Potential Dangerous Prescription Drugs under Federal Safety Investigation Listed on FDA Site

The FDA website recently published names of potentially dangerous drugs under review. Among these potentially dangerous prescription medicine side effects are bleeding caused by a diet drug, suicidal ideationfrom an antipsychotic prescription medicine, and possible birth defects from popular antidepressant drugs.

Drugs on this updated investigation list include: antidepressants Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa; schizophrenia drug Abilify; and diet drug Xenical.

After issuing warnings about these antidepressants’ side effect of suicidal behavior, FDA officials are finally investigated SSRI and SNRI antidepressants for potential congenital disorder (birth defects) side effects. The form of these suspected antidepressant-caused birth defects was not disclosed, but both Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI), such as Prozac and Zoloft and other popular antidepressants, and Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI) antidepressants, such as Viloxazine (Vivalan) and Maprotiline (Ludiomil), are under evaluation. Both Atomoxetine (Attentin, Strattera), an ADHD medication with off-label uses as a antidepressant and the smoking cessation drug Bupropion (Wellbutrin), which also is prescribed as an antidepressant, are on this list.
(For more on antidepressants’ negative affects on prenatal infants, check out Tennessee’s Law Blog’s coverage back in 2006 on this very issue in Does Paxil Put Unborn Babies at Risk?)

Additionally, Abilify, a prescription drug schizophrenia approved by the FDA in 2002 and one of pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Meyes Squibb’s fastest growing products, is being evaluated for possible the side effect of hepatotoxicity (drug-based liver damage). Xenical, an anti-obesity drug approved by the FDA in 1999, which may cause rectal bleeding.

All of these prescription drugs are presently on market. Being under investigation does not necessary indicate harmful side effects. These drugs have only been identified as having, in the words of the FDA, “a potential safety issue.” If FDA drug officials’ investigations determine these prescription medication pose severe side effect risks, label changes or development with the pharmaceutical company of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) may be initiated.

This dangerous prescription drugs list update was posted as part of the 2007 mandate from Congress that the FDA publish quarterly those dangerous prescription and OTC drugs whose potentially harmful side effects are under review. Click to open the full FDA potentially dangerous drugs list.

Residents of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia who believe they or a loved one have been injured by a FDA investigated prescription drug should contact our Nashville law offices online to speak with ourdefective drug injury team or give us a call at 800-705-2121. As always, initial personal injury consultations are offered free of charge and in many cases, we only collect attorney’s fees after you’ve been compensated for your injury and future losses.