Defective Drug Watch - October 2007 (HTML only, no txt)

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Defective Drug Newsletter - October 2007- Providing Information on Controversial DrugsFeatured Stories Prescription Medications Risky for Women- September 19, 2007A new study claims that prescription medications could potentially increase the risk of birth defects when taken by women in their childbearing years. The research found that each time a prescription is filled, the potential for the women to have children born with birth defects increases.read full article Carvedilol Heart Drug Poses Risks- September 17, 2007The medication carvedilol, which is used to treat heart failure in patients, was recently found to pose risks for children and adolescents.“It is possible that children and adolescents with heart failure do not receive benefit from carvedilol,”said Dr. Shaddy after the findings. “It is unclear why carvedilol would be beneficial in adults with heart failure but not in children and adolescents.” read full article Doctors Warned About Fentora- September 14, 2007Fentora, a strong narcotic that is used to treat acute cancer pain, has recently been linked to several deaths.Fentora and Actiq both contain fentanyl, a substance that is 80 times stronger than morphine and is highly addictive. Both medications have been linked to four deaths, three occurring due to complications within the respiratory system. read full article Studies Question Safety of Avandia- September 12, 2007Two studies recently conducted by medical researchers suggest that the popular diabetes drug, Avandia, could cause serious health problems in comparison with other medications. In one of the studies conducted by researchers at Wake Forest University, the drug proved to double the risk of heart failure in patients, raising the possibility of heart attack by 42 percent. read full article Warning About Fentanyl Skin Patch- September 4, 2007The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has delivered several warnings regarding the fentanyl skin patch since its approval.Since the warning, hundreds of patients using the patch have died because healthcare providers have supposedly not received this message.read full article If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding this newsletter please contact us.Consumer Drug Safety Drug Safety for Type 2 Diabetes PatientsMore than 20 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and the whopping majority of those—90 to 95 percent—have type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes. There are currently several different drugs on the market that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating type 2 diabetes and they include Actos, Avandia and Starlix. Avandia (rosiglitazone) is used to control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. Avandia is also associated with an increased risk of liver failure, heart failure, stroke, heart attack and death. An FDA advisory panel recommended in July that Avandia remain on the market despite these risks.Read More... Drug with Side Effects Ask 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. Risks of Unapproved Drugs FDA Cracking Down on Unapproved DrugsCNN network recently investigated the current unapproved drug problem and revealed that the FDA estimates that about two percent of prescription drugs now on the market were never put through any type of approval process by the agency. The FDA has reported that they have taken safety measures to crack down on unapproved drugs. Read More... --------------