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US FDA: 500 Unauthorized Prescription Drugs to be Pulled Out in the Market


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday that it wants to pull 500 unauthorized prescription drugs for allergy, cold, and cough symptoms from the market because of the health risks they might pose to the public.

A list of 500 medications was released by the agency. The medications can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription. However, the FDA has told drug companies to discontinue manufacturing those medications within 90 days and end shipping the items within 180 days.

Deborah Autor, FDA director of the Office of Compliance, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said that they do not know what those drugs are made of or how they are created. Also, they do not know if those medications will work properly.

She said close to if not all of the drugs are manufactured in United States. She said FDA believes many doctors continue to prescribe those medications. Some are even listed in desk reference books or advertised in journals.

Some of those drugs commonly used or sold in the market include Organidin, Cardec and Lodrane 24D. Another drug is called Pedia-Hist. The medication is not yet cleared by FDA, but it is already given to children as little as one year old.

Doctor Charlie Lee said the medications are chiefly a combination of cold and cough formulas. They have reported complications that include drowsiness, irritability and sedation.

FDA noted that the reports were still limited. It is not yet sure as to how many of the drugs were available on the market. Also, the number of people using the medication is still unknown mainly because most buy medications from the drugstore to treat the said symptoms.

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