DRUG REACTIONS

Thoglitazone should be banned says US consumer group

Troglitazone ['Rezulin'] should be banned in the US, according to a Public Citizen's Health Research Group petition received by the US FDA.

Dr Sidney Wolfe, director of the group, says that as of 5th June 1998, troglitazone was associated with at least 21 deaths from liver failure, 3 patients who required liver transplantation, and there have been at least 5 other deaths reported since then. Furthermore, he says that since March 1997, the FDA has received > 560 reports of liver toxicity associated with troglitazone.

However, both Warner-Lambert's Parke-Davis division and the FDA say that there have been only 14 'validated' deaths associated with troglitazone in the US. The FDA suggests that the Public Citizen's Health Research Group figures included non-US deaths. Dr William Sigmund, vice president of Parke Davis estimates that the incidence of death or liver transplantation in patients receiving troglitazone since its introduction in the US is approximately 1 case in 60000 patients. Call to ban troglilaZODC in us. Scrip 2357: 22,31 Jull998 ..,....., ..

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Inpharma-111 Aug 1 ... No. 11110