VIOXX WITHDRAWAL: FDA TO JOIN AUDIO CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 10 Mon, 8 Nov 2004 To hear from FDA Office of New Drugs Acting Director Sandra Kweder, MD, in an interactive discussion of what the withdrawal of the blockbuster drug means for the agencys drug safety programs, the COX-2 inhibitor class…
Cash Interests Taint Drug Advice – NATURE / Death a Risk of Antipsychotics – AP Sun, 23 Oct 2005 An investigation by the journal, NATURE (the largest of its kind) reveals that not only do conflicts of interest taint the conduct and outcome of clinical trials, the authors who formulate…
FDA acknowledges failure to act as defibrillator malfunction increased: 4,225 failed between 2000–2003 Sat, 17 Sep 2005 The Washington Post reports that the number of failed heart defibrillators is increasing: “William H. Maisel, the Harvard Medical School physician who conducted the FDA study, said the increase is significant and contrasts…
Charitable Choice: Research Grants–Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – National Journal Tue, 8 Mar 2005 The Washington Post reports that conservatives have crafted a “bioethics agenda” on cloning and stem cell research. Such an agendaq determines what research the government will and will not fund. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15569-2005Mar7.html Below is an excerpt of…
Natrecor found to worsen kidney function, hasten death – NYT Tue, 17 May 2005 Natrecor, a drug approved by the FDA for treating patients with heart failure, is being widely prescribed off label for unapproved uses. The drug is prescribed for so-called “tune-ups” in outpatient clinics – although that use…
Pfizer Nears Drug Settlement Sun, 16 Mar 2003 A 7-year lawsuit filed by Dr. David Franklin, the former Harvard fellow turned whistle blower, may be reaching a resolution. The suit accuses Warner Lambert (now Pfizer) of illegally promoting the epilepsy drug, Neurontin, for conditions not approved or tested. His lawsuit…
Antipsychotic Drug Use Doubled since 1996 in Tennessee Children – Why? Thu, 2 Sep 2004 A Vanderbilt University study found that the use of antipsychotic drugs has doubled among poor children in Tennessee. “The increase, seen largely among children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder and affective disorders such…
Philadelphia Daily News Pharma Influence: Penn Psychiatrist Files Whistleblower Lawsuit – Investigtion Confirms Medicare Chief Lied to Congress Wed, 7 Jul 2004 “Drug companies not only write checks to hospitals, they write checks to politicians…They write checks to both sides of the aisle.” Two separate news reports provide a glimpse…
At FDA, Changes In Name Only–Agency Puts Business interests Above Safety Fri, 30 Sep 2005 The sudden resignation of FDA Commissioner, Lester Crawford, after just two months in office, has prompted a bipartisan Senate investigation and requests both by the Senate committee HELP and by congressman Maurice Hinchey (NY) and…
Major Health Groups Cite Antipsychotic Dangers Psychotropic drugs may be bad for your heart/ Clozaril and Zyprexa Wed, 23 Mar 2005 Obesity and diabetes are the fastest growing health hazard due to bad nutrition and a sedentary life style. However, diabetes is also caused by a class of widely prescribed…
Jeffrey Drazen editor NEJM Turns Activist on Drug Trials Thu, 26 May 2005 Journal editors, one by one are trying to retrieve the integrity of their publications, at last recognizing that the pharamaceutical industry is a corrupting factor in medical research and the information disseminated about medicine. Jeffrey Drazen who…
FDA Requires Bar Codes on Drugs-IG resigns Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 On a positive note, the FDA has finally come up with a proposal to cut medical errors in hospitals. Drug manufacturers will be required to put drug bar codes on every prescription drug to protect patients from fatal…
