Sanofi Aventis news stories on Newser

Making Swine Flu Vaccine Now Could Backfire

Rob Quinn — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:34:40 CDT

The world's leading flu vaccine maker is on standby, ready to start cranking out a swine flu vaccine—but doing so might not be the smartest move, Carol Matlack writes in BusinessWeek. Vaccine makers can't shift or expand production easily, Matlack notes, meaning that a switch now could lead to...

FDA Mandates Suicide Risk Assessment in Drug Trials

Katherine Thompson — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:42:58 CST

The Food and Drug Administration is now requiring drug companies to monitor suicide warning signs in clinical trials for experimental drugs, the New York Times reports. In the wake of studies showing that antidepressants might increase the risk of self-harm in children and teens, the agency is showing an awareness...

FDA Advisory Panel Rejects Weight-Loss Drug

M. Morris — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:41:10 CDT

Accomplia, a weight-loss drug marketed in 18 other countries, failed to win approval from an FDA advisory board yesterday. The 14-member panel of outside experts ruled unanimously that manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis had not dispelled concerns about the safety of the drug, whose potential side effects include suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression.

Americans Go Abroad, Online for New Diet Pill

Dustin Lushing — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:21:00 CDT

The weight loss drug Acomplia is stuck in FDA limbo, but that isn't stopping Americans from ordering it off the Internet or buying it in Europe, where it's legal. If the government rules that its lowering of weight and cholesterol balances out the possible side effects, including suicide and depression,...