Are you taking one of the ‘dirty 20’ prescription drugs? If so, talk to your doctor straight away to see if there is a safer alternative for you.
America’s drug watchdog, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has listed the 20 drugs that are being investigated following new, and often life-threatening, adverse reactions associated with them.
The FDA was forced to reveal the names of the drugs under investigation following a recent federal law that requires the agency to be more transparent.
The drugs they’re investigating are:
- Arginine Hydrochloride Injection (R-Gene 10) – pediatric overdose due to labelling and packaging confusion
- Desflurane (Suprane) – cardiac arrest
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta) – urinary retention
- Etravirine (Intelence) – blood retention in joint
- Fluorouracil cream (Carac) and Ketoconazole cream (Kuric) – adverse reactions because of name confusion
- Heparin – anaphylactic reactions that are life-threatening
- Icodextrin (Extraneal) – low blood sugar, or hypoglycaemia
- Insulin U-500 (Humulin R) – dosing confusion
- Ivermectin (Stromectol) and Warfarin – drug interaction problems
- Lapatinib (Tykerb) – liver toxicity
- Lenalidomide (Revlimid) – Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a deadly reaction
- Natalizumab (Tysabri) – skin melanomas, or cancer
- Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) – overdose due to labelling confusion
- Octreotide Acetate Depot (Sandostatin LAR) – bowel problems
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride Controlled-Release (OxyContin) – drug misuse and abuse
- Perflutren Lipid Microsphere (Definity) –lung and heart reactions
- Phenytoin Injection (Dilantin) – pain and swelling of the hand that may lead to amputation
- Quetiapine (Seroquel) – overdose due to label confusion
- Tebivudine (Tyzeka) – peripheral neuropathy, or tingling of the extremities
- Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers – cancer in children and adolescents
(Source: FDA website)
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