FDA News Digest October 15, 2002 ________________________________________________________________ Two New Drugs Approved to Treat Addiction to Heroin, Other Opiates FDA has approved Subutex and Suboxone, two new drugs that treat opiate addiction by preventing symptoms of withdrawal. The drugs are the first narcotic opiate treatments that can be prescribed in an office setting, which increases the number of possible treatment centers. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01165.html ________________________________________________________________ HHS Secretary Urges Strong Warning Labels for Ephedra Saying that the federal government "will move as aggressively as the law and the science allow" to protect consumers from the possible dangers of ephedra, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has directed FDA to recommend the strongest possible warning label for ephedra-based products. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2002/NEW00844.html ________________________________________________________________ Contraceptive Injection Recalled Due to Possible Potency Problems Pharmacia Corp. is recalling Lunelle Monthly Contraceptive Injection in prefilled syringes due to a lack of assurance of full potency and possible risk of contraceptive failure. The company advises women who have been using Lunelle to use a barrier method of birth control until beginning a new form of hormonal contraception. http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/pharmacia10_02.html ________________________________________________________________ Thanks for subscribing to the FDA News Digest. Our next posting will be October 21. To leave this list at any time, send an e-mail to LISTSERV@LIST.NIH.GOV In the body of the message, write SIGNOFF FDA-NEWSDIGEST-L
