Dangerous Drugs In The News
A number of “dangerous drugs” have been in the news recently. These reports started to surface when Congress was having hearings about the painkiller, Vioxx. A Food and Drug Administration staff member testified in front of Congress that there are safety concerns about several medications. These medications are Accutane, Arava, Bextra, Celebrex, Crestor, Lotronex, Meridia, and Serevent.
When you put the problems in perspective, the number of problems related to these medications is incredibly small compared to the number of people who took the drugs. If five million people have taken the medication and one has had a serious side effect, that’s one in a five million, or 0.00002%. The chances are not that great, but the chance is there.
The following is a quick summary of what the FDA believes are some of the concerns with these medications.
Accutane
This medication is very effective for severe acne. It is also well-known that Accutane causes serious birth defects. Because of this, the manufacturer has set guidelines for its dispensing. If the patient is female, she must have a negative pregnancy test EVERY month before the doctor writes the prescription. It then must be filled within seven days. The patient must also go back to the doctor every month for a new prescription. Women who take Accutane and are sexually active should two forms of birth control and not become pregnant for at least a month after stopping the medication.
The problems arise when women take Accutane from a friend or get it from another country. They are then not being monitored by a doctor and may not know the dangers of pregnancy.
Another topic surrounding Accutane is the reported increase in suicide rates. It has been stated that Accutane makes some patients feel depressed or irritable. This is where friends and family can step in and discuss these problems with the patient. If someone is feeling depressed or has thoughts of suicide while on Accutane, please tell them to let their doctor know right away.
Arava
Arava is used for treating severe rheumatoid arthritis. During the last several years, reports of serious lung or liver problems have arisen in patients taking this medication. Patients on Arava are required to get frequent liver function tests to detect any problems before they get serious. Virtually every time, liver failure occurs gradually over a long period of time. By testing frequently, these problems can be detected early and can be fixed. The signs of liver problems include: nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, dark urine, pale stools, and yellowish eyes or skin.
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