Defective Drug Watch - December 2006

[Guest guest]

Defective Drug Newsletter - December 2006- Providing Unbiased Information on Controversial DrugsFeatured Stories FDA Warns of Methadone Overdose - November 28, 2006The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a public health advisory on methadone yesterday, warning that the drug may cause life-threatening side effects or death. Methadone is most commonly used by patients who are being treated for addiction to narcotic painkillers. In recent years, methadone use and consequently methadone related deaths have increased significantly. read full article Kids Commonly Prescribed Potentially Dangerous Drug Cocktails- November 27, 2006An alarming number of young children and teenagers across the United States are taking powerful combinations of psychiatric drugs, despite a lack of evidence supporting that such combinations are safe and effective. Last year, approximately 1.5 million children received a combination of at least two psychiatric medications. Of those, 500,000 received at least three, more than 160,000 were prescribed at least four, and 280,000 were under the age of 10. read full article Woman Sues Over Ortho Evra Blood Clots- November 22, 2006 A Colorado woman who suffered blood clots in her leg and lungs is suing the maker of Ortho Evra for failure to disclose the increased risk of stroke, blood clotting, and death associated with the popular birth control patch. In April 2004 at the age of 31, the woman began using the Ortho Evra patch . Nine months later she was hospitalized for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. As a result of her injury, the tissue in her left lower lung has been permanently damaged – raising her risk of lung infection in the future. read full article U.S. Troops In Iraq Receiving Dangerous Hemophilia Drug- November 20, 2006 A blood-clotting drug that has been linked to heart attack, stroke, and death is being used on wounded soldiers in Iraq, according to an investigative report published in yesterday's Baltimore Sun. More than 1,000 U.S. troops have received Recombinant Activated Factor VII, which is used to treat rare forms of hemophilia affecting less than 3,000 Americans. Military doctors say the drug is useful for controlling fatal hemorrhaging in wounded soldiers. read full article If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding this newsletter please contact us. View our newsletter archive Featured Legal ExpertMiller & AssociatesMiller & Associates is dedicated to serve you or your family with compassion and commitment. We provide our clients with a unique combination of legal and medical qualifications to best represent your interests in matters of injury due to medical negligence or malpractice.Attorney Michael J. Miller is a member of the Board of Governors of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. He is a speaker for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and his articles on trial strategy have appeared in several national publications. Due to his twenty years of in-depth experience in this type of litigation, he is a frequently invited lecturer at national conferences highlighting medical negligence and HMO liabilities. Mr. Miller's expertise in handling his clients' cases has been published in national print and in the electronic media over the past several years.Contact Miller & Associates Research a DrugAsk A Legal QuestionAre you concerned about a drug you are currently taking? Would you like expert advice on your legal rights regarding a particular drug? Free Legal Consultation.Breaking News Ob/Gyn Group: Pregnant Women Should Avoid Paxil December 1, 2006 Women should avoid taking the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine) during pregnancy because of the increased risk of birth defects, warned an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advisory committee. “At this time, paroxetine use among pregnant women and women planning pregnancy should be avoided, if possible,” the committee wrote in this month's issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology . read full article --------------