FDA & Prescription Drugs

• FDA Advises Patients to Remove Skin Patches Before MRI

  Greg Owen | March 09, 2009 8:00 AM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  The FDA released a statement advising patients undergoing an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan to notify their doctor if they are wearing medicated skin patches. Some skin patches contain...

• Allie's Voice Being Heard By Big Pharma

  Greg Owen | January 07, 2009 1:07 PM | 1 CommentGlendale, CA

  Last year, over 80 Americans died and hundreds more became ill after receiving tainted doses of the blood thinner heparin. After an investigation, it was discovered that the contaminated batch of...

• Merck's Gardasil Not Cleared for Older Women

  Greg Owen | June 27, 2008 9:20 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  At this time the cervical cancer vaccine known as Gardasil will not be approved for older women. That is the word to Merck & Co from the U.S. regulators. Merck was seeking approval to extend...

• FDA Warns Singulair Users and Physicians

  Greg Owen | March 28, 2008 5:45 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed healthcare professionals and patients alike of their findings regarding the possible links between the use of Singulair and changes in mood and behavior. Their concerns pertain to suicidal thinking, changed behavior and indeed suicide. Merck, the manufacturer of Singulair, is stressing that this warning is based on a small number of studies. (Still...

• Deaths and Injuries Linked to Heparin

  Greg Owen | March 19, 2008 1:36 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to identify the contaminant that has been found in Heparin, which may be linked to as many as 19 deaths. Although, at this time, the FDA has not established a direct causal link. The drug Heparin is used in dialysis and heart procedures to stave off blood clots. Baxter sells somewhere in the range of 35 million units of heparin sodium injection...

• Actavis Recalls Remaining Patches as a Precaution

  Greg Owen | March 07, 2008 4:53 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Actavis Inc., announced that its subsidiary Actavis South Atlantic LLC is moving forward with the recall of all of the Fentanyl transdermal system CII patches that were sold in the U. S. The concern pertains to a possible defect that could cause a leakage of the fentanyl gel. Initally, 14 lots of the patches were recalled. However, it is unknown if the defect is present in patches that are still...

• FDA Issues a Recall on Class of Bone Drugs

  Greg Owen | January 11, 2008 5:24 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Although a defective drug recall has not been issued at this time, the FDA has issued an alert regarding a class of bone-density drugs known as bisphosphonates. It appears the drugs can cause severe bone, joint and/or muscle pain.Severe pain may occur soon after taking the drug, or it may take years to occur. It is currently unknown exactly what the risk of severe musculoskeletal pain is for an...

• Making a Difference - A Medical Malpractice Story

  Greg Owen | January 04, 2008 5:54 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  As a result of the death of their beloved son Michael, due to what is believed to have been medical malpractice, David and Patty Skolnik helped push through House Bill 1331 better known as The Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act."The Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act will make public, via a Web site, information about doctors' license status and medical malpractice settlements."...

• Merck Recalls Childrens' Vaccines

  Greg Owen | December 21, 2007 4:55 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Merck & Co Inc have recalled approximately 1.2 million doses of its popular childrens' vaccines. It is feared that the production equipment was not adequately sterilized. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recalled vaccine is used to protect against the leading cause of meningitis in children under 5 years old. The potential for contamination of any individual...

• How Close is Too Close

  Greg Owen | November 30, 2007 2:55 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  It has long been believed by many that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is much too close to drug companies, which clearly causes a conflict in terms of regulating those companies. To see the extent of the problem, we only need to take a look at Merck's Vioxx catastrophe, were it was revealed by one scientist that he had actually received vailed threats from the FDA regarding the release...