Drugs

Suits Against Drug Companies Scare Patients: Survey

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says that a survey sponsored by its Institute for Legal Reform shows that 25% of Americans taking certain prescribed medicines say they would stop taking the drugs immediately without consulting their doctor after seeing ads promoting lawsuits against the drugs’ manufacturers. The Chamber says the survey covered primarily those Americans prescribed drugs most often targeted by plaintiffs’ lawyers, including blood thinners, cholesterol, and diabetes medications, as well as drugs taken for anxiety, depression, and indigestion.

Some 70% of Americans have seen a trial lawyer ad for a lawsuit over a prescription medicine, the business organization says, and 84% say they would be concerned if they saw a lawsuit ad about a medicine they were taking.

A House of Representatives Judiciary subcommittee is holding a hearing on the dangers of such ads this week. Institute for Legal Reform president Lisa Rickard says “alarmist plaintiff lawyer ads targeting prescription drugs can literally scare people to death. Congress is right to examine the impact on the public’s health and to consider how this can be remedied.”

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

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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