drug safety news stories on Newser

Study: Most Herbal Supplements Contaminated

Rob Quinn — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:27:04 CDT

Herbal supplements are often contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals, and sellers are prone to making illegal claims about their health benefits, a congressional study has found. Almost all 40 dietary supplements tested had trace amounts of contaminants like lead and mercury, and 16 of the samples contained pesticide residues...

FDA: Get Off Smell-Killing Zicam Nasal Spray, Now

Matt Cantor — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:47:00 CDT

The Food and Drug Administration is calling on consumers to stop using Zicam nasal treatments because they can permanently kill the sense of smell, the Wall Street Journal reports. Zicam is an over-the-counter cold and allergy medication sold in several forms; customers should reject internasal products that contain zinc. The...

Mothers' Epilepsy Drug May Lower IQs of Kids

John Johnson — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:03:29 CDT

Children born to women taking the popular epilepsy drug valproate have notably lower IQs than other kids, a new study shows. The anti-seizure drug, sold generically and under the brand name Depakote, also is prescribed for migraines, pain, and psychiatric disorders, the New York Times reports. Doctors involved with the...

Tiny Particles in Cosmetics Are Creating 'Nanophobes'

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:36:11 CST

Though nanotechnology—relying on microscopic components—is common in many industries, scientists and consumers are worrying about the effects of nanoparticles in cosmetics, the New York Times reports. The fear is that the particles—50,000 times thinner than hair—can penetrate the skin and create havoc in our organs....

Scientists Still Question Popular Drugs Zetia, Vytorin

Clay Dillow — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:26:19 CDT

Some cholesterol medicines have shown no indication they actually work—but that hasn’t stopped doctors from heavily prescribing them, the New York Times reports. Short trials of Zetia and Vytorin, known generically as ezetimibe, showed no evidence they reduced risk of heart attack or cardiovascular disease, while tests raised the...

Quit-Smoking Drug Linked to Heart Trouble, Dizziness

Rob Quinn — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:39:37 CDT

Pfizer smoking-cessation drug Chantix has been linked to nearly a thousand serious incidents in the last quarter of 2007, the Wall Street Journal reports. A report from a drug safety group found that some users of the drug—already linked to depression and suicide—suffered heart trouble, diabetes, or accidents...

Heparin Victims Testify on Hill

Nick McMaster — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:30:20 CDT

Relatives of some of the 81 Americans whose deaths have been linked to tainted heparin told a Congressional subcommittee about their experiences today, Reuters reports. An Ohio man wept as he told lawmakers his wife and son, who had a genetic kidney disease, died within a month after being given...

8 Worrying Drug Side Effects

Harry Kimball — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:14:46 CST

Despite rigorous testing, some drugs have side effects that only rear their ugly heads when introduced to the general population. Forbes catalogs some of the weirdest: Anti-smoking drug Chantix can cause insomnia and nightmares. Diet drug Alli can have unforeseen gastrointestinal side-effects; these can be counteracted by eating a low-fat...

Beefed-Up R&D Slows Drug Approval

Sam Gale Rosen — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:45:48 CST

The FDA approved only 19 new drugs in 2007, the lowest total in 24 years. Bloomberg takes a look at the reasons. Some drug companies accuse the FDA of setting the bar higher for drug approvals, a charge the agency denies. Many, however, say the issue lies with big pharma...