FDA advisers weigh risks of asthma drugs

[orleans]

Source: associated press

– 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government health officials Wednesday publicly aired deep differences over the safety of long-acting asthma drugs and called on outside medical and scientific advisers to help settle the issue.

Experts from the Food and Drug Administration's safety office are recommending that medications like Advair and Symbicort no longer be used to treat children with asthma because of the risk of serious breathing problems. But the FDA office that oversees respiratory drugs says most patients benefit from the medications, and the risks can be addressed through warnings and educational materials for patients and doctors.

The widely used medications already carry strong government warnings. The advisers — some 30 experts representing respiratory, safety and pediatric specialties — will vote Thursday on whether the risks of the drugs outweigh their benefits for children, teens and adults.

~snip~

At issue are four inhaler medications: Advair, Foradil, Serevent and Symbicort. A review panel from the FDA safety office is recommending that Foradil and Serevent no longer be used for asthma in any patients, and that none of the drugs be used by children 17 and under.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jbqSdtKeYfs2ebIdlNs0oatLHj3wD94VUIV81

[dysfunctional press]

1. what about weed?

after all- despite what their ads say, advair isn't the only product out there that combines an anti-inflammatory with a bronchial dilator...

[Bette Noir]

3. Hey, if you can design and conduct a rigorous double-blind study

demonstrating that marijuana benefits asthma patients, more power to you. The Feds are more likely to approve an extract, perhaps administered via a nebulizer.

Now, go to work, chop chop.

[dysfunctional press]

4. it used to be prescribed to asthma patients....

until enslinger, hearst, and dupont started wreaking havoc.

[pattmarty]

2. Give back the FDA to the people, FUCK THE DRUG COMPANIES!!!!

[williesgirl]

5. Yrs ago my doc tried to get me off Theodur for asthma in favor of Serevent and Flovent. I said no

and do great on the old (cheap) pill. Not everything new is better! They put my daughter on Advair for awhile and she had problems on it, so I made them take her off it. They don't test any of this shit on kids, yet prescribe it for them.

[SierraNightTide]

6. I want to breath

I have severe asthma and two of the medicine the FDA wants to ban is on the list. I am asking that anyone that has or has known someone with a lung disorder please contact the FDA and let them know that all Americans with any disorder or disease be allowed to continue living life best they can with the current medicines available and not to ban them. Banning even one of the medicines I take can reduce my daily life by as much as 50%

http://www.fda.gov/comments.html