rare but potentially deadly muscle damage. Our medical consultants go one step further than the FDA, and say people taking any cholesterol-lowering drug should start at the lowest necessary dose. The FDA made the announcement after reports to its adverse-events database and a recent clinical trial found that people who took high-dose simvastatin had a substantially greater risk of developing muscle problems. The danger was greater in older women and those who took simvastatin in addition to blood-pressure drugs known as calcium-channel blockers, particularly diltiazem (... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921406 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:30:00 +0100 4921406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921407&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fpfizer-pulls-chicken-drug-roxarsone-due-to-arsenic-threat.html The drug maker Pfizer announced this week that it will suspend the sale of Roxarsone (3-Nitro), a drug used to kill parasites and promote growth in pigs and poultry, because it contains a form of arsenic that can become carcinogenic in humans. The company took the step after a study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that chickens given the drug had higher amount of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, in their livers. But the FDA says people can continue to eat chicken, because the levels detected didn’t present a health risk. The FDA did not test other chicken parts, like breasts or legs. Our 2005 tests of chicken found some forms of arsenic in many chicken livers on the market, though not in those from organically grown chickens. “Action on this drug is l... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921407 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:45:00 +0100 4921407 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911824&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAutTWJ-YZYs%2F Faced with growing challenges in clinical trials, manufacturing and drug safety - among many other issues - the FDA has decided to elevate the Office of Compliance to a so-called Super Office on a par with others in the Center For Drug Evaluation and Research, such as the Office of New Drugs, the Office of Pharmaceutical Science and the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology. The responsibilities will include ensuring compliance with requirements for good manufacturing practice, good clinical practice, human subject protection, adverse event and drug quality reporting, REMS, drug labeling, drug approval, drug importation, and supply chain integrity, among others, according to a memo from CDER director Janet Woodcock. And the new super compliance office will also have three officewide func... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911824 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:06:07 +0100 4911824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883568&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fare-doctors-overwhelmed-by-drug-warnings.html There are now so many warnings of potential side effects on drug labels that physicians may miss the important ones for their patients, researchers have warned. The lists of possible adverse effects on medication leaflets are a familiar sight for consumers. While it's important to know the risks as well as the benefits of a medication, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the things that might go wrong. But what about doctors? Long lists of potential adverse effects are one thing. But they also need to think about whether the drug interacts with any other medications you take, whether it's suitable for someone of your age, with your medical conditions, and whether it contains anything that you're allergic to. Researchers set out to see what doctors have to contend with. They assessed al... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883568 Tue, 31 May 2011 20:25:00 +0100 4883568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862535&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2F7-test-and-treatments-doctors-say-you-probably-dont-need.html The National Physicians Alliance and the Archives of Internal Medicine recently surveyed family and internal medicine doctors about medical tests and treatments that are often performed—but often unnecessary. Here are seven that made their lists, plus our take on each. 1. Imaging for low back pain within the first six weeks. The doctors said that’s generally necessary only if there are red flags, such as progressive neurological problems or serious underlying conditions, such as osteomyelitis, a bone infection. Otherwise, the tests—including X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans—just increase costs without improving results. Our take: Our report on back pain also concluded that the tests are overused. If your doctor orders one, ask why, and how it will affect your treatment... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862535 Tue, 24 May 2011 19:35:00 +0100 4862535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4853215&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fdangerous-chemistry-at-home-and-in-your.html I just received notice that the following @pfizer_news tweet was recently posted to the "News Direct from Drug Industry" forum of Pharma Marketing Network Forums (see here):pfizer_news: Dangerous chemistry at home. Read TSN Member Adam Gilbert's blog on Ned trying to unclog a sink/shower drain: http://on.pfizer.com/iKb4dQI decided to click on the link, which brought me to "Dangerous Chemistry at Home, Part 3 – Unclogging that Drain" posted on the Pfizer Think Science Now Blog. It's pretty hilarious. It's the latest installment of a series titled “What Will Ned Do Next?” in which the author Adam Gilbert -- a Pfizer chemist -- examines how his neighbor will "potentially hurt himself through his naïve understanding of chemistry using common household products.""The real fun begins when... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4853215 Mon, 23 May 2011 13:27:00 +0100 4853215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847949&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Ffda-says-no-to-avandia-in-drugstores.html You won’t be able to get the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) in pharmacies after November 18. That’s when new Food and Drug Administration restrictions will take effect, with the aim of reducing the risk of heart attacks caused by the medication. Instead, you’ll have to enroll in a special program to get rosiglitazone and combination products that contain it by mail order. Last year, the FDA limited the use of Avandia, Avandamet (rosiglitazone and metformin) and Avandaryl (rosiglitazone and glimepiride) to people already on one of those medications and those whose diabetes is not controlled by other drugs. The new restrictions announced this week require both patients and doctors to enroll in the Avandia-Rosiglitazone Medicines Access Program. Certified phar... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847949 Fri, 20 May 2011 14:05:00 +0100 4847949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841459&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fbath-salts-taken-as-designer-drugs-lead-to-emergency-room-visits.html At least 35 Michigan residents were hospitalized after ingesting products containing MDPV, a compound with effects similar to meth and cocaine that sellers are marketing as “bath salts,” according to a new warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least one of the patients died. And poison control centers in 45 states and the District of Columbia received calls related to the products, which are often sold in convenience stores. The compound, methylenedioxyprovalerone, can trigger agitation, dangerously fast heart beats, delusions, and hallucinations. But the CDC says that the products—sold under names such as “Vanilla Sky,” “White Lightning,” and “Ivory Snow”—present an enforcement dilemma. For one thing, ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841459 Thu, 19 May 2011 21:35:00 +0100 4841459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841462&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Ftylenol-labels-need-better-dosing-information-for-kids.html Over-the-counter children's medications containing acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic) should list recommended doses for kids two and under, advisors to the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. Those products currently don’t contain such dosing instructions, increasing the risk of overdoses and side effects, including fatal liver failure. In a unanimous vote, the FDA's nonprescription drugs advisory committee and the pediatric advisory committee agreed that children's medications containing acetaminophen should contain recommended doses for kids 6 months to 2 years as well as dosing recommendations based on weight. The FDA doesn’t have to follow the advice from its advisory committees, but it often does. Bottom line: We agree the new recommendations make sense. Until ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841462 Thu, 19 May 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4841462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828873&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fstudy-finds-no-heart-risk-for-adhd-drugs-but-still-be-careful.html Drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might not pose as much of a risk to the heart as previously thought, suggests a study published online today in Pediatrics. But we think that children and adults with heart defects or other heart-related problems should continue to avoid the drugs for now, until the results from larger studies become available. ADHD drugs such as the amphetamine salt combination drug (Adderall and related generics), atomoxetine (Strattera), and methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin, and generic), currently carry a warning about the increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and sudden death. The new study, which reviewed the medical records of 241,417 kids ages three to 17, found no significant difference in the rate of attacks or strokes betwe... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828873 Mon, 16 May 2011 14:10:00 +0100 4828873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813278&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Foff-label-drug-works-as-well-for-macular-degeneration.html A drug used off-label to treat a common form of sight loss works as well as an approved, but much more expensive alternative. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of sight loss in older people. It’s caused by an overgrowth of blood vessels at the back of the eye. Around 2005, doctors discovered that injecting the bowel cancer drug bevacizumab (Avastin) into the back of the eye could help some people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), by preventing blood vessel growth. However, the drug was never officially approved as a treatment for AMD. A couple of years later, a drug called ranibizumab (Lucentis) was approved for treating AMD. It is very similar to bevacizumab, but designed specifically for use in the eye. It’s also much more expensive. Now ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813278 Wed, 11 May 2011 13:30:00 +0100 4813278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803124&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fcommon-painkillers-risky-for-heart-attack-survivors.html People who have suffered a heart attack should try to limit their use of common pain relievers such as celexoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Voltaren and generic), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, and generic), suggests a study released Monday in the journal Circulation. Danish researchers found the drugs—known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—appear to increase the risk of another heart attack or death, even when used for only a few days. Researchers analyzed the medical records of more than 83,000 Danish people who had suffered a heart attack. Those who later received a prescription for an NSAID faced an increased risk of another heart attack or death within the first week of taking the medication. Diclofenac posed the highest risk; naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, and ge... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803124 Tue, 10 May 2011 12:50:00 +0100 4803124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794852&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2F7-heart-healthy-gifts-for-mom.html If the Mom in your life doesn’t need another picture frame, pan set, or vacuum cleaner, go with something that keeps her smiling, feeling young, and on her toes—the gift of heart health. Here are seven ideas. 1. Go out for Greek dinner. Mediterranean-style food isn’t just delicious, it can be quite healthy, too. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish with some olive oil, nuts, and, yes, red wine, lowers heart disease risk, and might keep depression, type 2 diabetes, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease away, too. 2. Give a fruit basket. It’s a no-brainer, eating a wide variety of fruits is an easy way to protect the heart. In a recent study, women who ate dried apples every day for a year lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol by 23 percent, in... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794852 Sat, 07 May 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4794852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789236&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fnew-fda-guidelines-tips-for-preventing-overdose-of-childrens-liquid-meds-1.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants to make it a little harder for the medicine to go down. Over-the-counter children's medicine, that is, such as cough syrups, pain relievers, and cold remedies. It's released new guidelines saying such remedies should include a device that helps minimize the risk of overdose. Most OTC liquid medicines do come with a "dosage delivery device"—plastic cups, droppers, and spoons, for examples. But the new FDA guidelines specifically recommend to drug makers: Dosage delivery devices should be included for all orally ingested OTC liquid drug products. Devices should be marked with calibrated units of liquid measurement (e.g. teaspoon, tablespoon, or milliliter) that are the same as the units of liquid measure specified in the directions for t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789236 Thu, 05 May 2011 18:15:00 +0100 4789236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4767990&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fdispose-of-your-old-drugs-safely-this-saturday.html If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned out your medicine cabinet, now’s a good time. This Saturday, April 30, you can turn in your expired or unused drugs for free at 4,700 sites nationwide, including many fire and police stations, hospitals, and churches. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is a convenient, anonymous way to dispose of drugs that’s safer than flushing them down the drain or throwing them in the garbage. Hanging on to unneeded drugs can not only be a risk to you but anyone else you live with, including kids or pets. Accidental exposure to medicine in the home is a major source of unintentional poisoning in the U.S. In 2007, there were 255,732 cases of improper medicine use reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, an... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4767990 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0100 4767990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4758746&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Ffda-wants-to-regulate-electronic-cigarettesagain.html E-cigarettes may not contain tobacco but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to regulate them under federal laws governing tobacco products. It’s the agency’s latest bid to rein in the popular products, which deliver vaporized nicotine. Previous attempts by the FDA to regulate electronic cigarettes failed when a federal judge ruled that, contrary to the agency’s claims, they could not be considered drugs or medical devices unless they were marketed for therapeutic purposes. However, the court left the door open saying that products “made or derived from tobacco” could be regulated. Why the big fuss? Electronic cigarettes (also sold under the names e-cigarettes and smokeless cigarettes) look a lot like the real thing—but produce a nicotine va... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4758746 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:40:00 +0100 4758746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753684&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fyaz-yasmin-new-birth-control-pills-may-pose-a-higher-risk-of-blood-clots.html The new, heavily advertised birth control pills Yasmin and Yaz might be more likely to cause potentially deadly blood clots than older oral contraceptives, according to two new studies in the British Medical Journal. While the risk is still uncertain, and the pills might be a good choice for some women, there are other good options to choose from that have longer, better understood safety records. All birth control pills that combine a progestin with estrogen can cause a deep vein thrombosis (DVT)—a clot in the legs that can cause pain and, if it travels to the lungs, death. In older pills, the risk of having a DVT is quite low, occurring in about one in 10,000 women who take the pills for a year. But the two new studies suggest that the birth control pills Yasmin and Yaz, which co... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753684 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:20:20 +0100 4753684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753968&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Ffda-plans-to-test-new-standard-for-easy.html Every Rx drug is supposed to include an FDA-approved "package insert" (PI) that provides information about the drug, including instructions for taking the drug and warnings about interactions and side effects. Most official PI's, however, are pretty technical and difficult to read, especially by seniors who may have problems reading the small type.Besides being difficult to read, the official PI often is NOT included with your prescription -- the pharmacy asks you to sign a sheet, however, that indicates you have been informed about the drug. Thus, they don't need to give you the PI unless you specifically ask for it.In an effort to make PI's easier to read and understand -- and perhaps to save money on printing costs -- the FDA is "planning to test single-page consumer information sheets ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753968 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:32:00 +0100 4753968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734075&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fgoing-on-vacation-dont-forget-the-diphenhydramine.html When I visited my daughter in Spain last month, I packed headache medicine and diarrhea medicine (just in case). But I didn’t even consider what-if-I-wake-up-with-hives medicine. And guess what happened. The morning after my arrival, I woke up scratching my neck, which is never a good sign, and feeling swollen. I looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe the overnight transformation. My eyelids were twice their normal size, and my face was a blotchy red mess. Thankfully, my tongue was not swollen as well. It could have been something in the paella I ate the night before, but I suspected the wool blanket on the hotel bed. In any case, I made a trip down the street to the pharmacia and tried to explain (in my best Spanish accent possible) to the man in the white coat that I wan... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734075 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:30:38 +0100 4734075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719891&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Frecall-topamax-bottles-musty-odor-smell-tbas-topiramate-mcneil-jj-tylenol-johnsonjohnson-fda.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall alert for Topamax, an anti-seizure drug made by Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, because of numerous consumer complaints of a musty odor from the drug's bottles. The affected bottles contain 60 tablets of Topamax, or topiramate, in 100 mg doses and were shipped for distribution in the U.S. and Puerto Rico between last October and December in two lots. The bottles being recalled have labels that bear "NDC code 50450-641-65" and a "Lot Number" of "0KG110" with an expiration date of "06-2012" or Lot Number 0LG222 with a "09-2012" expiration. As with other, recent recalls of McNeil drugs, the stench from the Topamax bottles is believed to be caused by trace amounts of 2,4,6 tribromoanisole, or TBAs. The FDA believes TBA contamin... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719891 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 20:30:00 +0100 4719891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714735&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Fhospitalizations-from-medications-rise-dramatically.html Nearly 1.9 million people were hospitalized because of drug side effects and errors in 2008, up from 1.2 million in 2004, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Nearly 56,000 people died as a result of those problems—an 11 percent increase from four years earlier. The biggest drug offenders that led to hospitalization were corticosteroids, painkillers, blood-thinners, medications to treat cancer and immune-system disorders, as well as heart and blood pressure medicines. Ninety-two percent of the hospitalized cases occurred in people who had taken proper dosages but developed side effects anyway or had allergic or hypersensitive reactions. About 7 percent of the cases stemmed from errors, such as patients taking or being given the wrong drug... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714735 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:01:00 +0100 4714735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715019&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWxRg5kRjTGc%2F Once again, several House Democrats have introduced a bill designed to increase funding and authority for the FDA to monitor drug production. The latest legislation, however, is aimed specifically at foreign-made pharmaceuticals, given ongoing concerns about the supply chain amid several episodes that questioned foreign production of meds sold in the US. The new bill, which is called the Drug Safety Enhancement Act and was sponsored by John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, and three of his colleagues, would provide added funding to the FDA to inspect drugs imported into the US, increase civil and criminal penalties, and increase agency inspection of overseas manufacturing to the same level of scrutiny applied to domestic facilities (to read the bill, please go here and type in HR 1483). &#822... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715019 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:18:38 +0100 4715019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693278&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Ffda-cervical-cancer-vaccine-not-effective-in-women-27-or-older.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has rejected an application from the maker of Gardasil, a vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), to expand its use to women 27 and older. In fact, the agency said the company, Merck, should add a statement to the vaccine label saying that it’s not proven to prevent HPV-related complications in women over that age, including cervical cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease—at least half of women and men contract it at some point in their lives. Gardasil protects against the four strains of the virus that cause the most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. It can also prevent cancers of the vulva and vagina in women, and anal cancer in both men and women. It was approved for girls and young women age 9 to... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693278 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:45:00 +0100 4693278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684299&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F04%2Ffda-has-new-tool-to-track-supplement-warnings.html The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week unveiled a new, consumer-friendly search engine that provides easy access to information about product recalls and warnings. We used it to round up recent ones involving dietary supplements. March 28: AVNS Inc announced a recall of The BEST Enhancer after it was informed by the manufacturer, Drive Total Energy, that FDA testing had found it contained sulfoaildenafil, a compound similar to sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. The compound is potentially dangerous because it can interact with some prescription drugs, notably nitroglycerin, and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. AVNS urges consumers to discontinue use and return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. March 25: USA Far Ocean Group Inc., of Alham... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684299 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:16:07 +0100 4684299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658378&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fsafety%2F2011%2F03%2Ftylenol-recall-musty-smelling-bottles-tba-chemical-contamination.html Another major recall of Tylenol 8 Hour Extended Release caplets has been issued by its maker, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, because of complaints of a musty or moldy odor from bottles of the acetaminophen pain killer. About 750,000 bottles bearing the Lot number ADM074 and UPC code 300450297181 are affected by this latest Tylenol recall. As with recent, previous recalls of Tylenol and other McNeil over-the-counter drugs, the "uncharacteristic odor" is believed to be linked to "trace amounts" of 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) within the drugs' bottles. The health effects of TBA are believed to be minimal, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and McNeil both advise consumers to stop using the TBA-tainted Tylenol. And if con... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658378 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:45:01 +0100 4658378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642590&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F1156714_perscription_drug_case.jpg Periodically, the FDA publishes drug warnings that should be shared with the public, especially if it affects pregnant women. Each year, over 4 million babies are born in the US and 43% will continue to be breast fed at 6 months. All of these moms will invariably use meds at some point after birth, so which meds are helpful and which are potentially harmful? These questions may now be answered by the Infant Risk Center, at the Texas Tech University Health Center, in Amarillo, Texas. This center provides up-to-date information regarding the safety of medications that are taken both during pregnancy and after birth. Most drugs enter breast milk immediately after birth and during the first 4 to 10 days of life at a fairly fast rate based on the physiology of breast cells. New moms must theref... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642590 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:00:37 +0100 4642590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636431&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Ffda-heartburn-drugs-over-the-counter-prilosec-prevacid-ppi-safety-risk-fractures.html The U.S. Food and Drug Admininistration said this week that the over-the-counter heartburn drugs Prilosec and Prevacid are safe when taken short term. But many people take the drugs long-term, increasing their risk of fractures. The FDA said that OTC proton-pump inhibitors don't pose a fracture risk when they're taken for less than 14 days, three times a year. However, taking the drugs longer or more often does increase those risks, especially when taken for a year or longer. That's why we say consumers should exercise caution when using the drugs to treat heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Over-the-counter doses of PPI medicines should be: Omeprazole (found in Prilosec OTC and others) — 20 mg tablet (Once a day for no more than 14 days. The 14-day course may... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636431 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:46:44 +0100 4636431 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636432&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Flifestyle-changes--not-actos--still-best-bet-for-prediabetes.html A study out this week in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that people who have blood glucose levels that are elevated but not yet quite diabetic should consider taking a drug usually reserved for those with full-blown diabetes. We disagree. The study found that after about two years of follow-up, people who took pioglitazone (Actos) had a 72 percent reduction in their blood glucose measurements compared with those who took a placebo. In addition, for every 100 people who took the drug only about two developed diabetes, compared with about eight out of 100 who took the placebo. Finally, Actos lowered blood pressure and raised HDL (good) cholesterol. So what's the problem? The drug caused weight gain (an average of about 8 pounds) as well as edema, a condition in which the bo... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636432 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:15:00 +0100 4636432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4626801&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fsupreme-court-decision-zicam-side-effects-info-lawsuit-matrixx-shareholders.html The Supreme Court unanimously sided yesterday with investors suing Matrixx Industries, makers of Zicam, for failing to reveal indications of the over-the-counter cold remedy's dangerous side effects--including loss of smell. The shareholders, in a 2004 lawsuit against Matrixx, argued that by withholding reports of adverse events, the company had defrauded investors. The company's defense was that early reports of Zicam's side-effects were statistically insignificant. (Consumer Reports Health experts and other medical professionals had warned of Zicam's adverse effects prior to the Food and Drug Administration's official warning in 2009, which lead to the drug's removal from store shelves.) Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court: Given that medical professionals and regulators act o... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4626801 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:37:59 +0100 4626801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610994&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Ftaro-pharmaceuticals-bag-o-glass-moment.html I don't know who's "stupider" -- Taro Pharmaceutical, which published an OVIDE lotion branded comic book for kids without including warnings or the FDA, which sent the company a notice of violation letter because it did not include warnings such as "OVIDE Lotion is flammable?!"Holy cow! Flammable?! Even with the warning, Taro should never promote this product in a  comic book aimed at kids!It sort if reminds me of the Saturday Night Live "Bag O' Glass" skit featuring toy manufacturer Irwin Mainway, played byDan Aykroyd and Consumer Reporter played by Candice Bergen. Consumer Reporter: So, you don't feel that this product is dangerous?Irwin Mainway: No! Look, we put a label on every bag that says, "Kid! Be careful - broken glass!" I mean, we sell a lot of products in the "Bag O'" line.... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610994 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0100 4610994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4626823&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fembeda-pain-reliever-recalled.html All doses of the prescription drug Embeda, a potent combination of morphine and naltrexone used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain, have been recalled, according to an announcement from the manufacturer, King Pharmaceuticals. The company said that while the drug is not not known to pose any immediate risks to patients, it failed stability tests, which measure how it responds to changing temperature, humidity, and light levels. Don't abruptly stop taking the medication, since that can trigger withdrawal symptoms. Instead, check with your doctor about switching to another medication. That will likely be necessary in any case, as the company anticipates that Embeda will be unavailable for many months while it resolves the problems that led to the recall. --Steve Mitchell, associate ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4626823 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:47:23 +0100 4626823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592387&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fmajor-review-of-166-studies-says-best-diabetes-drug-is-cheapest-.html A comprehensive review published online today in the Annals of Internal Medicine concludes that the best diabetes drug is one of the oldest and cheapest diabetes drugs: metformin. That medication costs about 35 cents a pill when bought as a generic, compared with $6.42 a pill for Januvia (sitagliptin), one of the newest diabetes on the market. Moreover, metformin lowers blood sugar at least as well as all other drugs and better than some others, notably Actos (pioglitiazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone). It also lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol more effectively than most other diabetes drugs. To top it all off, the drug is less likely to cause some of the serious side effects that plague diabetes medications, including dangerously low blood-sugar levels, fractures, heart failure, and weight ga... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592387 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:01:00 +0100 4592387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575048&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Favoiding-medicine-mistakes-drug-confusion-time-to-dispense-with-inconsistent-dosing-instructions.html Here's a little brainteaser. Let's say you were prescribed two medications with the following dosing instructions: Take 1 tablet by mouth twice daily for 10 days Take 2 tablets by mouth every 12 hours. How would you schedule your doses? When a similar question was posed in a recent study, nearly 8 in 10 people said they would take the drugs four separate times a day. But the easiest way would be to combine the doses, as the instructions are similar—"every 12 hours" is another way of saying "twice daily." This would mean a simpler medication schedule, making it less likely that you’d forget a dose. But this is far from obvious when looking at the instructions. Now imagine you had several other prescriptions to add to your daily schedule, each with ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575048 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4575048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570538&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclips.shadowtv.net%2Fmedia%2Fstv%2F15183%2F23%2F2011%2F069%2F01%2F15183_23_20110310_015425_70.wmv It’s hard to believe that Consumer Reports has played even a bit part in the ongoing drama series known as “Charlie Sheen,” but there it is, as shown in the photo at right from a recent segment of Inside Edition: the 1991 Consumer Reports book The Complete Drug Reference, allegedly signed by the warlock himself with a delightful and wry inscription to his then-beloved: “To Ging, From one Druggie To Another. Love, C.” We obviously don’t endorse the use of our materials to support any illicit activity—by Charlie Sheen or anyone else. But we’re not above taking advantage of the opportunity to point out that when you have questions about your medications, the potential side effects, concerns over interactions, or you just want to know more, sources such as our Best Buy Drugs... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570538 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:01:57 +0100 4570538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560261&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fincreased-risk-of-oral-birth-defects-if-women-take-epilepsy-drug-topamax.html The anti-seizure drug topiramate (Topamax and generic) might cause cleft lips and palates in children born to women who take the medication while pregnant, according to a new warning from the Food and Drug Administration. Topamax treats epileptic seizures and is also approved for migraine prevention. It's also prescribed off-label by some doctors to treat alcohol dependence, and, in some cases, as a weight-loss aid. The drug will now be labeled as as a Class D drug, meaning there's evidence of  fetal risk in humans, according to the FDA. If you're a woman with epilepsy of childbearing age, talk with your doctor about other alternatives before agreeing to take the medication. It is important that women avoid seizures during pregnancy, so in certain situations the potentia... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560261 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:27:36 +0100 4560261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549748&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fcould-ibuprofen-lower-the-risk-of-parkinsons.html How do we know if a medical treatment works? The best studies randomly split people into two or more groups. People in one group get the treatment being tested, and the others get comparison treatments. Often the comparison is an inactive placebo pill, although it could be another drug, or even something else completely, like an exercise regime or education program. An alternative type of medical trial is the observational study. If you’re interested in ibuprofen, for example, you could ask people how often they’ve been taking it each week for the past few years. You then compare people who took it regularly with people who didn’t. That’s what researchers did in a new study, and they came to the conclusion that ibuprofen is linked to a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s diseas... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549748 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:07:38 +0100 4549748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544960&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fcelebrex-for-osteoarthritis-pain-relief-skip-celebrex-and-save-big-best-buy-drugs-nsaids-.html The manufacturer of Celebrex (celecoxib) spends millions of dollars a year advertising the pain reliever, with considerable success: The drug brought in $1.7 billion in U.S. sales in 2010. But that doesn’t mean that it’s better than related medications, called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), on the market. Our new Best Buy Drugs report on NSAIDs found that ibuprofen (Advil and generic) and naproxen (Aleve and generic) are just as safe and effective as Celebrex. And they are much cheaper, too, especially when you buy the generic version: You can get a month’s supply of generic ibuprofen or naproxen for as little as $4. In contrast, a month’s supply of Celebrex is $76 to $199, depending on dose. Another advantage of ibuprofen and naproxen is that unlike Celebrex, th... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544960 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0100 4544960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544962&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fcold-medicines-banned-fda-bans-hundreds-of-unapproved-allergy-cold-and-cough-products-.html When you get a prescription drug from your doctor you probably assume the product has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But that’s not always the case. On Wednesday the FDA banned hundreds of products it never officially approved, as part of an ongoing effort to clean up the market place of products that were introduced before newer, stricter standards were established. This time around, the agency is focusing on unapproved allergy, cold, and cough products. The products aren’t being banned because the active ingredients in them—such as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, the decongestant phenylephrine, and the expectorant guaifenesin—are unapproved, but because the manufacturers of certain specific products haven’t provided the FDA with the necessary... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544962 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:02:17 +0100 4544962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540561&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F03%2Fheartburn-drugs-can-cause-dangerously-low-magnesium-levels.html Long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR and generics), and omeprazole (Prilosec OTC and generics) can cause low magnesium levels, according to an announcement today from the Food and Drug Administration. And that, in turn, can trigger muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, and convulsions. As we've previously reported, PPIs are also linked to other serious side effects, including a higher risk of pneumonia, infection with a bacterium called Clostridium difficile, and certain bone fractures. The FDA's warning is based on 61 cases of low magnesium levels in people taking PPIs. Some developed low-magnesium levels after three months of treatment, but most had been taking a PPI for more than a year. About a quarter of the people... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540561 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 22:49:32 +0100 4540561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536448&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ffv2Jsa06fpQ%2F Some of the biggest drugmakers do not have a good track record when it comes time for FDA inspectors to visit their plants. Overall, the FDA found violations at 54 percent of plants inspected last year, up 20 percent from a decade low in 2007, according to data obtained from the agency by Bloomberg News. And 80 drugmakers failed more than half of their inspections. Who led the pack? Pacira Pharmaceuticals, which makes painkillers sold in hospitals, was the worst offender among publicly traded drugmakers with an 82 percent failure rate during 11 inspections. Abbott Labs failed 59 percent of 111 inspections; Pfizer flunked 57 percent of 202 inspections; Merck bombed out on 52 percent of 134 visits and Johnson & Johnson failed 48 percent of 161 inspections. By contrast Mylan passed 79 pe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536448 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:14:42 +0100 4536448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522100&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Fextenze-recall-supplements-risks-counterfeit-contaminated-male-enhancement-supplements-recalled.html If you have a bottle of Extenze dietary supplements on your shelf, take a close look at the lot numbers. Biotab Nutraceuticals, Inc., the maker of the product, recalled two lots of it this week after being told by the Food and Drug Administration that some of the packages were counterfeit and contained drug ingredients that can pose serious health risks. Some packages of Extenze bearing lot numbers 0709241 contained the erectile dysfunction drugs tadalafil (Cialis) and sildenafil (Viagra). Those drugs can interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and might lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, according to an FDA safety alert.  Some packages labeled with lot number 0509075 contained tadalafil and sibutramine, a prescription weight-loss drug ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522100 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:51:52 +0100 4522100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512387&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Fbisphosphonates-health-risks-study-confirms-osteoporosis-drugs-pose-risk-of-thigh-fractures-in-women.html Older women who take a type of drug called bisphosphonates, which are meant to prevent fractures, face an increased risk of unusual fractures in their thigh bone, according to a large study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study underscores the Food and Drug Administration's move last October to add a warning about this risk to the labeling of those drugs, which include alendronate (Fosamax, Fosamax Plus D, and generics), risedronate (Actonel, Actonel with Calcium, Atelvia, and generics), ibandronate (Boniva), and zoledronic acid (Reclast). The study, which included more than 205,000 women 68 or older who were on a bisphosphonate, found that those who took the drug for at least 5 years were 2.7 times more likely to sustain an atypical thigh fracture than those... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512387 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4512387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501581&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Fepidural-pain-relief-during-childbirth-moms-to-be-use-less-pain-medication-when-they-control-dose.html There's no doubt about it: epidurals are great at relieving pain during childbirth. But they aren't without drawbacks. They can slow down a woman's labor, for example, and may rapidly decrease her blood pressure, which can affect her baby's heart rate. Also, some women—although grateful for the pain relief— don't much like being numb from the waist down, which can make the pushing stage of labor more difficult. For these women, an alternative type of epidural called patient-controlled epidural analgesia may be an appealing option, as it allows a woman to control her dose of pain medication. By pushing a button, she can give herself more medicine if she needs it. That way, she can modify her dose in response to her pain and stage of labor. She may decide, ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501581 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4501581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495194&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Fjantoven-warfarin-tablets-recalled-nationwide-blood-thinner-risks.html The recall was voluntarily launched by the manufacturer after it found that a single bottle labeled as containing 3 milligram tablets actually contained 10 mg tablets, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Taking that much excessive warfarin, a blood thinner used to prevent blood clot, could lead to life-threatening bleeding. The recalled lot is #284081 with an expiration date of September 2012. The 3 mg tablets are tan with "WRF" and "3" imprinted on one side, while the 10 mg tablets are white with "WRF" and "10" imprinted on one side. —Steve Mitchell, associate editor, Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495194 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4495194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495197&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Fstatins-one-in-four-take-statins-more-people-than-ever-take-cholesterol-lowering-statins.html Roughly one in four adults 45 and older now take a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, compared with just one in 50 about 15 years ago, according to a report released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But that doesn’t mean the drugs are for everyone, and as we've previously reported, some experts worry that too many people are being put on the drugs. Statins—such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and simvastatin (Zocor and generic)—can reduce the risk of a heart attack and premature death in people who have a history of heart disease or at high risk of it. But they provide less benefit to other people, perhaps especially low-risk women. That’s one reason our new Ratings of heart-screening tests recommend routine cholesterol screening f... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495197 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:12:54 +0100 4495197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459952&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Felectronic-cigarettes-risks-e-cigarettes-popular-but-safety-questions-remain-.html E-cigarettes is a more popular Google search term than nicotine replacement therapy, Chantix (an anti-smoking drug), or snus (a new form of smokeless tobacco), according to a study published online this week by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. A survey released at the same time by the journal  hinted that the battery-powered cylindrical devices, which provide nicotine but no tar or smoke, might help people kick the habit. But we still have our reservations. Here’s why. The survey focused on 216 people who bought e-cigarettes for the first time. Six months later, 31 percent had stopped smoking tobacco cigarettes, and of those 57 percent were still using e-cigarettes, 9 percent were using other tobacco-free nicotine products, and about a third had given up all nicotin... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459952 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:58:53 +0100 4459952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4445796&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F02%2Favastin-risks-bevacizumab-can-cause-fatal-side-effects-treatments-for-colon-cancer.html Bevacizumab (brand name Avastin) has a controversial history. It was developed as a new kind of anti-cancer drug, and works by preventing new blood vessels from forming, starving a tumor of its blood supply. It was approved by the FDA in 2004 as a treatment for colon cancer, to be used alongside other chemotherapy drugs. Despite positive early trials, bevacizumab struggled to live up to its promise. It slowed down the return of cancer, but several studies found that it didn’t help patients live longer. The FDA went on to approve bevacizumab for patients with cancer of the kidneys, but originally rejected it as a treatment for breast cancer, before reconsidering, despite complaints from the Oncology Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC). The ODAC were concerned with the lack of survival benefit... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4445796 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:00:00 +0100 4445796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411525&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdrug-safety-in-preventing-acute-mountain-sickness%2F2011.01.28 This is a guest post by Dr. Jeremy Windsor. ********** Steroids and Acute Mountain Sickness In recent years, many attempts have been made to identify safe and effective medications to prevent acute mountain sickness (AMS). Acetazolamide (Diamox), currently the “drug of choice” for this purpose, is not perfect and occasionally causes objectionable side effects. Dexamethasone (Decadron), a powerful steroid medication, has become increasingly popular for prevention and treatment in certain circles. While there is ample evidence to suggest that dexamethasone is effective, a recent case report highlights that this drug is not without risk. In the latest issue of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine [WEM 21(4):345-348, 2010] in an article entitled ”Complicat... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411525 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4411525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405769&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fhay-fever-treatments-allegra-fexofenadine-allergy-drug-allegra-goes-otc.html The Food and Drug Administration this week approved the over-the-counter sale of Allegra (fexofenadine), an antihistamine often used for hay fever. It will likely hit the shelves in March, just in time for spring allergy season. Allegra isn’t safer or more effective than other so-called “second-generation” antihistamines already on the market, and its manufacturer hasn’t yet announced the price for the OTC product. So for now, our Best Buy Drug pick for allergy relief remains loratadine, sold either as a generic or under the name Alavert. Both are cheaper than other OTC options, and are less likely than older antihistamines, such as Benadryl, to cause drowsiness.   Still, if loratadine doesn't relieve your allergy symptoms, nonprescription Allegra could be an op... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405769 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:28:29 +0100 4405769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399517&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fvilazodone-viibryd-antidepressants-depression-drugs-fda-approves-a-new-drug-for-major-depression.html It’s called vilazodone (Viibryd), and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for major depression, which is depression severe enough to interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, or enjoy once pleasurable activities. The manufacturer says it’s less likely than some other antidepressants to cause sexual side effects or weight gain. But it’s unclear to us that it’s more effective or safer than any of the many antidepressants already on the market. And, like all new drugs, it by definition has a very short safety record. So we say proceed with caution until more is known. For more about antidepressants, check out our free Best Buy Drugs report and also our advice on when talk therapy might be enough. —Steve Mitchell, associate editor, Consumer... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399517 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:25:16 +0100 4399517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360968&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fjohnson-and-johnson-recall-tylenol-benadry-sudafed-sinutab-rolaids-jj-recalls-more-tylenol-.html Johnson and Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare announced late last week a recall of more Tylenol as well as Benadryl, Sudafed, and Sinutab products—about 43 million packages in all. The company said the recall is due to problems with their manufacturing quality control, including insufficient equipment cleaning. Plus, McNeil is recalling 4 million packages of Rolaids Multi-Symptom Berry tablets because of incomplete labels. McNeil said the recalls are a precautionary measure after their review found lapses in good manufacturing practices, and that the recall affects only the “wholesale level.” So the company says consumers can continue to use the products. While that may be true, consumers have lots of other choices for similar products, including low-cost generic and store-bran... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360968 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:52:17 +0100 4360968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349516&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-restricts-acetaminophen-in-popular-pain-medications%2F2011.01.14 This is a guest post from Dr. Mary Lynn McPherson. ********** FDA Restricts Acetaminophen In Popular Pain Medications The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made an announcement yesterday that affects one of the most common pain medications on the market, and as a consequence may affect countless numbers of the 75 million Americans who experience chronic pain (for perspective, that’s more than the number of people suffering from cancer, heart disease and diabetes combined.) The FDA has asked manufacturers of popular prescription pain medications like Vicodin or Percocet to limit the amount of acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol, or APAP) used in these drugs to no more than 325 milligrams per tablet — the equivalent of one regular-strength Tylenol tablet. The move came because rese... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349516 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:00:05 +0100 4349516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343120&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fnsaids-and-heart-attacks-strokes-celebrex-ibuprofen-risks-study-confirms-that-common-painkillers-pose-dangers.html Think twice about your ticker if you regularly pop painkillers such as ibuprofen (Advil and generic) or celecoxib (Celebrex). A major study published this week in the British Medical Journal confirms previous concerns that long-term use of the drugs can lead to heart attacks and strokes. While all of these painkillers, known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can be dangerous for the heart, some pose less of a risk than others, according to the study, which looked at 31 trials that included more than 116,000 people. Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, and generic) appeared to pose the lowest risk of a heart attack, while diclofenac (Voltaren and generic) had the highest risk of cardiovascular death among the NSAIDs currently available in the U.S. For more on the use of these pai... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343120 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:36:48 +0100 4343120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343121&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Facetaminophen-risks-fda-limits-acetaminophen-dose-to-improve-safety-of-painkillers.html Acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic) can help ease aches and pains, but too much can trigger liver failure and even death. In an aim to improve safety, the Food and Drug Administration Thursday significantly reduced the maximum dose of acetaminophen allowed in combination prescription painkillers, such as Percocet (oxycodone + acetaminophen) and Vicodin (hydrocodone + acetaminophen). Some strengths of these combo painkillers currently contain up to 750 mg of acetaminophen, but under the new limits that are to be phased in over the next 3 years, the maximum allowed is 325 mg. The FDA is also requiring that the labels of these drugs carry a boxed warning—the agency's strongest caution—about the liver risk posed by acetaminophen. The new restrictions don't apply to over-the-counter a... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343121 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:08:37 +0100 4343121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343122&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fshingles-vaccine-effective-but-underused.html Two new studies out this week have good and bad news on the shingles vaccine. One, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that it cut the risk of the painful condition (caused by a recurrence of the virus that causes chickenpox) by 55 percent. But the other, in American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that less than 7 percent of adults 60 or older got the vaccine in 2008, despite clear recommendations. The JAMA study, which looked at the records of 75,761 vaccinated and 227,283 unvaccinated members of Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, found that the vaccine was effective in all age groups, including the very old, and those with diabetes, heart, kidney, liver, lung, or other chronic diseases. That’s good news, since some chronic conditions can increase th... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343122 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:13:41 +0100 4343122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343332&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FiRmxJpj9GZg%2F For the past couple of years, the FDA safety program known as the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies, or REMS, has been all the rage. The idea was hatched in response to growing concerns that safety signals were insufficiently handled before and after drug approvals (Merck’s Vioxx painkiller was an oft-cited example, for instance). And so the agency has used the REMS program as something of a carrot and stick by requiring drugmakers to implement such a program as a condition of numerous approvals (here is the most recent list). Of course, not every REMS program is alike in that requirements can differ and, therefore, the effort and cost to design and execute each program involves something less than a cookie-cutter approach. Not surprisingly, therefore, a new survey indicates ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343332 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:05:34 +0100 4343332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331005&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fdietary-supplement-safety-more-drug-containing-supplements-recalled.html The Food and Drug Administration’s announcement last month that it was getting tough on supplements that contain drugs or synthetic steroids seems to be working. There’s been a flurry of voluntary recalls of dietary supplements. Here are a few highlights: • Fruta Planta and Reduce Weight Fruta Planta dietary supplements, which are marketed for weight loss, were voluntarily recalled on Dec. 30 by PRock Marketing, LLC, of Kissimmee, Fla. Tests by the FDA had found that the product, which is marketed under both names, contained sibutramine, a prescription drug that was withdrawn from the market in December 2010 because of an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. Sibutramine can cause a rise in blood pressure, pulse, or both, and can pose a significant... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331005 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:30:00 +0100 4331005 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322500&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F01%2Fmmr-vaccine-and-autism-risk-vaccine-scare-study-was-based-on-falsified-medical-records.html Research that triggered a major vaccine scare has been branded a fraud by the BMJ. The study, which was retracted by its publisher last year, discussed a possible link between the MMR vaccine, bowel disease, and autism. A new investigation by journalist Brian Deer reveals that the original study made claims about children that are contradicted by their medical records. It’s not the first time the 1998 study has been criticized. It looked at just 12 children, with no comparison group. The paper itself admitted it couldn’t prove a link between vaccines and autism, but a press conference at the time, followed by huge amounts of media coverage, created uncertainty in the minds of many parents about whether the MMR vaccine was safe. Last year, the study was retracted by the journal th... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322500 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:59:07 +0100 4322500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287415&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpainkiller-safety%2F2010.12.24 Perhaps as many as one in every five American adults will get a prescription for a painkiller this year, and many more will buy over-the-counter medicines without a prescription. These drugs can do wonders — getting rid of pain can seem like a miracle — but sometimes there’s a high price to be paid. Remember the heavily marketed COX-2 inhibitors? Rofecoxib, sold as Vioxx, and valdecoxib, sold as Bextra, were taken off the market in 2004 and 2005, respectively, after studies linked them to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin, ibuprofen (sold as Advil and Motrin), and naproxen (sold as Aleve) seem like safe bets. But taken over long periods, they have potentially dangerous gastrointestinal side effect... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287415 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:00:34 +0100 4287415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277827&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fheartburn-drugs-risks-ppis-linked-to-pneumonia-time-to-take-a-break-from-heartburn-drugs.html Earlier this year I started taking a daily dose of generic omeprazole (Prilosec) to ease the acid reflux caused either by my over-fondness of Indian cuisine, a stomach abnormality that allows digestive juices to back up into my esophagus or, most likely, both. But now, as yet another study is published linking omeprazole and related drugs to a variety of health risks, I’m wondering if it might be time to take a break from it—possibly for good. The most recent study, published online Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found one extra case of pneumonia for every 200 hospital patients who were prescribed an acid-suppressing drug. Those drugs included either a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), such as omeprazole, esomeprazole (Nexium), and lansoprazole (Prevacid and generic); ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277827 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:50:38 +0100 4277827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277958&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FxWGxZrIn9t4%2F As promised, a handful of House Democrats have introduced legislation that would increase funding and authority for the FDA to monitor drug production - both domestically and overseas - in hopes of improving safety in the wake of the Heparin scandal and other recent episodes that questioned foreign production of meds sold in the US. The bill would crreate an up-to-date registry of all domestic and foreign facilities serving the US; generate funding for increased Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) inspections for brand and generic drugs; require parity between foreign and domestic inspections; prohibit entry of drugs coming from domestic and foreign facilities that limit, delay or deny FDA inspections; prohibit drugs from entering the US if safety documentation is lacking; requires manufact... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277958 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:38:54 +0100 4277958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265717&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fcheap-drugs-cutting-drug-costs-1-in-6-americans-have-purchased-drugs-online-without-a-prescription.html An estimated 36 million Americans have purchased at least one prescription drug online without a doctor's prescription, according to research presented this week by the Partnership at Drugfree.org. The nonprofit organization noted that illegal online drug sellers—known as rogue Internet pharmacies—expose consumers to counterfeit and unapproved medications. We recently found drugs from rogue pharmacies that were potentially lethal, including narcotic painkillers, drugs to treat epilepsy and ADHD, and supposed generic versions of big-name drugs such as Avodart, Crestor, Cymbalta, and Nexium.It’s no secret that millions of Americans are worried about medical expenses. Our May 2010 poll found that in the past year, 39 percent of adults reported taking some action to reduce drug costs. Bu... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265717 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:33:10 +0100 4265717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265719&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fsexual-enhancement-fda-gets-tough-on-tainted-dietary-supplements.html The Food and Drug Administration announced today that it’s getting tough on dietary supplements that contain synthetic steroids or active ingredients found in prescription drugs. The agency has warned the public about nearly 300 such tainted supplements since December 2007, according to Joshua Sharfstein, M.D., principal deputy commissioner of the FDA. Most are marketed for weight loss, sexual enhancement, and bodybuilding, he said. For example, earlier this week the FDA warned consumers to avoid Man Up Now capsules, marketed as a dietary supplement for sexual enhancement, because they contain a chemical similar to the active ingredient, sildenafil, found in Viagra, which can dangerously lower blood pressure in some people. As we noted in our story on dangerous supplements, we think con... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265719 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:44:36 +0100 4265719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258859&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fheart-risks-of-vioxx-persist-long-after-drug-is-stopped.html People who thought they were in the clear after they stopped taking the now banned painkiller rofecoxib (Vioxx) might have to think again. The risks of the drug, which was pulled off the market in 2004 after it was linked to heart attacks and strokes, persist even after people stop taking it, according to a study released Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The findings also serve as a reminder to use caution with related painkillers that are still available, notably celecoxib (Celebrex). Some studies suggest it might pose similar, though less severe, risks to the heart. Other related drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil and generic) and naproxen (Aleve and generic), might as well. And all of those drugs, called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), can cause dangerous gastrointe... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258859 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:15:00 +0100 4258859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253131&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fdaily-aspirin-might-help-prevent-cancer-deaths.html Cancer treatments have improved hugely in recent decades, meaning that more and more people are surviving cancer. Even so, one death out of every four in the United States is caused by cancer, with more than 1,500 people dying of cancer every day. Some cancers can be prevented. Quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, not drinking too much alcohol, and watching your weight can all cut the risk of cancer. The HPV vaccine protects women against cervical cancer. There has also been some promising research into using drugs to prevent cancer. A new study has looked at whether a daily aspirin can cut people’s risk. Researchers re-analyzed data from several previous trials where people had been taking aspirin to treat or prevent heart problems. During these trials, 674 of the 25,570 partici... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253131 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4253131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249052&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Frolaids-recalled-customers-report-metal-and-wood-particles-in-product.html Johnson and Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare has announced yet another voluntary recall. The recall covers a whole slew of Rolaids products, including all lots of Rolaids Extra Strength Softchews, Rolaids Extra Strength plus Gas Softchews, and Rolaids Multi-Symptom plus Anti-Gas Softchews. The recall was prompted after the company received complaints from customers about foreign materials in the product, including metal and wood particles.  Here is the full list of recalled products (please check here for the full list of affected lot numbers involved in the recall):  • ROLAIDS® Extra Strength Softchews, Wild Cherry • 6 count (UPC 312547655200) • 18 count, 3 packs of 6 count (UPC 312547655255) • 42 count, 7 packs of 6 count (UPC ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249052 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:33:58 +0100 4249052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245297&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fmore-flu-viruses-develop-resistance-to-antiviral-drugs-.html That news, from a study published online this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, underscores our reservations about inappropriate use of antiviral flu drugs. The researchers said that almost all of the strains of the H1N1 (swine) flu virus they looked at showed at least some resistance to the drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu), though all still responded to the related medication zanamivir (Relenza). Previous research suggests that some other flu strains might also be developing resistance to those and other antiviral drugs.  The best way to prevent the development of viruses that are resistant to the drugs is using them only when they are really necessary. Antiviral drugs make the most sense for people who are at the highest risk for complications from the flu, such as dehydr... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245297 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:38:21 +0100 4245297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245299&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fjustice-department-cracks-down-on-off-label-promotion-of-cholesterol-drugs.html The U.S. Justice Department announced this week that Kos Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories, will shell out more than $41 million as part of a settlement on charges that the company illegally promoted the cholesterol-lowering drugs Advicor and Niaspan, two extended-release forms of niacin. The company promoted those drugs as "first-choice" medications for lowering cholesterol, though the FDA has not approved that use. The settlement also said that Kos encouraged prescribing of those drugs by paying doctors, physician groups, and managed-care organizations illegal kickbacks in the form of money, free travel, grants and honoraria, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. While doctors are allowed to prescribe drugs off-label—that is, for any reason they dee... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245299 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:56:21 +0100 4245299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237890&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F12%2Fchildrens-cold-medicines-safety-time-for-a-dose-of-common-sense-on-childrens-medicines.html This study provides a reminder that caution and close attention are necessary when giving a child liquid medication. Although the measuring devices included with these products can be confusing, it's important to use them, rather than resorting to kitchen spoons, which vary in size and are unreliable measuring tools. And if you have any dosing questions, be sure to ask your pharmacist or doctor. —Sophie Ramsey, patient editor, BMJ Group ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237890 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:00:00 +0100 4237890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214099&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fcoumadin-risks-warfarin-blood-thinners-balancing-the-risks-of-blood-clots-and-bleeding.html My father has to take daily warfarin (Coumadin) to thin his blood, because of a heart condition that puts him at risk of blood clots causing a heart attack. Like any drug that thins the blood, warfarin comes with a long list of do's and don'ts—don't drink grapefruit juice, don’t take ibuprofen, have regular blood tests, take care with your alcohol intake. My father's favorite medical instruction was that he should drink the same (small) amount of alcohol a day—which he interpreted as one glass of good red wine, every evening with dinner. It's as much a part of his routine as taking his pills. Although dad found a way to turn this instruction to his advantage, warfarin can be a difficult drug to take. So some doctors are turning to a combination of two antiplatel... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214099 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:07:37 +0100 4214099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197049&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fmedications-and-driving-dont-always-mix-prescription-drugs-and-driving-drug-safety.html When it comes to drinking alcohol and driving, most people are pretty clear: you don’t do it, unless you have a reckless attitude to car wrecks. But what about when you’ve taken some painkillers, or a cold remedy? What about the medications prescribed by your doctor? We tend to assume that these won’t make a difference—and if they do, that our doctor would have told us so. Yet a study in France found that about 3 in 100 car wrecks may be caused by people taking prescription drugs. The study was quite ingenious, comparing drivers who were responsible for an accident with drivers who were in an accident, but were not responsible for it. And the database was big, at more than 72,000 drivers. However, it’s hard to disentangle whether the accidents were caused by the medications,... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197049 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:28:03 +0100 4197049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197050&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Frecall-all-lots-of-childrens-benadryl-allergy-fastmelt-tablets-and-junior-strength-motrin-caplets.html Yet another recall from McNeil Consumer Healthcare has been announced, this time a voluntary recall of all product lots of Children’s Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt Tablets, in cherry and grape flavors, and all product lots of Junior Strength Motrin Caplets 24-count. Because this is a wholesale and retail-level recall, no action is required by consumers or health-care providers. The recall was prompted after McNeil's own review revealed “insufficiencies in the development of the manufacturing process.” The recall notice states: “There is no indication that the recalled products do not meet quality standards, and this recall is not being undertaken on the basis of adverse events.” Concerned consumers can contact the company at 888-222-6036 and also at www.mcneilproductrecall.com.... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197050 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:18:23 +0100 4197050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197054&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fchildrens-cold-medicines-emergency-room-visits-spare-cold-medicine-and-save-the-child-study-finds.html As we head into the thick of cold and flu season, Tylenol cold remedies for kids and related brands that were recalled earlier will soon be back on store shelves. But a new federal study serves as a reminder that over-the-counter cough and cold medications can do more harm than good in young kids. The study, released today in the journal Pediatrics, found that efforts by the Food and Drug Administration and manufacturers to restrict the use of these drugs in children under age 2 led to a dramatic drop in the number of kids rushed to the emergency room due to these medications.  Sold under such familiar brand names as Benadryl, Dimetapp, Robitussin, Triaminic, Tylenol, and Vicks, the risky medications contain antihistamines, cough suppressants, expectorants, and nasal decongestants. ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197054 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:11:22 +0100 4197054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190143&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fchildrens-cold-medicines-emergency-room-visits-spare-cold-medicine-and-save-the-child-study-finds.html Removing cold medications from store shelvesresulted in fewer ER visits for kids under 2. As we head into the thick of cold and flu season, Tylenol cold remedies for kids and related brands that were recalled earlier will soon be back on store shelves again. But a new federal study serves as a reminder that over-the-counter cough and cold medications can do more harm than good in young kids. The study, released today in the journal Pediatrics, found that efforts by the Food and Drug Administration and manufacturers to restrict the use of these drugs in children under age 2 led to a dramatic drop in the number of kids rushed to the emergency room due to these medications.  Sold under such familiar brand names as Benadryl, Dimetapp, Robitussin, Triaminic, Tylenol, and Vicks, the ris... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190143 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:11:22 +0100 4190143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183530&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Feu-to-release-data-in-december-that.html The European Medicines Agency (EMA) -- Europe's equivalent to the FDA in the U.S. -- "will make thousands of pages of clinical trial reports public next week after pressure from drug-safety activists because of suicide risks linked to Sanofi-Aventis SA’s failed diet pill Acomplia," according to this report.The data will include results from clinical trial reports on three obesity drugs: Roche Holding AG’s Xenical, Abbott Laboratories' Meridia and Sanofis Acomplia. Acomplia was never approved in the U.S., and EMA pulled the drug from the market in October 2008. Abbott agreed to take Meridia off the U.S. market in October. The EMA halted sales of the 13-year-old diet pill in January. But Xenical is still available in Europe and both the EMA and FDA have allowed GSK to sell Xenical’s ac... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183530 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:31:00 +0100 4183530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183289&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fdarvon-darvocet-pulled-from-market-due-to-potentially-fatal-heart-problems-propoxyphene-risks.html The Food and Drug Administration said today that the painkiller  propoxyphene is being withdrawn from the market because it has been linked to a potentially deadly heart-rhythm abnormality, even when taken at recommended doses. Some 10 million people took the drug last year, both as stand alone pills, such as Darvon, and in products such as Darvocet, which combine it with acetaminophen. If you’re currently taking a medication containing propoxyphene, don’t abruptly stop it, since that can trigger withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and trembling. But do  contact your doctor, so you can safely and gradually switch to a different medication. "We concluded that the pain relief benefit of propoxyphene no longer outweighed the heart risks," John Jenkins, M.D., direct... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183289 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:32:44 +0100 4183289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183291&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fpregnancy-painkillers-aspirin-ibuprofen-risks-show-caution-over-painkillers-in-pregnancy-study-says.html Do you think of painkillers as medications? In a new study, 3 in 10 women said they’d taken some form of medication while pregnant. When specifically asked to mention painkillers, that figure doubled to 6 in 10. The same study suggests we should really think of painkillers in the same way we do other medications, and be cautious about taking them during pregnancy. In a group of women from Denmark, painkillers taken while pregnant were linked to a higher risk of having a baby boy with an undescended testicle (a condition known as cryptorchidism). As male babies develop, the testicles are formed inside the abdomen. It’s not until shortly before birth that the testicles move down into the scrotum. However, for some boys, one or both testicles fail to descend. It’s one of the most comm... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183291 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:39:59 +0100 4183291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175686&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fantibiotics-for-ear-infections-often-unnecessary-ear-infections-.html If your child has an ear infection, pain and feverreducers are the standard treatment. Antibiotics provide only modest benefits in treating ear infections in children, according to a study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers compared 135 studies published between January 1999 and July 2010 on ear infection diagnosis and treatment and found that of 100 children, 80 could be expected to improve without antibiotics within about three days. And the antibiotics caused adverse effects, including diarrhea and rash, in 4 to 10 percent of children. The study also highlighted the wide variation that exists in diagnosis and treatment among doctors, and the need for a standard for accurately diagnosing ear infections. Ear infections are the most comm... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175686 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 22:04:24 +0100 4175686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172053&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fdrugs-and-supplements-risks-coumadin-risks-garlic-risks-caution-dont-mix-drugs-and-supplements.html Supplements can interact dangerously with drugs,so tell your doctor about any supplement you take. That potentially dangerous practice appears to be common, according to an unpublished survey presented at the American Heart Association’s annual scientific sessions in Chicago this week. Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City and Utah State University surveyed 100 patients who took the potent blood-thinning drug warfarin (Coumadin and generic) for an irregular heartbeat, and found that: • 69 percent also took herbal and other dietary supplements. • 63 percent did so after consulting sources such as friends or the Internet, not their physician or pharmacist. • 63 percent said their doctor failed to ask about their supplement use as part... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172053 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:35:56 +0100 4172053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4167954&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fantibiotics-safety-just-say-no-to-antibiotics-for-the-cold-and-flu-get-smart-about-antibiotics-week.html Antibiotics are only effective against bacterialinfections, not colds and the flu. Each year doctors prescribe millions of antibiotics for viral conditions, like the flu and the common cold—even though they know that the drugs only work against bacterial infections. Why? Partly because so many of us patients, desperate for a quick cure for sore throats, coughs, and sniffles, often insist on it. In fact, the Centers for Disease, as part of its Get Smart About Antibiotics week (November 15-21), said today that nearly half all antibiotics prescribed are unnecessary or inappropriate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is educating the public on when you need antibiotics, and perhaps more importantly, when you don’t. The overuse of antibiotics is not only waste time and mone... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4167954 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:44:42 +0100 4167954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159235&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fsexual-problems-women-hypoactive-sexual-desire-disorder-sex-lies-and-drugs-how-big-pharma-overhyped-womens-sexual-problems.html Ray Moynihan, an investigative journalist, described his recently released book, "Sex, Lies and Pharmaceuticals," to the Cochrane Collaboration meeting in Keystone, Colo., in mid-October. The book explores a decade-long effort by several drug companies to define, diagnose, and market pills to treat female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Moynihan details a well-planned sequence of events orchestrated by the drug industry that began in 1997. He starts with a description of a conference for doctors, researchers, and pharmaceutical marketing staff at Cape Cod to discuss female sexual issues and physiology. Expert convenings were then held to identify the key "features" of the new disease–with most of the experts paid by the industry. Moynihan then describes survey research and... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159235 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:02:19 +0100 4159235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151779&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fbest-buy-drugs-aarp-drug-savings-tool-how-well-does-your-drug-work-aarp-features-best-buy-drugs-tool.html Information about your prescription and over-the-counter drugs—how well they work, how safe they are and how much they cost—has always been available, for free, at ConsumerReportsHealth.org from our Best Buy Drugs project. We cover more than 35 conditions and 500 medications—everything from drugs to treat attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder to high cholesterol to heartburn. Today, we've added another way to get this valuable information with a free, interactive drug look-up tool at AARP.com. We're thrilled to introduce our Best Buy Drug information to a new audience of AARP.com members and visitors. In the meantime, our full-length, summary and web-based reports are always posted here for when it’s time to have an in-depth look at a condition or a certain type of med... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151779 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:05:09 +0100 4151779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139226&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F11%2Fpfizer-expands-recall-of-smelly-statins-lipitor-recall.html Pfizer announced plans to recall approximately 38,000 more bottles of Lipitor, following last month’s recall of 191,000 bottles. The latest recall is based on "two customer reports of an uncharacteristic odor related to the bottles in which these lots of Lipitor were packaged,” according to the company. Pfizer says the risk of health consequences appear to be minimal. Consumers can contact the company at 1-888-LIPITOR and can report any concerns to the Food and Drug Administration at FDA.gov. For more on this latest Lipitor recall, and the previous recall see our Safety blog. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139226 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:00:00 +0100 4139226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118913&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fheparin-recalled-by-fda-because-of-contamination.html The Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide recall late Friday of seven lots of the blood thinner heparin made by B. Braun Medical Inc. because of concerns that the product may be contaminated with trace amounts of the same substance that was found to be in the 2008 heparin recall. The heparin was manufactured in 2008 and will expire on Oct. 31, 2010, and Nov. 30, 2010 (identifying details below).The FDA said people who have heparin from the recalled lots should discontinue use immediately. Here is the lot number and other identifying information for the recalled heparin: Product Name Catalog Number Lot Number Manufacture Date Expiration Date 25,000 Units Heparin in 5% Dextrose Injection, 50 Units/mL P5771 J8D674 4/15/2008 ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118913 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:20:41 +0100 4118913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118915&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fqnexa-obesity-drug-fda-rejects-qnexa-diet-pill-risks-weight-loss-drugs-.html When it comes to losing weight, there is no magic pill that will make the pounds melt away, but if you stick with it, the tried and true strategy of getting enough exercise and a healthy diet (watch those calories!) will help you safely shed the pounds. That's long been our advice and that point was reinforced this week when the Food and Drug Administration rejected the combination obesity drug, Qnexa (phentermine/topiramate), for approval in part due to concerns about its safety. Vivus, the manufacturer of Qnexa, said Thursday that among other things, the FDA rejected the drug because it wanted more information about whether it causes birth defects. The agency also wanted the company to provide evidence that the elevation in heart rate that Qnexa can trigger does not lead to an incre... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118915 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:34:17 +0100 4118915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097919&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fexcessive-yawning-whats-causing-my-constant-yawning-antidepressant-side-effects.html Antidpressants can cause excessive yawning. I seem to yawn a lot. What could cause that? —M.N., Charlottesville, Va. Since yawning is nature’s way of getting you to take a deep breath, you should look into reasons for shallow breathing. The most common cause is sleepiness. Other possible causes include sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that can result in severe daytime drowsiness. Certain medications, including SSRI antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa and generic) and fluoxetine (Prozac and generic), can cause excessive yawning as a side effect. And the use of opioid pain relievers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone—or the withdrawal from them—can lower your breathing rate and trigger yawning. So can the sensation of a very full stomach after a big meal. Finally, yawni... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097919 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0100 4097919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097942&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprescriptions-on-the-rise-so-look-out-for-the-side-effects%2F2010.10.22 Eighty eight percent of Americans 60 years or older take at least one prescription drug and more than two-thirds of this age group take five or more, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics. Spending for prescription drugs totaled $234.1 billion in 2008 — more than double what was spent in 1999. The National Center for Health Statistics excerpted elements of its National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys to prepare the report: Other key findings include: – Over the last 10 years, the percentage of Americans who took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44 percent to 48 percent. The use of two or more drugs increased from 25 percent to 31 percent. The use of five or more drugs increased from 6 percent to 11 percent.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097942 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4097942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097924&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fbotox-risks-botox-for-migraines-botox-added-to-the-arsenal-of-treatment-options-for-chronic-migraine.html People who suffer from migraines for more than 14 days out of a month now have another option for preventing these attacks: Botox injections (onabotulinumtoxinA). The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug late last week for this use. To prevent chronic migraines, Botox injections around the head and neck are given about every 12 weeks and could cost up to $1,200 per injection, depending on the amount of drug used and any additional physician's fees, according to data from Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions. Botox is usually well tolerated when used appropriately, but it's not risk free. Side effects can include headache, nausea, neck and back pain, bruising and pain at the injection site, temporary weakness of the injected muscle, dry mouth, and dry or irritated eyes. Serio... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097924 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:14:49 +0100 4097924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097926&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fnuvigil-armodafinil-night-shift-drug-side-effects-adwatch-narcolepsy-drugs-safety.html   You may have heard a commercial on the radio for a drug called Nuvigil (armodafinil). It's being promoted as an antidote to the sleepiness experienced by people who work overnight or other nontraditional hours, such as nurses, truck drivers, security guards, and bartenders. While Nuvigil, a stimulant, is also approved for narcolepsy and excessive sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea (that’s already being treated), the commercial is all about the shift workers. The website invites potential users to "rediscover wakefulness" and shows photos of happy, bright-eyed night employees: a nurse, an airport ground-traffic controller, and so on. Ostensibly they've all beat their drowsiness by taking Nuvigil. But as our latest AdWatch video shows, there’s more t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097926 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:00:00 +0100 4097926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082079&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Ftylenol-recall-musty-moldy-odor-tylenol-recalled-lipitor-recalled.html Johnson and Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare has announced yet another recall of a Tylenol-branded product. This time it is recalling Tylenol 8 Hour caplets in 50 count bottles. One lot is affected and is identified as "Lot # BCM155." The company received complaints about odors from their bottles, similar to complaints about previously recalled Tylenol products.  Pfizer also recalled 191,000 bottles of Lipitor, the statin drug for lowering cholesterol. Their recall affects five lots (0855020, 0819020, 0842020, 0843020, and 0854020) of 40-milligram tablets packaged in 90-count bottles.  All have an expiration date of 01/13.   In both cases, the odor was identified as 2,4,6 tribromoanisole, which is thought to come from a fungicide used in shipping p... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082079 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:51:15 +0100 4082079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082081&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fpropublica-drug-company-payments-to-doctors-disturb-most-of-us-our-poll-finds.html Would you trust a doctor who moonlights for a drug company? Most Americans are skeptical of such financial arrangements, according to a new, nationally representative poll of 1,250 U.S. adults from Consumer Reports National Research Center. Most respondents, 74 percent, disapprove of doctors taking payments from drug companies in exchange for promoting specific drugs to other doctors. And 77 percent would be concerned-–some “very concerned” (37 percent) and others “somewhat concerned” (40 percent)-–about the quality of treatment or advice from a doctor who accepts such payments. Most think doctors should tell patients about the payments they’ve received from a company whose drugs they are about to prescribe.We asked these questions because thousands of U.S. doctors are on dru... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082081 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:02:00 +0100 4082081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082082&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fpropublica-report-outs-doctors-on-pharmas-payroll-doctors-and-payments-from-pharmaceutical-companies.html “Tens of thousands of U.S. physicians are paid to spread the word about pharma’s favored pills and to advise the companies about research and marketing,” reports a new investigation from ProPublica, an independent, nonprofit newsroom for investigative journalism. Consumer Reports, along with NPR, PBS Nightly Business Report, Boston Globe, and the Chicago Tribune, have joined with ProPublica to help inform the public about its report on these financial arrangements.  ProPublica has identified more than 17,000 health-care providers (mostly doctors) who have accepted payments from pharmaceutical companies dating back to 2009; 384 collected more than $100,000 in 2009 and 2010 (aside from doctors, they included a handful of pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and dietitians). Forty-th... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082082 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:01:00 +0100 4082082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074052&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fflu-season-flu-shot-fears-about-the-flu-shot-linger-nearly-a-third-will-skip-it-.html If you've browsed the aisle of your local pharmacy, taken public transportation, or spent time in your doctor’s waiting room, it's likely you've seen an ad or two for the flu shot. But consumers aren't completely sold. According to our latest Consumer Reports National Research Center poll of 1,500 adults, 30 percent of Americans said they definitely won't get the seasonal flu shot. And of those, more than 40 percent said they were concerned about side effects or the safety of this year's vaccine. Forty-five percent of those planning to skip the vaccine said last year's swine flu epidemic was overblown. Among those who didn't get a seasonal flu vaccine last year, most (60 percent) said they wanted to build natural immunities. Other reasons given for skippi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074052 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:21:32 +0100 4074052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074053&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Faspirin-alternative-omega-3-fatty-acids-blood-thinners-anti-clotting-drugs-heart-health.html I’ve heard that omega-3 fatty acids have blood-thinning properties. Can they replace daily aspirin? —D.W., Detroit No. While omega-3s thin the blood somewhat, the effect pales in comparison to aspirin’s potent anticlotting power. And the benefits associated with omega-3s, including a reduced risk of a second heart attack, probably stem from other effects they have on the heart, such as preventing arrhythmias. So if you take daily aspirin, make omega-3s an addition to that regimen, not a substitute. People with heart disease should aim for 1 gram a day from fish-oil supplements. Healthy people need only about 2 grams a week, which they can get from two servings of fatty fish. For more on taking aspirin to reduce heart attacks, see our Heart Health guide. (Source: Consumer Repo... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074053 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:01:41 +0100 4074053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065361&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Ffosamax-bisphosphonates-fda-warns-of-thigh-fracture-risk-with-osteoporosis-drugs-but-what-are-your-options.html People who take a class of osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates for longer than five years may face an increased risk of thigh bone fractures, the Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday. The risk will be added to the labeling of bisphosphonate drugs approved to treat, osteoporosis, which include alendronate (Fosamax, Fosamax Plus D, and generics), risedronate (Actonel, Actonel with Calcium, Atelvia, and generics), ibandronate (Boniva), and zoledronic acid (Reclast). The irony is that these drugs are intended to prevent bone fractures, so if you're one of the millions of Americans who have osteoporosis or already taking one of these drugs, what should you do now? We have long warned of this potential risk with bisphosphonate medications, and our previous advice still stands... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065361 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:54:33 +0100 4065361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4053277&cid=t_103195_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F10%2Fsunday-news-round-up-3%2F A few things of interest: Nikki has notes from a recent Twitter chat on health literacy, including a bunch of suggested resources on the topic. PF Anderson points to a great presentation (embedded there) on using social media for sharing family planning messages. It’s a useful introduction to tools like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube with examples of how they’re being used by groups like Planned Parenthood. A nice response to the ridiculous “i like it…” statuses on Facebook that are inexplicably supposed to make people feel like they’re doing something about women’s health: I like it without pinkwashing Weight loss drug Meridia was taken off the market, “because of clinical trial data indicating an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4053277 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:10:16 +0100 4053277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045084&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fmeridia-weight-loss-drug-withdrawn-from-market-sibutramine-risky-weight-loss-drugs-obesity.html The weight loss drug Meridia (sibutramine) has been removed from the market because it has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The FDA alerted doctors to stop prescribing the drug and consumers to stop taking it. We first warned about the risks of Meridia 12 years ago and recently reiterated that warning last month, so we applaud the FDA's move to protect consumers from this risky medication. In addition to Meridia, we’ve long advised against taking weight loss drugs and supplements in general because invariably the benefits are marginal and the side effects risky or troublesome. If you need to lose weight, increasing exercise and limiting portion size when it comes to food are better options. The FDA underscor... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045084 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:17:03 +0100 4045084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040557&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F10%2Fnational-depression-screening-day-treating-depression-symptoms-best-buy-drugs-antidepressants.html Nearly 1 in 10 adults, or 9 percent, suffer from depression, including 3.4 percent that have "major depression," according to a new national survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The good news is that this debilitating condition can often be alleviated with the proper treatment—and the first step is to find out if you suffer from it. Today is a good time to do that because it's National Depression Screening Day. The aim of the screening day is to help people find out if they're depressed by providing a free, anonymous questionnaire that assesses the risk for mood and anxiety disorders. The website also provides referral information to help you find treatment if necessary as well as local organizations offering free depression and anxiety screening... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040557 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:59:43 +0100 4040557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018173&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fsplitting-pills-can-save-you-money-but-remember-these-dos-and-donts-drug-safety-best-buy-drugs.html Our 2nd annual prescription drug survey found that some Americans are splitting pills to save money on high priced prescription drugs. That strategy could indeed cut your medication bill, but there's a right way and a wrong way to split pills. If you're considering splitting your pills, these tips from our free pill splitting guide will help ensure that you do it the right way. First, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medication can be safely split. Some medications cannot be split (more on that below), but in general, many common ones can, including aspirin, cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, and many high blood pressure and depression drugs. Second, always use a pill splitter to ensure you've split the medication into equal halves. Pill splitters are widely available... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018173 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:55:00 +0100 4018173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013178&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fgoogle-buy-drugs-online-beware-of-rogue-online-pharmacies-selling-unsafe-drugs.html It has been 11 years since we first reported on rogue pharmacies, unlicensed online drugstores that peddled medications without a proper prescription or physical exam. Back then we were able to purchase dangerous diet drugs and pills to improve sexual performance simply by charging them to a credit card. Fast forward to 2010. Despite tough talk by government agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and Justice Department, which promised a crackdown, the bad guys are still in business. And thriving. In fact, we recently found drugs, all available without consulting a doctor, that were potentially even more lethal than the ones we previously encountered, including a litany of powerful narcotic pain killers, drugs to treat convulsive disorders like epilepsy, meds for ADHD, and supposed... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013178 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:22 +0100 4013178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013550&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDsZNX7-Tasc%2F Responding to years of complaints that safety risks are being downplayed or ignored during the drug development process, the FDA has just issued a final rule for reporting safety information that crops up during clinical trials. This new rule requires certain safety info, which was was not required to be reported in the past, to be submitted within 15 days of when a drugmaker becomes aware of an issue. To wit, drugmakers must report findings from clinical or epidemiological studies that suggest a significant risk to study participants; serious suspected adverse reactions that occur at a rate higher than expected and serious adverse events from bioavailability studies which determine what percentage and at what rate a drug is absorbed by the bloodstream as well as bioequivalence studies tha... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013550 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:58:35 +0100 4013550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013180&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fhepatitis-c-case-underscores-importance-of-testing-treatment-best-buy-drugs-pegylated-interferons.html In a case that could have international ramifications, a radiology technician in Florida may have exposed thousands of people to hepatitis C, a potentially deadly virus that attacks the liver. Steven Beumel, a radiology technician at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, reportedly injected himself with a painkiller intended for patients who had undergone surgeries or transplants and then refilled the syringes with saline. It turned out that Buemel, who was fired last month and also charged with stealing drugs, was infected with hepatitis C. So not only did the patients not get their medication, they may have been exposed to the virus. Details are still emerging as the investigation into the case continues, but Beumel may have been carrying out his dangerous ruse for several years. He worked ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013180 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:42:51 +0100 4013180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003253&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fdrug-safety-tips-get-the-right-dose-for-you-avoid-drug-errors-.html This article first appeared in the October 2010 issue of Shopsmart magazine, on newsstands now. Read more on how to improve the conversation with your doctor about your medications.    (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003253 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:30:00 +0100 4003253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3998969&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fnational-take-back-day-drug-safety-dispose-of-your-meds-safely-on-national-take-back-day.html If you have expired, unused, or unwanted medications in your medicine cabinet, now is as good a time as any to dispose of them. Tomorrow, as part of the National Take-Back Initiative collection sites throughout the country, including churches, fire stations, pharmacies, and police departments, will be accepting your old meds for disposal between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The initiative, a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies provides a safe alternative to throwing out or flushing your prescription and over-the-counter medications. Drugs that are no longer of use to use can potentially pose a risk to others, particularly children. Accidental exposure to medicine in the home is a major source of unintentional poisoning in the U.S., according to the American Associatio... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3998969 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 22:00:00 +0100 3998969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999289&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Favandia-and-janet-woodcock-next-fda.html By now you all know about FDA's decision to put restrictions on how physicians prescribe Avandia in the US (see "FDA will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes drug Avandia"). European regulators, however, chose to completely ban the sale of Avandia. Why the difference in approach between two regulatory agencies whose decisions were announced simultaneously in what has been described as "an unusual degree of coordination" (see WSJ article "FDA Restrictions on Avandia Will Lead to 'Minimal' Sales")?The WSJ tells us the answer: "By keeping the drug on the market with restrictions, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg gave a nod to a powerful internal faction led by drug chief Janet Woodcock, who maintained for years that the evidence against Avandia wasn't conclusive," noted the Wall S... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999289 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:52:00 +0100 3999289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3998973&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Favandia-decision-fda-rules-on-diabetes-drug-heart-risks-glaxosmithkline-drug-safety.html The Food and Drug Administration Thursday limited the diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia, Avandamet, and Avandaryl) to people who can't use other medications due to concerns it could cause a heart attack or stroke. The FDA's action falls short of its counterpart across the ocean, the European Medicines Agency, which decided Avandia was too risky and have recommended that it be withdrawn from the market. We have long advised that Avandia carries too many risks and should be avoided if at all possible. “The evidence we have to date does not support the use of Avandia as a first, second, or even third line drug for treating type 2 diabetes,” according to John Santa, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. “This latest effort on the part of the FDA to d... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3998973 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:03:40 +0100 3998973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993899&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Faspirin-cancer-prevention-baby-aspirin-may-protect-against-colon-rectal-cancer.html This study doesn’t give us enough information to make a recommendation about taking aspirin to prevent colon cancer. —Anna Sayburn, patient editor, BMJ Group ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use. Get indepth information on some things that may increase your risk for colon and rectal cancer, and take a look at our advice on colon screening—and find out what our readers say helped them have an easier colonoscopy. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993899 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:05:38 +0100 3993899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994338&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fare-secret-drug-recalls-common.html When Johnson and Johnson's McNeil Pharmaceuticals discovered that Motrin tablets on drugstore shelves might be faulty, the company hired contractors to purchase all the affected Motrin they could find in stores. In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Lynn Walther, who works for a Portland, Ore., inventory company, said that he was "hired by a contractor to walk into convenience stores and quietly buy specific lots of Motrin IB caplet eight-count vials. Though he said his purchases often were met with puzzled looks from store owners, Walther said he had been told not to give the stores an explanation" (see the video below and "Contractor Questions Order to Remove Motrin From Shelves").Walther was following the instructions he'd been given. "You should simply act like a regular customer wh... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994338 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:37:00 +0100 3994338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3957909&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fmedication-errors-care-needed-with-otc-medications-for-kids.html How confident are you when giving your child a dose of over-the-counter medication? Most parents would say they are careful to read the label, give the right dose, choose the right medication, and take every precaution to avoid an overdose. Yet a recent study from Australia, presented at the International Pharmaceutical Federation conference last month, shows that getting the dose wrong, or medicating inappropriately, is all too common. In the study, parents and daycare staff were faced with a variety of hypothetical situations involving illness in young children. They were asked what they’d do, whether they’d give a medicine, and if so, to demonstrate the dose of the type of medicine they’d give. Alarmingly, 61 percent of adults taking part in the study would have give... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3957909 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:13:44 +0100 3957909 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954249&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fseasonal-allergies-hay-fever-relief-from-your-end-of-summer-allergies-best-buy-drugs-antihistamines.html Nothing’s worse than a hacking cough and drippy-faucet nose in 90-degree weather. But if your sneezing, coughing, and congestion comes with itchy eyes and seems to be lasting longer than a typical cold, it could be seasonal allergies. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the end of summer marks the beginning of ragweed season—and for 10 to 20 percent of Americans that means allergies. Hay fever can make you feel miserable, and it’s difficult to treat. Sixty percent of allergy sufferers we talked to in a survey earlier this year had limited success managing their itchy eyes, sinus pain, sneezing, and other symptoms. If you’re searching for relief, first and foremost—make sure it’s an allergy you’re treating and not a cold or something else. One way to t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954249 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:00:00 +0100 3954249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946446&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fbest-buy-drugs-get-crh-best-buy-drugs-on-your-mobile-phone.html You’ve always been able to get Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs information for free here on our website where we cover hundreds of medications to treat dozens of conditions like statins for high cholesterol, proton-pump inhibitors for acid reflux, or blood pressure medications. But quietly last month, we added a new way for you to get at this valuable information: your mobile phone. Yes, Best Buy Drugs has made the jump to mobile. (Don’t worry, we’ll still be here online, for free, and always updating our reports to help you choose the most effective, safest and least expensive medication whenever possible.)With the mobile application, now you can be anywhere—the doctor’s office, the pharmacy counter, or simply away from home—and still have access to detailed drug info... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946446 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:29:53 +0100 3946446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946447&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fbisphosphonates-treating-osteoporosis-do-bisphosphonates-increase-the-risk-of-esophageal-cancer.html A common complaint about science is that researchers keep changing their minds. It’s true that studies sometimes disagree, because science is a step-by-step process, and often we need lots of different, sometimes contradictory studies before a clear picture emerges. It doesn’t help that lots of science reporting doesn’t go into detail about how a particular piece of research was done, or give background about the studies that preceded it. So, even if there’s an explanation for contradictory research, there may not be enough information in a typical news report to find it.Here’s an example. A new study from the BMJ (British Medical Journal) has found a link between bisphosphonate drugs and esophageal cancer. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association&#0... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946447 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:30:21 +0100 3946447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946448&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Ffasprin-heart-attack-prevention-aspirin-for-your-heart-treatments-after-a-heart-attack.html The website for Fasprin, aspirin that dissolves in your mouth, suggests that it works faster than other aspirin to limit damage during a heart attack. It also recommends Fasprin for preventing attacks. And although Bayer says that its Quick Release Crystals are not appropriate for cardiovascular use, it’s easy to see why some people might think they’re a good idea. Are those aspirin products really better than other kinds? Help during attacksNothing has been proven to be better than chewing and swallowing an uncoated, 325-milligram tablet during a heart attack, says Steven Nissen, M.D., chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. You would have to take four Fasprins (81 milligrams) to match one regular aspirin. And Bayer says its Quick Release product—which contain... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946448 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:00:00 +0100 3946448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933083&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Fmeridia-still-not-safe-for-slimming-diet-pill-risks-weight-loss-pills-safety.html People hoping for a safe way to lose weight by taking a pill will have to wait a little longer. Almost 12 years ago to the month, I remember reviewing the clinical trial data on the efficacy and safety of the just-approved prescription weight loss drug sibutramine (Meridia). At that time, many in the medical community had fairly high hopes for this drug, given that there were so few approved medications to help overweight and obese people—and especially given the ever increasing population of overweight adults. But many were also quite aware of the risks that these medications posed—especially the potential risks associated with increasing one's heart rate and blood pressure (which were likely already elevated) in people who were the ultimate target group. In the previous year (1997)... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3933083 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:35:57 +0100 3933083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933084&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F09%2Frobo-tripping-lil-wayne-cough-syrup-abuse-fda-looks-to-curb-robo-tripping.html Abuse of cough medicine containing dextromethorphan, known as “robo-tripping”, is on the rise according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which has asked the Food and Drug Administration to look into ways to control the abuse. The DEA says that emergency room visits from abuse of the drug have increased in recent years and about half of those visits involve young people aged 12 to 20. Dextromethorphan (which is a cough suppressant) is not very effective at controlling the most common coughs caused by cold or flu. It is available over-the-counter in more than 120 products, such as Coricidin, Nyquil Cough, Robitussin DM, and Vicks 44. When used as directed, dextromethorphan is considered safe by the FDA. But even standard doses of the drug can cause agitation, muscle spasms, ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3933084 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:30:39 +0100 3933084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920832&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Fdangerous-supplements-not-so-natural-dietary-supplements-recalled-supplement-safety-natural-health.html Supplements for weight loss, sexual enhancement, and body building have in the past been found to contain potentially harmful prescription drugs or steroids, we noted in our story on Dangerous Supplements. In recent weeks, there’ve been eight new voluntary national recalls and warnings about supplements that the FDA said harbored hidden prescription drugs that may have posed harm to consumers. Also, the FDA warned consumers not to use one supplement, Miracle Mineral Solution, because, when used as directed, the FDA said the product produced an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm. Here’s a round-up of recent recalls and warnings:Aug 25: The FDA warned consumers to avoid TimeOut Capsules, marketed as a supplement for sexual enhancement, after finding it contained a chemical i... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920832 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:35:52 +0100 3920832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907595&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Fask-president-obama-what-does-health-reform-mean-for-me.html Exciting news! We’ve just received an invitation from the White House to sit down next week for an in-person conversation with the President about the new law. But the invitation, we’re quite sure, is really meant for you, the American consumer. So here’s your chance to give us the questions you’d like President Obama to answer about the new law. Is there something you still don’t understand? Wondering when or whether your own health coverage might be affected? We’re interested in any and all suggestions. Obviously the President is a busy guy and our time with him is limited, so we probably won’t be able to make it through the whole list.  But we’ll do our best to get follow-up answers from the White House about questions that we don’t get to ask in the interview.... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907595 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:49:18 +0100 3907595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899635&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3bEXiAzSrD0%2F What do Americans think about when they think about prescription drugs? A new survey finds that cost, safety and industry influence over physicians are on a lot of minds. The overall picture suggests many Americans want cheaper generics; they worry about side effects and drug interactions, and believe docs are more concerned with newer, expensive meds than what is affordable. The survey was conducted last May by Consumer Reports of 1,154 adults who currently take prescription meds. To be more specific, 46 percent of those surveyed currently take a prescription med, and the average number they regularly take is 4.1. But nearly 90 percent expressed concern about physician prescribing habits - 69 percent agreed completely or somewhat that drugmakers have too much influence. Fifty percent say ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899635 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:55:36 +0100 3899635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895881&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Ftreating-overactive-bladder-going-to-the-bathroom-too-often-try-lifestyle-changes-before-medication.html If your bladder seems to work overtime and you’re headed to the bathroom more often than you’d like, it can be annoying but it doesn’t necessarily mean you need medication (or that you even have a medical problem at all). Yet, if you’ve seen ads about this on TV or in magazines, you might think otherwise. Pharmaceutical companies spend millions on adver-tising to convince you that you need one of their drugs intended to treat a condition called “overactive bladder.” But the truth, as detailed in our latest Best Buy Drugs report, is that lifestyle changes and bladder-training exercises can often provide relief without the need for a drug. Why? Drugs for overactive bladder—such as darifenacin (Enablex), fesoterodine (Toviaz), oxybutynin (generic, Ditropan, Ditropan XL, Oxy... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895881 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0100 3895881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895882&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Fconsumers-say-big-pharma-influence-on-docs-is-concerning-consumer-reports-survey.html Consumers, in a turn of the tables, have given their doctors a checkup and the diagnosis looks pretty grim: They think doctors are too cozy with big pharma, according to the 2nd annual prescription drug survey conducted by Consumer Reports National Research Center. The survey of more than 1,150 adults who currently take a prescription drug found that the vast majority object to the payments and rewards pharmaceutical companies routinely dole out to doctors because they feel these are negatively influencing how they treat patients. More than two thirds, or 69 percent, of consumers surveyed said they think drugmakers have too much influence on doctors' decisions about which drug to prescribe. Half of those polled said they feel doctors are too eager to prescribe a drug rather than con... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895882 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:55:00 +0100 3895882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876643&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Fstroke-recovery-medications-to-prevent-stroke-explaining-medications-can-save-lives.html Stroke is one of those illnesses that doesn’t seem to be treated as seriously as it should. But if you know someone who’s had a stroke, or have had one yourself, you’ll know stroke can devastate lives, causing problems with all sorts of everyday activities including walking, dressing yourself, speaking, and thinking, depending on the part of the brain affected. The most crucial time for many people is in the days, weeks, and first few months after they have a stroke, or mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack). That’s when you’re most at risk of a repeat stroke, which can cause further disability and damage or even death. So it’s vitally important that people get the best care in those early months to help them avoid having a repeat stroke. That’s why I was alarmed by ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876643 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0100 3876643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3868731&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Fdrug-label-safety-how-to-read-a-drug-label-avoiding-medication-errors-.html This article first appeared in the April 2010 issue of ShopSmart.  (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3868731 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:55:47 +0100 3868731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3865260&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Flamictal-drug-warning-epilepsy-bipolar-drug-lamictal-linked-to-brain-inflammation-best-buy-drugs.html If you or somebody you care for takes the anticonvulsant drug lamotrigine (Lamictal and generic), you should be aware that in rare cases it can cause inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, a serious condition known as aseptic meningitis. The Food and Drug Administration warned of this new side effect Thursday. Lamotrigine is approved for treating epilepsy and bipolar disorder. The meningitis side effect is extremely rare—40 cases over a 15 year period, according to the FDA. It's also not life-threatening and resolves once lamotrigine is stopped. So, if you're already taking this drug and doing well on it, there's no reason to stop or switch (if you are taking it for epilepsy, abruptly stopping could increase the risk for a seizure). But you and ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3865260 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:51:49 +0100 3865260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858150&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F08%2Fdiarrhea-from-antibiotics-preventing-diarrhea-best-treatments-for-diarrhea.html Are some antibiotics more likely to cause diarrhea than others? —J.J.P., Harwood Heights, Ill. Yes. Amoxicillin plus clavulanate (Augmentin and generic) is the biggest culprit. It causes diarrhea in up to one-quarter of the people who take it, compared with 15 to 20 percent with cefixime (Suprax); 5 to 10 percent with ampicillin; 5 to 9 percent with amoxicillin; and 1 to 8 percent with other antibiotics. The friendly bacteria in yogurt or probiotic pills may help ward off diarrhea by restoring the balance of "good" bacteria in the gut. While diarrhea from antibiotics is often just a nuisance, certain antibiotics, including clindamycin (Cleocin and generic), can lead to pseudomembranous colitis, a potentially life-threatening colon inflammation, in rare cases. If diarrhea is severe, ma... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858150 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:48:50 +0100 3858150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823156&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Funsafe-drugs-is-it-counterfeiters-or.html At the recent 6th Annual Public Relations & Communications Summit at Pfizer Headquarters in NYC, Chris Loder, Pfizer's Head of US Media Relations, cited World Health Organization data that says 1% of worldwide sales of Rx drugs are counterfeit. Loder claimed that number is between 10 and 50 percent in "developing" nations. Pfizer defines counterfeit as "products deliberately and fraudulently produced and/or mislabeled with respect to identity and/or source to make it appear to be a genuine product."Loder spoke of Pfizer's all out campaign to bring attention to the counterfeit drug problem, which obviously hurts sales, especially of Pfizer's flagship drug, Viagra. He focused on the PR effort, including the "dead rat" movie Pfizer distributed in the UK in movie theatres and on television... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823156 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:39:00 +0100 3823156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3816759&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkBl3h6lTX7o%2F So what should be done about it? Eighty-nine percent of Americans support legislation that would put new drug safety measures in place, and the support crosses partisan lines. Meanwhile, only 45 percent of American says the feds are doing enough to ensure the safety of domestically made drugs, according to a new poll by the Pew Prescription project, an advocacy group. In response, US Senator Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, will introduce a bill today called the Drug Safety and Accountability Act to increase consumer safeguards against adulterated drugs (here is the bill). At the same time, several groups, including AARP, the American College of Physicians, Consumers Union and the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, will send a letter to Congress urging that the FDA be gi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816759 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:07:20 +0100 3816759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802585&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FxRiG_6Xlj5o%2F Here’s a radical idea: Congress should amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow Americans to use new meds once these are approved by the European Medicines Authority. Why? “Congress’s grant of a regulatory monopoly to the FDA is creating a significant obstacle to Americans’ timely access to new medicines,” according to a new report from the Pacific Research Institute, a conservative think tank. By amending the law, the contention is that regulatory competition would increase, patient choice would be expanded and lives could be saved for those suffering life-threatening illnesses without any options. What about safeguard? John Graham, who authored the report, writes that the FDA would retain the power to compel drugmakers to label their meds with a warning that ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802585 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:34:57 +0100 3802585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772232&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F07%2Fstatins-in-children-childrens-cholesterol-levels-often-drop-without-treatment-says-cdc.html Parents should think twice before rushing to drug treatments for their child’s high cholesterol. According to newly released research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, very high LDL cholesterol levels in kids may decline over time without intervention. The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, found that just a few years after having been diagnosed as having a high LDL (bad) cholesterol level that would warrant drug treatment, most children with previously high levels would no longer be considered for drug therapy according to current guidelines. Researchers couldn’t say for sure whether the changes in cholesterol levels could be attributed to diet or exercise changes. The CDC researchers examined how cholesterol levels changed over time in a group... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772232 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:52:04 +0100 3772232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767071&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F07%2Fstatins-for-high-cholesterol-stopping-statins-when-to-stop-taking-statins.html Once you start taking a statin drug to lower your cholesterol, can you ever stop? —K.M.L., St. Petersburg, Fla. Sometimes, if you’re careful and work hard at it. Statins don’t "cure" high LDL (bad) cholesterol; once you stop, it usually goes back up. But certain lifestyle changes might reduce or even eliminate your need for a statin, in two ways. First, switching to a diet that’s low in saturated and trans fat and high in fiber can lower LDL. Second, whether you need a statin depends on not just your LDL but also your overall heart-attack risk. So if you lose excess weight, stop smoking, and lower your blood pressure you might reduce your need for the drug. If you’ve made those changes and your LDL has dropped, talk with your doctor about lowering your dose and perhaps eventu... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767071 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:16:41 +0100 3767071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758105&cid=t_103195_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fgsk-kills-fda-beast-avandia-lives.html It seems that the 14 million pages of documents that GSK submitted to the FDA in defense of Avandia has had the intended effect: overwhelming FDA's advisory panel with "science," questionable as it may be.I'm reminded of the scene in the original King Kong movie that fascinated me as a kid: the scene in which King Kong rips open the jaws of the T Rex and kills it. That's exactly what GSK has done to the FDA -- ripped open its regulatory jaws and rendered it powerless to take Avandia off the market even though it is known that the drug is responsible for the deaths of 400 times more people per year than is Toyota's cars (see "If Drugs Were Like Automobiles").I have no doubt that the FDA will follow the recommendations of the advisory committee, the majority (17) of whose members voted to ke... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758105 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:08:00 +0100 3758105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753814&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F07%2Favandia-fda-panel-divided-on-avandia-diabetes-drug-avandia-avandia-risks.html A panel of experts convened by the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia increases the risk of heart attacks, but was divided on whether the medication should be withdrawn from the market. This could make a final decision difficult for the FDA, which does not have to follow the advice of its advisory panels but often does. While most of the panel agreed Avandia posed an increased risk of heart attacks compared to other diabetes medications, including a similar type of drug called Actos, they were divided on whether additional warnings and limitations on its use would be enough to curtail its potential hazards. Twelve panel members voted that it should be withdrawn from the market. But 10 voted to allow it to continue to be sold with additional warni... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753814 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:19:00 +0100 3753814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750051&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F07%2Fcoumadin-blood-thinner-tablets-recalled-coumadin-recall-blood-thinner-recall.html If you received a trial sample of the blood-thinner drug Coumadin (warfarin) from your physician or hospital, you should double-check the lot number to make sure it’s safe. Bristol-Myers Squibb recalled eight “lots” of sample packs of 1-mg Coumadin tablets because they may not deliver the right level of active ingredient, which could increase the risk of bleeding or lead to a heart attack or stroke. Coumadin is an anticoagulant or blood thinner drug used to prevent or treat blood clots. Bristol-Myers Squibb said it was issuing the recall because some of the Coumadin tablets may not contain the appropriate level of isopropanol, a chemical used to maintain Coumadin in a crystallized state. So the tablets may deliver too little Coumadin, which could increase the risk of clots that cou... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750051 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:40:43 +0100 3750051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750052&cid=t_103195_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F07%2Favandia-warning-diabetes-drug-avandia-on-the-chopping-block-at-the-fda-metformnin-to-treat-diabetes.html We have long recommended that consumers steer clear of the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) because it can increase the risk of heart failure and could possibly trigger heart attacks. Beginning today, the medication faces what could be its final trial, as a committee of experts convened by the Food and Drug Administration will consider whether the drug’s safety problems are severe enough to warrant increased restriction of its use or removal from the market altogether. The evidence against Avandia has continued to mount over the last several months. The two most recent studies found that Avandia is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and death. And, an internal analysis conducted by FDA officials that was released in February concluded the drug causes hear... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750052 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:03:50 +0100 3750052