Judith Kramer
Posted on 06/30/2009 10:22:46 PM PDT by KoRn
Government experts say prescription drugs like Vicodin and Percocet that combine a popular painkiller with stronger narcotics should be eliminated because of their role in deadly overdoses.
A Food and Drug Administration panel on Tuesday voted 20-17 that prescription drugs that combine acetaminophen with other painkilling ingredients should be pulled off the market.
The FDA has assembled a group of experts to vote on ways to reduce liver damage associated with acetaminophen, one of the most widely used drugs in the U.S.
Despite years of educational campaigns and other federal actions, acetaminophen remains the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S., according to the FDA.
Panelists cited FDA data indicating 60 percent of acetaminophen-related deaths are related to prescription products. Acetaminophen is also found in popular over-the-counter medications like Tylenol and Excedrin.
“We’re here because there are inadvertent overdoses with this drug that are fatal and this is the one opportunity we have to do something that will have a big impact,” said Dr. Judith Kramer of Duke University Medical Center.
Many opposed to recommendation But many panelists opposed a sweeping withdraw of products that are so widely used to control severe, chronic pain.
“To make this shift without very clear understanding of the implications on the management of pain would be a huge mistake,” said Dr. Robert Kerns of Yale University.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
This will also impact OTC Acetaminophen products.
If they cut the dosage of Tylenol, because some people are taking too many, are we supposed to believe that those same people won't just take more?
There are some potential lawsuits here, restraint of trade or other things.
Darn it! I love Vicodin! ;0) s/
Wait. Weren't Vicodin and Percocet around only because true opiates like morphine were considered either too addictive, or prone to abuse?
Great. Just ban all of the fun pills. Two Vicodins and a beer were a fairly good time.
Bastards.
Actually, a stash of vicodin is nice to have on hand if you injure your back or sprain something and can’t get to the doc right away.
Not everyone who is fond of it is an addict.
All these people frying their livers on acetominephen are drinking too much or swallowing handfuls of it.
Any “doctor” who voted for this recommendation should have their medical license revoked ASAP. They aren’t competent to practice medicine.
Don't worry.
They'll come up with something else good.
(hopefully)
Nanny State.
That’s an idiotic and bad move... nanny government doing their best to control everything, but screwing it up in the process...
So does everyone else.... after a root canal!
I don't think dentists have the same prescriptive authority as physicians, so they will be VERY limited in what they can prescribe for effective pain relief if Vicodin isn't an option. Maybe we can get some 'laughing gas' to go when we leave. lol
“They’ll come up with something else good.”
Yeah, medicinal marijuana. Mark my words.
The synthetic narcotic in Vicodin is Hydrocodone a synthetic codine. Dilaudid is Hydromorphone, a synthetic morphine, and about 10-25% stronger than morphine. Percocet has Oxycodone, which is also a synthetic codine.
Hope this helps
After a shattered left elbow and replacement surgery one month ago, Vicodin is the only thing that has kept me from going out of my mind with pain while I recover.
WHAT, the pharmacology is there to help manage pain, but we are not allowed to have it?
F’em!
On a serious note, it’s pretty damn sad that Americans had a more effective (though addictive) pain killer in morphine over 150 years ago, but have to put up with weaker drugs like Vicodin now.
Judith Kramer
I have been on a morphine drip after surgery and I still think Vicodin is the best thing around. Although I do like Darvocet as well.
These are all medications that have expired patents. It may be the FDA will outlaw them so they will bring in a lot more money for the pharmeceuticals as contraband. Basically Vicoden is 10 cents a pill as a legal drug, but they can make a lot more producing them in Mexico and bringing them across the border.
Exactly. Vicodin was the only thing that got me through both initial rest and until I could be scheduled for other pain management.
These people are idiots. If this goes through, a lot of people will unnecessarily suffer because of them.
I thought that the active narcotic in Vicodin was hydromorphone, which is Dilaudid. I'm close to some people in healthcare, so I just pick up bits and pieces of info on different things. I stand corrected. I know I'm right on the remarks regarding Roxicodone/Percocet.
The FDA is not required to follow the advice of its panels, though it usually does.
Doesn't seem that Vicodin is going anywhere very soon.
What about Norco, which is already a stronger Vicodin with less Tylenol. I wonder if this falls under the same voting recs since it has less Tylenol?
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