See the results of our latest poll, in which we asked site users if prescription medicines should be advertised directly to the public, e.g. on television.
May 12, 2005 07:51

Irish Health News Poll

Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 15:01:23 -0400
From: CDER MEDWATCH LISTSERV
Subject: FDA MedWatch - MRI-Caused Injuries in Patients with Implanted Neu rological Stimulators

MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

FDA notified healthcare professionals that serious injury or death can occur when patients with implanted neurological stimulators undergo MRI procedures. The FDA received several reports of serious injury, including coma and permanent neurological impairment. The mechanism for these adverse events is likely to involve heating of the electrodes at the end of the leadwires, resulting in injury to the surrounding tissue. The public health notification also offered recommendations for preventive actions.

Celebrex: Lawyer: Monheit Law: Side Effects: Heart Attack: ________

On February 18, a blue-ribbon FDA Advisory Committee found that COX-2 anti-inflammatory drugs (Celebrex, Bextra) increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes and recommended stronger warnings for these drugs. However, even at their lowest available doses, Celebrex and Bextra are very strong drugs and risks may remain. Research has shown that even lower, safer doses are effective, but these 50% to 75% lower doses are not marketed by the manufacturer. Dr. Cohen's new article describes what you and your doctor should know and what you can do about using Celebrex or Bextra more safely.

Ask Monheit Law, "Do I have a Celebrex Case?"

For more information, contact:
Michael Monheit, Esquire, Monheit Law, PC

Tune in to ABC?s Good Morning America on Wednesday morning to see Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen?s Health Research Group, talking about Public Citizen?s new book, Worst Pills, Best Pills, which provides comprehensive information about 538 prescription drugs and warns of 181 drugs that are unsafe or ineffective.

The book is particularly valuable because Dr. Wolfe has a strong track record of identifying dangerous drugs well before federal regulators take action to ban or put warnings on these drugs. For example, in April 2001, Dr. Wolfe warned consumers not to take Vioxx because it increases the risk of heart attack. But it wasn?t until last fall that Merck pulled the drug from shelves, citing its increased heart attack risk.

Vioxx was the ninth prescription drug to be taken off the market in the past seven years that Public Citizen had previously warned consumers not to use. For four of the drugs - Vioxx, Baycol, Rezulin and Serzone - Public Citizen issued warnings more than two years before their removal from the market. Similarly, Public Citizen warned patients not to use Celebrex three and a half years before the government announced that a study showed it increased heart risks.

On Good Morning America, Dr. Wolfe will discuss problems with the drug approval process, explain how dangerous prescription drugs get onto the market and tell viewers why neither the government nor drug manufacturers are responsive when alerted to serious adverse effects of a drug. He will tell viewers about a Web site that accompanies the book, (www.WorstPills.org), which contains the contents of the book in a user-friendly, searchable database format.

Good Morning America comes on at 7 a.m. on ABC.

Vault Meloxicam (MOBIC) To Blockbuster Status. There is no medical reason why you should be taking meloxicam rather than an older, equally effective NSAID such as ibuprofen to manage arthritis.

FDA MedWatch: Tysabri (natalizumab) marketing suspended due to serious adverse events reported with use