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Home > Anti-aging Research > Drugs With Serious Side Effects.

Drugs With Serious Side Effects

• Use of antihypertensive medications and breast cancer risk - Cancer Causes Control. 2012 Dec 8 - "antihypertensive medications (AHTs) ... We re-evaluated the relationship between AHT use and breast cancer risk in a prospective cohort of 3,201 women ≥65 years of age at recruitment now with more than double the length of follow-up (12 vs. 5 years) and substantially more breast cancer diagnoses (188 compared with 75 cases) ... Compared with women who reported no use of AHTs, women who had used calcium channel blockers (CCB) within the past two years had a 1.6-fold increased risk of breast cancer (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.0-2.5), and in particular, recent users of immediate-release CCBs had a 2.4-fold increased risk (95 % CI: 1.3-4.5). Neither ever nor recent use of any other type of AHT was associated with breast cancer risk"
• Possible link of pioglitazone with bladder cancer in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes - Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2012 Dec 7 - "Among a total of 663 patients identified to be taking pioglitazone, 9 had bladder cancer (1.36%). Overall the hazard ratio of 1.75 [95% CI: 0.89-3.45] for pioglitazone for bladder cancer was not significant. However the prevalence of bladder cancer was 2.10% in patients taking pioglitazone for less than 24 months which was significant increased (HR 2.73 [95% CI: 1.11-6.72])"
• Common antibiotics pose a rare risk of severe liver injury in older patients - Science Daily, 8/13/12 - "Compared with clarithromycin, moxifloxacin was associated with a more than 2-fold increased risk of admission to hospital for acute liver injury ... Levofloxacin was also associated with a statistically significant but lower risk of hepatotoxicity than…moxifloxacin"
• Anti-depressants likely do more harm than good, study suggests - Science Daily, 4/25/12 - "Andrews and his colleagues examined previous patient studies into the effects of anti-depressants and determined that the benefits of most anti-depressants, even taken at their best, compare poorly to the risks, which include premature death in elderly patients ... The findings include these elevated risks: ... developmental problems in infants ... problems with sexual stimulation and function and sperm development in adults ... digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, indigestion and bloating ... abnormal bleeding and stroke in the elderly ... You've got a minimal benefit, a laundry list of negative effects -- some small, some rare and some not so rare. The issue is: does the list of negative effects outweigh the minimal benefit?"
• Depressive symptoms, antidepressant use, and future cognitive health in postmenopausal women: the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study - Int Psychogeriatr. 2012 Feb 3:1-13 - "mild cognitive impairment (MCI) ... Antidepressant use was associated with a 70% increased risk of MCI, after controlling for potential covariates including the degree of depressive symptom severity. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were both associated with MCI (SSRIs: hazard ratios (HR), 1.78 [95% CI, 1.01-3.13]; TCAs: HR, 1.78 [95% CI, 0.99-3.21]). Depressed users (HR, 2.44 [95% CI, 1.24-4.80]), non-depressed users (HR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.13-2.85]), and depressed non-users (HR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.13-2.32]) had increased risk of incident MCI. Similarly, all three groups had increased risk of either MCI or dementia, relative to the control cohort"
• Troubling smoke signals - The Daily, 11/13/11 - "Out of 3,249 cases of psychological episodes reported to the FDA, 90 percent were linked to the ingredient in Chantix, 7 percent to bupropion, sold under the name Wellbutrin, and 3 percent to nicotine-replacement products"
• Popular smoking cessation drug associated with 72 percent increased risk of serious CV events, study finds - Science Daily, 7/4/11
• Drug side effect linked with increased health risks for over 65s, study finds - Science Daily, 6/23/11
• Bronchitis and emphysema inhaler linked with increased mortality - Science Daily, 6/13/11 - "long-term use of Tiotropium Respimat (also known as Spiriva Respimat) increases the risk of death by more than half ... We analysed five clinical trials involving 6500 people and the risk of death in patients using this particular inhaler appeared to be 52 per cent higher .... We estimate that there will be one additional death for every 124 patients treated for a year with Tiotropium Respimat"
• Antidepressants linked to thicker arteries - Science Daily, 4/2/11 - "The study included 513 middle-aged male twins who both served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War ... A higher level of depressive symptoms was associated with higher IMT only in those taking antidepressants ... One of the strongest and best-studied factors that thickens someone's arteries is age, and that happens at around 10 microns per year ... In our study, users of antidepressants see an average 40 micron increase in IMT, so their carotid arteries are in effect four years older"
• Medications found to cause long term cognitive impairment of aging brain, study finds - Science Daily,7/13/10 - "They are sold over the counter under various brand names such as Benadryl®, Dramamine®, Excedrin PM®, Nytol®, Sominex®, Tylenol PM®, and Unisom®. Other anticholinergic drugs, such as Paxil®, Detrol®, Demerol® and Elavil® are available only by prescription ... taking one anticholinergic significantly increased an individual's risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and taking two of these drugs doubled this risk"
• Risks associated with common acid-suppressing medications documented in series of studies - Science Daily, 5/10/10 - "between 53 percent and 69 percent of proton pump inhibitor prescriptions are for inappropriate indications ... Use of proton pump inhibitors appears modestly associated with the risk of total fractures in postmenopausal women ... Daily proton pump inhibitor use is associated with an estimated 74 percent increase in infection with Clostridium difficile"
• Serotonin-Blocking Antidepressants Linked to Joint Disorders - Medscape, 11/13/09
• Medications Effective In Reducing Risks For Breast Cancer Can Also Cause Serious Side Effects - Science Daily, 9/18/09 - "The most common side effects for tamoxifen are flushing and other vasomotor symptoms (e.g., night sweats, hot flashes), vaginal discharge and other vaginal symptoms such as itching or dryness; for raloxifene, side effects include vasomotor symptoms and leg cramps; and for tibolone, side effects include vaginal bleeding ... Tamoxifen increases risks of endometrial cancer, hysterectomies and cataracts compared with the other drugs. Tamoxifen and raloxifene increase risk of blood clots, although tamoxifen's risk is greater. Tibolone carries an increased risk of stroke"
• Acne Drug Accutane No Longer Sold - WebMD, 7/8/09
• Dementia Drugs May Put Some Patients At Risk - Science Daily, 5/27/09
• Epilepsy Drug Linked to Babies' Lower IQ - WebMD, 4/15/09 - "Women with epilepsy who took the drug valproate ( Depakote) during pregnancy gave birth to children whose IQ at age 3 averaged up to 9 points lower than the scores of children exposed to other epilepsy drugs"
• Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure Linked To Abnormal Brain Development - Science Daily, 4/15/09
• Long-Term Use of Antidepressants for Depressive Disorders and the Risk of Diabetes Mellitus - Am J Psychiatry. 2009 Apr 1 - "Compared with no use of antidepressants during the past 2 years, recent long-term use (>24 months) of antidepressants in moderate to high daily doses was associated with an increased risk of diabetes (incidence rate ratio=1.84, 95% CI=1.35-2.52). The magnitude of the risk was similar for long-term use of moderate to high daily doses of tricyclic antidepressants (incidence rate ratio=1.77, 95% CI=1.21-2.59) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (incidence rate ratio=2.06, 95% CI=1.20-3.52)"
• Common Anti-seizure Medications May Increase Risk Of Cardiovascular Problems - Science Daily, 3/18/09
• FDA Issues Public Health Advisory About Psoriasis Drug Raptiva Tied to Brain Infection - WebMD, 2/19/09
• Antipsychotics Significantly Decrease Free Thyroid Hormone Concentrations - Doctor's Guide, 9/4/08 - "In patients who receive antipsychotic medication, levels of free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine show significant decreases that may affect thyroid hormone functional activity in some tissues, such as the liver"
• All Types Of Antipsychotic Drugs Increase The Risk Of Stroke - Science Daily, 8/28/08 - "All drugs used to treat psychosis are linked to an increased risk of stroke, and dementia sufferers are at double the risk"
• Diabetes Gel Regranex Linked to Cancer - WebMD, 6/6/08
• Another Study Finds Heart Risks in a Diabetes Drug - New York Times, 12/11/07 - "Avandia users had a 60 percent increased risk of heart failure, a 40 percent increased risk of heart attacks and a 30 percent increased risk of death, compared with patients taking other oral diabetes medicines"
• Stronger Warnings Urged on Asthma Drugs - WebMD, 11/28/07
• FDA Reviewing Post-Marketing Cases Describing Suicidal Ideation and Occasional Suicidal Behavior With Chantix (Varenicline) - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/07
• Acid Blockers Linked to Mental Decline - WebMD, 8/3/07 - "Long-term use of H2 blockers, including Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac, may increase the risk of mental decline in later life ... Patients had two to two-and-a-half times the odds of having a deficit in their cognitive performance ... by blocking stomach acid, H2 blockers interfere with the absorption of vitamin B-12, which is important for mental function"
• ADHD Drug Does Stunt Growth - WebMD, 7/20/07 - "After three years on the ADHD drug Ritalin, kids are about an inch shorter and 4.4 pounds lighter than their peers"
• Antidepressants May Speed Bone Loss - WebMD, 6/25/07 - "Over an average follow up of five years, the SSRI users were found to have higher rates of hip bone loss than women who took tricyclic antidepressants and those who did not take antidepressants"
• Sales of constipation drug stopped - USA Today, 3/31/07
• FDA Announces Voluntary Withdrawal of Pergolide Products - Doctor's Guide, 3/29/07
• Vancomycin May Trigger Dangerously Low Platelet Count - Doctor's Guide, 2/28/07
• FDA Warns About Asthma Drug, Xolair - WebMD, 2/21/07
• Bypass Drug Linked to Increased Deaths - WebMD, 2/6/07
• Life-threatening hyperglycemia and acidosis related to olanzapine: a case report and review of the literature - J Intensive Care Med. 2007 Jan-Feb;22(1):52-5 - "The authors postulate that treatment with olanzapine precipitated hyperglycemia, an elevated creatine kinase level, and a high amylase level"
• Lipitor Safety Questioned in Lawsuit - WebMD, 6/9/06 - "The two lawsuits claim that Lipitor caused lasting, debilitating muscle and nerve problems -- including memory loss"
• ACE Inhibitors May Boost Birth Defects - WebMD, 6/7/06
• Antipsychotic Drugs Linked to Pituitary Tumors - Medscape, 6/3/06
• Antibiotic Linked to Liver Problems - Intelihealth, 5/22/06
• Antihistamine Use Tied to Brain Tumors - WebMD, 4/4/06
• Advisory - Newer Antidepressants Linked to Serious Lung Disorder in Newborns - Doctor's Guide, 3/10/06
• Anti-depressant Use Associated With Increased Risk For Heart Patients - Science Daily, 3/5/06
• FDA report details 25 ADHD drug deaths - MSNBC, 2/8/06
• Two eczema creams get cancer warning labels - MSNBC, 1/20/06
• Ketek (Telithromycin) Linked to Two Cases of Liver Failure and Implicated in a Third Case of Hepatitis - Doctor's Guide, 1/20/06
• One in Five Patients on Commonly Prescribed Diuretics Have Abnormal Sodium and Potassium Levels - Doctor's Guide, 1/11/06 - "In milder cases they can make people feel below par, cause general weakness and tiredness and sometimes interfere with the normal rhythm of the heart ... Severe loss of sodium can make it difficult for people to maintain their blood pressure at a normal level, causing dizziness, confusion and an increased risk of falls in older people"
• Exemestane in Treatment of Early Breast Cancer Leads to Significant Decrease in Bone Mineral Density - Doctor's Guide, 5/20/05
• FDA Public Health Advisory About Elidel (Pimecrolimus) Cream and Protopic (Tacrolimus) Ointment - Doctor's Guide, 4/19/05 - "The FDA has issued a public health advisory to inform healthcare providers and patients about a potential cancer risk from use of Elidel (pimecrolimus) and Protopic (tacrolimus), products that are applied to the skin"
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Tied to Skin Problems - WebMD, 4/4/05
• Epilepsy Drug Linked to Birth Defects, Low IQ - WebMD, 3/21/05
• COX-2 Inhibitors Associated with Blood Pressure Elevation - Doctor's Guide, 2/14/05
• Clozapine, Olanzapine May be Associated with Increased Risk of Diabetes for Patients with Schizophrenia - Doctor's Guide, 1/3/05
• New Remicade Warning - WebMD, 12/23/04
• New Study Shows Early Ritalin May Cause Long-term Effects On The Brain - Science Daily, 12/29/04 - "the animals exposed to Ritalin during pre-adolescence were more prone to express despair-like behaviors in stressful situations (such as swim tests) as adults. Overall, the animals showed more evidence of dysfunctional brain reward systems and depressive-like behaviors in adulthood"
• Ritalin (Methylphenidate) Use in Childhood Linked to Depression in Adult rats - Doctor's Guide, 12/21/04 - "the rats that were exposed to the Ritalin exhibited measurable evidence of depression-like behaviors and dysfunctional reward systems compared to controls when they reached adult age"
• Aleve Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke - WebMD, 12/21/04 - "patients taking Aleve had 50% more heart attacks and strokes"
• Warning Added to ADHD Drug Strattera - WebMD, 12/17/04 - "If blood tests show evidence of liver damage, the drug should also be stopped"
• Asthma, Emphysema Drug May Weaken Bones - WebMD, 12/16/04
• Antiseizure Drug Depakote Under Fire - WebMD, 12/7/04
• FDA Scientist Concerned About 5 Drugs on Market - WebMD, 11/19/04
• New Warning for Depo-Provera Users - WebMD, 11/18/04
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Linked to Cancer - WebMD, 11/16/04
• New Worries Tarnishing Arthritis Drugs - Intelihealth, 11/11/04
• Stomach Acid Drugs May Raise Pneumonia Risk - WebMD, 10/26/04
• Antipsychotic Drugs Linked To Insulin Resistance In Children - Science Daily, 10/21/04
• Remicade May Be Associated With Increased Risk of Lymphoma - Medscape, 10/14/04
• Epilepsy Drug Linked to Lower IQ - WebMD, 10/13/04
• Centocor Warns Of Remicade-Lymphoma Risk - Intelihealth, 10/8/04
• FDA Pressured To Act On Acne Drug Accutane - Intelihealth, 10/8/04
• Some Anti-Psychotic Medications May Trigger Diabetes - Science Daily, 10/8/04 - "The rate is five to 10 times higher than the estimated rate of 6.3 cases per 1,000 in the general U.S. population"
• Report: Vioxx linked to thousands of deaths - MSNBC, 10/7/04 - "Merck & Co.’s arthritis drug Vioxx may have led to more than 27,000 heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths before it was pulled from the market last week"
• Merck Announces Voluntary Worldwide Withdrawal of Vioxx (Rofecoxib) - Doctor's Guide, 9/30/04
• FDA And Pfizer Link Geodon To Diabetes - Intelihealth, 9/1/04
• Cardiovascular Patients Taking Certain Medications Need Close Monitoring To Guard Against Dangerously High Potassium Levels - Science Daily, 8/17/04 - "Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers are commonly used to treat hypertension ... A side effect to these therapeutics is hyperkalemia, or higher than normal levels of potassium in the bloodstream ... The development of hyperkalemia is a potentially life-threatening complication because it can disrupt the heart's normal rhythm"
• Tuberculosis Linked to Arthritis Drugs - WebMD, 8/5/04
• A Matter of Perspective ... - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 5/12/04
• FDA Eyes Safety of Popular Anemia Drugs - WebMD, 5/4/04
• Seizure Medication [Depakote] Linked to Birth Defects - Doctor's Guide, 4/30/04
• Parkinson's Drug Linked to Heart Valve Disease - WebMD, 4/28/04 - "89% of Parkinson's disease patients treated with the drug Permax had leaky heart valves, called valvular insufficiency, a form of heart valve disease that occurs when the heart valves don't close properly"
• Prozac in Pregnancy Toxic to Fetus - WebMD, 4/28/04
• Inhaled Steroids: More Evidence of Bone Loss - WebMD, 3/26/04
• Group seeks ban of latest statin because of muscle side effect - USA Today, 3/4/04 - "A 39-year-old woman has died of a muscle-destroying condition linked to the controversial new anti-cholesterol drug Crestor ... Crestor also was linked to some cases of kidney abnormalities not seen with other statins"
• Nevirapine May Cause Severe Hepatotoxicity - Medscape, 2/23/04
• Antipsychotic Medications Vary In Effect On Plasma Prolactin Levels - Doctor's Guide, 2/10/04
• Nitroglycerin Use Linked to Production of Free Radicals - WebMD, 2/6/04
• Olanzapine Therapy May Cause Rapid Induction of Insulin Resistance - Doctor's Guide, 2/3/04
• Antidepressant Use May Harm Fetus - WebMD, 2/2/04
• Caution Urged On Anti-Psychotic Drugs - Intelihealth, 1/27/04
• Etanercept May Have Caused Aplastic Aanemia in a Patient Treated for Arthritis - Doctor's Guide, 12/31/03
• Caution Urged With Diabetes Drugs - Doctor's Guide, 12/8/03
• Low Dose Prednisone Associated with Lower Bone Density in Postmenopausal Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis - Doctor's Guide, 12/4/03
• Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs Linked to Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 11/3/03
• Ramipril May Cause Prolonged Cholestatic Hepatitis and Biliary Cirrhosis - Doctor's Guide, 11/3/03 - "Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are generally well tolerated and, while liver injury is rare, it has been reported in patients receiving captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, and fosinopril ... Ramipril-associated liver injury is similar to that seen with other ACE inhibitors, but liver biopsy findings of duct necrosis and extravasation of bile have not been reported previously"
• Anemia Drug May Hurt Cancer Treatment - WebMD, 10/17/03
• FDA to Require Diabetes Warning On Antipsychotics - Psychiatric News, 10/17/03
• Adverse Drug Reaction Seen With Repaglinide and Gemfibrozil - Doctor's Guide, 9/29/03
• Increased Risk for Type I Diabetes in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Undergoing Interferon Therapy: a Review - Doctor's Guide, 9/25/03
• Pioglitazone And Rosiglitazone May Cause Heart Failure And Fluid Build-Up - Doctor's Guide, 9/9/03
• Hypopigmentation A Potential Adverse Effect Of Imatinib Mesylate - Doctor's Guide, 9/4/03
• Risk of Life-Threatening Asthma Seen With Salmeterol - Medscape, 8/19/03
• Acne Medication Discolors Teeth, Gums - WebMD, 6/2/03
• New-Onset Depression Linked to Tamoxifen - Doctor's Guide, 5/25/03 - "Results show a rate of new-onset depression of 17.82% in the tamoxifen group and 14.34% in the no-tamoxifen group"
• Some Follow-Up Drug Studies Not Begun - Intelihealth, 5/23/03
• Watch for Depression in Long-term Tamoxifen Use - Medscape, 5/19/03
• Acne Drug [Accutane] Not For Pregnant Women - CBS News, 5/5/03
• Gallstones Linked to Tamoxifen Use - Medscape, 5/2/03
• Risperidone Linked to Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack - Medscape, 4/25/03
• 1 in 4 Outpatients Suffer an Adverse Drug Event - WebMD, 4/16/03
• Anti-Miscarriage Drug Now Linked To Cancer - Intelihealth, 4/15/03
• Valproate Linked To Hyperinsulinemia And Dyslipidemia In Obese Men - Doctor's Guide, 3/18/03
• Avonex Linked With Psychiatric Disorders, Other Adverse Effects - Medscape, 3/14/03
• Antipsychotics Raise Glucose, Cholesterol Levels In Schizophrenics - Doctor's Guide, 2/25/03 - "Clozapine, olanzapine and haloperidol are associated with increased plasma glucose level, and clozapine and olanzapine with raised cholesterol"
• AIDS Drugs Linked Directly to Heart Disease - WebMD, 2/4/03
• FDA issues warning on asthma drug - USA Today, 1/23/03
• Elevated Plasma Homocysteine Levels in Patients Treated With Levodopa: Association With Vascular Disease - Archives of Neurology, 1/03 - "Levodopa therapy, rather than PD, is a cause of hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with PD. Deficiency of folate or vitamin B12 levels does not explain the elevated homocysteine levels in these patients"
• Generalized Epilepsy And Use Of Valproate Linked To Reproductive Dysfunction - Doctor's Guide, 12/19/02
• Asthma Drugs Boost Hip Fracture Risk - WebMD, 12/12/02
• Pergolide Linked to Valvular Disease - Medscape, 12/10/02
• Antiepileptic Use Linked To Reduced Ocular Perfusion - Doctor's Guide, 11/25/02
• Industry-Backed Research Raises Ethical Concerns - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/02
• Risk of Diabetes, Heart Disease Rises With Use of Antipsychotics - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/02
• Depression, Anxiety New Contraindications for Malaria Drug - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/02
• Arthritis Drug [Bextra] May Cause Severe Reaction - WebMD, 11/15/02
• Sponsored Clinical Trials Studied - Intelihealth, 10/24/02 - "The drug companies that pay for major testing of most new medicines give the participating university researchers little or no say in how the studies are designed and how the findings are handled"
• Drugs in Pregnancy Linked to Cancer - WebMD, 10/11/02
• Malaria Treatment Not for Patients With Psychiatric Disorders - Medscape, 10/7/02
• Anger, Depression Noted With Mefloquine Malaria Prophylaxis - Doctor's Guide, 10/4/02
• Depo-Provera Linked to Heart Problems - WebMD, 9/4/02
• Young Men On Anti-Epileptics May Lose Bone Mass - Doctor's Guide, 6/5/02
• Are Old Drugs Safer than New Ones? - WebMD, 4/30/02
• Drug dilemma confronts users of painkillers - USA Today, 4/14/02 - "Arthritis patients looking for pain relief may start feeling as if they have to choose between two evils: a bleeding ulcer from some drugs, maybe a higher risk of heart attack from another"
• Are Drug Companies Making Us Sick? - WebMD, 4/12/02
• Acne drug program targets birth defect prevention - CNN, 4/10/02 - "Accutane also can cause severe birth defects"
• Memory Problems Following Chemotherapy - WebMD, 1/14/02
• Fla. Pilot Took Controversial Drug - Intelihealth, 1/10/02
• Combination Of Common Medications May Lead To Stroke - Intelihealth, 1/8/02
• Doctors Warned About Arthritis Drug [Remicade] - Intelihealth, 10/23/01
• FDA, Drugmaker Strengthens Warnings for Seizure Drug Topamax - WebMD, 9/26/01
• Epilepsy drug may cause eye side effect - USA Today, 9/26/01
• Popular Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Events - Doctor's Guide, 8/22/01
• Birth Defects Still Happening With Accutane - WebMD, 8/17/01
• Panel looks at safety of arthritis drugs - CNN, 8/17/01
• Bayer: Baycol anti-cholesterol drug linked to deaths of 52 people - Doctor's Guide, 8/13/01
• Safety of Arthritis Drugs in Question - WebMD, 7/10/01 - "the cardiovascular safety of Vioxx and Celebrex, another COX-2 inhibitor, has been questioned; and a report published in a recent issue of The Lancet suggests this group of drugs also can harm the kidneys"
• Blood Pressure Drug Needs New Cautions, Expert Panel Says, FDA Attention Prompted by Citizen Petition Against Cardura - WebMD, 5/24/01
• FDA To Hear Heart Drug Complaints - Intelihealth, 5/24/01
• Unfavorable drug studies dumped - USA Today, 5/16/01
• New Safety Warnings Required For Drugs That Treat Nail Fungus - Intelihealth, 5/10/01 - "The Food and Drug Administration is requiring that labels for the prescription drugs Sporanox and Lamisil carry stronger warnings about potential liver damage, and labels for Sporanox also cite potential heart damage"
• Potentially Serious Pulmonary Complications With Leflunomide - Doctor's Guide, 4/26/01
• FDA Issues Addiction Drug Warning - Intelihealth, 4/21/01 - "is the result of 10 cases of serious heartbeat rhythm changes among patients taking levomethadyl acetate HC"
• Scientists Examine Lung Cancer - Intelihealth, 4/21/01 - "Almost 100 million Americans may have been exposed to SV40 from the contaminated polio vaccine"
• Seizure Drugs Linked to Birth Defects, Newer Drugs May Reduce Risk of Defects - WebMD, 4/11/01 - "21% who took one antiseizure drug and 28% who took two antiseizure drugs had babies born with a major or minor birth defect, compared with 8.5% of women who did not have epilepsy. On the other hand, mothers who had epilepsy but took no antiseizure drugs had a rate of birth defects similar to that of women who did not have epilepsy"
• Anesthesia drug pulled after deaths - USA Today, 3/29/01 - "five deaths linked to the drug, called Raplon."
• Alert: Pepcid Can Cause Sleepiness in Kidney Failure Patients - WebMD, 3/28/01 - "The warning comes because FDA officials have verified a direct connection between levels of the drug and an increase in creatinine, a waste product found in the urine that is considered a sign of kidney failure"
• FDA Probes New Acetaminophen Worry - Intelihealth, 3/27/01 - "There are warnings not to take it if you consume more than three alcoholic drinks ... acetaminophen overdoses could be a bigger cause of liver failure than some prescription drugs recently banned for liver poisoning, such as the diabetes medicine Rezulin ... He tracked more than 300 acute liver failure cases at 22 hospitals and linked 38 percent to acetaminophen ... In a second database tracking 307 adults suffering severe liver injury - not full-fledged failure - at six hospitals, Lee linked acetaminophen to 35 percent of cases ... initial symptoms are flu-like and doctors may not promptly test for acetaminophen's hallmark sky-high liver enzymes"
• Is the Lyme Disease Vaccine a Lemon?, Experts Consider Safety Concerns - WebMD, 1/31/01
• Diabetic Treatment Sometimes Fatal - Intelihealth, 1/25/01
• FDA orders new consumer warnings on Accutane - CNN, 12/6/00
• Congress Urges New Warnings on Teen Acne Drug - WebMD, 12/5/00
• IBS Drug Withdrawn After Less Than a Year on the Market - WebMD, 11/28/00
• Death Reports Prompt Another FDA Probe of Bowel Drug - WebMD, 10/31/00
• Death Reports Prompt Another FDA Probe Of Bowel Drug - Intelihealth, 10/31/00
• Decongestant, Diet Ingredient Linked To Young People's Strokes - Intelihealth, 10/20/00
• Side-Effect Warning For Novel Arthritis Drug - Intelihealth, 10/10/00
• Lawmakers Point to Psychiatric Risks of Acne Drug - WebMD, 10/5/00
• Grapefruit juice may react with medications, study finds - CNN, 9/12/00
• Popular Blood Pressure Medicine May Do More Harm Than Good - WebMD, 8/30/00
• New Flu Drug Warning -- Watch Out for Breathing Problems, Relenza Linked to Patient Deaths in Some Cases, Says Maker - WebMD, 7/10/00
• FDA Meets On Lotronex Bowel Drug - Intelihealth, 6/28/00
• Some Birth Control Pills Increase Risk of Deadly Blood Clots - WebMD, 6/15/00
• Steroid Inhalers for Asthma Can Weaken Bones - WebMD, 4/21/00
• Study finds commonly prescribed heart and stroke medication problematic - CNN, 4/20/00
• Doc: Ritalin Led To Boy's Death - Intelihealth, 4/17/00
• Heat Deaths Linked To Medications - Intelihealth, 4/17/00
• Popular Heartburn Drug Continues to Cause Deaths - WebMD, 4/13/00
• Common blood pressure drug [beta blockers] increases the risk of diabetes - CNN, 3/29/00 - "A drug [beta-blockers] commonly used to treat high blood pressure increases the risk of developing diabetes by 28 percent"
• Increased Use Of Fenfluramine Linked To Increased Pulmonary Hypertension - Doctor's Guide, 3/15/00
• Viagra (Sildenafil) Linked To Adverse Cardiovascular Effects - Doctor's Guide, 3/14/00
• Nifedipine Linked To Male Infertility - Doctor's Guide, 9/29/99
• Wyeth-Ayerst Recalls Tubex Epinephrine In Allergic Reaction Kits - Doctor's Guide, 8/31/99
• Pfizer Warning Of Liver Injury Linked To Trovan - Doctor's Guide, 5/26/99
• Untested diet drug combination concerns researchers - CNN, 5/19/99
• FDA panel reviews diabetes drug linked to dozens of deaths - CNN, 3/36/99
• Study supports link between fen-phen, heart valve trouble - CNN, 3/9/99
• Deaths prompt FDA warning on Parkinson's drug - CNN, 11/17/98
• Researchers Say Fosamax May Cause Gastrointestinal Problems - Doctor's Guide, 10/13/98
• Duract Voluntarily Withdrawn Due To Liver Problems - Doctor's Guide, 6/22/98
• Study Links Between Calcium Blockers And Brain Damage, Memory Loss - Doctor's Guide, 12/2/97

Recommended Reading:

• Your Drug May Be Your Problem : How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Drugs by Peter Md Breggin, David Cohen, Peter R. Breggin

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