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World News |
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Food and Drug Administration Press Releases
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Press releases from FDA
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FDA to Post Quarterly Report of Potential Safety Issues
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has posted on its Web site its first quarterly report that lists certain drugs that are being evaluated for potential safety issues. The drugs have been identified based on a review of reports in FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS).
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FDA Approves DNA Test to Measure Hepatitis B Virus Levels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first nucleic acid test for hepatitis B virus (HBV) that measures the amount of viral DNA (viral load) in a patient's blood. Assessing a patient's viral load provides health care professionals with a highly sensitive method for gauging the progress of antiviral therapy in patients with chronic HBV infections.
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FDA: Manufacturers of TNF-Blocker Drugs Must Highlight Risk of Fungal Infections
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade must strengthen the existing warnings, in the Warnings and Precaution sections of the drugs' prescribing information and Medication Guides, on the risk of developing opportunistic fungal infections. Some patients with invasive fungal infections have died.
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FDA Approves Software Update that Identifies Potential Defibrillator Lead Fractures
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced approval of a software update from Medtronic that will help detect fractures of the company's Sprint Fidelis cardiac defibrillator lead. The new software package will alert both patients and physicians of a potential lead fracture. This will enable early intervention and lower the risk of serious complications.
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FDA Clears Test to Help Doctors Manage Heart Transplant Patients
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has cleared for marketing a non-invasive test that uses molecular expression techniques to assist doctors in managing heart transplant patients post-surgery for potential organ rejection.
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FDA Approves First Bone Marrow Stimulator to Treat Immune-Related Low Platelet Counts
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Nplate (romiplostim), the first product that directly stimulates the bone marrow to produce needed platelets in patients with a rare blood disorder that can lead to serious bleeding.
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FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Certain Mussel Products from Bantry Bay Seafood (August 15)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers against eating certain frozen cooked mussel products made by Bantry Bay Seafoods, imported from Ireland, because they may be contaminated with azaspiracid toxins, a group of naturally occurring marine toxins known to cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
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FDA Approves First Drug for Treatment of Chorea in Huntington's Disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xenazine (tetrabenazine) for the treatment of chorea in people with Huntington's disease. Chorea is the jerky, involuntary movement that occurs in people with this disease.
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FDA Warns Consumers About Potential Problems at Two Baltimore Pharmacies
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers who filled prescriptions at The Medicine Shoppe pharmacies located at 8035A Liberty Road and 5900 Reisterstown Road in Baltimore that they may have received drugs that were either expired or suspected counterfeit. The FDA is particularly concerned because a number of the drugs are for serious diseases and could have an adverse effect on treatment.
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FDA Approves 2008-2009 Flu Vaccines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it has approved this year's seasonal influenza vaccines that include new strains of the virus likely to cause flu in the United States during the 2008-2009 season. The six vaccines and their manufacturers are: CSL Limited, Afluria; GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Fluarix; ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec, FluLaval; MedImmune Vaccines Inc., FluMist; Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, Fluvirin; and Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Fluzone.
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FDA Announces Improved Policies Regarding Transparency, Public Disclosure for Advisory Committees
The Food and Drug Administration today announced several improved policies and procedures strengthening its management of FDA advisory committees. The improvements include stricter limits on financial conflicts of interest for committee members, improved voting procedures, and improvements to the processes for disclosing information pertaining both to advisory committee members and to specific matters considered at advisory committee meetings.
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FDA Clears Test that Helps Identify Type of Cancer in Tumor Sample
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing a test that can help health care professionals determine what type of cancer cells are present in a malignant tumor. The Pathwork Tissue of Origin test compares the genetic material of a patient's tumor with genetic information on malignant tumor types stored in a database.
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FDA Extends Consumer Warning on Serrano Peppers from Mexico
Laboratory testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that both a sample of serrano pepper and a sample of irrigation water collected by agency investigators on a farm in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, contain Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint as the strain of bacteria that is causing the current outbreak in the United States.
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Federal Agents Seize more than $24 Million in Unapproved New Drugs
Representatives of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service today seized $24.2 million worth of unapproved new drugs from KV Pharmaceutical Company of St. Louis, Mo. Agents acted after United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway filed a civil forfeiture suit and obtained a warrant to seize the unapproved new drug products being made by KV Pharmaceutical.
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FDA Approves First Generic Divalproex Sodium to Treat Seizures, Migraine Headaches and Bipolar Disorder
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first generic version of Depakote delayed-release tablets (divalproex sodium). Depakote is approved by the FDA for the treatment of seizures, bipolar disorder and migraine headaches.
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