It appears that one of my favorite opioid pain medications will no longer be available in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked that propoxyphene (brand names Darvon and Darvocet) be withdrawn from the U.S. Market. All generic formulations will also be withdrawn.

Some new data that has come to light shows that patients using propoxyphene are at an increased risk of cardiac rhythm abnormalities that can be serious and even fatal. This is true even at the recommended doses. Withdrawal of the drug is already underway in Europe.

Long term users of the drug are not being asked to abruptly stop their medication but to call or visit their healthcare provider to discuss a change in their treatment plan. bjmdjd

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cardiac side effects · Darvocet · Darvon · FDA · Food and Drug Administration · propoxyphene

What is the world coming to? No need to worry about dieting anymore. With laser treatments the cellulite will just melt away. For a price I’m sure.

Thursday the Food and Drug Administration cleared the way for a painless laser treatment to get rid of that cellulite. Four pads are placed on the skin overlying the affected area and left in place for ten to twenty minutes. Supposedly the fat cells open up and release fat which is then transported to areas of the body where it can be dissolved and released during exercise. It is suggested that the patient exercise for twenty to thirty minutes immediately after the treatment if possible but it can be delayed for up to twelve hours if needed. Eight to ten treatments over a four week period is suggested.

The FDA also recently approved a cold laser for cellulite reduction treatments. Get out your wallets girls (and boys). bjmdjd 

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cellulite · cold laser · FDA · Food and Drug Administration

As most everyone who is taking the diabetes drug Avandia knows the medication has been under scrutiny in the U.S. and in Europe for some time. The FDA has decided to allow continued marketing of Avandia in the U.S. with restricted access while the European Medicines Agency has announced that all drugs containing Avandia will be off of the market in the next few months. They announced that the information that they now have no longer supports the view that the benefit of using the drug outweighs the cardiac risks involved.

The restricted access plus the fact that there is another drug available like Avandia without the same cardiac risks may signal the end of the popular diabetes drug. Restricted access means among other things that:

• in order to prescribe the drug doctors must be part of a registry that certifies that they are familiar with the cardiac risks involved with the use of Avandia
• they are prescribing it only because their patient has exhausted all other medications to try and control their blood sugar
• patients also have to understand the cardiac risks involved in taking the drug 

Patients currently on Avandia should be hearing from their doctor’s office soon to discuss their use of Avandia. If they don’t they should give them a call. bjmdjd

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Avandia · diabetes · European Medicines Agency · FDA

Well, it appears that the Salmonella outbreak traced to two egg farms in Iowa may be over. The topic has certainly gotten plenty of press on the national news. While the two farms are not shipping eggs to consumers at the present, the FDA report on what they found at the farms is sickening.

According to Medscape from WebMD Health News: “Among other things, FDA investigators found:

• Huge manure pits open to outside animals.
• Evidence that rodents, wild birds, and other animals could enter the hen houses via missing siding and gaps in doors and walls.
• Actual sightings of rodents, birds, and bird nests inside the facilities.
• So many live flies that they were crushed underfoot on walkways. Maggots “too numerous to count” were seen in at least one manure pit.
• Farm workers went from hen house to hen house without cleaning their tools or changing their shoes or clothing — which can spread germs between houses.
• Uncaged birds tracked manure from the pits to the laying houses.”

Eggs are still being sold to food makers who use them in their products but they are sterilized during processing. Let’s see…do you want scrambled or over easy? Or maybe some raw cookie dough. bjmdjd

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eggs · FDA · Food and Drug Administration · Iowa egg farms · Salmonella

If you are taking or using any medicines containing the generic diclofenac which is the old brand name drug Voltaren, you need to pay close attention to news released by the Food And Drug Administration and associated drug companies late last night. It said that treatment with any of these drugs may lead to decreased liver function which can result in severe liver reactions, the need for a liver transplant, and even death. This also includes the new Voltaren Gel which is not even taken internally. Diclofenac is a non- steroidal anti- inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) which is used for arthritis, other joint problems, and pain. Also be sure that you are not taking any other drugs in this class at the same time that you are taking diclofenac. These drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen which can be gotten without a prescription. If you are using any of the diclofenac drugs you might want to give your doctor a call to see if you need to be changed to a different medication. bjmdjd

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diclofenac · FDA · liver side effects · NSAIDs · Voltaren