Product News and Recalls

Mesh implants injure women in Scotland

A story in the Daily Record out of Scotland deals with the plight of Scots women injured after receiving vaginal mesh implants. Hundreds may be “suffering horrendous health problems” from the devices, which are implanted to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

The story notes that the implants have generated widespread complaints in the United States of causing health problems for patients who receive them.

“The recognized ...

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Few cholesterol drugs in the works

Despite the fact that high cholesterol triggering heart attacks and strokes is the biggest killer in the United States, few companies are developing new drugs to treat the condition, according to a report in Forbes.

Forbes attributes that situation in part to a series of high profile failures from Pfizer, Merck , and AstraZeneca. Cheap generic versions of popular medicines including Pfizer’s Lipitor have also likely chased off some potential developers.

Lipitor ...

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Beetroot juice may lower blood pressure

A report in the Daily Mail says a U.K. study found that drinking beetroot juice every day may help lower blood pressure.

Researchers at The Barts and The London Medical School found that a surprisingly small amount, about one cup daily, may cut readings by about 7 percent.

The story notes that an estimated 16 million people in the U.K. have high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart ...

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Lipitor studies withdrawn because of flaws

Researchers have withdrawn three substudies of the anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor, after Pfizer – the company that both manufactures the drug and sponsored the clinical trial – discovered an error.

A story in Forbes says blood samples from the study had been matched to the wrong participants. According to story, the study results had been published in the New England Journal of medicine in 2005. They had a major impact on clinical ...

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Dr. Oz guests discuss cholesterol drugs

Surgeon and television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz brought Dr. Stephen Sinatra and nutrition guru Johnny Bowden on his show to raise awareness of the risks connected with the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, according to a story on the Examiner.com.

Sinatra and Bowden warn that taking statins can result in dangerous side-effects, such as memory loss, fatigue and muscle pain.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added warnings to the labels ...

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FDA warns Samsca linked to liver injury

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning that the kidney drug tolvaptan, sold under the brand name “Samsca,” carries a risk of liver injuries, “potentially leading to liver transplant or death.”

According to a story on MedPage Today, the drug is used to treat low serum sodium levels.

Last January, the company that markets the drug, Otsuka American Pharmaceutical, notified physicians that it was linked to liver injury.

In a ...

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