Tainted pills hit U.S. mainland + NEWS

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Tainted pills hit U.S. mainlandSott.net http://www.laleva.org/eng/toxic_substances.htmlFebruary 5, 2008 The first warning sign came when a sharp-eyed worker sorting pills noticed that the odd blue flecks dotting the finished drug capsules matched the paint on the factory doors. After the flecks were spotted again on the capsules, a blood-pressure medication called diltiazem, the plant began placing covers over drugs in carts in its manufacturing areas. But the factory owner, Canadian drug maker Biovail Corp., never tried to find out whether past shipments of the drug were contaminated - or prevent future contamination, according to U.S. regulators. Thirteen of the 20 best-selling drugs in the United States come from plants on this island. But an investigation by The Associated Press has found dozens of examples over four years of lapses in quality control in the Puerto Rican pharmaceutical industry, which churns out $35 billion of drugs each year, most of it for sale as part of the $300 billion market in the U.S. An AP review of 100 pages of Food and Drug Administration reports shows even modern drug plants here under the watch of U.S. regulators have failed to keep laboratories sterile and have exported tainted pills. ... ContinuePosted by sal on February 6, 2008 01:52 PM | Comments (0) Top-secret Livermore anti-germ lab opensSan Francisco Chronicle February 3, 2008 By David Perlman A high-security laboratory where deadly microbes are being grown by scientists seeking defenses against terrorist attacks began operating in Livermore last week without public announcement, and opponents said Friday that they will go to federal court in an effort to close the facility down. Built inside the closed campus of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the facility has been controversial ever since it was first proposed by homeland security officials more than five years ago. Tri-Valley CARES, the East Bay watchdog group that has long fought nuclear weapons research there, has led the fight against it with protests and legal actions. The facility is known as a Biosafety-level 3 laboratory where highly trained workers, high-tech airlocks and extremely rigorous safety measures are required by federal rules in order to contain any of more than 40 potentially lethal disease-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi stored inside. The National Nuclear Security Administration, an agency of the Energy Department, which oversees the Livermore site, announced Monday only that it had "granted approval" for Livermore to begin operating its new biosafety laboratory. ... ContinuePosted by sal on February 4, 2008 04:17 PM | Comments (0) Care homes sedating Alzheimer patients with 'chemical cosh' which could lead to early deathDailyMail By JENNY HOPE February 4, 2008 Dangerous drugs are being prescribed to sedate thousands of Alzheimer's sufferers in care homes, campaigners claimed yesterday. An official inquiry will be told today that the use of the so-called "chemical cosh" has serious side effects and can even lead to premature death. The campaigners say that dementia patients with behavioural problems are being "killed" to make life easier for staff looking after them. The antipsychotic drugs at the centre of the claims are not licensed for the treatment of Alzheimer's and instead are prescribed to control agitation, delusions, sleep disturbance and aggression. Growing concern about the misuse of antipsychotic drugs has led to the inquiry by the all-party parliamentary group on dementia. ... ContinuePosted by sal on February 4, 2008 02:01 PM | Comments (0) Lilly in Settlement Talks With U.S.The New York Times January 30, 2008 By ALEX BERENSON Eli Lilly and federal prosecutors are discussing a settlement of a civil and criminal investigation into the company’s marketing of the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa that could result in Lilly’s paying more than $1 billion to federal and state governments. If a deal is reached, the fine would be the largest ever paid by a drug company for breaking the federal laws that govern how drug makers can promote their medicines. Several people involved in the investigation confirmed the settlement discussions. They insisted on anonymity because they have not been authorized to talk about the negotiations. Zyprexa has serious side effects and is approved only to treat people with schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder. But documents from Lilly show that between 2000 and 2003, Lilly encouraged doctors to prescribe Zyprexa to people with age-related dementia, as well as people with mild bipolar disorder who had previously been diagnosed only as depressed. ... Continue