FDA Publishes Potential Risk Drug List Viewable By The General Public

The list is new in the fact that it is alerting the public to drugs that they may be taking that have a potential risk they were unaware of. In the past only doctors were notified. Even if you see your medication on the list don't assume you have to stop taking the drug. Instead notify your doctor on what is the best course of action. As Yahoo reports:

"My message to patients is this: Don't stop taking your medicine," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, who heads the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "If your doctor has prescribed a drug that appears on this list, you should continue taking it unless your doctor advises you differently."

The List: January - March 2008 Arginine Hydrochloride Injection (R-Gene 10) Pediatric overdose due to labeling / packaging confusion Desflurane (Suprane) Cardiac arrest Duloxetine (Cymbalta) Urinary retention Etravirine (Intelence) Hemarthrosis

Fluorouracil Cream (Carac) and Ketoconazole Cream (Kuric) Adverse events due to name confusion Heparin Anaphylactic-type reactions Icodextrin (Extraneal) Hypoglycemia

Insulin U-500 (Humulin R) Dosing confusion

Ivermectin (Stromectol) and Warfarin Drug interaction Lapatinib (Tykerb) Hepatotoxicity

Lenalidomide (Revlimid) Stevens Johnson Syndrome Natalizumab (Tysabri) Skin melanomas Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) Overdose due to labeling confusion Octreotide Acetate Depot (Sandostatin LAR) Ileus Oxycodone Hydrochloride Controlled-Release (Oxycontin) Drug misuse, abuse and overdose Perflutren Lipid Microsphere (Definity) Cardiopulmonary reactions Phenytoin Injection (Dilantin) Purple Glove Syndrome Quetiapine (Seroquel) Overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion Telbivudine (Tyzeka) Peripheral neuropathy Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers Cancers in children and young adults The list is to be updated each quarter.