Topamax Recalled for Odor

The LA Times reports that 57,000 bottles of the anti seizure drug Topamax has been recalled due to an “uncharacteristic odor.”   The smell is thought be caused by TBA, a chemical used in treating wood and may have come from the wood pallets used in shipping and storage.  Last December, Pfizer recalled a lot of [...]

Overdose Dangers for Infants and Children

When narcotic drugs such as codeine and hydrocodone are prescribed for children, care givers need to be attentive to dosing instructions. Drugs like these can be dangerous for infants and children because of their sedative effects. HealthDay News reports that about 4% of children under three taking narcotic perscriptions receive overdoses. The study examined of [...]

Prescription Patents Expiring Soon

This fall, prescriptions may start getting cheaper. Patents on some expensive and most prescribed drugs will begin to expire, opening the door for generic equivalents. Most notably, Lipitor, a widely used cholesterol drug made by Pfizer, will lose its patent protection November 2011. Lipitor is the “top-selling drug of all time, generating more than $9 [...]

Tracking Implant Failures

Two registries are being implemented in the United States to track the success and failure rates of hip and knee replacements. One is organized by the orthopedic industry and the other funded by the federal government. Similar databases are already in place in Australia and Sweden and will serve as models for the American project. [...]

Coumadin Recalled

orange tablets

Bristol-Myers Squibb has alerted the FDA and initiated the recall of one lot of Coumadin, after an oversized tablet was discovered. Coumadin, also known as warfarin, is an anticoagulant or blood thinner prescribed for individuals with an increased risk of blood clots. An overdose would create an increased risk of bleeding. The recall applies to [...]

Thyroid Medication Can Increase Risk of Bone Fractures

Levothyroxine

Hypothyroidism, a condition that most commonly affects older women is treatable—usually with a regimen of replacement thyroid hormone, like levothyroxine. A recent study published by the British Medical Journal links use of levothyroxine to increased bone fractures in the elderly. The research examined data on over 200,000 users of levothyroxine, and noted dosage amounts and [...]

Juries Find Accutane Can Cause IBD

accutane

Kamie Kendall was awarded $10.5 million by a jury after hearing about her experiences with Accutane and the side effect it caused– inflammatory bowel disease, a condition that lead to the removal of her colon. Yet the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court vacated the judgment, and a retrial was set so that [...]