Preventing Medical Errors: Potentially Fatal Glucose Monitoring Errors with Icodextrin

September 30, 2008

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is warning again about the possibility of potentially fatal glucose monitoring errors in patients receiving products that contain other sugars. These include oral xylose, parenterals that contain ma...

Recalls and Safety Alerts: Serious Complications from Using Recombinant Bone Morphogenetic Protein in the Cervical Spine

September 30, 2008

FDA is alerting healthcare professionals about reports of life-threatening complications from the use of recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein (rhBMP) in cervical spine fusion. Although FDA has approved two rhBMP products for very specific me...

Recalls and Safety Alerts: Avoiding Cardiotoxicity with Mitoxantrone

September 30, 2008

FDA is reemphasizing the importance of monitoring cardiac function in patients treated with mitozantrone, sold as Novantrone and also as a generic. Mitozantrone is used to treat certain patients with prostate cancer, leukemia and multiple sclerosis ...

Recalls and Safety Alerts: Update on Cardiopulmonary Reactions with Ultrasound Micro-bubble Contrast Agents

September 30, 2008

FDA is alerting healthcare professionals about labeling changes for ultrasound micro-bubble contrast agents, which are sold as Definity (Perflutren Lipid Microsphere) Injectable Suspension and Optison (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres for Injec...

Recalls and Safety Alerts: CT Scanning May Cause Malfunction of Electronic Medical Devices

September 30, 2008

FDA is alerting healthcare professionals that the x-rays emitted during CT exams may cause some electronic medical devices to malfunction. These malfunctions are different from those related to MRI scanning, which are caused by strong electrical and...

Recalls and Safety Alerts: Warning on Tendon Injuries with Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics

September 30, 2008

FDA has asked that a boxed warning be added to the prescribing information for fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The warning will remind healthcare professionals that patients taking these drugs may experience an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon r...

Lifeline For College Students With Depression

September 30, 2008

Health Spending Cut As Economic Downturn Takes Toll

September 30, 2008

Gout Tracked to Genes that Affect Urate Levels

September 30, 2008

BETHESDA, Md. (MedPage Today) -- A genetic risk score based on three genes that influence serum levels of uric acid are associated with a 40-fold increased risk for gout, investigators here reported.

FDA Awards up to $2.5 Billion to Modernize Information Technology over Ten Years

September 30, 2008

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the selection of ten contractors to receive up to a total of $2.5 billion for information technology (IT) and data center management services over the next ten years.

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