Adverse Drug Reports - Spring/Summer 2006

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Ariella for compiling the following information:

More adverse drug reports:

March 28: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration announced its

review of reports of 400 adverse reactions to stimulants in children taking

them. CCHR had filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the TGA to

obtain the reports and released this to the media that ran the story

internationally.

May 1: An American Journal of Psychiatry study revealed that elderly people

prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are almost five

times more likely to commit suicide during the first month on the drugs than

those given other classes of antidepressants.

May 3: FDA adverse drug reaction reports linked 45 child deaths to new

antipsychotic drugs. There were also more than 1,300 reports of other

potentially life-threatening adverse reactions such as convulsions and low

white blood cell count.

May 12: GlaxoKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, sent a letter to doctors

warning that its antidepressant increases the risk of suicide in adults. It

was the first warning of its kind by a manufacturer.

June 19: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested

antidepressant manufacturers add additional warning information to their

drugs’ labels, in response to reports of two life-threatening conditions

caused by the drugs. The FDA asked antidepressant manufacturers to change

their labels to include information about a lung problem that can affect

babies born to mothers who take the drugs during pregnancy. Babies born with

the condition, called persistent pulmonary hypertension, have high pressure

in the blood vessels of their lungs and are not able to get enough oxygen

into their bloodstreams. A study published February 9, 2006 in The New

England Journal of Medicine found that infants whose mothers took

antidepressants in the second half of pregnancy had six times the expected

risk of it.

June 30: Alaska Supreme Court rules against enforced psychiatric drugging in

the state’s institutions. The Alaska Supreme Court recognized the dangers of

psychiatric drugs, stating, " Given the nature and potentially devastating

impact of psychotropic medications " we now similarly hold that the right to

refuse to take psychotropic drugs is fundamental. " Faith Myers challenged

the constitutionality of the Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) to force her

to take psychotropic drugs when she was committed to the facility on

February 3, 2003.

July 19: The FDA said antidepressant packaging should carry warnings that

they may cause a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRI

antidepressants during pregnancy. Migraine sufferers also need to be warned

that combining migraine drugs with SSRIs could result in a life-threatening

condition called serotonin syndrome.

Aug. 21 - The FDA has ordered that the labeling of ADHD drugs include

warning that the drugs can cause suppression of growth, psychosis,

aggression and serious cardiovascular side effects. The warnings came in the

wake of an international grassroots movement of doctors, medical personnel,

human rights activists, and parents who have long fought for full disclosure

of the documented risks of the drugs by testifying before state and federal

legislators and drug regulatory agencies, as well as speaking out in the

national media.

In it's August 22 article, " FDA Orders Strong Warning on Stimulants, " the

New York Times reports that this recent warning " significantly strengthen

the risk information already on these drugs.....The warnings state in part,

'Sudden deaths, strokes and myocardial infraction have been reported in

adults taking stimulant drugs at usual doses.' " These warnings caution about

an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks and " come after scattered

reports of children dropping dead suddenly while taking the drugs. "

Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology and chairman of

cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic is quoted in the article: " It's a very

strong warning. It's appropriately worded. It basically lets physicians and

patients know that these drugs to have serious cardiovascular side effects. "

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Ariella for compiling the following information:

More adverse drug reports:

March 28: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration announced its

review of reports of 400 adverse reactions to stimulants in children taking

them. CCHR had filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the TGA to

obtain the reports and released this to the media that ran the story

internationally.

May 1: An American Journal of Psychiatry study revealed that elderly people

prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are almost five

times more likely to commit suicide during the first month on the drugs than

those given other classes of antidepressants.

May 3: FDA adverse drug reaction reports linked 45 child deaths to new

antipsychotic drugs. There were also more than 1,300 reports of other

potentially life-threatening adverse reactions such as convulsions and low

white blood cell count.

May 12: GlaxoKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, sent a letter to doctors

warning that its antidepressant increases the risk of suicide in adults. It

was the first warning of its kind by a manufacturer.

June 19: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested

antidepressant manufacturers add additional warning information to their

drugs’ labels, in response to reports of two life-threatening conditions

caused by the drugs. The FDA asked antidepressant manufacturers to change

their labels to include information about a lung problem that can affect

babies born to mothers who take the drugs during pregnancy. Babies born with

the condition, called persistent pulmonary hypertension, have high pressure

in the blood vessels of their lungs and are not able to get enough oxygen

into their bloodstreams. A study published February 9, 2006 in The New

England Journal of Medicine found that infants whose mothers took

antidepressants in the second half of pregnancy had six times the expected

risk of it.

June 30: Alaska Supreme Court rules against enforced psychiatric drugging in

the state’s institutions. The Alaska Supreme Court recognized the dangers of

psychiatric drugs, stating, " Given the nature and potentially devastating

impact of psychotropic medications " we now similarly hold that the right to

refuse to take psychotropic drugs is fundamental. " Faith Myers challenged

the constitutionality of the Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) to force her

to take psychotropic drugs when she was committed to the facility on

February 3, 2003.

July 19: The FDA said antidepressant packaging should carry warnings that

they may cause a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRI

antidepressants during pregnancy. Migraine sufferers also need to be warned

that combining migraine drugs with SSRIs could result in a life-threatening

condition called serotonin syndrome.

Aug. 21 - The FDA has ordered that the labeling of ADHD drugs include

warning that the drugs can cause suppression of growth, psychosis,

aggression and serious cardiovascular side effects. The warnings came in the

wake of an international grassroots movement of doctors, medical personnel,

human rights activists, and parents who have long fought for full disclosure

of the documented risks of the drugs by testifying before state and federal

legislators and drug regulatory agencies, as well as speaking out in the

national media.

In it's August 22 article, " FDA Orders Strong Warning on Stimulants, " the

New York Times reports that this recent warning " significantly strengthen

the risk information already on these drugs.....The warnings state in part,

'Sudden deaths, strokes and myocardial infraction have been reported in

adults taking stimulant drugs at usual doses.' " These warnings caution about

an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks and " come after scattered

reports of children dropping dead suddenly while taking the drugs. "

Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology and chairman of

cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic is quoted in the article: " It's a very

strong warning. It's appropriately worded. It basically lets physicians and

patients know that these drugs to have serious cardiovascular side effects. "

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Ariella for compiling the following information:

More adverse drug reports:

March 28: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration announced its

review of reports of 400 adverse reactions to stimulants in children taking

them. CCHR had filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the TGA to

obtain the reports and released this to the media that ran the story

internationally.

May 1: An American Journal of Psychiatry study revealed that elderly people

prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are almost five

times more likely to commit suicide during the first month on the drugs than

those given other classes of antidepressants.

May 3: FDA adverse drug reaction reports linked 45 child deaths to new

antipsychotic drugs. There were also more than 1,300 reports of other

potentially life-threatening adverse reactions such as convulsions and low

white blood cell count.

May 12: GlaxoKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, sent a letter to doctors

warning that its antidepressant increases the risk of suicide in adults. It

was the first warning of its kind by a manufacturer.

June 19: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested

antidepressant manufacturers add additional warning information to their

drugs’ labels, in response to reports of two life-threatening conditions

caused by the drugs. The FDA asked antidepressant manufacturers to change

their labels to include information about a lung problem that can affect

babies born to mothers who take the drugs during pregnancy. Babies born with

the condition, called persistent pulmonary hypertension, have high pressure

in the blood vessels of their lungs and are not able to get enough oxygen

into their bloodstreams. A study published February 9, 2006 in The New

England Journal of Medicine found that infants whose mothers took

antidepressants in the second half of pregnancy had six times the expected

risk of it.

June 30: Alaska Supreme Court rules against enforced psychiatric drugging in

the state’s institutions. The Alaska Supreme Court recognized the dangers of

psychiatric drugs, stating, " Given the nature and potentially devastating

impact of psychotropic medications " we now similarly hold that the right to

refuse to take psychotropic drugs is fundamental. " Faith Myers challenged

the constitutionality of the Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) to force her

to take psychotropic drugs when she was committed to the facility on

February 3, 2003.

July 19: The FDA said antidepressant packaging should carry warnings that

they may cause a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRI

antidepressants during pregnancy. Migraine sufferers also need to be warned

that combining migraine drugs with SSRIs could result in a life-threatening

condition called serotonin syndrome.

Aug. 21 - The FDA has ordered that the labeling of ADHD drugs include

warning that the drugs can cause suppression of growth, psychosis,

aggression and serious cardiovascular side effects. The warnings came in the

wake of an international grassroots movement of doctors, medical personnel,

human rights activists, and parents who have long fought for full disclosure

of the documented risks of the drugs by testifying before state and federal

legislators and drug regulatory agencies, as well as speaking out in the

national media.

In it's August 22 article, " FDA Orders Strong Warning on Stimulants, " the

New York Times reports that this recent warning " significantly strengthen

the risk information already on these drugs.....The warnings state in part,

'Sudden deaths, strokes and myocardial infraction have been reported in

adults taking stimulant drugs at usual doses.' " These warnings caution about

an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks and " come after scattered

reports of children dropping dead suddenly while taking the drugs. "

Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology and chairman of

cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic is quoted in the article: " It's a very

strong warning. It's appropriately worded. It basically lets physicians and

patients know that these drugs to have serious cardiovascular side effects. "

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Ariella for compiling the following information:

More adverse drug reports:

March 28: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration announced its

review of reports of 400 adverse reactions to stimulants in children taking

them. CCHR had filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the TGA to

obtain the reports and released this to the media that ran the story

internationally.

May 1: An American Journal of Psychiatry study revealed that elderly people

prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are almost five

times more likely to commit suicide during the first month on the drugs than

those given other classes of antidepressants.

May 3: FDA adverse drug reaction reports linked 45 child deaths to new

antipsychotic drugs. There were also more than 1,300 reports of other

potentially life-threatening adverse reactions such as convulsions and low

white blood cell count.

May 12: GlaxoKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, sent a letter to doctors

warning that its antidepressant increases the risk of suicide in adults. It

was the first warning of its kind by a manufacturer.

June 19: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested

antidepressant manufacturers add additional warning information to their

drugs’ labels, in response to reports of two life-threatening conditions

caused by the drugs. The FDA asked antidepressant manufacturers to change

their labels to include information about a lung problem that can affect

babies born to mothers who take the drugs during pregnancy. Babies born with

the condition, called persistent pulmonary hypertension, have high pressure

in the blood vessels of their lungs and are not able to get enough oxygen

into their bloodstreams. A study published February 9, 2006 in The New

England Journal of Medicine found that infants whose mothers took

antidepressants in the second half of pregnancy had six times the expected

risk of it.

June 30: Alaska Supreme Court rules against enforced psychiatric drugging in

the state’s institutions. The Alaska Supreme Court recognized the dangers of

psychiatric drugs, stating, " Given the nature and potentially devastating

impact of psychotropic medications " we now similarly hold that the right to

refuse to take psychotropic drugs is fundamental. " Faith Myers challenged

the constitutionality of the Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) to force her

to take psychotropic drugs when she was committed to the facility on

February 3, 2003.

July 19: The FDA said antidepressant packaging should carry warnings that

they may cause a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRI

antidepressants during pregnancy. Migraine sufferers also need to be warned

that combining migraine drugs with SSRIs could result in a life-threatening

condition called serotonin syndrome.

Aug. 21 - The FDA has ordered that the labeling of ADHD drugs include

warning that the drugs can cause suppression of growth, psychosis,

aggression and serious cardiovascular side effects. The warnings came in the

wake of an international grassroots movement of doctors, medical personnel,

human rights activists, and parents who have long fought for full disclosure

of the documented risks of the drugs by testifying before state and federal

legislators and drug regulatory agencies, as well as speaking out in the

national media.

In it's August 22 article, " FDA Orders Strong Warning on Stimulants, " the

New York Times reports that this recent warning " significantly strengthen

the risk information already on these drugs.....The warnings state in part,

'Sudden deaths, strokes and myocardial infraction have been reported in

adults taking stimulant drugs at usual doses.' " These warnings caution about

an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks and " come after scattered

reports of children dropping dead suddenly while taking the drugs. "

Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology and chairman of

cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic is quoted in the article: " It's a very

strong warning. It's appropriately worded. It basically lets physicians and

patients know that these drugs to have serious cardiovascular side effects. "