|
Drug Watch |
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Drug Errors
Millions have been
victims of medication errors.
CLICK HERE |
|
Senior
Citizens
and
Elderly
Frequent victims of
medication errors.
CLICK HERE |
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Diabetes
A
disease that draws a lot of drug attention.
CLICK HERE |
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Celebrex
Pfizer Warns of Heart
Danger.
Click Here |
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VIOXX
Withdrawn after study
says in may double heart attack risk.
Click Here
|
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Serzone
Serzone (Nefazodone)
may cause liver failure.
CLICK HERE
|
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Ephedra
Over 100
deaths and thousands of cases of side effects have been linked to
ephedra.
CLICK HERE |
|
Cytotec
(Misoprostol)
Birth defects have
incurred.
CLICK HERE
|
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NEWS
Experts Call for Changes After Bisphosphonate Drugs
Linked to Femur Fractures in Osteoporosis Patients
Bisphosphonates include the drugs Aclasta, Actonel,
Aredia, Bondronat, Boniva, Didronel, Fosamax, Fosavance, Reclast, Skelid,
and Zometa
 Sept. 14, 2010 - A widely prescribed class of drugs
is highly effective in reducing common bone fractures in people with
osteoporosis, but an expert panel announced today that these same drugs
– when used long term – may be related to unusual but serious fractures
of the thigh bone. Ten million people in U.S. have osteoporosis, mostly
senior women. One out of two women and one in four men over 50 will
break a bone due to osteoporosis.
Read more...
Consumer Reports Finds 'Dirty Dozen'
Supplements; Lack of Government Oversight
FDA says hidden drugs or steroids found in more
than 170 products marketed as supplements since 2008
 Aug. 3, 2010 - A new investigation reported in the
September issue of Consumer Reports describes a striking lack of
government oversight for the bustling $26.7 billion dietary supplement
market and identifies a "dirty dozen" list of supplement ingredients
that have been linked by clinical research or case reports to serious
adverse events, such as cancer, coma, heart problems, kidney damage,
liver damage, or death.
Read more...
 Using Kitchen Spoons to Give Children Medicine
Increases Overdose Risk, Doctors Warn
Study
shows significant variations in spoon capacity
July 14, 2010 - Medical
experts have warned parents that using domestic spoons to dispense
children's medicine could lead to overdoses after discovering that some
hold two to three times as much as others.
Read more...
Senate Committee Hearing June 30 to Investigate Drug
Waste and Disposal in U.S.
Goal to reduce health risk of risky disposal,
like flushing drugs in toilets, leaving them in places accessible to children
 Fish and Wildlife Service
workers test river for contamination. |
June 29, 2010 – A U.S. Geological Survey in 2002 of
139 bodies of water in 30 states found over 80 percent of their water
samples were contaminated by prescription drugs and personal care
products. U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, Chairman of the Special Committee on
Aging has called a hearing of his committee tomorrow to look at the
risks associated with improper disposal and lack of disposal options for
consumers. Read
more...
Senior Citizens Increase Risk of Death Taking
Avandia (Rosiglitazone) for Type 2 Diabetes
Compared to Actos (pioglitazone), rosiglitazone increases
risk of stroke and heart failure for seniors
 June 28, 2010 - A new study published online today
by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows
that among senior patients age 65 years and older, Avandia (rosiglitazone), a
medication for treating Type 2 diabetes, is associated with an increased
risk of stroke, heart failure, and all-cause mortality (death) when
compared with Actos (pioglitazone), another medication for diabetes. The
research included Medicare records on more than one-quarter million
elderly. Read
more...
New Study of Clinical Trials Links Diabetes Drug
Avandia with Heart Attack Risk
JAMA publications release two reports on dangers of
Avandia (rosiglitazone) prior to FDA review
June
28, 2010 - Eleven years after the introduction of the diabetes
drug Avandia (rosiglitazone), data from available clinical trials show
an increased risk for heart attack associated with its use and suggest
an unfavorable benefit-to-risk ratio, according to a report posted
online today that will appear in the July 26 print issue of Archives
of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
NPR Reporter Finds There
May Be More Than One Expiration Date on Your Pill Bottle
Manufacturer's expiration
date can be two years later than the drug store expiration date
 By
Joanne Silberner, National Public Radio
June 21, 2010 - It's a relatively common
occurrence: You open the medicine cabinet only to find the expiration
date on your prescription drugs has passed. But that doesn't necessarily
mean the medication has gone bad, says drug expert
Joe Graedon — who has a consumer call-in show on public radio.
More Action Needed to
Prevent Stomach Problems from NSAIDs
Among the world's most
frequently prescribed drugs for arthritis and inflammatory conditions,
but their use can quadruple the risk of upper gastrointestinal problems
(list below news story)
 June
17, 2010 - Four out of ten high-risk patients prescribed nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also received appropriate measures to
prevent upper-gastrointestinal (UGI) problems, but the remainder did not
receive adequate protection, according to a study in the June issue of
Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Read more...
 Other
risky behavior also common for teenagers; highlighted in
statement from CDC below news report
June 7, 2010 - One in 5 U.S. high
school students say they have ever taken a prescription drug
without a doctor’s prescription, according to the 2009
National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) released today by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read
more...
FDA Sets New Drug Information Format to Reduce
Medical Errors
Jan. 19, 2006 - The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) yesterday unveiled a major revision to the format
of prescription drug information, commonly called the package insert, to
give healthcare professionals clear and concise prescribing information.
The FDA said it is an effort to manage the risks of medication use and
reduce medical errors.
Read
more...
System Needed to Prevent Medical Errors of Problem
Physicians
One-third of physicians during career will have
impairment affecting performance
Jan. 18, 2006 - Asserting that "physician
performance failures are not rare and pose substantial threats to
patient welfare and safety," experts in medical error are calling on
state medical boards and healthcare organizations to institute a formal
monitoring and prevention system for catching "problem doctors" before
they do further harm.
Read more...
Foreign Drugs May Have Same Name as US Product but
Different Ingredients
FDA warns confusion with brand names can be disaster
Jan. 12, 2006 - An FDA investigation by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration has found that many foreign medications,
although marketed under the same or similar-sounding brand names as
those in the United States, contain different active ingredients than in
the United States. Taking a different active ingredient may not help,
and may even harm, the user, warns the FDA.
Read more...
Leftover Drugs Are a Prescription for Trouble
Dec. 22, 2005 - Resolving to clean out your
medicine cabinet is a
good idea for the new year. Hanging onto unused medications can increase
the chances of taking the wrong one, and old drugs can lose their
potency, reports the Harvard Heart Letter. But have you ever thought
about where the medicine will end up? Scientists are finding everything
from aspirin to Zoloft in our streams, rivers, and lakes.
Read more...
Heed Side Effects of Statin
Drugs, Says Author
Former scientist astronaut, doctor says war on
cholesterol is misguided
 Dec.
21, 2005 – Dr. Duane Graveline is a former scientist astronaut and retired
family doctor who has focused his attention in
recent years on statin drugs. As a results of his search of the medical and
scientific literature for an explanation for his own statin associated
transient global amnesia, Dr. Graveline has written a new book, "Statin Drugs
Side Effects and the Misguided War on Cholesterol." He reveals the
critical importance of cholesterol for proper brain function and memory
and the reasons for the damage statin drugs do to muscles, nerves and
heart and even personalities.
Read more...
Weakness in Drug Safety System Highlighted by
Consumer Reports
Millions of people may have been exposed to serious
side effects by 12 drugs
Dec. 6, 2005 – Tens of millions of people may have
been unknowingly exposed to the rare but serious side effects of 12
relatively common prescription drug types – several used regularly by
many senior citizens. Consumer Reports says in its investigative report
that the risk include an increased likelihood of heart attack, stroke,
cancer, or suicidal tendencies but were undetected or underestimated
when the drugs were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Read more...
Warning Labels on High-Risk Drugs Inconsistently
Heeded by Doctors
Better means of communicating risks needed say
researchers
Nov. 18, 2005 – A new study has found 42 percent of
ambulatory care patients received prescriptions for drugs with Black Box
Warnings (BBW), the Food and Drug Administration's strongest label for
high-risk medication. The authors suggest that better methods are needed
for ensuring the safe use of medications that carry serious risks.
Read more...
Chronic Pain Market Driven by New Drugs and
Reformulations
Sales to grow to $24 billion in 2014 but NSAIDS,
COX-2 decline
Nov. 9, 2005 – People who have faced a
dilemma in finding safe ways to treat their chronic pain, will be
turning to reformulations of existing drugs and some new drugs in the
years ahead, as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and
COX-2 inhibitors lose market share, according to a new report.
Read more...
Brand Drug Prices Continue to Climb Twice as Fast as
Inflation
Generic drugs go unchanged for second quarter 2005
 Nov. 2, 2005 – The latest update on drug prices by
AARP’s Public Policy Institute found prices for nearly 200 of the most
commonly used brand name medications rose 6.1 percent during the 12
month period from July 2004–June 2005. At the same time, the rate of
general inflation was 3 percent.
Read more...
Aspirin Taken with Another NSAID May Triple Risk for
Ulcers, Bleeding
Study shows risk of serious GI problems intensified
by common OTC pain medications
Oct. 31, 2005 – People who often take a
daily aspirin for cardiovascular protection and an occasional ibuprofen
or naproxen for pain relief, need to take heed of a study released today
that says combining the two significantly increases the risk of
gastrointestinal complications including ulcers, perforations and
bleeding.
Read
more...
Cholesterol Levels, Statins are Not Associated with
Breast Cancer Risk
Oct. 24, 2005 - Cholesterol levels and use of
statins, or other lipid-lowering drugs, has no association with breast
cancer risk, according to a large study published in the October 24
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals.
Read
more...
Diabetes Medication Awaiting FDA Approval May
Increase Deaths, Cardiovascular Risk
FDA encouraged to delay muraglitazar for additional
safety studies
Oct. 20, 2005 - A new medication under review by
the Food and Drug Administration that may regulate blood glucose levels
and have a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol and lipid levels for
patients with Type 2 diabetes appears to increase the risk for major
adverse cardiovascular events and death, according to a new study in
JAMA. The study and an accompanying editorial were released early
online today at
www.JAMA.com because of their timeliness and potential importance
for public health. Editor's note: This story has been updated on
Oct. 27 to include a statement from the manufacturer.
Read
more...
Vitamin B May Be Dangerous for Heart Attack Patients
Sept. 6, 2005 - Researchers from Norway have found
that treating patients who have had a heart attack with high doses of B
vitamins does not lower the risk of getting another heart attack or
stroke. Contrary to their expectations, B vitamins may do more harm than
good.
Read more...
Aspirin Reduces Risk of Colon Cancer for Women but
Takes 10 Years
Taking two regular aspirin a week “significantly
reduced risk,” study says
Aug. 23, 2005 - Women who took two or more aspirin
or NSAIDs per week for more than 10 years significantly reduced their
risk of colorectal cancer, according to an article in the August 24/31
issue of JAMA. Women who took even more aspirin – 14 per week – reduced
their risk by half but greatly increased the risk for major
gastrointestinal bleeding.
Read more...
House Passage of Medical Error Reporting Bill
Applauded by Pharmacists
July 28, 2005 - The American Society of
Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) praised legislation passed Tuesday by
the U.S. House of Representatives that establishes a non-punitive system
enabling health care providers to voluntarily report medical errors or
near misses. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (S. 544)
creates a legal framework to log errors, catalog reports, and identify
trends, essential elements in creating a culture of safety to improve
the quality of medical care.
Read more...
Avoid Drug Danger
New Digital Service Detects Personal Risk for Adverse Drug
Reactions Based on Personal History
 RxWise
is available online or in portable USB drive and has
information on prescription, over-the-counter and herbal
medicines
July 20, 2005 – As a steady flow of
studies show, senior citizens are at high risk of serious
harm or death from adverse drug reactions that result from
numerous causes – medication errors, drug name confusion,
dangerous drug combinations and more. A new product was
introduced today, RxWise, that is described as “the first
personalized, adverse drug reaction (ADR) risk-assessment
system contained on a portable USB Flash Drive, or
accessible through the Internet.” It is probably not the
total answer but appears to be a significant step in the
right direction.
Read more...
Drug Name Confusion Can Be Deadly, Says FDA Magazine
July 19, 2005 – The following article,
“Drug Name Confusion: Preventing Medication Errors,” is
published in the July-August issue of the FDA Consumer
Magazine. It explains the deadly threat from confusion in
drug names, how they occur and offers tips on avoiding such
errors.
Read more...
An Overview
Preventing Drug Misuse in Seniors
by Audrey Ignatoff, M.S.
July 13, 2005 - Preventing drug misuse in
seniors is of critical concern to health care professionals,
caregivers, and seniors themselves. In order for any prevention
program to be effective, it must be a team effort involving both an
art and a system.
Read more...
Viagra, Levitra, Cialis Must Warn of Eye Problems: FDA
July 9, 2005 - The Food and Drug Administration
yesterday approved updated labeling for Cialis, Levitra and Viagra
to reflect a small number of post-marketing reports of sudden vision
loss, attributed to NAION (non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy),
a condition where blood flow is blocked to the optic nerve.
Read more...
Women's Health Study
Vitamin E Not Recommended for Older Women to Protect Heart or
Prevent Cancer
July 6, 2005 – While advocates and
manufacturers of Vitamin E hailed a new study as proof that
Vitamin E is safe and lowers the risk of cardiovascular death
for older, healthy women, the authors of this large study say
the report “does not support recommending vitamin E
supplementation for CVD or cancer prevention among healthy
women.”
Read more...
Women’s Health Study
Low-Dose Aspirin Does Not Prevent Cancer in Older, Healthy Women
Lung cancer citied as possible exception
July 6, 2005 - A major study that includes
nearly 40,000 healthy women found no benefit on preventing cancer
from taking low-dose aspirin, according to an article in the July 6
issue of JAMA. The authors did conclude that “a beneficial effect on
lung cancer cannot be ruled out.”
Read more...
Diuretics Effective for Seniors with Diabetes, High Blood Pressure
Works as well as ACE-inhibitors and calcium
channel blockers
June 29, 2005 – For senior citizens with
diabetes, which is almost 19 percent of those over 65, there was
welcome news this week from research saying diuretics work as well
as ACE-inhibitors and calcium channel blockers in protecting against
heart attack and improving survival, and offer more protection
against congestive heart failure.
Read more...
Should Everyone Over 50 Take a Daily Aspirin?
The battle rages on with
two experts giving Pro/Con views
June 17, 2005 - Experts go head to head in this
week’s BMJ over whether everyone over 50 should take a daily aspirin
to reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Read more...
Solution to COX-2 Inhibitor Dilemma May Be Massage Cream
Company applies for FDA approval for product they
say will avoid dangers
June 15, 2005 – A company that makes creams for
erection enhancement and foot massage has applied for FDA approval
of a cream to deliver COX-2 inhibitor pain relief to the specific
area of pain. This, they say, decreases the total body dose “by more
than 100 fold” that is administered by the pills recently banned by
the FDA. It offers hope to senior citizens, who are frequent users
of pain relievers and most in danger of heart problems from many of
these drugs.
Read more...
Citizens May Have to Bite-the-Bullet for Pain Relief
Ibuprofen (Advil) and other common painkillers
cited for heart attack risk, particular for older people
June 10, 2005 – Senior citizens may have to
bite-the-bullet, when it comes to surviving pain, just like cowboys
did in the old West movies, when the doctor was about to operate
without an anesthetic. There is a new observational study out today
that joins a list of those saying the risk of heart attack,
particularly in older people, increases with the use of ibuprofen
(Advil) and other commonly used painkillers, as well as COX-2
inhibitors.
Read more...
Benzodiazepines Cheaper
Addictive Drugs Most Often Prescribed for Sleep Problems in Older
Patients
About half of prescriptions for insomnia patients
of all ages results in addictive drug prescription – Boomers and
Senior Citizens much more likely
June 1, 2005 - Nearly one out of two visits to
a doctor's office for help with a sleep disorder result in the
prescription of potentially addictive medications despite the
availability of other treatments, a new study reports. People 50 and
older were about 5 times as likely to receive a drug treatment as
were 18 to 34-year-olds. And people 65 and older were twice as
likely as the 18- to 34-year-olds to receive prescriptions for
benzodiazepines. If covered by Medicare or Medicaid they were also
twice as likely to get benzodiazepine prescriptions as patients with
private health insurance.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Handle Narcotic Pain Killers Better Than Younger
Patients
Younger people want to rapidly increase their
dose
May 20, 2005 - Narcotic medications can safely
and effectively ease severe, chronic pain in older people with
little risk that these patients will seek ever-increasing doses,
UCSF medical scientists have found. Younger patients, however, are
likely to want to rapidly increase their medication dose, posing
serious potential health consequences.
Read more...
GI, Anti-Psychotic Drugs Cause Big Increase in Sudden Cardiac Deaths
May be responsible for up to 15,000 deaths a year
in USA and Europe
May 11, 2005 - Gastrointestinal and
anti-psychotic drugs that interfere with the electrical activity
controlling the heartbeat are associated with a three-fold risk of
sudden cardiac death, according to Dutch research published today in
the European Heart Journal. They estimate up to 15,000 may be dying
annually in Europe and the USA from these drugs.
Read more...
Stroke Drug Still Meets Resistance from Doctors Wary of Its Risks
May 6, 2005 - Forty percent of emergency
physicians say they're unlikely to give stroke patients the only
FDA-approved drug - tPA - shown to improve their prognosis, even in
an ideal setting, mostly because of the fear of causing brain
bleeding.
Read more...
Medical-Errors Gap Widens Between Best - Worst Hospitals
Three-Year Study by HealthGrades Covers 37
Million Hospitalizations
May 2, 2005 - Patient safety incidents at
America's hospitals increased slightly, but the nation's safest
hospitals grew even safer, resulting in a wider gap in patient
safety incident rates among the nation's best and worst hospitals,
according to a new study of 37 million patient records released
today by HealthGrades, an organization that evaluates the quality of
hospitals, physicians and nursing homes for consumers, corporations,
hospitals and health plans.
Read more...
When Drugs Collide
Herbs, OTC Medicines Can Cause Life-Saving Drugs to React
Dangerously
Researcher offers advice on combinations to avoid
April 28, 2005 - Cardiovascular medications
help to prevent heart attack and stroke, saving many people from the
number-one killer in the United States. But taking certain
over-the-counter drugs or herbal remedies along with them can cause
the prescribed cardiovascular drugs to lose their effectiveness or
to increase their potency in ways that can be beneficial or harmful.
Read more...
New Agency Site Focuses on Preventing Medical Errors, Patient Safety
April 20, 2005 – Most research shows senior
citizens are the most likely to suffer from medical errors and other
patient safety issues. There is now a Website created by the Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality that claims to be a national
“one stop” portal of resources for preventing medical errors and
improving safety.
Read more...
Pfizer Takes Bextra Off Market at FDA Request
Agency orders new warning labels on Cox-2
and other NSAID medications
April 7, 2005 – The Food and Drug
Administration today asked Pfizer to withdraw Bextra from
the market and announced new label warnings for the
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory class of drugs, including
COX-2 selective and prescription and non-prescription
(over-the-counter (OTC)) non-selective NSAID medications.
Read more...
New Online Brochure Hopes to Get Patients More Involved in
Protecting Themselves
March 11, 2005 – As studies continue to point
out the high rate of medical errors and their devastating affect on
millions of citizens, many groups are making an effort to get
patients more involved in protecting themselves. There is a new
patient safety check list being made available on line by the New
Jersey Hospital Association’s Quality Institute.
Read more...
National Patient Safety Week
Safety Tips for Senior Citizens, Caregivers in
Managing Drugs
March 9, 2005 - More than 2.3 million drug-related
errors adversely affect older Americans each year, often resulting in
rush trips to the emergency room, expensive hospitalization and
subsequently, the potential decline of a senior citizen’s independence.
There are specific precautions that seniors, their adult children and
caregivers can take to prevent mishaps related to prescription use, says
a company that manages prescription drug benefits.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Only Women to Protect Heart with
Aspirin
New study says aspirin does reduce risk of stroke for
all women
March 8, 2005 – The decision to take a daily
aspirin to avoid a heart attack is certainly best left to personal
physicians, but even they may be confused by all the studies released
recently. The study released yesterday focused on women and says it is
good for older women – those 65 and older. But, it does not help women
aged 45 to 64. Earlier studies have reported it helps men of all ages.
Read more...
Not Viable Anti-psychotic
Alzheimer’s Worsens for Patients Taking Quetiapine,
Researchers Say
Feb. 18, 2005 - Quetiapine, a drug commonly used in
nursing homes to treat agitation and related symptoms in people with
Alzheimer's Disease actually worsens patients' illness, speeding up
their rate of decline significantly, says a paper published on bmj.com
today.
Read more...
Adderall Ordered Off Market by Canada; FDA Will Take
Closer Look
Deaths in U.S. from hyperactivity drug cause action
Feb. 10, 2005 – Health Canada has ordered ADDERALL
XR to be taken off the market in that country, primarily because of
deaths that occurred in the U.S., but the FDA has decided not to take
any action at this time. The AP, however, quotes an FDA officials as
saying people with heart problems should not take the hyperactivity
drug.
Read more...
List of Cancer-Causing Agents Grows to 246
Feb. 1, 2005 – Few do not worry about getting
cancer. Now, the government has added seventeen more cancer-causing
agents we have to avoid – the total list is now 246. For the first time,
viruses are listed: hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and some human
papillomaviruses that cause common sexually transmitted diseases. Other
new listings include lead and lead compounds, X-rays, compounds found in
grilled meats, and a host of substances used in textile dyes, paints and
inks.
Read more...
Campaign to Stop Deadly Medication Errors
Spreads Outside Hospitals
New brochure on things you can do to prevent
medication mistakes
 Jan.
27, 2005 – More than 7,000 patients die each year in hospitals due
to medication errors. A new effort is being launched today to spread
the word about the deadly results of medication errors outside of
just hospitals. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations, which earlier started a national campaign urging
Americans to "Speak Up" to avoid medication mistakes, is sending to
the nation's Fortune 1000 companies copies of their latest brochure
and poster "Things You Can Do to Prevent Medication Mistakes."
Read more...
Vioxx May Have Caused 140,000 Serious Heart
Attacks
Jan. 25, 2005 - The arthritis drug Vioxx could
have caused an estimated 88,000–140,000 excess cases of serious
coronary heart disease in the USA since its launch in 1999,
concludes a study published online by The Lancet.
Read more...
Grapefruit Juice with Certain Medications Can Be
Deadly Mix
 Jan. 18, 2004 - Grapefruit juice can be, and has
been, deadly for people on certain medications, nurse researchers remind
doctors, nurses, and everyone who takese and enjoysfruit
juice, in a paper in the American Journal of Nursing, a journal of the
American Nurses Association. The authors also provide a list of drugs,
many frequently used by seniors, that interact with grapefruit juice.
Read more...
Revised Website Lists Dangerous Prescription Drugs,
Provides Alternatives
Public Citizen also publishes new book on “Worst
Pills, Best Pills”
Jan. 17, 2005 - Public Citizen has launched a new
Web site,
www.WorstPills.org , that provides consumers with comprehensive
information about 538 prescription drugs and warns them of 181 drugs
that are unsafe or ineffective. Consumers must subscribe to use the
database but it also has free news and information about dangerous
drugs. Read more...
 Medical Errors Hurt Real People
Jan. 17, 2004 - Linda McDougal awoke from her double
mastectomy to hear her surgeon tell her, "You don't have
cancer." Her first thought was, what a relief. And
then he said, "You never had cancer." Two pathologists
had switched her biopsy results with another woman's -
which means both Linda McDougal's breasts had been
amputated unnecessarily.
Read
more, hear her story...
Doctors Must Be More Aware of Medications Dangerous
to Elderly, Say Researchers
1997 Beers Criteria was revised in 2003 to list
potentially dangerous drugs for elderly
Jan. 6, 2005 –
Researchers who found as many as 70 percent of the doctors in their
study had prescribed a potentially inappropriate medication for elderly
patients are urging physicians to be more aware of medications that are
inappropriate for the elderly.
More... 1/6/05*
FDA Urges Caution Using Cox-2 Inhibitors, Other
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
New advisory issued as the increase investigation; advice for physicians
and patients issued
Dec. 23, 2004 - The Food and Drug Administration
today issued a Public Health Advisory summarizing the agency's
recent cautions and recommendations concerning the use of non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drug products (NSAIDs), including those known as COX-2
selective agents. The public health advisory is an interim measure,
pending further review of data that continue to be collected.
More... 12/23/04
Aleve Suspended in Clinical Trial of Elderly Due to
Increased Heart Risk
Celebrex also suspended, although no problems seen in
this trial
Dec. 21, 2004 – The use of Aleve and Celebrex was
suspended yesterday by the National Institutes of Health in a national
Alzheimer’s disease prevention trial, which involved senior citizens 70
and older who were considered at increased risk of AD. The researchers
say use of Aleve (naproxen) at 220 mg twice a day indicated an “apparent
increase in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events” in the elderly
participants. There was no problem found with Celebrex (celecoxib) at
200 mg twice a day, but this drug was suspended due to problems noted in
other trials.
More...
12/18/04
FDA
Delays Action on Celebrex, Waiting for More Info
Dec.
18, 2004 – Late yesterday the Food and Drug Administration
issued a statement on the warning issued by Pfizer of possible
heart problems caused by their drug Celebrex, which is taken my
millions of senior citizens for pain relief, primarily that
caused by arthritis. The FDA says they are taking no regulatory
action now but will seek more information.
More... 12/18/04*
NIH Halts Use of COX-2 Inhibitor
in Large Cancer Prevention Trial
Dec.
18, 2004 -
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced
Friday that it has suspended the use of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib
(Celebrex™ Pfizer, Inc.) for all participants in a large colorectal
cancer prevention clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer
Institute (NCI).
More...
12/18/04*
Celebrex Caused Increase Heart Problem Risk:
Pfizer
Dec.
17, 2004 – Celebrex has been found to cause increased risk of heart
problems, according to an announcement by Pfizer, maker of the
painkiller. Often used by senior citizens
with arthritis, Celebrex is in the same class as the Vioxx, the drug
yanked off the market in September because of similar concerns.
More, including complete
company statement... 12/17/04*
Pfizer Claims Celebrex Safety in September:
Day Vioxx Recalled
Dec. 17, 2004 – On September 30, the day Merck &
Co. announced the recall of its COX-2 drug, Vioxx, Pfizer issued a news
release expressing confidence that Celebrex did not cause heart
problems, as found in the case of Vioxx.
More... 12/17/04*
Top Ten Drug Interactions Most Dangerous to Seniors
in Long-Term Care
Committee offers help on avoiding problems
Dec. 14, 2004 - Numerous studies
have shown senior citizens are the most prone to danger from drug
interactions, which has prompted the establishment of a project by the
American Medical Directors Association and the American Society of
Consultant Pharmacists to identify the ten drug interactions most commonly
associated with such reactions by residents in long-term care.
More... 12/14/04*
Nearly Half Of All Consumers Worry About The
Safety Of Their Health Care
One in Three People Say They Or A Family Member
Have Experienced A Medical Error; One in Five Say It Was “Serious”
Of Those Reporting Medical Errors with Serious
Consequences, One in Seven Report Filing Malpractice Lawsuits
Nov. 17, 2004 – Five years after a groundbreaking
Institute of Medicine report focused attention on medical errors in
hospitals, Americans say that they do not believe that the nation’s
quality of care has improved. Four in 10 (40%) people say the quality of
health care has gotten worse in the past five years, while one in six
(17%) say the quality of care has gotten better and nearly four in 10
(38%) say it has stayed the same, according to a new survey by the Henry
J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality (AHRQ) and the Harvard School of Public Health.
Read More...
Breast Enhancement Pills Can Have Dangerous Side
Effects
Nov. 17, 2004 - Flip through any women's
magazine and you are sure to find advertisements hawking pills to
enlarge women's breasts. But do these pills actually work? Probably
not, says the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Not only
are breast enhancement pills unproven, they could be dangerous,
according to a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
(PRS), the official medical journal of the ASPS.
More...
11/17/04*
Safety of DHEA?
Publicity on Diet Supplement for Senior Citizens
Needs Caution Sign
Nov. 12, 2004 - An over-the-counter hormone
supplement reduces belly fat and the chance of diabetes in older adults,
says a study reported this week in the Journal of the American Medical
Association. But, this was a study with only 56 participants and the
supplement known as DHEA has not been highly regarded in the past.
More... 11/12/04*
Will Vitamin E Kill You, Or Save Your Life?
Research results send conflicting messages with
latest saying it increases risk of dying
Nov. 10, 2004 – A research report will be presented
today that says daily doses of Vitamin E in excess of 400 IU
(international units) is associated with a higher overall risk of dying.
This is not the first study reporting on dangers of Vitamin E, but there
are many recent studies saying it helps senior citizens in the fight
against Alzheimer’s, heart disease and even vision problems.
More...
11/10/04*
Alert: Thousands Undergo Surgery Partially Awake
Better understanding by health professionals can reduce risk
Oct. 6, 2004 - Tens of thousands of patients undergoing surgery each
year experience the helplessness of being partially awake while
under general anesthesia during surgery, but being unable to
communicate their distress to caregivers. Better understanding among
health care professionals of this frightening phenomenon could
reduce the risk of these events and assure appropriate support for
patients when they do occur, according to an Alert issued today by
the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
More... 10/06/04*
Levoxyl May Cause Choking, Says FDA
Oct. 6, 2004 – Levoxyl, a thyroid hormone replacement drug, may
cause choking and gagging when it is not swallowed with a full glass
of water, the drug's manufacturer and the Food and Drug
Administration warned Tuesday.
More... 10/06/04*
Vioxx Withdrawn After Study Suggests It May
Double the Risk of Heart Attack
Increased risk of serious cardiovascular events,
including heart attacks and strokes, found in test of arthritis drug
Sept. 30, 2004 – In a stunning announcement today,
drug-maker Merck & Co. announced the withdrawal of the popular
anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx from the market due to a study they were
conducting that shows patients taking the drug face twice the risk of
heart attack compared to those in the test taking a placebo. The FDA,
that approved the drug in 1999, also issued a public health advisory and
news release. It is used by many senior citizens for
arthritis.
More...
9/30/04*
When doctors fight
lawyers: Patient's view
My lasting pain and suffering mean nothing to legislators
Dallas Morning News,
Sunday, August 22,
2004
By KIM TUTT
When
I was 34 years old, I was diagnosed with small cell neuroendocrine
carcinoma, a fatal form of cancer. My doctors told me I was going to
die very soon. I was forced to say goodbye to my friends and family
and tell my two young boys that I was not going to be there to watch
them grow up. I drafted a will and tried to accept my fate.
More... 8/24/04*
Dangerous Drugs Provided to 21 Percent of Elderly
Aug. 10, 2004 – A large study has found that 21
percent of the elderly were given drug prescriptions for medications
identified as “inappropriate” by the Beers list, which identifies drugs
to be avoided for the elderly.
More... 8/10/04*
Medicare Patients Dying at Rate of 195,000 a Year
Due to Medical Errors
One in four Medicare patients hospitalized from
2000 to 2002 and experienced a patient-safety incident died
Aug. 7, 2004 – An average of 195,000
Medicare patients in the U.S. died due to potentially preventable,
in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002,
according to a new study of 37 million patient records that was released
in July by HealthGrades, the healthcare quality company.
More... 8/07/04*
Recent
Medical Errors Reported by 45% of Specialists
37% Caused Serious Harm,
Errors Probably Under-Reported
Aug. 3, 2004
- Otolaryngologist Dr. David Roberson has first-hand experience with
medical errors. He remembers one near-miss in a patient about to
receive a cochlear implant – and says it typifies the kinds of
mistakes he and his colleagues have turned up in a national survey.
More... 8/03/04*
FDA Working to Prevent
Drug Interaction Problems
July 20,
2004 - Mixing two drugs together could make one of the drugs
ineffective. The combination also could increase a drug's effect,
and be harmful. The result might be mild symptoms such as nausea,
stomach upset, or headache, or more serious symptoms such as a
dramatic drop in blood pressure, irregular heart beat, or damage to
the liver-the primary way that drugs pass through the human body.
This article tells more about what the FDA is doing to prevent these
problems.
More...
7/20/04*
Seniors Prone to Drug Errors Finding Help From
Safety System
June 23, 2004 - One
in four seniors age 65 or older sees four or more physicians each year,
and one in three visit four or more pharmacies each year, making patient
data exchange difficult and creating a dangerous medication matrix that
could put people at risk, according to the company who introduced a
safety system last year that they say is helping reduce the risk.
More... 6/23/04*
Education Campaign Aimed
at Seniors Who Abuse Drugs
May 12, 2004 - Claiming two percent of
people 55 and older that are admitted to hospitals abuse
prescription narcotic medications, three government agencies have
joined forces in a public education campaign to warn older Americans
of the dangers of mixing certain prescription drugs or prescription
medications and alcohol.
More... 5/12/04*
12 Dangerous Dietary
Supplements Named by Consumer Reports
April 1, 2004 -- Consumer Reports, in
the May issue, says they have found 12 dietary supplements that are
too dangerous to be on the market according to government warnings,
adverse-event reports, and top experts. These "dirty dozen" unsafe
supplements, which CR easily purchased in stores and online in
February.
More...
4/01/04*
New Requirements for Bar
Codes on Drugs and Blood to Reduce Risks of Medication Errors
Feb. 25, 2004 - HHS Secretary Tommy G.
Thompson today announced that the Food and Drug Administration is
issuing a final rule requiring bar codes on the labels of thousands
of human drugs and biological products. The measure will help
protect patients from preventable medication errors and reduce the
cost of health care and represents a major step forward in the
department’s efforts to harness information technology to promote
higher quality care.
More... 2/25/04*
Actra Rx Has
sildenafil
'Natural' Viagra
Alternative Is the Real Thing
Researchers find active ingredient
that could be dangerous for users
Feb. 4, 2004 - Researchers in Miami have
found a "100 percent natural" product sold over the Internet to cure
impotence actually contains about 55 milligrams of sildenafil,
better known by the brand name Viagra, per capsule. The
effectiveness of the compound may not be in question, but its safety
is. More...
2/4/04 HealthDay
Check Disciplinary
Actions Against Doctors on Web
Nov. 25, 2003 - There is now a Website
that includes the disciplinary actions taken against physicians in
each state except South Dakota. Questionable Doctors database (www.questionabledoctors.org)
is maintained by Public Citizen, which has published this data in
book form for more than 10 years. The site covers disciplinary
actions from 1992 to 2001. The data includes disciplinary actions
such as incompetence, sexual misconduct and other offenses and comes
from state medical boards and federal agencies.
British Lawyer Complains
About Criminal Prosecution for Medical Errors
Nov. 14, 2003 - Using the criminal
justice system to punish doctors who make mistakes is a growing
trend in Great Britian and is questionable, according to a barrister
in this week's British Medical Journal.
More... 11/14/03*
Errors
Adverse Effects of Testosterone
Therapy in Older Males: Report Says Study Needed
Nov. 12, 2003 - Is testosterone
replacement for older men safe? The Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies released a report today setting a direction for the study of the
safety of testosterone replacement therapy for older men.
Tens of thousands of aging men are trying testosterone
shots, patches and gel in hopes of regaining youthful vigor and virility.
This report uncovers little evidence it works - or that the therapy is even
safe - but recommends careful study to find out.
More of story and
link to report... 11/12/03* Senior Journal
Counterfeit Drugs Pose Serious
Drug Danger
Nov. 5, 2003 -
With more Americans relying on prescription medicine to treat
life-threatening conditions like heart disease and high-cholesterol,
they're taking active measures to protect their health. But a new
threat is preventing some patients from getting the medication they
need: counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
More and video story...
11/05/03*
FDA:
Suicidal Thinking by Children Found in Clinical Studies of
Antidepressants
• Only Prozac
Approved for Children
• Paxil (fluoxetine)
Study Created the Questions
Oct. 27, 2003
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Public Health
Advisory to alert physicians to reports of suicidal thinking (and
suicide attempts) in clinical studies of various antidepressant
drugs in pediatric patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
Currently, Prozac (fluoxetine) is the only drug labeled for use in
Pediatric MDD.
FDA reported
it has completed a preliminary review of reports for eight
antidepressant drugs –- citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine,
mirtazapine, nefazodone, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine
-- all studied under the pediatric exclusivity provision of the FDA
“It is not
possible at this point to rule out an increased risk of these
adverse events for any of these drugs, including
Paxil (paroxetine), which
was the subject of a FDA
Talk Paper on June 19, 2003,” they said.
Read the alert...
10/27/03* Other
Antidepressant Serzone (nefazodone)
FDA
Should Follow Lead of Europe, Canada to Remove Serzone from Market, Public
Citizen Says
WASHINGTON,
D.C., Oct. 30, 2003 - New reports of deaths and severe injuries from
liver failure in patients taking the
antidepressant Serzone (nefazodone)require that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) act immediately to protect U.S. patients, Public Citizen said today.
More... 10/30/03*
Warning of Dispensing Error
Using Serzone (nefazodone)
This is a letter
from the manufacturer to the FDA -
Click Here*
The DES Legacy
Children of Women Given the Hormone DES Decades Ago Now Cope With
Their Own -- and Even Their Children's -- Health Problems
More... 9/29/03 Washington Post
Researchers Urge Caution Using Ginseng In Early Pregnancy
More... 9/26/03* Other
FDA to push firms
to make ads clearer about drug risks
More... 9/24/03 Boston Globe
Flu Season Brings Warning
Danger of Antibiotic Resistance from Too Many Antibiotics
Sept. 24, 2003 - Antibiotic resistance can cause
significant danger and suffering for children and adults.
More> 9/24/03*
FDA Seeks Diabetes Warning on
Anti-Psychotic Drugs
Sept. 17, 2003 - FDA
regulators have requested that six of the most widely used
anti-psychotic drugs carry a warning that they can increase the risk
of elevated blood sugar and diabetes, according to a news release by
Eli Lilly and Co.
Lilly, which makes the top-selling
schizophrenia treatment Zyprexa. The FDA
is also seeking the warning on the product labeling for Johnson &
Johnson's rival Risperdal, Novartis AG's Clozaril, Bristol-Myers
Squibb Co.'s Abilify, AstraZeneca Plc's Seroquel and Pfizer Inc.'s
Geodon.
More> 3/17/03*
Make No Mistake: Medical
Errors Can Be Deadly Serious - FDA Report |
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