Archive for the ‘Drugs’ Category

The FDA has approved Victoza (liraglutide) a daily injection treatment for type-2 diabetes. Combined with diet, exercise, and potentially with other diabetes medicines, Victoza intends to lower blood sugar levels. It is meant as a supplemental medication, to assist patients already doing fairly well with diet and other measures.  Some studies show that it might work better than Byetta.

Type-2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to make and use insulin, a hormone that processes blood sugar. Victoza (like many other Type-2 Diabetes medications) boosts the body’s ability to make insulin.

Victoza has potential side effects, the most dramatic of which is “tumor creation.” Clinical trials of Victoza showed a tendency toward pancreas inflammation in users. For this reason, officials state that the presence of severe abdominal pain, which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting and/or nausea, should be investigated by a medical profession. In the event of (more…)

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If you’ve seen messages on TV about smoking cessation, you’ve probably noticed that most contain a particular message, either implicitly or explicitly: serious attempts at smoking cessation should be attempted with drugs and/or professional help. This so-called “medicalization” of smoking cessation has become the norm, even though there is much evidence to support “cold turkey” or reducing-then-quitting methods—undertaken privately and without professional intervention—may be the most effective approaches. Is it possible, with all of the products and approaches on the market, that simply quitting is the best approach?

Recent professional reviews of smoking cessation studies has shown repeatedly that 60–75% of ex-smokers (successful quitters) stop smoking without help. Furthermore, most ex-smokers then report that quitting was easier than expected.

The lack of awareness about “just quitting” as the most effective and valid approach may come, at least in part, from the influence of pharmaceutical support of smoking cessation studies. Studies using drugs or other therapies to assist in cessation nearly always involve researchers who support a pharmaceutical manufacturing company producing smoking cessation products, such as Chantix or similar drugs. Studies that use not cessation therapies or products rarely involve researchers connected with pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, pharmaceutical company-supported studies tend toward higher success rates.

Researchers hope that these revelations will spread to the public, to let smokers hoping to quit know that reduction, will power, and cold turkey are not only viable options in their efforts to quit, but may even be the most effective.

It’s also worthy to note that certain smoking cessation drugs, including Chantix, have been linked to very serious side effects including suicidal behavior.  Contact our Chantix Lawyers immediately if you have experience any serious side effects to this anti-smoking drug.

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Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest drug maker, reached a deal for $894 million to settle the majority of the lawsuits over its pain reliever Bextra, which has been taken off the market by the FDA due to increased risks of “cardiovascular events” (heart attack and stroke) and severe skin reactions. This deal is roughly one-fifth the size of that made by Merck & Co. to settle suits over its product Vioxx.

Also included in the settlement are suits over Pfizer’s anti-inflamatory Celebrex product, which remains on the market despite links to elevated risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Roughly 7,000 personal injury cases, about 92% of existing suits related to these two drugs, are included in the settlement. The deal is not finalized, (more…)

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Chantix or Varenicline Tartrate as it is also known is a prescription medicine prescribed for smoking cessation. Chantix, unlike similar drugs in the past, does not contain nicotine. Instead of slowly lessening the nicotine levels in one’s body, Chantix attempts to reduce and ultimately eliminate cravings of those individuals taking it.

Since its FDA approval in May 2006, there have been hundreds of reports of serious psychiatric complications including agitation, suicidal behavior and/or successful suicide, depression and increased aggression levels in patients taking the drug.  These symptoms were linked but not limited to patients who suffered pre-existing mental conditions.

Pfizer, the drug manufacturer, maintains the position and opinion that the severe changes in mood and erratic behavior in Chantix users is due to the withdrawal of nicotine from the body. The FDA’s findings indicate that even those patients who had continued smoking had similar psychiatric episodes and that it is “increasingly likely that there may be an association between Chantix and serious neuropsychiatric symptoms”.

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The State of Iowa will receive $1.3 million dollars from pharmaceutical giant Merck for false and risky marketing of the pain relief drug Vioxx. Though Vioxx has been off the market since 2004, Merck is only just now beginning to face the real consequences of their actions. The $1.3 million settlement is part of a larger $58 million nationwide settlement.
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A drug that was put on suspension after being linked with thousands of deaths is finally being pulled from the shelves. Earlier this week, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced to the FDA and consumer groups that it plans to recover any Trasylol that is still left in the market.

Trasylol is a drug used to control bleeding during heart surgery. But last year, a Canadian study linked Trasylol to kidney problems, heart attacks, and strokes that can cause death. The company says that most remaining Trasylol is in storage or in doctors’ offices. Trasylol had been marketed aggressively by Bayer before it was finally taken off the market last fall.

In fact, part of what caused the drug to be removed in October was the previously mentioned Canadian study. The study was actually suspended in the middle of research because it became clear that patients taking Trasylol were at an increased risk for death.

While Bayer is taking Trasylol back, it will still be allowed for a limited number of patients who have no options for safe alternative treatments because of their specific conditions. However, doctors will have to document that the risk of not taking Trasylol is greater than the risk the drug itself presents.

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Today, drug giant Merck found favor in a Texas appeals court. The court reversed a decision finding Merck at fault for the death of a 71-year-old man who took VIOXX. His widow would have received almost $8 million (down from $32 million) in damages and punitive damages. (more…)

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Doctors need to be reminding their patients about possible confusion with asthma medication, which could put people’s health in danger. The agency says that the asthma medications Spiriva and Foradil both have the potential to be administered incorrectly. While the mistake does not do direct harm to the person as a result of ingesting the drugs, it also does not help their respiratory condition as the medications are intended to do.
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An antibody used to help patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis may cause serious liver injury that leads to death, according to a safety alert from the FDA. Tysabri us manufactured by Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals. These companies, along with the FDA, are sending letters to health care professionals to warn them of the drug’s potentially deadly consequences.
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For the first time since heparin was recalled, those who lost loved ones to the dialysis drug testified before Congress earlier this week. A House subcommittee heard from families of some of the more than 80 people who died because of the tainted drug. They told stories of painful and irreversible decline in just a course of hours.

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