News Tagged ‘FDA warning

GERD sufferers sought for study on investigational heartburn treatment

medicalresearch 150x150 GERD sufferers sought for study on investigational heartburn treatmentResearchers in Sacramento, Calif., are looking for people who still experience troublesome symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) even while taking heartburn medication, to participate in a study to evaluate an investigational heartburn treatment.

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Experimental gastroparesis drug to be presented at medical conference

experiment drugA new medication may soon be available for patients who suffer from advanced gastroparesis, or delayed emptying of the stomach contents. Tranzyme Pharma is presenting data on its experimental drug ulimorelin later this month at the 2010 Joint International Meeting in Neurogastroenterology and Motility in Boston, Mass.

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Forum discusses side effects of heartburn drug Reglan

stomach esophagus 150x150 Forum discusses side effects of heartburn drug ReglanWendy from Oklahoma sought advice from fellow gastroparesis sufferers on Inspire.com’s group forum after her doctor recommended she take Reglan (metoclopramide) to treat symptoms of her condition. Gastropareses causes pain and nausea from slow emptying of the stomach contents. Wendy was concerned, she said, because “I read () was the leading prescription cause for tardive dyskinesia,” a debilitating involuntary movement disorder similar to Parkinson’s.

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Using Reglan can make you depressed

dv1916080You can’t turn on the TV these days without hearing that the heartburn medication Reglan, also known by the generic name metoclopramide, has been linked to the serious involuntary movement disorder, Tardive Dyskinesia. But the drug also carries another serious warning – it can cause depression and suicidal thoughts.

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Diabetic gastroparesis treatment shows well in clinical trials

gastroparesis2 150x150 Diabetic gastroparesis treatment shows well in clinical trialsTranzyme Pharama says its new treatment for diabetic gastroparesis, a disabling disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents, has shown positive results in phase II clinical trials among diabetic patients with the digestive disorder. The pharmaceutical company was granted “fast-track status” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TZP-102, a designation that is typically reserved for drugs that treat serious and unmet medical needs. The designation is designed to speed up the review and approval process.

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Man suffers permanent disability from heartburn drug

heartburn 150x150 Man suffers permanent disability from heartburn drugWhen 57-year-old August Macaluso, a former nuclear-plant maintenance worker in Charlotte, N.C., began shaking violently, blinking incessantly and slurring his speech, he and his wife Sharon were both puzzled. Desperate for answers, Sharon Googled his symptoms and learned that the drug her husband had been taking for just three months was linked to the involuntary movement disorder Tardive Dyskinesia with frighteningly similar symptoms. He stopped taking the drug and after a battery of medical tests, doctors confirmed the Macalusoes’ worst fears. August had suffered permanent damage.

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More children taking prescription drugs to treat chronic conditions

child taking medicineAmerican children are taking more medications than ever before to treat chronic conditions, according to the 2010 Medco Drug Trend Report, raising the question, “How safe are these drugs for children?”

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Generic Reglan makers released from Tardive Dyskinesia lawsuit

20071012 generic drugs 18 150x150 Generic Reglan makers released from Tardive Dyskinesia lawsuitWyeth, Inc. and Schwarz Pharma Inc. have been dismissed from a lawsuit filed in Texas involving the drug company’s Reglan (metoclopramide), a medicine used to treat gastrointestinal conditions. The lawsuit alleged that the drug caused the plaintiff to develop a severe movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. However, the case will proceed against Activis-Elizabeth, L.L.C., makers of a generic version of that the plaintiff was taking.

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Quality improvements reduce drug usage among neonatal community

preemie babyA new study has found that quality improvement intervention initiatives such as ongoing education and automated feedback reports of medication usage among low birth weight babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) can significantly reduce use of medications, some of which carry serious adverse effects.

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Long-term use of Reglan can cause serious neurological problems

tablet Long term use of Reglan can cause serious neurological problemsFor nine years, Valerie (not her real name) was prescribed and took Reglan (metoclopramide) to control her acid reflux. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the 1980s to treat various digestive tract conditions such as severe heartburn and gastroparesis, or the delayed emptying of the stomach contents. As the drug became more widely prescribed, the FDA began receiving reports that the drug may cause a neurological disorder. Despite the warning signs, it took the FDA almost 30 years to investigate and act.

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