Drugs

Stop Using Hydroxychloroquine at VA: DeLauro

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has written to secretary of veterans affairs Robert Wilkie asking that the agency stop using hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 patients pending further evaluation. In a 4/23 letter, DeLauro said the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases released 4/22 guidelines establishing that there is no drug or therapeutic that is safe and effective to treat Covid-19. “Experts gave recommended hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin not be used on patients because of the potential for toxicities that could increase the risk of death,” the letter says.

She also cited a study that looked at all available data from patients hospitalized at VA medical centers with confirmed Covid-19 diagnoses and found there was no evidence that hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination with azithromycin reduced the potential use of ventilation in the patients. “In fact,” DeLauro wrote, “the study found there was an increase in overall mortality in the patients treated with hydroxychloroquine alone.”

She asked Wilkie to answer these questions:

how much hydroxychloroquine was purchased for use in VA facilities;
what funds were used to purchase the hydroxychloroquine and how much in total has the VA spent on hydroxychloroquine in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic;
how many VA patients were treated with the drug and has the VA tracked the use of hydroxychloroquine on veterans who have been treated in non-VA facilities; and
in light of the guidance from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases have VA facilities stopped using the drug on Covid-19 patients and if not, when will its use be stopped.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

Read more

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome