Personal Injury Law

Darvon painkiller under fire by FDA

By Brian F. LaBovick, Esq.

Interesting news today on the Pharma front. The FDA has issued orders that the "old faithful" painkiller Darvocet should be withdrawn off the market. This drug is somewhat of a household medicine cabinet staple, with over 20 million prescriptions in 2007 alone. A review panel narrowly approved this measure to withdraw this drug  with a vote of 14-12. It makes one wonder after 50 years why is this drug getting the attention of the FDA.  The Consumer Watch Dog Group, Public Citizen, may have something to do with this recent interest. Last year, in June 2008, the Public Citizen Group filed a lawsuit against the FDA over Darvon, Darvocet and all drugs containing propoxyphene , since it has been banned in the United Kingdom, since 2005.  The group brought this revelation to the FDA's attention as far back as 2006. What took the Agency so long to act?

We are delighted that someone in the FDA is finally paying attention to reports from non-biased organizations, such as the Florida Medical Examiners. There is data from the reporting system of the Florida Medical Examiners that show reports from 85 people out of 341 dying with the Darvon drug in their system. It is important to note that all 341 deaths were classified as drug related causes.

Fierce Pharma states that there were 1,452 deaths associated with propoxyphene from 1957 through September 2008.

Click here to read more from the FDA and the Wallstreet Journal on the Darvocet painkiller.

Full post as published by LaBovick Injury Law Blog on January 30, 2009 (boomark / email).