A counterfeit and potentially harmful version of the popular weight loss drug Alli has been found on the Internet, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and healthcare providers to be on the look out for it. The drug in question is Alli 60 mg capsules (120-count refill kit). This counterfeit version contains the controlled substance sibutramine and did not contain orlistat, the active ingredient in Alli. Sibutramine is a drug that should be used under physician supervision and should not be used among some individuals as it can interact in a harmful way with other medications.
If a pharmacist makes a mistake on a prescription, giving you the wrong medicine or an incorrect dosage, he or she may be held liable for any injuries. You probably could have guessed that. But, does the pharmacy itself bear any responsibility for the error of an employee?
You may be familiar with hearing the term "Black Box Warning" without being clear on what it is. Quite simply it is a warning of possible severe side affects of prescription drugs. You can find this warning on the package insert of the medication. These should never be ignored.
Dr. Diane Harper, lead researcher in the development of two human papilloma virus vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, said the controversial drugs will do little to reduce cervical cancer rates and, even though they're being recommended for girls as young as nine, there have been no efficacy trials in children under the age of 15.
Drug labels in the United States often omit information showing the severity of side effects or that a medicine is not very effective, two doctors said on Wednesday.
Merck & Co. is paying claims by the families of more than 3,100 users of its Vioxx painkiller who died of heart attacks or strokes blamed on the drug, according to a law firm administering a $4.85 billion settlement fund.
The FDA has issued a Public Health Alert to notify prescribers and pharmacists about potential dosing errors with Tamiflu (oseltamivir) for Oral Suspension. U.S. health care providers usually write prescriptions for liquid medicines in milliliters (mL) or teaspoons, while Tamiflu is dosed in milligrams (mg). The dosing dispenser packaged with Tamiflu has markings only in 30, 45 and 60 mg. The Agency has received reports of errors where dosing instructions for the patient do not match the dosing dispenser.
Merck & Co on Tuesday is slated to fight the first of numerous U.S. lawsuits brought by patients who claim they suffered jaw damage from the company's widely used Fosamax treatment for osteoporosis.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Former Vioxx users getting part of a $4.85 billion settlement ending most personal injury suits over the withdrawn painkiller will get a bigger piece of the pie, thanks to an unusual settlement Thursday with their health insurers.
