Painkiller Darvocet Recalled Due To Its Fatal Side Effects

November 20th, 2010 - 7:42 pm ICT by GD  

By Meena Kar
davNov 20, (THAINDIAN NEWS) On the request of FDA, Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. recalled the popular painkillers Darvocet and Darvon on Friday afternoon, as a recent test has determined that this particular pain killer consists of a substance called Propxyphene, that enhances the risks of cardiac problems.

On Friday, the FDA produced a new clinical data that revealed that its side affects include fatal heart rhythm abnormalities. The consequence of its side effect is more detrimental than the purpose the drug aims to serve. Therefore, the FDA took the decision to recall it. After the news of Darvocet’s recall came to light, several people who use this drug were terrified. However, Dr. Gerald Dal Pan, director of the FDA’s Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, has assured that although it enhances the risk of heart problems, its side effects are not cumulative. With the termination of the usage of this medicine, the risk will also diminish gradually.

Darvocet is one of the twenty five most popularly recommended medicine, that has so far been recommended to more that 22 million people. The component Propxyphene is used to relieve mild to moderate post-surgical pain. The FDA advisory panel requested for the recall of the product in February 2009, after they came to know that the drug increases substantial risk of overdose and suicide. However, in July, it was allowed to remain in the market under ‘black box’ warning about Darvon and Darvocet’s side effects, which is regarded as the most strict warning label in the federal law. Now that the drug has been recalled, the FDA has requested the regular users of this drug to contact their doctors and get a substitute for Propxyphene and Darvocet as prescribing the medicine has been banned.

Related Stories

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Health |

Subscribe