2008 was a year for dangerous Drugs

[Celebration]

http://www.examiner.com/x-876-Tampa-Wellness-Examiner~y2008m12d31-2008-was-a-year-for-dangerous-Drugs

Great year in review for drug warnings.

Next the warnings on the anemia drugs Epogen and Procrit came along. When used appropriately I have seen it work wonders with patients with renal failure and post radiation anemia. However it now appears that certain cancer patients should not receive it as it “shortened overall survival and/or time to tumor progression in clinical studies in patients with breast, non-small cell lung, head and neck, lymphoid, and cervical cancers”. March ended with a FDA investigation between the use of the asthma drug Singulair and behavior/mood changes, suicidality (suicidal thinking and behavior) and suicide.

The year continued and brought us news of warnings on the arthritis drug Enbrel including serious infections leading to hospitalization or death. In addition the entire class of arthritic medications such as Remicade, Enbrel, Humira, and Cimzia were linked to the development of lymphoma and other cancers in children and young adults.

Tendonitis anyone? Fluoroquinolones were found to be associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. This risk is further increased in those over age 60 and with use of concomitant steroid therapy. Don’t recognize the name? I bet you know the names Floxin, Levaquin or Cipro though. They are all in the same class.

It is well documented that statin drugs can cause the muscle symptom rhabdomyolysis however 2008 brought forward that the fact that Vytorin also increased the incidence of cancer!

Finally, December 2008 provided us with reports of suicidal behavior in individuals taking anti seizure medications. Some of the medications are prescribed for conditions that are not for seizures like bipolar disease and Fibromyalgia. They included Tegretol, Neurontin, Lamictal, Keppra, Topamax, Depakote and Lyrica among others.

[thunder rising]

1. FDA is part of the US Gov ... Buyer beware!!

[Cleita]

2. Epogen extended my husband's life, as he had renal failure.

However, it seems like they aren't testing the drugs like they used to. Also, they are way more expensive than I think they need to be. Along with the health insurers I'd like to see the major pharmaceutical companies be allowed only to manufacture the drugs in the future. Development and testing should be done in university labs under contract or grants from the FDA or Health and Human Services Department. When a drug is ready for the market then they can sell the patent to the drug companies to manufacture by putting it up for bid, just like military contracts used to be. Also, they need to limit the price of the mark up for wholesale and retail. Better than that they should just dispense the drugs to those who need them under a single payer universal health care plan. But I dream.