Last September, thousands of families across the country who have been devastated by opioid addiction breathed a sigh of relief when Purdue Pharma, the manufacturers of OxyContin, agreed to a $4.5 billion bankruptcy settlement. Purdue’s owners, the Sackler family, also found relief in the possible…
Elmiron is a prescription medication used to treat interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as painful bladder syndrome. It is the only oral treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Recent studies have found a connection between Elmiron and severe vision problems, particularly…
Injectafer, the world’s most popular treatment for iron deficiency anemia (IDA), is now available for children one year old and up. People with iron deficiency anemia don’t have enough iron to create hemoglobin, a protein molecule found in red blood cells that transports oxygen from…
Zantac (ranitidine), released in 1983, was a popular heartburn medication available in both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription forms. There were nearly 14 million prescriptions issued for it in 2019. Ranitidine, a type of drug called an H2 blocker, treats heartburn by reducing stomach acid. Eating…
Nearly 10 million Americans abused prescription opioids in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Between 1999-2019, about 500,000 Americans overdosed on addictive pain relief drugs like methadone, Oxycontin and Vicodin. Cities and communities across the country continue to cope with…
In the last three months, several drugs have faced recalls due to unacceptable levels of nitrosamines, human carcinogens. The tainted drugs have included medicine for stomach issues, drugs for high blood pressure and diabetes, and a treatment to help people stop smoking cigarettes. Nitrosamines have…
For the last 15 years, adults have been able to use Chantix to try to quit smoking. The prescription medication manufactured by Pfizer is taken for no more than 24 weeks and works by interfering with receptors in the brain blocking the “pleasurable’’ effects of…