October 2024
In 2023 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved daprodustat (JESDUVROQ), an oral drug for anemia due to chronic kidney disease. Daprodustat is only approved for chronic kidney disease patients who have been receiving dialysis for at least four months. Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated daprodustat as Do Not Use for seven years because the drug has no truly unique benefits over erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and not enough is known about its potential long-term risks.
October 2024
In June 2024 the FDA expanded its earlier approval of delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl (ELEVIDYS), a gene therapy for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The editor’s column discusses the problems with the decision and why the FDA should not have granted the gene therapy accelerated approval in 2023, nor full approval in 2024.
October 2024
Learn about sexual problems (dysfunction) that can occur during treatment with drugs in two commonly used antidepressant drug classes — selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors — and why Public Citizen has sued the FDA to compel a decision on a 2018 petition requesting the addition of boxed warnings, the most prominent warnings that the FDA can require.
October 2024
Two recent observational studies add to the evidence that the use of stimulant medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, a risk that may persist even after patients discontinue the drug.
October 2024
Biologic drugs, which include certain vaccines, insulin and monoclonal antibodies, are made from living cells or microorganisms; they are the fastest-growing medication class in the United States. Learn about biologic drugs and biosimilars, which have a shorter approval process and may be more affordable. As of August 2024 the FDA had approved 58 biosimilars for many reference biologic drugs.
September 2024
Learn about the clinically important and potentially dangerous drug interactions for the widely used anticoagulant apixaban (ELIQUIS). The most concerning interactions are with drugs that enhance the action of apixaban (causing bleeding) or diminish its effects (causing thrombotic events).
September 2024
The editor’s column discusses a recent example of tobacco industry funding of continuing medical education and calls on the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to revise its standards and ban such funding.
September 2024
The FDA recently approved two additional drugs for opioid use disorder, both of which are nasal spray formulations. One drug is high-dose naloxone and the other is a derivative of naloxone known as nalmefene (OPVEE). Naloxone nasal spray, which is sold over the counter, is a safer choice. The newer formulations are more expensive, usually no more effective and may trigger longer and more intense withdrawal.
September 2024
In 2023 the FDA approved ritlecitinib (LITFULO), an oral drug that suppresses the immune system, for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in adults and adolescents age 12 years and older. Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated this drug as Do Not Use because the possible limited benefits do not outweigh the serious harms.
September 2024
Learn about resmetirom (REZDIFFRA), the first drug that the FDA has approved for a severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Because the clinical benefits of resmetirom have not been directly established and its long-term safety and effectiveness are unknown, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated resmetirom as a Do Not Use drug.
August 2024
The tumor necrosis factor blocker adalimumab (HUMIRA and biosimilars) is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and various autoimmune diseases. It is one of the best-selling drugs in the United States. Learn about the efficacy of adalimumab, its serious adverse effects and why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified this biologic drug as Limited Use.
August 2024
The Food and Drug Administration is considering how to improve the agency’s “use of and processes for advisory committees.” The editor’s column discusses the importance of voting at advisory committee meetings and argues that de-emphasizing votes is a “bad idea.”
August 2024
First approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1952, repository corticotropin injection (ACTHAR GEL) is a long-acting and expensive medication for the treatment of more than a dozen autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as exacerbations of multiple sclerosis in adults. Corticotropin usually performs no better than glucocorticoids, such as prednisone and prednisolone, for most of the same indications and should rarely be prescribed.
August 2024
Tianeptine is an addictive synthetic chemical substance with opioid-like effects that is associated with serious health risks and even death. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies tianeptine as an unsafe food additive and has not approved it for any medical use. Stronger FDA actions are needed to remove tianeptine from the U.S. market.
August 2024
People with subclinical hypothyroidism have normal levels of a form of thyroid hormone used by the body and usually have no symptoms. The diagnosis is based on laboratory test results. Learn about a large multicenter European study, published in 2024, that found that subclinical hypothyroidism often resolves without drugs in older adults.
July 2024
Adults aged 65 or older are at high risk of experiencing drug interactions and adverse events. This article highlights five drug classes that are associated with increased risks for older adults: benzodiazepines and Z drugs; anticholinergic medications; sulfonylureas, drugs for type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular and anti-thrombotic medications; and antipsychotics in older adults with dementia.
July 2024
In 2023, the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines North America filed a citizen petition with the FDA to increase enforcement of the ClinicalTrials.gov reporting requirements and impose fines when appropriate. Learn about the FDA’s response to the petition, which granted some of the requests and denied others.
July 2024
In December 2023, the FDA approved a DNA (genotyping) test for the risk of developing opioid use disorder (AvertD). Public Citizen’s Health Research Group opposed approval of the test because the pivotal clinical trial was flawed and because had high rates of both false negative and false positive results. Although the test is not yet widely available, we have classified it as Do Not Use.
July 2024
Almost one-third of older men experience lower urinary tract symptoms, such as hesitancy or slow urinary stream, dribbling or incomplete emptying of the bladder, urinary urgency or need to urinate many times during the day or at night. Learn about a recent clinical trial, published in the BMJ, that found that use of standardized assessments and lifestyle advice for men in the primary-care setting led to sustained reductions in urinary symptoms compared to usual care.
July 2024
Because many drug reactions are not reported to the FDA, drug safety information may not adequately represent the adverse events that patients experience. A study published in Drug Safety found that sociodemographic factors, such as living in a county with higher percentages of African American, American Indian or Alaska Native residents; higher rates of lack of access to health care; low English proficiency; and lower household income, contribute to lower rates of adverse event reporting.
June 2024
In January 2024, the FDA added a boxed warning — the agency’s most prominent warning — to the prescribing information for the osteoporosis drug denosumab (PROLIA) because of an increased risk of severe hypocalcemia in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. The FDA approved denosumab in 2010. This article updates information on denosumab, which Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated as a Do Not Use drug.
June 2024
The “From the Editor” column discusses the withdrawal in March 2024 of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug AMX0035 (sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol), sold under the brand name RELYVRIO. In a recently completed clinical trial, the drug did not provide any clinical benefit to ALS patients. The FDA needs to take steps to ensure that it never again approves a drug without clear evidence of efficacy.
June 2024
In October 2023, the FDA convened a workshop to discuss the use of solid, oral candy-like nonprescription drugs and supplements. These formulations have become a common delivery system for multivitamins and other dietary supplements as well as over-the-counter drugs. Learn about the pros and cons of drug formulations that look or taste like candy.
June 2024
This article discusses recent FDA warnings about eye drops and recalls of various eye-drop products. Most of the actions were triggered by concerns about faulty production processes that may have resulted in bacterial contamination of certain brands or manufacturing lots.
June 2024
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine protects individuals from developing cervical cancer and other cancers caused by the virus, including vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal (throat) and other head and neck cancers. Learn about a recent large, long-term observational study conducted in Scotland that adds to the evidence that HPV vaccination prevents the development of invasive cervical cancer and that even one or two doses of a bivalent (two-strain) vaccine administered one month apart are beneficial if given at 12 or 13 years of age.
June 2024
May 2024
In May 2023, the FDA approved fezolinetant (VEOZAH) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe hot flashes (vasomotor symptoms) due to menopause. Unlike hormone therapy, the drug was approved only for the treatment of hot flashes, not for any of the other symptoms of menopause. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated fezolinetant as a Do Not Use drug.
May 2024
The “From the Editor” column discusses the withdrawal of the controversial Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab (ADUHELM) from the U.S. market and recent developments with the related drug lecanemab (LEQMBI), which the FDA approved in 2023. Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated lecanemab as a Do Not Use drug. Lecanemab has brain-swelling and bleeding risks and neither cures nor reverses Alzheimer’s disease.
May 2024
Learn about nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (PAXLOVID), an FDA-approved treatment for acute COVID-19 infection. The drug has potential benefits in preventing serious COVID-19 infections in patients with heightened risk, particularly if they are treated early in the course of their infection and if the risk of potentially dangerous drug interactions can be appropriately managed. When the potential benefits are small, such as for people at low risk of disease progression, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir should not be used.
May 2024
This article discusses ways to save money on prescription drugs without compromising on quality. The approaches discussed include using generic drugs, choosing an affordable formulation, comparing prices and reaching out to discount programs and drug assistance programs.
May 2024
Learn about a recent study that found that major drug interactions are common among outpatient children with Medicaid insurance and that these interactions often involve drugs that are routinely prescribed for children with common chronic health conditions.
April 2024
Apixaban (ELIQUIS and generics) is a type of blood thinner known as a direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC). Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has previously classified all DOACs as Do Not Use drugs. Based on more recent evidence, we have reassessed the risk-benefit balance of apixaban and have changed our designation of this drug to Limited Use.
April 2024
The asthma and allergy drug montelukast (SINGULAIR and generics) has limited benefits and unique risks, such as neuropsychiatric adverse events. Nonetheless, each year more than 12 million people in the United States fill at least one prescription for the drug. This month’s From the Editor column discusses the challenges of communicating the safety concerns about montelukast to clinicians and patients and reducing use of the drug.
April 2024
Inhaled corticosteroids, a standard treatment for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, have been suggested to treat COVID-19 because they have anti-inflammatory effects on the lungs. However, a recent randomized trial found that these medications are not effective in shortening the time to recovery from COVID-19.
April 2024
Learn about a recent clinical trial, conducted in Australia, that adds to the evidence from prior research that opioids are no better than placebo and some nonprescription medications (such as ibuprofen) for acute nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.
April 2024
April 2024
Learn about a recent study that found that the common antidepressants escitalopram (LEXAPRO and generics) and citalopram (CELEXA and generics) may increase the risk of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) in older adults taking the recommended dose. The drugs belong to a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
March 2024
Mental health conditions that result in suicide or death from overdose or poisoning are the leading causes of preventable postpartum deaths. In 2023, the FDA approved zuranolone (ZURZUVAE), an oral medication for postpartum depression. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified zuranolone as Do Not Use for Seven Years.
March 2024
Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe, the cofounder of the Health Research Group and an iconic and inspirational champion of public health, died on January 1, 2024, at age 86. In his monthly column, Dr. Robert Steinbrook, the current Health Research Group director, reflects on Sid’s legacy and his vision, passion, and integrity.
March 2024
In December 2023, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to promptly strengthen the safety warning on the labeling of BOTOX and related drugs. Learn about the petition and our concerns about the risk of iatrogenic botulism, a muscle-paralyzing disease, and related symptoms.
March 2024
Metformin is a recommended first-line treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes who are not able to control their blood sugar through diet and exercise alone. Metformin, however, has important drug interactions and can cause a serious condition called lactic acidosis, a buildup of lactic acid in the blood. Learn about metformin’s drug interactions.
March 2024
In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two cell-based gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease. One of these treatments is the first FDA-approved treatment using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. Although cell-based gene therapies for sickle cell disease are promising, they are new, and their long-term effectiveness and safety are not known.
February 2024
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) reduce the amount of stomach acid. They are available by prescription and over the counter, and their use has increased in recent years. Although PPIs are generally safe for short-term use, they have serious long-term risks.
February 2024
In November 2023, the Food and Drug Administration finalized its rules for the disclosure of risk information in television and radio direct-to-consumer advertisements of prescription drugs. Learn about the standards for disclosing a product’s major adverse effects and contraindications.
February 2024
In 2023, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirmed its recommendation that all persons who are planning to or could become pregnant take a daily supplement containing 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid starting at least one month before conception and continuing through the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. Learn about the evidence supporting this recommendation.
February 2024
Preventing strokes is a public health priority. A recent study found, however, that the use of daily low-dose aspirin was not beneficial in preventing a first stroke in healthy older adults. Among every 1,000 subjects taking low-dose aspirin over five years, there were 2.5 fewer strokes at the expense of 3.5 cases of bleeding in the brain.
February 2024
An egregious example of the low standards for the approval of new antibiotics is the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Recarbio, a combination of three medications. A 2023 investigation by the medical journal The BMJ concluded that Recarbio was approved even though it had not demonstrated substantial evidence of clinical effectiveness.
January 2024
Osteoporosis occurs when there is a decrease in bone mineral density and bone quality that can weaken bones, making them susceptible to fracture easily. Learn about drugs that are associated with osteoporosis and related fractures.
January 2024
Medicare will use patient registries to collect data about new Alzheimer’s drugs. Learn why the use of patient registries is not an effective means to determine whether patients are more likely to have their lives improved or worsened by these medications.
January 2024
Severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is an important cause of hospitalization in the very old and the very young. Learn about two recently approved RSV vaccines.
January 2024
Buying prescription medications from a licensed online pharmacy offers convenience and privacy and can save money. Learn what steps you can take to safely purchase prescription drugs online.
January 2024
In June 2023, the FDA approved donislecel (LANTIDRA) for the treatment of adults with type 1 diabetes who are unable to adequately control the disease because of repeated episodes of severe hypoglycemia, despite intensive management and education. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified donislecel as a Do Not Use drug.
December 2023
Although influenza (flu) is usually a self-limiting illness, severe cases require treatment in the hospital and some patients die. A recent meta-analysis, which assessed combined data from multiple prior studies, found that oseltamivir (TAMIFLU) was no better than placebo in reducing the rate of hospitalizations.
December 2023
In the U.S., sponsors of clinical trials are required to register the trials and report the results to ClnicalTrials.gov. Learn why the FDA , without further delay, should fully enforce the reporting requirements.
December 2023
In 2019, the FDA approved romosozumab (EVENITY) for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmeopausal women who are at high risk of fractures (such as those who have had previous fractures) and for whom other osteoporosis therapies have not worked. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified romosozumab as a Do Not Use drug.
December 2023
In 2022, people in the U.S. purchased as least 242 million over-the-counter products that contain oral phenylephrine at a cost of at least $1.8 billion. Learn why oral phenylephrine is not effective for the relief of nasal congestion and why the FDA should prioritize removal of over-the-counter oral phenylephrine products from the U.S. market.
December 2023
Learn about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which excess fat accumulates in the liver, and the form of this disease known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitits (NASH), which is associated with inflammation of the liver and in some instances can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver failure. At present, there are no medications that have been approved by the FDA to treat either condition.
December 2023
November 2023
B vitamins have been proposed as a means to lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. A recent study found that long-term dietary and supplemental intake of these vitamins was not associated with a lower risk of the disease.
November 2023
Learn about the Beers Criteria, which are used for determining potentially inappropriate medication use in people age 65 and older; the criteria have recently been updated.
November 2023
Lifestyle changes not involving medications appear to offer some relief for people with recurrent migraine headaches. A recent review article assessed the evidence for changes related to stress management, sleep, diet and exercise. The review found that sleep-related issues were the only consistent lifestyle factor associated with migraine frequency.
November 2023
Palforzia, a peanut allergen protein powder, is an oral desensitization immunotherapy for children and adolescents (age four to 17 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified Palforzia as a Do Not Use drug.
November 2023
Melatonin, which is used to help with certain conditions such as jet lag and sleep-wake disorders, is regulated as a dietary supplement, not a drug. A recent study found that melatonin gummies sold in the U.S. contain inconsistent quantities of melatonin, and the quantity is usually higher than the amount listed on the product label.
November 2023
October 2023
The FDA recently approved lecanemab (LEQEMBI) for patients with mild cognitive impairment and in the mild dementia stages of the disease. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified lecanemab as a Do Not Use drug.
October 2023
In 2010, the FDA proposed a rule about the disclosure of risk information in television and radio direct-to-consumer advertisements of prescription drugs. Thirteen years later, and if the Office of Management and Budget allows the regulation to be finalized, the presentation of risk information about drugs advertised directly to consumers should improve.
October 2023
In 2022, the FDA approved tirzepatide (MOUNJARO) as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Learn about the evidence for the use of tirzepatide for diabetes and chronic weight management. As of mid-September 2023, the FDA had not approved tirzepatide for chronic weight management.
October 2023
Brexpiprazole (REXULTI) is an atypical antipsychotic drug that the FDA initially approved as an adjunctive treatment to antidepressants for major depressive disorder. In 2023, the FDA extended the indications to include the treatment of agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified brexpiprazole as a Do Not Use drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease-associated dementia.
October 2023
A recent large adequately powered randomized clinical trial that directly compared furosemide and torsemide found that both drugs are equally effective in improving the survival of patients with heart failure.
October 2023
A recent large adequately powered randomized clinical trial that directly compared furosemide and torsemide found that both drugs are equally effective in improving the survival of patients with heart failure.
September 2023
A review study, published earlier in 2023 in The BMJ, found limited evidence of low or moderate quality supporting the effectiveness of antidepressants for several conditions associated with chronic pain, including fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain and chronic tension headache.
September 2023
Worst Pills, Best Pills News often highlights expensive drugs that have limited benefits and significant health risks. At the same time, some inexpensive and highly effective drugs are in such short supply that they are being rationed. The “From the Editor” column discusses the persistent problem of drug shortages in the United States.
September 2023
Patients taking the oral antidepressant drug desipramine (Norpramin) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications. Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated desipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, as a Limited Use drug; antidepressants in other drug classes are safer and better tolerated.
September 2023
Thiazide diuretics often are prescribed to prevent recurrent kidney stones. However, a recent randomized, controlled trial found that hydrochlorothiazide was no better than placebo at preventing the recurrence of kidney stones.
September 2023
Learn about sofosbuvir, a highly effective antiviral medication that is used for chronic hepatitis C infection, alone or in combination with other antivirals.
August 2023
Semaglutide, an injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, is having its moment as a drug for weight loss. Learn about the substantial risks of semaglutide, including weight regain if the medication is stopped.
August 2023
The FDA has approved the antipsychotic medication brexpiprazole for agitation symptoms associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group urged the agency to reject the supplemental indication and why we believe that the drug’s small benefits do not outweigh its substantial risks.
August 2023
Patients taking the stomach-acid–suppressing drug cimetidine, which is available over the counter as a generic, should be aware of its clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
August 2023
The organic compounds known as nitrosamines are found in very low amounts in water and some foods; they may be carcinogenic to humans with exposure to high levels over a prolonged period. This article provides an update on oral prescription drugs recalled due to nitrosamine concentration.
August 2023
A recent clinical trial comparing chlorthalidone with hydrochlorothiazide found no difference between the two drugs in their effectiveness for preventing major cardiovascular events.
August 2023
In the article “Mindfulness as an Alternative to the Antidepressant Medication Escitalopram for Anxiety Disorder” in the July issue of Worst Pills, Best Pills News,[1] we discussed a draft recommendation for screening for anxiety disorders by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Subsequently, the USPSTF finalized its recommendation to screen adults 64 years or younger for anxiety disorders. Citing insufficient evidence of benefit, the USPSTF did not recommend screening adults 65 years or older.[2] These recommendations may lead to more people seeking medical treatment for anxiety disorder. People with anxiety disorders should discuss with their clinicians whether nonpharmacological treatment options, such as psychotherapy or mindfulness-based interventions, are a good option.
July 2023
A recent study compared mindfulness to escitalopram (LEXAPRO), a commonly prescribed antidepressant medication, for patients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Although the study found that mindfulness meditation works, time and effort are needed to successfully complete the necessary mindfulness sessions and do regular home practice.
July 2023
FDA regulatory action has limited the amount of acetaminophen in prescription drug products, including opioid combination products, to 325 mg per tablet. Although the agency’s actions have helped to reduce the frequency of liver damage from acetaminophen-and-opioid combination products, there is more work to be done.
July 2023
A 28-day, fixed-dose, combined oral contraceptive marketed as NEXTSTELLIS has no proven advantage over older, well-studied, combined oral contraceptives. Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated Nextstellis as a Do Not Use medication, consistent with our designation of other drospirenone-containing combined oral contraceptives.
July 2023
Learn about the two FDA-approved fecal microbiota products that are indicated only for adult patients with recurring Clostridioides difficile infection; the products are meant to help restore the gut microbiome. One product is administered by enema; the other product can be taken orally.
July 2023
Treatment of opioid-use disorder is an important part of the public health response to the opioid epidemic in the United States. Learn about recent research that continues to support the effectiveness and safety of buprenorphine as a treatment for opioid-use disorder.
June 2023
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated the chronic weight-management drug liraglutide (SAXENDA) as Do Not Use for all age groups. This article discusses the lack of strong evidence showing long-term, lasting and clinically meaningful benefits that outweigh the drug’s risks, both in obese adolescents and adults.
June 2023
Robert Steinbrook, M.D., the new Health Research Group Director at Public Citizen, introduces himself as the editor of Worst Pills, Best Pills News.
June 2023
Patients taking the stomach-acid-suppressing drug rabeprazole (ACIPHEX) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications. Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated rabeprazole, a protein pump inhibitor, as Limited Use.
June 2023
Some drugs, including commonly used prescription and over-the counter medications, can cause photosensitivity, increasing the skin’s vulnerability to sunlight. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are the drug classes with the strongest evidence for photosensitivity.
June 2023
The seizure medication gabapentin (GRALISE, NEURONTIN) is used to treat postsurgical pain, but that approach is controversial because of concerns about effectiveness and safety. Recent research found that such use is associated with an increased risk of delirium, antipsychotic use and pneumonia in the postsurgical period.
May 2023
Learn about recent research assessing the risk of withdrawal symptoms following the discontinuation of antidepressants.
May 2023
The departure of the long-standing director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research — whose office was responsible for the review and accelerated approval of drugmaker Biogen’s aducanumab (ADUHELM) for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease — from the agency is a welcome, but long overdue, development.
May 2023
Patients taking the antifungal drug voriconazole (VFEND), which is marketed in both oral and injectable forms, should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
May 2023
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated olanzapine/samidorphan (LYBALVI) as Do Not Use because of questionable effectiveness and concerning safety data, especially because samidorphan use plausibly increases the risk of opioid overdose.
May 2023
Findings from a recent large-scale, well-designed clinical trial showed no greater benefit of evening dosing over morning dosing of once-daily antihypertensive medications in terms of major cardiovascular outcomes (such as heart attack and stroke).
April 2023
As seven years have passed since Toujeo’s approval without new major safety concerns being identified, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has now designated it as Limited Use — a treatment for diabetes that should be used only if treatment with less concentrated and cheaper forms of insulin have first been tried and found to be inadequate.
April 2023
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome explains why the FDA’s new guidance on homeopathic drugs fails to adequately address the public health threat posed by the agency’s decades-long permissive approach to these illegal drug products.
April 2023
In this article, we discuss the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recently updated recommendations against the use of menopausal hormone therapy to prevent chronic medical conditions, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and stroke.
April 2023
Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated the new heart drug mavacamten as Do Not Use for Seven Years.
April 2023
Patients taking the commonly prescribed calcium channel blocker felodipine should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications as well as the dietary supplement St. John’s wort.
April 2023
In this month’s news brief, we discuss the FDA’s November 2022 Drug Safety Communication about the agency’s ongoing evaluation of the risk of severe and symptomatic hypocalcemia in patients with advanced kidney disease, particularly those on dialysis, who received treatment with denosumab.
March 2023
Patients taking the widely prescribed hypothyroidism drug levothyroxine should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements and even certain foods.
March 2023
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome discusses the disturbing findings of a scathing report issued by two U.S. House of Representatives committees about the inappropriately close collaboration between drugmaker Biogen and the FDA during the analysis of data from the key clinical trials of the Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab (ADUHELM).
March 2023
A recent study showed that, compared with other diabetes drugs, gliptins (or dipeptidyl peptidase 4 [DPP-4] inhibitors) put patients at a higher relative risk of a range of gallbladder or biliary diseases, such as gallstones (cholelithiasis) and gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis).
March 2023
Learn about the numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications that can cause or exacerbate insomnia.
March 2023
A recently published study provided evidence that lithium treatment in persons with bipolar disorder may decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
February 2023
Data from a large, randomized clinical trial revealed that daily vitamin D supplementation does not lower the risk of new fractures in generally healthy community-dwelling people.
February 2023
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome discusses the implications of new research documenting the extent of insulin rationing by diabetes patients in the United States due to Big Pharma’s relentless price gouging.
February 2023
Learn about a new study showing that patients taking rosuvastatin (CRESTOR, EZALLOR SPRINKLE) had a higher risk of proteinuria (abnormal levels of protein in the urine) and hematuria (blood in the urine) than those taking another statin, atorvastatin (LIPITOR).
February 2023
Patients taking the frequently prescribed antidepressant nortriptyline (PAMELOR) should be aware that it has clinically important and potentially dangerous interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
February 2023
A recently published study confirmed that tofacitinib (XELJANZ, XELJANZ ER) increases the risk of severe and other infections compared to treatment with the tumor necrosis factor blocker drugs that demonstrate similar effectiveness for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
January 2023
Given the risks associated with Entresto, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified it as Limited Use, to be used only in adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
January 2023
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome explains how the FDA’s reliance on user fees from prescription drug manufacturers has resulted in corporate capture of the agency.
January 2023
Learn about new research showing that increased rates of overdose and mental health crises persist during the second year after initiation of opioid tapering among patients taking stable, long-term, high-dose prescriptions of these medications.
January 2023
Patients taking the drug sotalol (BETAPACE, BETAPACE AF, SORINE, SOTYLIZE) should be aware that it has clinically important and potentially dangerous interactions with many other prescription medications.
January 2023
Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. Find out which patients with this condition can benefit from a combination of specific dietary supplements known as AREDS2.
December 2022
Given the serious risks of opioids, it is critical to dispose of any unused doses as soon as there is no longer a medical need for them. Learn how to do so safely by following the recommendations of the FDA.
December 2022
The need for a rule that would allow generic-drug companies to promptly update safety warnings in their product labeling is more critical than ever given that approximately 90% of all prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. are generic medications and the reality that new information about serious risks often comes to light after generic versions of a drug come on the market.
December 2022
Learn about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF’s) updated recommendations regarding the use of daily aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes in patients without signs, symptoms or history of cardiovascular disease.
December 2022
Patients taking fluvoxamine (LUVOX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
December 2022
Recently published research provides the strongest evidence to date that erectile dysfunction drugs increase the risk of rare, serious adverse ocular events that can lead to vision loss.
December 2022
In this month’s news brief, we discuss a recently published study showing that in 2020, melatonin became the most frequently ingested substance among children and young adults reported to poison control centers in the U.S.
November 2022
Data from a recently published large observational study confirm that myocarditis and pericarditis are rare but usually reversible adverse effects associated with COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccination.
November 2022
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome discusses the major provisions of the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that will help make prescription drugs more affordable for Medicare patients.
November 2022
Learn about the numerous prescription medications and some over-the-counter drugs that can cause psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations.
November 2022
New research reveals that use of certain acetaminophen products that contain significant amounts of sodium is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
November 2022
Patients taking the commonly prescribed diuretic spironolactone should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other commonly used prescription and over-the-counter medications.
October 2022
The use of corticosteroids in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, who are typically treated at home and do not require oxygen therapy, is not beneficial and can be harmful. Disturbingly, a recent study shows that substantial proportions of nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients were prescribed systemic steroids.
October 2022
To better protect consumers, the FDA must ensure that dietary-supplement makers who receive FDA warning letters promptly and permanently cease marketing illegal supplements that endanger consumers’ health.
October 2022
Patients taking the commonly prescribed antidepressant citalopram should be aware that it has clinically important and potentially dangerous interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
October 2022
Lyme disease is the most common insect-borne illness, accounting for over half of all such disease. In this article, we discuss antibiotics that are routinely used to treat this infection.
October 2022
In support of our position against the use of duloxetine to treat osteoarthritis patients, a new study fails to show any benefit for adding the drug to usual care in primary care settings among hip or knee osteoarthritis patients with chronic pain.
October 2022
In this month’s news brief, we discuss a recent FDA warning about serious adverse effects associated with the use of the cancer drug duvelisib.
September 2022
Results of new research funded by the National Institutes of Health reveals that otherwise healthy, young children with uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia generally do well with a five-day antibiotic course as long as they are monitored for continued improvement.
September 2022
Given the endless barrage of prescription-drug ads on TV, it is imperative that Congress immediately pass the Misleading Drug Ads Act to help ensure that consumers are not misled by TV ads that cleverly downplay the risks of prescrip¬tion medications while hyping the benefits.
September 2022
Learn why we have designated the recently approved insomnia drug daridorexant (QUVIVIQ) as Do Not Use.
September 2022
Patients taking the cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
September 2022
In this month’s news brief, we discuss a recent FDA consumer advisory urging people not to use products that are marketed for the removal of moles and other skin lesions — such as seborrheic keratoses and skin tags — because of the risk of potentially dangerous adverse effects.
September 2022
Numerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause or exacerbate urinary incontinence. Knowing which medications prescribed or recommended by your doctor cause urinary incontinence will allow you to take steps to prevent or minimize this common, troubling adverse drug effect.
August 2022
New research reveals that routine supplementation with high-dose vitamin D in older adults who are not vitamin D deficient is unlikely to reduce either overall mortality or cardiovascular mortality.
August 2022
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome discusses results of a recently published study that revealed a stunning drop over the past decade in the proportion of new drugs approved by the FDA each year that were referred to an advisory committee.
August 2022
Patients taking the oral combination antiviral drug PAXLOVID (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir), which is used to treat COVID-19, should be aware that it has clinically important and potentially dangerous interactions with many other prescription medications.
August 2022
A recent clinical trial indicates that many persons with obsessive-compulsive disorder who respond favorably to joint behavioral and drug treatment may then safely taper their medication use very slowly to elimination, though careful follow-up clinical monitoring is still essential.
August 2022
Learn about the results of a new clinical trial funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs that compared the safety and effectiveness of allopurinol and feboxostat for treatment of gout.
July 2022
Medications are a leading cause of sexual dysfunction in women. Knowing which drugs prescribed or recommended by your doctor can cause sexual dysfunction will allow you to take steps to prevent or minimize this common, often troubling adverse drug effect.
July 2022
Americans clearly are fed up with the relentless price-gouging practices of the pharmaceutical industry and want Congress to finally pass legislation that would comprehensively reform drug pricing in the U.S. Patients cannot afford any further inaction by Congress on this issue.
July 2022
In January 2022, the FDA warned that dental problems have been reported in patients using buprenorphine-containing tablets and films that are taken by dissolving them in the mouth. These problems have included tooth decay, cavities, oral infections and loss of teeth.
July 2022
Findings from a new retrospective, real-world observational study that assessed switching among the most common generic levothyroxine products made by different manufacturers in the U.S. suggest that switching among these products is unlikely to have a substantial impact on treatment effects.
July 2022
Many studies have suggested that breast cancer risk, via prolactin elevation, is increased by antipsychotic medications, but the results were mixed and warranted further, more rigorous investigation. A recent, large observational study has added stronger evidence that certain antipsychotic medications increase breast cancer risk.
July 2022
In this month’s news brief, we discuss recent warning letters issued by the FDA to 12 companies for selling illegal over-the-counter drug products intended for skin lightening. The FDA noted that such products can cause serious adverse effects, including permanent discoloration of the skin.
June 2022
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group recommends that triptans only be used to treat migraine headaches after determining that acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs fail to work or cannot be taken due to allergies or other medical reasons.
June 2022
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome explains why Medicare officials’ April decision to restrict coverage for aducanumab to patients enrolled in clinical trials is a win for patients, Medicare beneficiaries, the American taxpayer and evidence-based medicine.
June 2022
Patients taking the drug quinidine should be aware that it has clinically important and potentially dangerous interactions with many other prescription medications.
June 2022
Learn about several drugs that can promote the formation of gallstones — stones in the gallbladder (a condition known as cholelithiasis) — and what you can do about it.
June 2022
Recently published research revealed that combination therapy with varenicline (CHANTIX) and a nicotine patch (HABITROL, NICODERM CQ) is no better than varenicline alone as a method to quit smoking.
May 2022
Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Results of new research showing that many people, including many being treated for hypertension, are taking medications that can raise their blood pressure.
May 2022
A recent FDA inspection of a compounding pharmacy engaged in large-scale production of sterile drugs identified dangerous unsanitary conditions that pose a clear and present danger to patients.
May 2022
Patients taking any of the widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be aware that they all have clinically important interactions with many other medications.
May 2022
Some patients with hip pain due to osteoarthritis chose to undergo steroid injections into the hip joint. Evidence from a recent observational study shows that such intra-articular steroid injections are associated with an increased risk of rapidly destructive hip disease, a serious long-term condition that involves rapid joint destruction and bone loss.
May 2022
Learn why the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force continues to recommend the use of low-dose aspirin to prevent preeclampsia in expectant mothers at high risk for the disorder.
May 2022
In this month’s Question and Answer, we respond to a reader’s question about whether patients with impaired kidney function should avoid taking bisphosphonates for treatment of osteoporosis.
April 2022
Learn about the serious adverse effects caused by the gastrointestinal drug metoclopramide, which we have designated as a Limited Use drug.
April 2022
In order to protect patients and public health, the FDA must take swift and aggressive enforcement actions against stem cell clinics that continue to manufacture or market stem cell products without the necessary FDA approval or substantial evidence of safety and effectiveness from rigorous clinical trials.
April 2022
Medications are a leading cause of sexual dysfunction in men. Knowing which drugs prescribed or recommended by your doctor can cause sexual dysfunction will allow you to take steps to prevent or minimize this common, often troubling adverse drug effect.
April 2022
Recently published research strongly suggests that treatment of acute pain after hospitalization or after outpatient dental surgery is best achieved with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) rather than opioids.
April 2022
A new well-designed study conducted by U.K. researchers found that mirtazapine is not beneficial for treating agitated behaviors in dementia patients and is potentially linked to an increased risk of death.
March 2022
Learn whether any of the drugs you are taking have been recalled due to contamination with cancer-causing nitrosamines and, if so, what steps you should take.
March 2022
In December 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Reform issued a final report documenting a wide range of egregious business practices that have resulted in ever-increasing price gouging of American consumers and the Medicare program by Big Pharma.
March 2022
More than 700 medications have been implicated in inducing diarrhea, accounting for nearly 7% of all adverse drug events. Knowing which medications prescribed or recommended by your doctor cause diarrhea will allow you to take steps to prevent or minimize this common adverse drug effect.
March 2022
Patients taking any of the widely prescribed angiotensin receptor blockers used to treat hypertension, among other disorders, should be aware that they have clinically important interactions with many other commonly used prescription and over-the-counter medications.
March 2022
Despite the suggestion that cannabidiol may have pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory effects, the totality of the evidence thus far has led international experts to conclude that this substance should not be recommended for pain management. Results of a recently published clinical trial reinforce that conclusion by showing that cannabidiol is ineffective as a treatment for arthritis pain.
February 2022
Learn why the recombinant zoster vaccine SHINGRIX is the right choice for preventing the viral infection herpes zoster — commonly known as shingles — as well as serious long-term complications of the infection.
February 2022
To protect Medicare beneficiaries from skyrocketing premiums and deductibles, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must promptly announce that it will not cover the unaffordable Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab (ADUHELM) under the Medicare program until there is definitive evidence that the drug provides substantial cognitive benefit to Alzheimer’s disease patients.
February 2022
Patients taking the commonly prescribed antidepressant fluoxetine should be aware that it has clinically important and potentially dangerous interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
February 2022
It is estimated that more than a quarter of adult Americans take a magnesium supplement. However, preference should be given to relying on dietary sources of this critical mineral whenever possible to avoid adverse effects.
February 2022
Results of a large, well-designed, randomized clinical trial recently published in a leading medical journal provided strong evidence that the commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant fluoxetine was not effective for preventing depression in the first six months after a stroke.
January 2022
This article summarizes the current evidence on the use of ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19, which does not support its use for this purpose.
January 2022
The country desperately needs an FDA leader who will reverse the decades-long trend in which the agency’s relationship with the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries has grown dangerously cozier – resulting in regulatory capture of the agency by industry. Dr. Robert Califf would not be that leader.
January 2022
Numerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause or exacerbate constipation. Knowing which medications prescribed or recommended by your doctor cause constipation will allow you to take steps to prevent or minimize this common, troubling adverse drug effect.
January 2022
Learn why the FDA has limited the approved uses and strengthened the product labeling warnings for the oral drug tofacitinib (XELJANZ, XELJANZ XR), which is approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and certain other inflammatory diseases.
January 2022
In this article, we discuss results of new research indicate that in men with acute UTIs and no fever, a 7-day course of oral antibiotics appears to be just as good for eradicating the infection as the commonly used 14-day course. Importantly, shorter courses of treatment can reduce the risk of adverse effects of antibiotic therapy.
January 2022
In this month’s news brief, we discuss the FDA’s recent consumer alert warning that children who are accidentally exposed to fentanyl transdermal patches, know by the brand name DURAGESIC, are at risk of life-threatening overdose, even after the patches have been used for the typical full three days.
December 2021
Learn why we have designated St. John’s wort, an herbal dietary supplement that is commonly available in capsules, tablets or teas, as Do Not Use.
December 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome highlights a new Public Citizen report that provided a glimpse of how much Big Pharma benefits from the American health care system overpaying for drugs.
December 2021
The FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication warning that abuse and misuse of the over-the-counter nasal decongestant drug propylhexedrine, a stimulant, can cause serious harm, including heart and mental health problems.
December 2021
In this article, we review results of a recent randomized trial that found vitamin D supplementation was not useful for preventing depression in relatively healthy adults.
December 2021
In this article, we review the process for diagnosing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents and evaluate the available treatment options for managing it.
December 2021
In this month’s news brief, we discuss the FDA’s recent waring that over-the-counter alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially if used in enclosed spaces or poorly ventilated locations, can cause headaches, nausea and dizziness.
November 2021
Learn about the health benefits of consuming an adequate amount of dietary potassium. To help readers assess their potassium intake, we offer a list of potassium-rich foods.
November 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome explains why you should mute your TV when you see ads for the dietary supplement apoaequorin (PREVAGEN) and avoid being duped into buying this worthless supplement.
November 2021
Patients taking the oral antifungal drug itraconazole (SPORANOX, TOLSURA) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications that can affect the safety or effectiveness of itraconazole or the interacting drugs.
November 2021
In this article, we discuss the results of a randomized clinical trial that compared low- and regular-dose aspirin for preventing another heart attack or stroke in patients with known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
November 2021
Patients often wonder what steps they can take to minimize their chances of suffering a serious adverse drug reaction. This article reviews 10 simple rules developed by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group for ensuring safer drug use.
October 2021
Patients taking bisphosphonates need to know that these drugs are associated with a wide range of potentially serious adverse effects.
October 2021
Finally, after months of foot-dragging, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General has heeded our call for an investigation into the unprecedented and inappropriately close collaboration between Biogen and the FDA during the analysis of data from the key clinical trials of aducanumab (ADUHELM) for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which dangerously compromised the integrity of the FDA’s review of the drug.
October 2021
Learn about some of the commonly used medications that may lead to hair loss, also known as alopecia.
October 2021
In this article, we discuss new research showing that prolonged use of acetaminophen at recommended dosages in conjunction with excessive drinking or fasting may lead to catastrophic liver failure.
October 2021
Patients taking the commonly used stomach-acid–suppressing drugs lansoprazole (PREVACID, PREVACID 24 HR) and dexlansoprazole (DEXILANT) should be aware that these drugs have clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
September 2021
Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated desmopressin sublingual tablets (NOCDURNA) as Do Not Use.
September 2021
A recent Government Account¬ability Office report found that direct-to-consumer prescription-drug advertising may be a major factor contributing to rising spending on medications by the Medicare program and its beneficiaries.
September 2021
In this article, we discuss the results of a recent rigorously conducted study showing that therapy with the thyroid-hormone drug levothyroxine in older adults with subclinical hypo-thyroidism (a mild form of underactive thyroid) who had depressive symptoms provided no significant benefit.
September 2021
Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common cause of hospitalization and in severe cases can result in death. Find out which commonly used medications can cause gastrointestinal bleeding.
September 2021
New research reveals marked overuse of central nervous system-active medications in dementia patients despite the substantial risks, including an increased risk of premature death.
August 2021
Unfounded claims about the supportive roles of vitamin C and zinc for treating COVID-19 infection have led to increased demand and expenditures for these supplements, among others. Evidence from a recent study that was conducted by Cleveland Clinic researchers refutes these claims.
August 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses why the FDA’s June approval of Biogen’s monoclonal-antibody drug aducanumab (ADUHELM) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease was one of the worst decisions in the agency’s history.
August 2021
In this article, we discuss the most recent smoking-cessation recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the underlying research supporting these recommendations.
August 2021
Patients taking the widely prescribed calcium channel blocker nifedipine (PROCARDIA, PROCARDIA XL) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
August 2021
Learn why we have designated celecoxib, a widely used selective COX-2 inhibitor that belongs to a drug class called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as Do Not Use.
July 2021
In this article, we discuss an important new warning issued by the FDA about preliminary results from a safety clinical trial that showed increased risks of serious heart-related adverse effects and cancer in rheumatoid arthritis patients taking the oral drug tofacitinib.
July 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome advises readers to remain vigilant for businesses peddling COVID-19 products that are fraudulent, a waste of money and potentially harmful.
July 2021
Patients taking the commonly prescribed abnormal heart rhythm drug amiodarone should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
July 2021
Learn why tianeptine — an addictive synthetic chemical compound that has led to abuse, physical dependence and withdrawal adverse reactions similar to those of opioids — has emerged as a growing public health threat in the U.S. and internationally.
July 2021
Knowledge about key information found in a prescription drug’s professional label can be an important tool for consumers seeking to improve their health while avoiding drug-induced injuries.
July 2021
In this month’s Question & Answer, we respond to a reader’s question about what steps can be taken to prevent or manage common adverse reactions due to COVID-19 vaccines.
June 2021
Patients taking the commonly prescribed antibiotic erythromycin should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
June 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome lambasts the FDA for its policy that allowed some hand sanitizers to be marketed in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic that were tainted with carcinogenic benzene.
June 2021
Learn why taking daily oral omega-3 fatty oral supplements containing a combination of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may not be good for your heart.
June 2021
In this article, we review data from new research showing that even short-term (14 or fewer days) use of oral corticosteroids can increase your risk of serious adverse effects.
June 2021
Results of recently published studies suggest that use of the potent stomach-acid–suppressing proton inhibitor medications in children may lead to small increases in the risks of fractures and asthma.
June 2021
In this month’s News Brief, we discuss a recent safety advisory issued by drug regulators in Canada warning of multiple reports of children experiencing acetaminophen poisoning after ingesting adult acetaminophen easy-to-swallow tablets that look like candy.
May 2021
Learn why we have designated rivaroxaban, one of the so-called “novel” oral anticoagulants (blood thinners), as Do Not Use.
May 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses a troubling report that detailed how drugmaker Merck & Co. and the FDA failed to add a warning about the potential risk of suicidal thoughts in men taking the company’s anti-baldness drug PROPECIA to the drug’s U.S. product labeling.
May 2021
In September 2020, the FDA announced that it would require the manufacturers of all benzodiazepines to update the black-box warning (the strongest warning that the agency can require) for these drugs to describe risks of abuse, addiction and other related adverse reactions. Such action was long overdue.
May 2021
In this article, we review results of new research that examined a specific form of nondrug psychological therapy, referred to as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, for management of chronic insomnia in patients with other major physical or mental disorders.
May 2021
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a life-threatening neurological disorder most often caused by neuroleptic (antipsychotic) medications, which are used to treat schizophrenia and certain other psychiatric disorders, among other things. The syndrome also can be caused by certain other drugs used to treat nausea and depression, as well as by the sudden discontinuation of a dopamine agonist (drugs that are used most commonly to treat Parkinson’s disease).
May 2021
In this month’s Question & Answer feature, we respond to a reader’s question about whether the potassium-sparing diuretic spironolactone (ALDACTONE, CAROSPIR) can cause magnesium deficiency.
April 2021
Recently published research demonstrated that bisphosphonate drugs are useful for preventing osteoporosis-related hip fractures, but that continuous bisphosphonate therapy beyond five years appears to offer no additional benefit for preventing such fractures.
April 2021
According to a troubling report issued in January by the Government Accountability Office — an independent, nonpartisan federal watchdog agency that works for Congress — the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe reductions in the FDA’s entire inspection program, with inspections of foreign drugmakers brought to a virtual standstill.
April 2021
Patients taking the commonly prescribed drug atorvastatin, which is a member of the statin family of cholesterol-lowering drugs, should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
April 2021
Soon after the coronavirus pandemic began, theoretical concerns were raised about the possibility that the widely prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may increase the risk of contracting the coronavirus and predispose COVID-19 patients to more severe illness. Results of a randomized controlled trial provide new evidence that ACE inhibitors and ARBs can be safely continued in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
April 2021
Idarucizumab (PRAXBIND) received accelerated approval from the FDA in 2015 for reversal of the effect of the new oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) dabigatran (PRADAXA) when needed before emergency surgery or urgent procedures or in life-threating or uncontrolled bleeding. Learn why we have designated idarucizumab and dabigatran as Do Not Use.
April 2021
In this month’s Question & Answer feature, we respond to a reader’s question about whether we had any new information regarding the risks of allergic reactions in recipients for the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccines.
March 2021
In this article, we discuss key evidence supporting the conclusion that low-dose aspirin should not be used for the sole purpose of preventing any type of cancer, an indication for which the drug is not approved by the FDA.
March 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome applauds the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) for issuing a “Special Fraud Alert” highlighting the “inherent risks” of illegal fraud associated with pharmaceutical and medical device com¬panies paying physicians and other health care professionals to speak at company-sponsored events.
March 2021
Patients taking the commonly prescribed epilepsy drug carbamazepine (CARBATROL, EPITOL, EQUETRO, TEGRETOL, TERIL) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with numerous other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
March 2021
Gabapentin (NEURONTIN, HORIZANT, GRALISE) is frequently prescribed for uses not approved by the FDA (so-called off-label uses), especially for chronic pain. A recently published clinical trial of the drug for treatment of chronic pelvic pain in women underscores why such off-label use, which we oppose, should be avoided.
March 2021
Learn why the FDA in October 2020 warned that pregnant women in general should avoid using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at about 20 weeks or later in pregnancy because of the rare risks of pregnancy complications and serious harm to an unborn baby.
March 2021
In this month’s Question & Answer feature, we respond to a reader’s question about whether the stomach-acid–suppressing drug esomeprazole (NEXIUM, NEXIUM 24HR, VIMOVO) has the same drug interactions as the closely related drug omeprazole (PRILOSEC, PRILOSEC OTC, ZEGERID).
February 2021
Andexanet (ANDEXXA) received accelerated approval from the FDA for emergency reversal of life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding caused by the use of two new oral anticoagulants: apixaban (ELIQUIS) and rivaroxaban (XARELTO). Learn why we have designated andexanet and these two anticoagulants as Do Not Use.
February 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome explains why we encourage readers eligible to receive either of the first two COVID-19 vaccines granted Emergency Use Authorizations by the FDA to get vaccinated when the vaccines become available.
February 2021
In this article, we review four postmarketing studies Purdue Pharma submitted to the FDA that evaluated the alleged abuse-deterrent properties of the company’s reformulated OxyContin and the agency’s independent assessment of the studies’ results. The data failed to show any meaningful reductions in overall opioid abuse or overdoses since the reformulated Oxycontin was approved in 2010.
February 2021
Magnesium deficiency, due to either inadequate dietary intake, impaired intestinal absorption or excessive urinary loss of the mineral, results in low blood magnesium levels — a condition known as hypomagnesemia — and a wide range of adverse health effects. Importantly, many commonly used drugs also can cause magnesium depletion.
February 2021
Dietary supplements that contain more than the recommended daily intake of biotin, also known as vitamin B7, can significantly interfere with many important clinical laboratory blood tests (including those for heart disease and thyroid problems), falsely altering their results. Incorrect test results can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment of health conditions, which may have serious or even deadly consequences.
February 2021
In this month’s news brief, we report on FDA-required changes to the product labeling for hydrochlorothiazide (MICROZIDE), a thiazide diuretic drug (“water pill”), warning about a small increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer associated with use of the drug.
January 2021
We previously designated Duavee as “Do Not Use for Seven Years” because, at the time of its approval by the FDA in 2013, it did not represent a clear clinical breakthrough over standard hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women. Learn why we have now updated our designation of the drug to Do Not Use.
January 2021
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses how unscrupulous companies exploited pandemic-related shortages of hand sanitizers and consumer panic by marketing hand sanitizers that contained dangerous ingredients and thus violated regulatory standards established by the FDA.
January 2021
Patients taking the widely prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as benazepril (LOTENSIN) and lisinopril (PRINIVIL, QBRELIS, ZESTRIL), should be aware that these medications have clinically important interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
January 2021
In this article, we review results of a new study that sheds further light on the association between the use of specific antidepressants during early pregnancy and the small risk of birth defects.
January 2021
Results of two recently published large, well-designed, randomized clinical trials provide important new evidence against using allopurinol (LOPURIN, ZYLOPRIM) to slow the rate of kidney function decline in patients with chronic kidney disease, a use of the drug that is not approved by the FDA.
December 2020
Combining opioids with other central nervous system depressants — mainly alcoholic beverages or benzodiazepines — greatly increases the risk of opioid overdose and death. These dangers are highlighted by new research showing that alcohol and benzodiazepines were commonly co-involved in U.S. opioid overdose deaths in recent years.
December 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses a recent FDA warning letter to Sprout Pharmaceuticals accusing the company of airing of an illegal radio ad that made “false or misleading claims about the risks” associated with flibanserin (ADDYI) — a drug intended to increase sexual desire in premenopausal women with hypoactive (low) sexual desire disorder that is often erroneously dubbed the “female VIAGRA” and that we have designated as Do Not Use.
December 2020
In this article, we review the results of randomized clinical trials showing that the anti-inflammatory corticosteroid dexamethasone reduces the risk of death in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who require supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
December 2020
Patients taking the widely prescribed calcium channel blocker diltiazem (CARDIZEM, CARTIA XT, TAZTIA XT, TIAZAC) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
December 2020
Find out why the FDA-approved high-dose form of liraglutide, which was originally marketed at a lower dose for treatment of type 2 diabetes, is not a safe option for managing weight loss.
December 2020
In this month’s Question & Answer feature, we respond to a reader’s question about whether the risks of montelukast (SINGULAIR) outweigh its benefits when it is used for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
November 2020
Early during the coronavirus pandemic, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were considered potentially useful treatments for COVID-19. In this article, we discuss results of randomized clinical trials showing that hydroxychloroquine is not effective for treating or preventing COVID-19.
November 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses U.S. Department of Justice charges brought against generic drug maker Teva for engaging in illegal price-gouging schemes for multiple prescription drugs.
November 2020
Since 2018, the FDA has found that certain commonly used medications contained unacceptable levels of nitrosamine impurities (contaminants) that are considered probable human carcinogens. Learn about the risks of nitrosamines and specific drugs that have been found to be contaminated with these compounds.
November 2020
Supplements for male fertility often contain folic acid and zinc, likely because both substances have been shown to play key roles in the formation and maintenance of normal healthy sperm. However, data from a recently published clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health showed supplementation with folic acid and zinc in men among couples undergoing infertility treatment does not increase the chances of achieving a successful pregnancy.
November 2020
We review new guidelines for treating life-threatening allergic reactions (known as anaphylaxis) recently issued by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
November 2020
In this month’s Question & Answer feature, we respond to a reader’s question asking about our recommended alternatives to the opioid analgesic tramadol (CONZIP, ULTRACET, ULTRAM), which we have designated as Do Not Use.
October 2020
Learn why patients with type 1 diabetes should never use any of the type 2 diabetes drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which are often referred to as “flozins” or “gliflozins.”
October 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses a recent report published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports that hammers home the potentially life-threatening dangers of using these illegal dietary supplements.
October 2020
Marked increases in the prescribing of the gabapentinoids gabapentin and pregabalin, particularly for uses not approved by the FDA (so-called off-label uses), indicate that these drugs are widely overprescribed and misused in the U.S. In this article, we review three recent studies that characterized the growth and extent of gabapentinoid overuse during the past two decades.
October 2020
Ingestion of prescription medications or over-the-counter products is a common cause of poisoning among children. A recently published study found that adults frequently are to blame for this avoidable problem.
October 2020
Patients taking the commonly used stomach-acid–suppressing drug omeprazole should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
October 2020
In this month’s news brief, we report on shortages of the inhaled asthma drug albuterol that have occurred because of the coronavirus pandemic.
September 2020
An updated report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscores the continued threat of antibiotic resistance in the U.S. and highlights the emerging areas of concern and actions needed to combat this major public health problem.
September 2020
In recent years, there has been a surge in the use of compounded topical pain creams as an alternative to oral pain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids. However, a committee of experts convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently concluded that there is a lack of evidence to support the safety and effectiveness of these compounded products.
September 2020
In this article, we discuss the results of a recent large observational study that provide added support for the concern that testosterone therapy heightens the risk of dangerous blood clot formation.
September 2020
Medications are the mainstay of treatment for most patients with seizure disorders, and more than two dozen such drugs have been approved by the FDA. We review one of the oldest seizure drugs, phe¬nytoin (DILANTIN, PHENYTEK). Patients using the drug need to be aware of its many potentially serious adverse effects.
September 2020
Although impaired driving usu¬ally is caused by alcohol or marijuana, many commonly used prescription and over-the-counter medications also can impair one’s ability to drive safely. Learn about several classes of medications that can cause this serious problem to protect yourself, your passengers and others who share the road with you.
August 2020
Learn about important new safety warnings issued by the FDA regarding the schizophrenia medica¬tion clozapine (CLOZARIL, VERSA¬CLOZ) and the asthma/allergy drug montelukast (SINGULAIR).
August 2020
Soon after the novel coronavirus began infecting people in the U.S., unscrupulous companies rushed to sell products not approved by the FDA with fake claims that they could prevent, treat or cure coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Consumers need to be aware that such products are fraudulent, a waste of money and potentially harmful.
August 2020
Patients taking the commonly used blood thinner warfarin (COUMADIN, JANTOVEN) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with numerous other prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as some dietary supplements.
August 2020
In this article, we discuss whether vitamin D and calcium dietary supplements are useful for promoting bone health and preventing bone fractures.
August 2020
Because of the better safety profile of newer second- and third-generation antihistamines, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has previously recommended their use over older first-generation antihistamines for both allergic rhinitis and urticaria. A recent position statement by the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that summarized the research evidence about these drugs reinforces our recommendation.
July 2020
Patients taking the commonly prescribed antibiotic azithromycin (ZITHROMAX) should be aware that it has clinically important dangerous interactions with many other prescription medications.
July 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome explains why President Trump’s reckless promotion of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as “game-changing” treatments for COVID-19 was so dangerous.
July 2020
We summarize the available evidence from well-designed clinical trials that support the use of the dietary supplement melatonin for treating jet lag, but not other conditions.
July 2020
New research reveals that potent, prescription-strength topical steroids can be purchased over the counter readily in many U.S. cities. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from these illegal and potentially harmful products.
July 2020
If you do not have cardiovascular disease, you should not take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event, particularly if you are over the age of 60, because the benefits of such treatment generally do not exceed its bleeding risk.
July 2020
In this month’s Question & Answer, we provide a list of websites that describe the appearance of prescription pills, resources that can help consumers protect themselves from life-threatening pharmacist errors.
June 2020
The insomnia drug zolpidem belongs to a family of drugs known as the non-benzodiazepines or “Z drugs.” Learn why we for years have designated this drug as Do Not Use.
June 2020
Learn about Gilead Sciences’ greedy attempt to profiteer off of the catastrophic coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by seek¬ing and receiving a lucrative orphan drug designation from the FDA for an experimental drug being tested as a treatment for COVID-19.
June 2020
Patients taking the commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin (FLOLIPID, VYTORIN, ZOCOR) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
June 2020
In this review of restless legs syndrome (RLS), we discuss the limitations of the available drug treatments for the disorder and the nondrug approaches that are the safest options for people with mild to moderate RLS symptoms.
June 2020
Except for one purified cannabidiol product approved by the FDA for treatment of two rare forms of childhood epilepsy, cannabidiol products marketed in the U.S. are illegal. Find out why the FDA is cracking down on companies selling these illegal drugs.
May 2020
There are more than 1,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as certain herbal and dietary supplements, that are implicated in liver injury, and the list continues to grow.
May 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome calls for greater FDA transparency regarding which drugs are in short supply because of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting manufacturing disruptions in China and elsewhere.
May 2020
Learn why you should avoid taking metoprolol or any other beta blocker if you have COPD and have not previously suffered a heart attack and do not have heart failure.
May 2020
We explain why the norelgestromin-ethinyl estradiol patch is too dangerous to use and describe safer birth control medication options.
May 2020
We summarize results of new research showing that thiazides or thiazide-like diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide (MICROZIDE), appear to be the most effective and safest medications for initial treatment of hypertension.
May 2020
In this month’s news brief, we discuss why the FDA decided to ask the manufacturer of the weight-loss drug lorcaserin to voluntarily withdraw the medication from the U.S. market.
April 2020
In this article, we explain why consumers need to beware of dietary supplements containing the illegal drug piracetam that are promoted to enhance cognitive performance, mood, sleep and longevity.
April 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses findings of a recent exposé published in The New York Times that highlighted how overworked pharmacists at major national pharmacy chains — such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens — have endangered patients by making potentially fatal errors when filling and dispensing prescriptions.
April 2020
Patients taking the commonly prescribed antibiotic clarithromycin (BIAXIN XL) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
April 2020
Learn why flibanserin is the wrong choice for women who are burdened by persistent low sexual desire.
April 2020
For patients taking opioid analgesics and other drugs that depress breathing and those with lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, use of gabapentin (GRALISE, HORIZANT, NEURONTIN) or pregabalin (LYRICA) could have deadly consequences.
March 2020
Patients taking the widely prescribed calcium channel blocker verapamil — which is used to treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and certain abnormal heart rhythms — should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
March 2020
Recently released court documents reveal the great lengths to which senior executives at Purdue Pharma — including members of the billionaire Sackler family who founded and own the company — went to downplay Oxycontin’s risks of addiction and abuse.
March 2020
New research linking menopausal hormone use to an increased risk of breast cancer reaffirms the importance of using such hormone therapies at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest duration needed.
March 2020
Learn why women should avoid using BRISDELLE, the first and only nonhormonal drug approved by the FDA for treatment of hot flashes associated with menopause.
March 2020
We discuss why pregnant women who have a history of spontaneous preterm birth should not take the injected synthetic hormone hydroxyprogesterone caproate (MAKENA) to prevent another preterm birth.
February 2020
In this second of a two-part series, we review some of the many commonly prescribed medications that can damage your eyes and the steps that you can take to protect yourself from these adverse effects. The first part in this series appeared in our December 2019 issue.
February 2020
A recent warning publicized by the FDA suggests that although purchasing medications from Dollar Tree may appear to be good for your pocketbook, doing so may be dangerous to your health.
February 2020
Dietary supplements containing the trace mineral selenium for many years have been widely touted for the prevention of cancer. But the available scientific evidence shows that selenium is not useful for preventing cancer.
February 2020
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated amiodarone as Limited Use because long-term use of this drug can cause many types of adverse effects that can range from mild to life threatening. The drug should be used only when other therapies are ineffective or cannot be tolerated.
February 2020
Learn why Primatene Mist, an over-the-counter form of the bronchodilator drug epinephrine, is a poor choice for treating asthma.
February 2020
In this month’s news brief, we discuss Public Citizen’s recent petition to the FDA to move the opioid tramadol to a more restrictive classification of controlled substances because it is overprescribed, often misused, highly addictive and potentially deadly.
January 2020
For many years, we have classified both finasteride products as Do Not Use. Read our updated review to find out why.
January 2020
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses a government watchdog’s finding that the Drug Enforcement Administration allowed drug manufacturers to produce substantially larger quantities of opioids from 2002 to 2013, thus helping to fuel the opioid overdose epidemic.
January 2020
Learn about the results of new research suggesting that implementation of laws expanding naloxone access by authorizing pharmacists to dispense the drug without a prescription may result in fewer opioid-related deaths.
January 2020
Patients taking the commonly prescribed drug methotrexate, which is used to treat certain autoimmune diseases and several types of cancer, should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
January 2020
Despite its importance in maintaining clear airways and lung health, cough is one of the most common symptoms for which patients seek medical attention and is responsible for millions of doctor visits in the U.S. every year. Learn why the cough medications dextromethorphan and benzonatate generally should be avoided, particularly in children.
January 2020
In this month’s news brief, we highlight a recent letter that the FDA issued to drugmaker Vivus that cited the company for making false or misleading claims on a promotional consumer-directed webpage for its oral weight-loss prescription drug QSYMIA, which we have designated as Do Not Use.
December 2019
In this first of a two-part series, we review some of the many commonly prescribed medications that can damage your eyes and the steps that you can take to protect yourself from these adverse effects. The second part in this series will appear in our February 2020 issue.
December 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses the failure of drug companies, researchers and the FDA to recognize the overwhelming evidence dating back to the early 1900s demonstrating that the new diabetes drugs known as “flozins” can cause life-threatening ketoacidosis.
December 2019
Patients taking the commonly prescribed antifungal drug fluconazole (DIFLUCAN) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications. Some of these interactions can lead to an increased risk of fatal heart rhythm abnormalities.
December 2019
Learn about results of two large, well-designed, randomized clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health demonstrating that high-dose vitamin D supplementation was not useful for preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
December 2019
Read this article to find out which drug treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has a greater risk of psychosis in adolescents and young adults.
December 2019
Read our response to a reader who asked whether the drug pantoprazole (PROTONIX), which suppresses stomach acid, could have caused a false-positive urine screening test result for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects.
November 2019
Learn about the many dangers that make the diet drug orlistat the wrong choice for patients who are trying to lose weight.
November 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome reviews the results of a recent Gallup poll showing that Americans now view the pharmaceutical industry more negatively than any other major industry in the U.S.
November 2019
For most people with hearing loss, the condition likely is age-related or due to long-term exposure to loud noise. But for some patients, the cause of the problem can be found in the medicine cabinet.
November 2019
Dentists often prescribe antibiotics before dental procedures as prophylaxis to prevent infection from the release of bacteria from the mouth into the bloodstream. Find out which patients should receive such preventive antibiotics before dental procedures.
November 2019
In this article, we describe a common condition known as subclinical hypothyroidism and discuss the newest guidelines regarding which patients with this condition should be treated with thyroid hormone replacement.
November 2019
In this month’s news brief, we report actions taken by the FDA and regulators in other countries in response to the discovery of a probable human carcinogen in a widely used medication that suppresses stomach acid.
October 2019
Unused, unneeded or expired drugs in homes present a number of risks, including intentional or accidental overdose in humans (particularly young children). Learn how to safely dispose of these drugs.
October 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses how FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s resumption of close ties to the pharmaceutical industry following his resignation from the agency created a cloud of justifiable distrust about actions taken by the FDA under his leadership.
October 2019
Next to Parkinson’s disease, drug-induced parkinsonism is the second most common cause of parkinsonism, accounting for about 8-12% of all parkinsonism cases. Find out which commonly used drugs can cause this condition.
October 2019
The FDA recently issued two important safety alerts for doctors and patients. The first alert described risks of serious, often fatal injuries linked to use of the three so-called “Z-drugs” for insomnia. The second warned women of childbearing age not to use vinpocetine, an ingredient found in many widely available dietary supplements.
October 2019
This article discusses important warnings issued by drug regulators in Canada and Ireland about new evidence of an increased risk of congenital birth defects associated with use of the stimulant drugs modafinil and armodafinil.
October 2019
In this month’s news brief, we report new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the public health risks posed by kratom and kratom-containing dietary supplements, which have been falsely touted by some marketers as safe treatments for a variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression, opioid use disorder and pain.
September 2019
Doctors often prescribe antibiotics to treat acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which are characterized by increased shortness of breath, cough, sputum production and wheezing. But for some patients, the risks of such antibiotic treatment outweigh the benefits.
September 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses Public Citizen’s most recent legal maneuver to force the FDA to respond to our June 2016 petition seeking stronger warnings about the risk of compulsive or uncontrollable behaviors in the product labeling for a class of drugs known as dopamine agonists.
September 2019
Fungal infections of the toenails and fingernails, a condition known as onychomycosis, are common. Learn why you should never take oral itraconazole or terbinafine to treat these cosmetic, non-health-threatening nail infections.
September 2019
Patients taking the commonly prescribed epilepsy drug phenytoin (DILANTIN, PHENYTEK), one of the oldest epilepsy drugs, should be aware that it has clinically impor¬tant interactions with many other prescription and over-the-counter medications. Some of these interactions can lead to phenytoin toxicity, and others can lead to ineffective seizure control.
September 2019
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition affecting 13 million Americans. Find out steps to take to prevent symptom flare-ups and learn which topical drug therapies are most effective and safest for treating this condition.
August 2019
Most U.S. adults drink alcohol at least occasionally. Many also take prescription or over-the-counter drugs that have the potential to inter¬act adversely with alcohol. Avoid serious harm by knowing which drugs should not be taken in combination with alcohol.
August 2019
Allegations made in a recent lawsuit filed in federal court by 44 states suggest that 20 generic drug companies perpetrated a multi-billion-dollar fraud on the American public over the past decade.
August 2019
Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group advises against using any central nervous system stimulant drugs for weight loss.
August 2019
The FDA has approved five medications for treatment of cold sores — sometimes referred to as fever blisters, oral herpes or herpes labialis. Find out which of these drugs offer the most benefit.
August 2019
Accounting for approximately 41 million prescriptions dis¬pensed in the U.S. in 2017, the opioid analgesic tramadol is among the most widely used painkillers. New research linking tramadol to an increased risk of death reinforces our long-standing Do Not Use designation for this drug.
July 2019
Learn why the widely used proton pump inhibitors should be reserved for certain patients with stomach-acid disorders and only taken at the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible duration needed.
July 2019
Too often, senior executives of leading pharmaceutical companies that engage in illegal marketing of drugs and other serious crimes escape criminal prosecution. But this was not the case for the billionaire founder of Insys Therapeutics.
July 2019
Read about the growing body of evidence showing that the commonly prescribed fluoroquinolone antibiotics increase the risk of potentially fatal ruptures or tears of the aorta, the largest blood vessel in the body.
July 2019
A reader asked whether the FDA reviews and approves homeopathic drugs. Our answer should make you think twice about using these products.
July 2019
Find out about the many prescription medications that can interact in dangerous ways with the four drugs approved by the FDA for treating erectile dysfunction in men.
July 2019
More and more patients are being treated with an expanding array of potent immunosuppressive drugs that require special screening and monitoring to minimize the risk of serious harm. But new research reveals that too many patients receiving these drugs are not undergoing the appropriate screening and monitoring tests.
June 2019
Patients who have difficulty swallowing pills will sometimes crush tablets or open capsules and sprinkle the resulting powder, fragments or granules into food or liquids. Other patients will resort to chewing their pills before swallowing. Find out the dangers posed by taking such measures.
June 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome advocates federal legislation that would abolish the harmful tax breaks given to Big Pharma for the costs of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising.
June 2019
Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated the asthma drugs montelukast and zafirlukast as Do Not Use.
June 2019
Read about the many prescription drugs that can interact in dangerous ways with grapefruit or grapefruit products.
June 2019
In this article, we discuss preliminary data from an ongoing clinical trial that prompted the FDA to issue a new warning about potentially fatal blood clots caused by tofacitinib, an oral drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
May 2019
Approximately 10 years ago, testosterone makers launched a massive direct-to-consumer advertising campaign to promote the use of testosterone for normal age-related declines in testosterone in men. Learn why such use of testosterone can be dangerous without providing any proven benefit.
May 2019
The FDA’s recent warning about a dozen companies that marketed illegal products purported to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease highlights the importance of ignoring advertisements promoting miracle cures for serious diseases.
May 2019
In this article, we explain why the FDA should not have approved indacaterol, a long-acting inhaled bronchodilator, for long-term treatment of COPD without first requiring further clinical trials testing lower doses of the drug than the currently approved dose.
May 2019
Read about the many prescription medications that can interact in dangerous ways with colchicine, a commonly used drug for treatment of acute gout attacks.
May 2019
For men, abnormally large breasts can be distressing and embarrassing. Find out about the numerous drugs that can cause breast enlargement in men.
April 2019
Learn why we have designated Prolia as Do Not Use for treatment of osteoporosis in women and men.
April 2019
Many diabetes patients, including some with health insurance, can no longer afford to take the dosage of life-saving insulin prescribed by their doctors because of price gouging by the pharmaceutical industry. For some of these patients, the rationing of unaffordable insulin has proved to be fatal.
April 2019
Drugs are the most frequent cause of taste disturbances. In this article, we identify more than 60 commonly used prescription medications that have been linked to problems with taste.
April 2019
In this article, we discuss a new reason for why finasteride should not be used by men to treat symptoms of prostate enlargement or male pattern baldness.
April 2019
Many women are plagued by frequent bladder infections, and use of antibiotics to treat bladder infections comprises a major proportion of antibiotic use around the globe. Read about new research showing that increased water intake in women markedly reduces the frequency of bladder infections and the need for antibiotics.
April 2019
In this month’s news brief, we report on Ironwood Pharmaceuticals’ recent decision to cease marketing its dangerous gout drug lesinurad (ZURAMPIC, DUZALLO). Several years ago, we had designated the drug as Do Not Use because its substantial risks far outweighed its benefits.
March 2019
Millions of Americans take anticoagulants on a long-term basis to prevent the formation of potentially harmful clots. Learn why such patients should avoid using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
March 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome laments the FDA’s troubling decision to withdraw a proposed rule that would have allowed generic drug companies to promptly update safety warnings in their product labels.
March 2019
Read about the many prescription medications that can interact in dangerous ways with lithium, the drug of choice for treating bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression.
March 2019
Restless legs syndrome is a common neurological movement and sensory disorder that affects 5 to 10 percent of the population. In this article, we identify some of the many drugs that can cause or worsen this disorder.
March 2019
Somatropin was first approved by the FDA in 1987 for the treatment of short stature in children with growth hormone (GH) deficiency. Find out why we recommend not using somatropin in children with short stature who have normal GH levels; people who develop GH deficiency in adulthood; or in healthy individuals as an anti-aging agent, to improve athletic performance or for body-building.
February 2019
Aspirin is widely used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in the elderly. Read this article to learn whether such use of aspirin is the right choice for you.
February 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome slams the FDA for its reckless approval of a dangerous new opioid that will be marketed under the brand name Dsuvia.
February 2019
For many years, we have designated the prescription sleep medication zolpidem as Do Not Use. We review the results of new research exposing the frequent misuse of this dangerous medication.
February 2019
In this month’s news brief, we report on actions taken by the FDA to stop the flow of tainted medications made by a Chinese drug manufacturer into the U.S.
February 2019
Low back pain is a frequent reason for outpatient and emergency room visits among adults. Read why treatment with corticosteroids is a poor choice for treating this common condition.
February 2019
This article discusses new research linking use of oral diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other adverse cardiovascular events.
January 2019
Read about the many prescription and over-the-counter medications that can interact in dangerous ways with clopidogrel, a widely used anti-platelet drug.
January 2019
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome recounts how a Florida medical clinic deceived patients by falsifying scientific journal citations in its promotion of a now-illegal heart-toxic drug called cesium chloride for treatment of cancer.
January 2019
Learn about a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection in the area of the genitals that has been linked to the diabetes drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, commonly called “flozins.”
January 2019
In this article, we review new research showing that statins are associated with a potentially disabling autoimmune muscle disorder known as idiopathic inflammatory myositis, a rare disorder that is distinct from the much more common type of muscle injury seen with statins.
January 2019
Find out about the risks and benefits of apomorphine, an injectable medicine approved by the FDA for treatment of specific symptoms that occur in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease.
January 2019
In response to a reader’s question about our article “Metformin: First-Choice Drug for Type 2 Diabetes” in the August 2018 issue, we discuss the risk of diarrhea and other adverse gastrointestinal effects that may occur when taking metformin.
December 2018
Dietary supplements containing cesium chloride or other types of cesium salts are among the most hazardous supplements currently marketed in the U.S. Read this article to find out why.
December 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome, prompted by a recent letter from one of our readers, discusses why our recommendations and designations for specific drugs sometimes change based on new information.
December 2018
Baricitinib is the most recent drug approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Read our assessment of this dangerous drug.
December 2018
In this article we discuss new research showing that patients with acute respiratory illnesses too often are treated inappropriately with corticosteroid drugs, exposing them to unnecessary risks.
December 2018
Learn how patients can initiate a discussion with their doctors to begin the process of weaning off benzodiazepines, a class of highly overprescribed sedative hypnotic drugs primarily used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
November 2018
Read about the numerous medications that can interact with digoxin, a drug commonly prescribed for heart failure and atrial fibrillation. These interactions can result in either digoxin toxicity or decreased digoxin effectiveness depending on the other drug being used concomitantly.
November 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses the implications of a major initiative by a large group of U.S. hospitals to establish their own not-for-profit generic pharmaceutical company.
November 2018
If you are a smoker, quitting is the most important thing you can do for your health. Learn why we recommend that varenicline only be used a last-resort drug for smoking cessation.
November 2018
This article reviews the recent recommendation issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent volunteer panel of national experts in disease prevention, against older adults taking extra vitamin D to prevent falls.
November 2018
Find out why women of child-bearing age should avoid taking valproate for migraines and should use it only for seizure or bipolar disorder if other medicines fail to adequately control these conditions or cause unacceptable adverse effects.
November 2018
In this month’s news brief, we report on the Food and Drug Administration’s recent action regarding our petition to prohibit the use of heart-toxic cesium chloride — which has been promoted as an alternative treatment for cancer — in pharmacy compounding.
October 2018
The FDA has approved four drugs for treating Alzheimer’s disease, a devastating brain disorder that affects nearly 6 million Americans, most of whom are elderly. Learn why we have designated each of these drugs as Do Not Use.
October 2018
In this article, we summarize the results of a recent research study showing that use of medications that have depression as a potential adverse effect is very common. We also identify some of the many prescription medications that can cause depression symptoms, including suicidal thoughts or behavior.
October 2018
For certain types of epilepsy, lamotrigine is an appropriate treatment for preventing seizures. Learn about the common and serious adverse effects that can occur while taking this drug and how to take this drug safely.
October 2018
We have received numerous questions from readers asking what to do about the recent recalls of valsartan-containing drugs sold by certain companies that were found to be tainted with a probable carcinogen. In this article, we offer advice for those patients who have been taking valsartan.
October 2018
Several readers have asked us whether the FDA’s recent approval of a drug that reverses the anticoagulant effect of apixaban (ELIQUIS) and rivaroxaban (XARELTO) alters our classification of these two drugs as Do Not Use. Read our answer.
October 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses the implications of a recent government report which found that annual out-of-pocket expenses for brand-name drugs covered under Medicare Part D have skyrocketed in recent years.
September 2018
Read about the more than two dozen medications that can have clinically important interactions with aripiprazole, one of the widely used newer atypical antipsychotic drugs that is approved by the FDA for treatment of several disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.
September 2018
In this article, we discuss results of new research linking the widely overused fluoroquinolone antibiotics to an increased risk of life-threatening damage to the body’s largest blood vessel, the aorta.
September 2018
Hear our recommendations on the use of medroxyprogesterone, a prescription medication containing a synthetic form of the female hormone progesterone that is most commonly used for contraception and hormone therapy in women.
September 2018
Learn why benzocaine-containing gels and liquids should never be used to treat teething discomfort and about Public Citizen’s Health Research Group’s successful campaign to force the FDA to pull these products from the market.
September 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome reviews the relationship between the development of a deeply entrenched industry-friendly culture within the FDA and the agency’s increasingly lax oversight of prescription drugs.
August 2018
Learn why metformin is the drug of choice for the initial treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes who are not able to control their blood sugar through diet and exercise alone and who do not have severe kidney impairment.
August 2018
Countless companies heavily promote dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids as the solution to many health problems, including dry eyes. But results of a new research study funded by the National Institutes of Health demonstrate that omega-3 fatty acids are not a good choice for treating dry eyes.
August 2018
In this article, we review the dangers of using opioid-containing cough and cold medicines in children younger than age 18.
August 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses the outrageous tactics that sales representatives from drugmaker Insys Therapeutics allegedly used to illegally promote fentanyl sublingual spray (SUBSYS), a rapid-acting, highly addictive, dangerous opioid that is sprayed under the tongue.
August 2018
If you are a smoker, quitting is the most important thing you can do for your health. Find out whether bupropion (ZYBAN) is an appropriate treatment option to increase your chances of successfully quitting.
July 2018
Overdosing on commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can increase your risk of potentially serious adverse effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney damage. Learn how to protect yourself from unintentional overdoses of these medications.
July 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses a rarely used authority of the federal government that would lower the price for the opioid-overdose antidote naloxone and save lives.
July 2018
Inhaled corticosteroids are one of the mainstays of asthma treatment in adults and children, and increasing the dose of these medications when early signs of worsening asthma control occur is a commonly recommended strategy. Find out whether this treatment strategy is a safe and effective choice.
July 2018
Tremor is the single most common movement disorder, affecting millions of people in the U.S. If you have tremors, could one of your drugs be the cause? Read this article to learn the answer.
July 2018
In this article, we present the findings of our most recent report cataloging all major financial settlements that the pharmaceutical industry has been forced to sign with federal and state governments since 1991. The report’s most striking finding is a recent precipitous drop in federal criminal penalties against drug companies.
July 2018
In this month’s news brief, we report on the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement that a medication for multiple sclerosis is being withdrawn from the market because of serious safety concerns.
June 2018
This article lists practical steps to take to avoid death, hospitalization or other medical problems caused by heat stress. It also identifies over 100 drugs that can impair your response to heat and thereby increase your risk of heat-induced illness and death.
June 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses an analysis by researchers at Harvard University that suggests that patients and doctors are being misled about the benefits of drugs approved under the FDA’s “breakthrough therapies” pathway.
June 2018
Clarithromycin is an oral antibiotic that is commonly used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. Learn why patients with heart disease should avoid this antibiotic unless no other suitable antibiotic is available.
June 2018
Apixaban is a new oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) that was first approved by the FDA in 2012 for decreasing the risk of blood clots in certain patients. Find out why older anticoagulant drugs, such as warfarin (COUMADIN, JANTOVEN), are a better choice.
June 2018
All but one of the clobetasol propionate products are classified as super-high potency topical corticosteroids. They are approximately 1,000 times more potent than over-the-counter 1-percent hydrocortisone. This article offers advice on how to use these products safely.
May 2018
Prasugrel is an oral antiplatelet drug that was approved by the FDA in 2009 as an add-on treatment to aspirin to prevent clots from forming that may cause a heart attack or stroke in certain patients with coronary artery disease. Learn why we recommend avoiding this medication.
May 2018
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars annually advertising their products directly to consumers on TV. But as Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome explains, prescription drug TV ads often fail to fully adhere to FDA regulations governing direct-to-consumer ads.
May 2018
In this month’s News Brief, we report the sentencing of the former supervisory pharmacist at the now-shuttered New England Compounding Center located in Framingham, Massachusetts to eight years in prison for his role in the deadly nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak in 2012 that had been linked to tainted steroid drugs made by the company.
May 2018
When the FDA approved febuxostat in 2009 for treating high uric acid blood levels in patients with gout, we advised readers not to use the drug until at least February 2016 based on our longstanding “Seven-Year Rule.” Read this article to hear results of new research that prompted us to now designate febuxostat as Do Not Use.
May 2018
This article reviews the recent recommendation issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force, an independent volunteer panel of national experts in disease prevention, against the use of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women in order to prevent chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, cancer and osteoporosis.
May 2018
Find out why the muscle relaxant baclofen is a reasonable choice for treating reversible muscle spasms in patients with multiple sclerosis but should not be used to treat spasticity due to spinal cord injuries or other spinal cord diseases.
May 2018
In 2017, the FDA announced its intention to consider allowing drug companies to reduce the amount of risk information they disclose to consumers in direct-to-consumer prescription drug television or radio ads. This article discusses why the FDA’s proposal would be bad for consumers.
April 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome offers advice on how to avoid being conned by unscrupulous companies promising miracle treatments for opioid addiction and withdrawal.
April 2018
Topiramate is a second-generation antiepileptic drug that was originally approved by the FDA in 1996. In this article, we discuss why topiramate is an appropriate option for treating certain seizure disorders but should not be used for treatment of migraine headaches.
April 2018
Extended-release niacin is approved by the FDA to reduce elevated cholesterol levels and to reduce the risk of recurrent, nonfatal heart attacks in patients with histories of previous heart attacks and elevated cholesterol levels. Learn why we just changed the designation of niacin extended-release tablets from Limited Use to Do Not Use.
April 2018
When the beta blocker nebivolol was approved by the FDA in 2007, we advised readers not to use the drug until 2015, in accordance with our seven-year rule. Find out why we now have designated nebivolol as Limited Use and whether it is the right choice for treating hypertension.
April 2018
Read this article to learn about recent FDA public health advisories warning against the use of kratom and kratom-containing dietary supplements, which have been falsely touted by some marketers as safe treatments that have broad healing properties.
March 2018
Patients often wonder what steps they can take to minimize their chances of suffering a serious adverse drug reaction. This article reviews 10 simple rules developed by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group for ensuring safer drug use.
March 2018
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome highlights the most recent wave of price hikes by major pharmaceutical companies at the start of 2018.
March 2018
The FDA has approved gabapentin (NEURONTIN) for several conditions, including a type of seizure disorder, shingles pain and restless leg syndrome. Hear our recommendations for who should use gabapentin and who should avoid it.
March 2018
Last year, the FDA warned that a drug used to treat high blood potassium levels can interfere with the absorption of many other oral medications. Learn the name of this drug and how to take it safely when using other drugs.
March 2018
We respond to readers’ questions about our October 2017 article regarding the use of vitamin E for preventing or treating mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease and our December 2017 article regarding the use of desmopressin spray (NOCTIVA) for treating nighttime urination symptoms.
March 2018
Meclizine is a drug that is commonly used to treat symptoms of motion sickness. Find out why we have designated this drug as Do Not Use.
February 2018
Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that has been involved in an increasing number of overdose deaths in the U.S. Learn why this drug should be used only by cancer patients with breakthrough cancer-related pain.
February 2018
In 2007, Congress passed legislation aimed at improving the disclosure of risk information in TV ads for prescription drugs by mandating that ads present this information in a “clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner.” Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome takes the FDA to task for never implementing the requirements of this 2007 law.
February 2018
Obeticholic acid is a second-line treatment for patients with a rare liver disease called primary biliary cholangitis. In this article, we discuss how to appropriately dose the drug in order to avoid life-threatening liver damage.
February 2018
No other schizophrenia medicine is more dangerous than clozapine. Learn about the drug’s serious unique risks and why it should be used only by severely ill schizophrenia patients who have failed to respond adequately to other antipsychotic medications.
February 2018
Abnormal involuntary movements (movement disorders) occur as adverse events associated with many widely used medications and can cause substantial hardship for affected individuals. Find out which drugs are associated with these adverse effects.
February 2018
In this month’s News Brief, we report on Public Citizen’s Health Research Group’s petition to the FDA to ban a cancer treatment ingredient from use in pharmacy compounding because of serious health risks to humans and no evidence of benefit.
January 2018
Olmesartan (BENICAR) is one of eight drugs in the family of commonly used blood pressure-lowering medications known as angiotensin II receptor blockers. Learn about the severe, life-threatening gastrointestinal adverse effects of olmesartan that could land you in the hospital.
January 2018
Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses the recent arrest of John Kapoor, the billionaire founder of Insys Therapeutics — the drug company that markets fentanyl sublingual spray (SUBSYS), a highly addictive, dangerous opioid drug. Kapoor has been charged with “leading a nationwide conspiracy” to profit by bribing doctors to inappropriately prescribe the company’s fentanyl spray product.
January 2018
Every year, more than 300,000 older Americans are hospitalized due to hip fractures, and almost all of these fractures are caused by falls. Read about new research further linking use of sleeping pills to an increased risk of falls and serious injury.
January 2018
Milnacipran (SAVELLA) was approved by the Food and Drug
Administration in 2009 for the treatment of fibromyalgia in adults, which remains its only approved use. In this article, we review data showing that the drug is ineffective for treating fibromyalgia and dangerous.
January 2018
Overactive bladder is a bothersome — but not serious — medical problem that becomes more common with age. Find out why mirabegron is the wrong choice for treating this condition.
December 2017
In this article, we explain why the serious adverse effects of the injected diabetes drug pramlintide far outweigh the drug’s limited benefits.
December 2017
Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses how the opioid drug industry successfully lobbied Congress to pass a dangerous bill that effectively stripped the Drug Enforcement Agency of one of its strongest enforcement tools for fighting the illegal diversion of opioid drugs.
December 2017
Weight gain is an adverse event associated with many widely used medications and may lead to significant overweight and obesity, especially in susceptible individuals. Find out which drugs have this adverse effect.
December 2017
Nighttime urination is a common symptom that becomes more common with increasing age. Learn why the only drug approved for treating this symptom offers only meager benefits along with unacceptable risks.
December 2017
Rifaximin was approved by the FDA in May 2015 for treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea as the predominant symptom in adults. Find out about the drug’s serious adverse effects that outweigh its limited benefits.
November 2017
Learn why edoxaban, one of the new blood thinners approved by the FDA, is not the best option for preventing dangerous blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation.
November 2017
Over the past decade, the number of clinics in the U.S. that peddle unproven stem cell "treatments" directly to consumers exploded from a handful in 2010 to as many as 570 in 2016. Find out what the FDA is finally doing to clamp down on the marketing of illegal stem cell treatments.
November 2017
The injection of corticosteroids into the knee joints of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee is a widespread practice. Find out the results of new research funded by the National Institutes of Health showing that such injections actually may accelerate joint damage.
November 2017
In this article, we describe a common condition known as subclinical hypothyroidism and discuss which patients with this condition should be treated with thyroid hormone replacement.
November 2017
In this month’s news brief, we report the FDA’s reckless decision to deny Public Citizen’s petition to ban a dangerous anti-fungal drug.
November 2017
Doctors often prescribe pregabalin for a neuropathic pain condition known as sciatica, a use that is not approved by FDA. Find out why pregabalin is a bad choice for treating sciatica.
October 2017
In August, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the so-called Right to Try Act. Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome explains how this deceptively named bill would put countless patients at risk by undermining important FDA safety rules related to the use of unapproved, experimental medications.
October 2017
In this month’s news brief, we report on the FDA’s recent decision to partially grant a petition from Public Citizen to require the addition of a warning about a dangerous drug-drug interaction to product labeling of repaglinide-containing diabetes medications.
October 2017
Tofacitinib is one of the newer medications approved by the FDA for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Learn why we have designated this drug as Do Not Use.
October 2017
Canagliflozin is one of three medications in the newest diabetes drug class. In this article, we discuss why the FDA recently required that a black-box warning about the risk of amputations be added to the product labeling of canagliflozin.
October 2017
Dietary supplement makers often tout vitamin E products for a variety of purported health benefits, including the promotion of brain health. Find out why vitamin E supplements are unlikely to prevent cognitive decline and may cause serious harm if taken in doses exceeding the recommended dietary allowance.
October 2017
Hear how drugmaker Alkermes has engaged in a novel but troubling marketing campaign to increase sales of its once-monthly injected version of naltrexone (VIVITROL) for treatment of opioid addiction.
September 2017
In March 2017, a federal jury found the co-owner of a now-bankrupt Massachusetts compounding pharmacy guilty on more than 50 counts of racketeering and mail fraud for his role in the deadly nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak in 2012, which had been linked to tainted steroid drugs. Read the troubling details of how the company’s co-owner escaped being convicted of second-degree murder.
September 2017
Following a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak linked to a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy’s tainted steroid drugs, Congress in 2013 passed a law to strengthen the FDA’s oversight of the compounding pharmacy industry. Learn about reckless legislation now being considered by Congress that would reverse the 2013 law.
September 2017
In this article, we discuss new data from well-designed randomized controlled trials that show that testosterone treatment in older men with low testosterone blood levels does not improve memory or other cognitive functions and actually increases the buildup of cholesterol in coronary arteries.
September 2017
Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated CONTRAVE, a combination weight-loss medication that was approved by the FDA in 2014, as Do Not Use.
September 2017
The FDA recently required that the product labeling for several of the newest hepatitis C drugs be revised to include a black-box warning, the strongest warning that the agency can require. Find out what the new warning says.
September 2017
To address the growing epidemic of prescription opioid drug overdoses in the U.S., many drugmakers have attempted to develop opioid pills that are supposedly resistant to being manipulated in ways that make them easier to abuse. In this article, we highlight problems with these so-called abuse-deterrent opioid formulations.
August 2017
Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome assesses the implications of the FDA’s recent request that a major pharmaceutical company remove from the market its reformulated extended-release opioid product.
August 2017
Millions of people in the U.S. take blood thinners or antiplatelet medications to prevent the formation of potentially harmful clots in the heart, large veins or arteries. In this article, we report new research that examined the risk of one of the most serious bleeding complications associated with these drugs: subdural hematomas in the head.
August 2017
Although health care professionals often advise patients on whether the medications they are taking may interact with each other, they do not always discuss how various foods may interact with medications. Learn about some of these dangerous food-drug interactions and how to protect yourself.
August 2017
Many medicines can cause diarrhea, which can be severe and life-threatening in some cases. Find out which drugs have this adverse effect.
August 2017
Alopecia, or excessive hair loss, is a common problem among both men and women, and it can have a considerable negative impact on the body image and emotional well-being of affected individuals. In this article, we present our recommendations regarding drugs that are approved for treating hair loss.
July 2017
Eluxadoline was approved by the FDA in May 2015 for treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea as the predominant symptom in adults. Learn about the drug’s serious adverse effects that outweigh its limited benefits.
July 2017
For years, the Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly warned the public about dietary supplements that have been spiked illegally with hidden drugs. Find out which dangerous drug is now showing up in dietary supplements that are being promoted for increasing sexual desire and libido in women.
July 2017
In this article, we discuss how two families of commonly used stomach acid suppressants may make patients more susceptible to Clostridium difficile infection, which can lead to severe, sometimes life-threatening diarrhea.
July 2017
Nocturnal or nighttime leg cramps (charley horses) are very common in adults, afflicting nearly half of those over the age of 50. Find out why magnesium supplements are not the solution for this often distressing condition.
July 2017
Parents may be tempted to try assorted teething remedies for their infants. Learn about certain homeopathic products for teething that have been recalled because they were linked to a large number of serious injuries in infants.
July 2017
In this month’s Question & Answer section, we respond to a reader's question about how patients with high blood pressure should increase their dietary intake of potassium.
June 2017
The food and dietary supplement industries have been swift to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the microbes living on or within our bodies by selling products that contain probiotics, or live microor¬ganisms purported to improve health by altering the microbiome. In this article, we explain which claims about probiotics have been tested in clinical trials — and why many probiotic supplements are very likely a waste of money.
June 2017
Learn about landmark legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate that would lower the cost of prescription medications for all Americans, increase access to drugs for consumers and hold pharma¬ceutical corporations accountable for wrongdoing.
June 2017
Many adverse drug reactions are severe enough to cause serious injury, hospitalization and even death. Find out which outpatient medications are most likely to cause adverse events that necessitate a visit to the emergency room.
June 2017
For many years, we have designated the weight-loss drug orlistat (XENICAL, ALLI) as Do Not Use because it exposes patients to serious risks that greatly outweigh its minimal benefits. In this article, we describe data from a new study showing that orlistat’s side effects were seriously underreported in published medical journal articles for the clinical trials that the drugmaker conducted to support the drug’s approval.
June 2017
We discuss new studies confirming that the widely used angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers can potentially harm the kidneys and cause dangerous elevations in blood potassium levels. These studies also indicated that many doctors are not heeding recommenda¬tions to look out for these side effects.
May 2017
Find out which commonly used prescription and over-the-counter diarrhea medications can cause dangerous abnormal heart rhythms and cardiac arrest if taken at higher-than-recommended doses.
May 2017
On March 10, President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Scott Gottlieb to be the next FDA commissioner. Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome explains why Gottlieb’s appointment would fur¬ther accelerate a decades-long trend in which FDA leadership too often makes decisions that are aligned more with the interests of the pharmaceutical industry than with those of patients.
May 2017
We describe the troubling story of how a pharmaceutical company manipulated the scientific literature to inappropriately promote the use of citalopram (CELEXA) for the treatment of de¬pression in children and teens despite the fact that the drug was not approved by the FDA for this use.
May 2017
The lung diseases asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease together afflict 40 million Americans and can result in disability and life-threatening complications for many affected individuals. In this article, we present our recommendations for using SYMBICORT, a combination of the long-acting beta agonist formoterol and the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide, to treat these lung diseases.
May 2017
Urinary incontinence — the inability to control the passage of urine — is a widespread problem that affects an estimated 25 million American adults. Learn about lifestyle changes and non-drug therapies that should be the first-choice treatments for incontinence, as well as the best drugs to use as second-choice treatment options.
April 2017
Overall, use of testosterone medications in the U.S. grew by nearly 10-fold from 2000 to 2011, and by 2013, more than 5 million U.S. prescriptions for testosterone were being filled annually. In this article, we discuss new research findings showing that testosterone products fail to provide benefit to many of the men who are using them.
April 2017
Worst Pills, Best Pills News Editor Dr. Michael Carome warns readers not to be deceived by the slick advertising campaign recently launched by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America — the leading industry trade group representing brand-name pharmaceutical companies.
April 2017
Find out which medications that are used to treat psoriasis (a chronic condition that causes patches of scaly and inflamed skin) are particularly dangerous during pregnancy because they carry well-established, high risks of birth defects.
April 2017
Flibanserin (ADDYI) was billed as the "female Viagra" because it was intended to increase sexual desire in women with "hypoactive sexual desire disorder," or low interest in sex. Learn why this dangerous drug fortunately has failed to be the blockbuster that many expected it to be.
April 2017
Levetiracetam (KEPPRA, ROWEEPRA, SPRITAM) and its long-acting variant, levetiracetam extended-release (KEPPRA XR), are approved by the FDA for preventing seizures in patients with epilepsy. Find out who is most likely to benefit from using these drugs and what adverse reactions to watch out for when taking them.
April 2017
We review the results of a new study demonstrating that patients using testosterone products have a significantly increased risk of developing life-threatening blood clots in large veins, most often in the legs.
March 2017
If you regularly watch nightly national news on TV, you have probably seen ads promising improved memory if you take the dietary supplement apoaequorin (PREVAGEN). Learn why these claims from the maker of PREVAGEN represent an apparent elaborate hoax.
March 2017
In October 2014, Public Citizen joined four other consumer advocacy and research groups to petition the FDA to strengthen the existing black-box warning on the label of the smoking cessation drug varenicline. In December, the agency instead decided to move recklessly in the opposite direction by removing the black-box warning from the label. In this article, we discuss the dangerous precedent set by this decision.
March 2017
In this article, we discuss three new drugs approved by the FDA in 2016 that Worst Pills, Best Pills News has identified as ineffective or lacking in evidence to support key claims made on products’ labels. The drugs discussed include one intended to treat a rare form of muscular dystrophy and two supposedly abuse-deterrent opioid pain drugs.
March 2017
Spironolactone is a diuretic (water pill) that has been used for decades to treat certain patients with high blood pressure, heart failure, swelling (water retention) and other conditions. Find out who is most likely to benefit from using this drug and who should avoid it because of its dangerous adverse effects.
March 2017
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a serious chronic mental illness that afflicts approximately 5.4 million people in the U.S. In this article, we review the benefits and safety of several drugs that are commonly used to treat this disorder.
March 2017
Learn about the unacceptable dangers posed by lorcaserin, a diet drug that was approved by the FDA in 2012 and that has similarities to the previously banned diet drug fenfluramine.
February 2017
One of the biggest-selling but most overprescribed classes of antibiotics in the U.S. is the family called fluoroquinolones. Learn why the FDA required the addition of new black-box warnings to the labels of these antibiotics that describe risks of several disabling and potentially permanent side effects.
February 2017
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses the dangerous giveaways to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries that are buried within the massive 21st Century Cures Act passed by the lame-duck Congress in December 2016.
February 2017
Beta blockers have long been a mainstay of hypertension drug treatment. While these drugs remain useful for some patients, we now no longer recommend them as the starting treatment for hypertension except in special circumstances. Read this article to find out why our views on beta blockers have changed.
February 2017
This article presents the results of new research showing that many parents make significant errors when measuring the dose of liquid medications for their children. Learn how to minimize dosing errors when administering children’s liquid medications.
February 2017
From 2000 to 2014, almost half a million people died of drug overdoses in the U.S. Many of these deaths were fatal opioid overdoses, which have quadrupled in the U.S. since 1999. Learn why buprenorphine now outpaces methadone as a treatment of choice for opioid addiction.
February 2017
In this month's Questions & Answers section, we respond to two readers' important questions about our recent article about the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
January 2017
Falls remain by far the leading cause of injuries among adults age 65 and older in the U.S. In this article, we identify many of the drugs that can increase your risk of falling and offer advice on how to protect yourself from fall-related injuries.
January 2017
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses highlights of the debate between the pharmaceutical and medical device industry and patient safety advocates at a recent FDA public hearing regarding the agency’s rules on off-label promotion — the pharmaceutical and medical device industry practice of promoting prod¬ucts for unapproved uses.
January 2017
Keeping high blood pressure under control is essential to preventing long-term complications of hypertension, including cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney failure. Learn about the steps you can take to boost your adherence to your blood pressure medication treatment.
January 2017
Find out why the risks of linaclotide far exceed its benefits for treating patients with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation, and learn about safer alternative treatments for these conditions.
January 2017
In October 2014, Public Citizen joined four other consumer advocacy and research groups to petition the FDA to strengthen the existing black-box warning on the label of the smoking cessation drug varenicline. Find out why the FDA now is considering moving recklessly in the opposite direction by removing the black-box warning from the label.
January 2017
In this month Questions & Answers section, we respond to a reader's question about whether calcium-containing antacids, such as TUMS, for heartburn may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events.
December 2016
The ever-increasing prices for prescription medications are often in the news these days, with some products carrying eye-popping price tags of more than $100,000 per year. Typically the highest prices are for newer, brand-name products. Yet a more surprising pricing story has begun to emerge over the past few years: the rising cost of generic medications.
December 2016
Learn why the decision by FDA’s leaders to approve a new medication for a rare muscle disorder, over the strenuous objections of the agency’s scientific experts, threatens to undermine public health.
December 2016
In this article, we explain why FDA-approved bioidentical hormone medications are preferred over custom-mixed (compounded) products for treating hormone-related disorders.
December 2016
In this article, we explore recent research showing that the older drug levodopa-carbidopa has a more favorable benefit-risk balance than ropinirole and other newer dopamine agonists for initial treatment of early Parkinson’s disease.
December 2016
Find out why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated suvorexant as Do Not Use and what steps you can take to improve your sleep without relying on medications.
November 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses how drug manufacturer Mylan assumed the banner of most infamous price gouger among pharmaceutical corporations in the U.S.
November 2016
For many years we have recommended never combining the high blood pressure medications aliskiren and ACE inhibitors. In this article, we review new research showing that this combination of drugs poses unacceptable risks in heart failure patients and provides no additional benefit over an ACE inhibitor alone.
November 2016
Not all thyroid hormone replacement medications are the same, and some are not even approved for use in the U.S. Learn which of these medications you should take — and which ones you should not take — to treat hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
November 2016
TOUJEO is a newer, long-acting, once-daily insulin approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in adults. Learn why you should avoid using this drug until at least 2022.
November 2016
In this month's News Brief section, we report on action taken by the Food and Drug Administration to add important new warnings to the labeling of all opioid and benzodiazepines drugs.
November 2016
Find out which commonly used antibiotic can cause psychosis, hallucinations, delirium, mood disorders, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment.
October 2016
The number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treated with drugs has increased dramatically over the past decade. Learn the steps needed for an accurate ADHD diagnosis and understand the variety of treatments available before working with your child's doctor on a plan for treatment.
October 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses the implications of a recent Public Citizen report showing that the overwhelming majority of patient groups that opposed a recent Medicare Part B plan to rein in drug costs have financial ties to pharmaceutical corporations.
October 2016
Bacterial skin infections are very common, resulting in several million visits to health care professionals annually. In this article, we explain the best treatment options for different types of bacterial skin infections.
October 2016
Over the past year, the Food and Drug Administration has issued a series of new warnings about serious and, in some cases, potentially fatal events linked to the newest class of diabetes drugs. These drugs, known as "flozins," are being heavily promoted in TV ads. Learn more about these newly identified dangers and why you should avoid all flozins.
October 2016
For children younger than 6 with ADHD, drug treatment is not the first choice. Find out the non-drug approach recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that parents and teachers can use to manage these very young ADHD patients.
October 2016
In this month Questions & Answers section, we respond to a reader's question asking for advice on how patients can find out if their doctors have taken money from the pharmaceutical industry.
September 2016
Find out which leading drugmaker has reaped billions of dollars in profits in the U.S. by charging unaffordable prices for its hepatitis C drugs, then shifting those profits offshore, enabling it to dodge nearly $10 billion in U.S. taxes.
September 2016
The FDA's approval of lesinurad despite serious safety concerns and limited evidence of benefits represents another example of the agency's reckless approach to the oversight of prescription drugs. Read our independent analysis of the data considered by the FDA when it approved this new gout drug and our assessment of why you should not use it.
September 2016
In 2004, Parke-Davis, the manufacturer of gabapentin (NEURONTIN), pleaded guilty to felony charges for illegal marketing of the drug, including for "off-label" uses not approved by the FDA. Protect yourself and your loved ones from unnecessary risk by learning which claims about gabapentin are supported by sound science and which are not.
September 2016
In this month Questions & Answers section, we offer advice on how readers can approach their doctors about medicines that we have designated as either Do Not Use or Do Not Use for Seven Years.
September 2016
Readers of Worst Pills, Best Pills News are aware that all benzodiazepine tranquilizers and sleeping pills, except for alprazolam (XANAX) and clonazepam (KLONOPIN), are now considered Do Not Use drugs. In this article, we explain why combining these drugs with opioid painkillers could kill you.
September 2016
Dabigatran is one of several new, heavily promoted anticoagulant drugs (blood thinners) approved by the FDA in recent years. Learn why you should ignore the television ads and not use this dangerous drug.
August 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses the recent arrest of two former drug company employees for allegedly running a brazen scheme to bribe doctors to prescribe millions of dollars' worth of a powerful synthetic opioid.
August 2016
Incretin mimetics, one of the newer classes of diabetes drugs, are widely prescribed in the U.S. Find out why Public Citizen's Health Research Group recommends against using any of these medications.
August 2016
Beta blockers, which are widely used and effective in treating high blood pressure, heart disease and heart failure, are often started in patients prior to surgery in an effort to prevent cardiovascular complications. Learn why starting beta blockers immediately before undergoing surgery may be dangerous.
August 2016
In this article, we review new research linking use of the heartburn and ulcer medications known as proton pump inhibitors to an increased risk of dementia.
August 2016
Numerous high-dose dietary supplements are now broadly marketed to promote general eye health. Find out who can benefit from — and who should not take — these supplements and which ingredients to look for on the label.
August 2016
In this month's news briefs, we report on the FDA's decision to require new black-box warnings in the labeling of all immediate-release opioid drugs about the risks of abuse, addiction, overdose and death, as well as the agency's recent drug safety alert reminding consumers not to purchase over-the-counter chelation products. We also discuss the decision of a major drugmaker to terminate its involvement in the marketing of an inhaled form of insulin.
July 2016
Public Citizen's Health Research Group has long warned about the serious risks of the commonly used group of heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors. In this article, we discuss new research suggesting that chronic kidney disease is another potential side effect of these drugs.
July 2016
When health care providers prescribe antibiotics to patients who do not need them, these drugs endanger both the patients taking them and the public at large. Find out why.
July 2016
Many people take vitamin supplements to promote bone and muscle health. But taking too much vitamin D may have dangerous consequences. Read this article to find out how much vitamin D is safe.
July 2016
Summer is a terrific time for healthy outdoor activities, such as walking, hiking, biking and swim¬ming. But for an unlucky few, certain medications can lead to adverse skin reactions following exposure to the sun. Find out whether you are at risk and how to protect yourself.
July 2016
For most people with hair loss, the condition usually is age-related or due to the genes they inherited from their parents. But for some patients, the cause of the problem can be found in the medicine cabinet. Learn about some commonly used medications that can cause hair loss.
June 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome highlights new research showing that the large sums of money pharmaceutical and medical device companies funnel to physicians too often play an inappropriate role in physicians’ prescribing decisions.
June 2016
Symptoms of benign (noncancerous) prostate enlargement afflict most men age 60 or older. In this article, we discuss new research showing that a group of drugs often used to treat this condition slightly increase the risk of falls and fractures. We offer important advice on how to minimize these risks.
June 2016
Drug labels provide important information regarding the benefits and risks of prescription medications. In this article, we offer guidance on where to find these drug labels and identify the sections of the label that provide the most useful information for patients.
June 2016
Shingles is a very common disease caused by the chicken (herpes zoster) virus. Elderly adults are particularly vulnerable to developing this painful and sometimes debilitating condition. Learn the facts about shingles and how you can lower your risk of developing it.
June 2016
Tiotropium (SPIRIVA) is a frequently prescribed drug administered via oral inhalers for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The drug is available in two types of inhaler devices. One of these should never be used. Find out which one.
May 2016
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common, accounting for more than 10 million visits to doctors’ offices and 2 million to 3 million emergency department visits in the U.S. in 2007. Hear our take on which antibiotics are safest for treating these infections.
May 2016
Animated characters are a feature of an increasing number of TV ads for prescription drugs. Find out why the FDA is concerned that these characters may mislead consumers about the risks and benefits of the medications being promoted and what the agency intends to do about this.
May 2016
Memantine (NAMENDA) recently has been one of the drugs for Alzheimer’s disease most heavily promoted through direct-to-consumer advertising. Learn why we have designated memantine as Do Not Use.
May 2016
In this month’s Question & Answer feature, we respond to a reader’s request to explain why we recommend use of bisphosphonates for certain patients with osteoporosis despite our warnings about their risks.
May 2016
Last month, we discussed the risks and benefits of second- and third-generation antihistamines for treatment of nasal allergies. In this second of a two-part series, we explain why first-generation or "sedating" antihistamines are not a safe option for managing nasal allergies.
May 2016
For various reasons, many prescribed medications go unused. Such leftover medications can pose a hazard to family members, especially young children, and the environment. Find out the best ways to safely dispose of unused prescription medications.
April 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome explains why the new FDA Commissioner, who was confirmed by the Senate in February, was a poor choice to lead such a critically important agency of the U.S. Public Health Service.
April 2016
If you watch TV, you likely have seen ads touting the advantages of the new oral antico-agulant (blood thinner) rivaroxaban (XARELTO). Learn why we have designated this drug as Do Not Use for Seven Years (until at least July 2018).
April 2016
With spring time pollen counts soaring, many patients with seasonal nasal allergies will be looking for relief from allergy medications. Learn the best available treatments to stay safe and relatively symptom-free during allergy season and throughout the year.
April 2016
Low back pain is the fifth most common reason for outpatient doc¬tor visits and leads to 2.6 million emergency room visits in the U.S. every year. This article reviews results of the newest research on which pain relievers are safest and most effective for managing severe low back pain.
April 2016
In this article, we discuss results of new research linking the widely overused fluoroquinolone antibiotics to an increased risk of life-threatening damage to the body’s largest blood vessel, the aorta.
March 2016
Learn about six new drugs approved by the FDA in 2015 that Worst Pills, Best Pills News has identified as dangerous or ineffective. The drugs include two for lowering high cholesterol levels, one for removing excess fat below the chin, and another for treating gout, among others.
March 2016
Since 1999, more than 140,000 people in the U.S. have died from overdoses related to opioid pain medication. Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome applauds a new proposal from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to rein in the overprescribing of opioids and reverse this rising death toll.
March 2016
In this month’s news brief, we report on the Department of Justice taking long-overdue action against a Dallas-area compounding pharmacy for making contaminated drugs and for unsanitary production conditions.
March 2016
Too often, consumers are exposed to dietary supplements that have been spiked illegally with hidden drug ingredients or contaminated with other potentially dangerous substances. In this article, we report on recent legal actions taken by the FDA, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission to stem the flow of these dangerous products.
March 2016
This article explores one of the newer classes of drugs for treating depression: serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Find out which SNRIs are safe for treating depression and which should be avoided.
March 2016
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a wide array of medication choices for reducing joint pain and inflammation and slowing the progression of joint damage. The most potent such drugs are a group of medications known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Learn about the serious risks posed by these drugs and when they should be used.
February 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome expresses outrage over disclosures that senior Food and Drug Administration representatives colluded with a leading medical device trade association in writing legislation that would weaken regulatory standards for medical devices.
February 2016
St. John’s wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been around for centuries, and many patients have been using it in recent years to self-medicate for depression. In this article, we explain why St. John’s wort should not be used to treat this disease.
February 2016
Allopurinol (LOPURIN, ZYLOPRIM) is an appropriate first-choice drug for treating gout and kidney stones caused by excess uric acid levels in the blood or urine. But you should not use allopurinol to treat high blood uric acid levels if you don’t have these disorders. Read this article to learn why.
February 2016
Urinary incontinence, or loss of bladder control, is a common and often embarrassing problem that can have a huge impact on quality of life. Find out which drugs can cause this problem.
February 2016
In our news brief this month, we report on two recent warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration about the diabetes drugs known as SGLT2 inhibitors, more commonly known as “flozins.” This family of drugs, all designated as Do Not Use, includes canagliflozin (INVOKAMET, INVOKANA), dapagliflozin (FARXIGA) and empagliflozin (JARDIANCE).
February 2016
Statins have long been a mainstay of treatment for patients with high LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and cardiovascular disease. In this article, we explain why you should avoid combining a nonstatin cholesterol-lowering dug with a statin.
January 2016
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses the implications of new research showing that patients taking prescription drugs for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration are more likely to suffer adverse reactions.
January 2016
Learn why Health Canada, an agency similar to the Food and Drug Administration, warned Canadian consumers not to combine repaglinide-containing diabetes medications (PRANDIN or PRANDIMET) with the anti-platelet drug clopidogrel (PLAVIX).
January 2016
In this month’s Questions & Answers feature, we address readers’ questions about using several non-traditional treatments for osteoarthritis pain, including cetyl myristoleate, s-adenosylmethionine or SAMe, and aloe vera.
January 2016
For the approximately 5 million Americans suffering from chronic heart failure, there is a wide array of lifesaving drug treatments. Find out our take on the most recent expert guidelines for treating this disease.
January 2016
In this article, we review results from a well-designed clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health that debunks the cognitive health claims for dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids or the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.
January 2016
Patients taking drugs to treat high blood pressure often are directed to stop their medication at least 24 hours before surgery. Learn why restarting these medications as soon as possible after surgery could save your life.
December 2015
Find out why this new form of insulin, which is inhaled as a powder, is a dangerous alternative to injected forms of insulin and never should have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of diabetes.
December 2015
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome examines the possible implications of the rising tide of public anger over the high prices charged by pharma¬ceutical companies in the U.S.
December 2015
Some powerful antipsychotic drugs originally developed to treat schizophrenia now have been approved to treat depression. Learn about the serious side effects of these drugs that make it advisable to explore other, safer options for managing depression.
December 2015
In this article, we review new evidence suggesting that long-acting opioids are associated with a higher risk of unintentional life-threatening over¬doses than short-acting forms of these drugs.
December 2015
A recent study revealed that some cardiologists prescribe blood thinners to atrial fibrillation patients who don’t need them because their risk of stroke is very low. Read this article to learn who these patients are.
December 2015
In our news brief this month, we discuss Public Citizen's recent petition to the Food and Drug Administration to correct the labeling of a new drug approved for treatment of an uncommon sleep disorder in totally blind people. The agency mistakenly approved a label that expanded the drug's use to nonblind patients.
November 2015
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses disturbing results from a recent study revealing that pharmaceutical companies too often violate the law by failing to promptly report unexpected serious adverse events linked to use of their products. Delays in report¬ing such events undermine a key component of our nation’s system for monitoring the safety of prescription drugs.
November 2015
In our news brief this month, we report on the Food and Drug Administration's reckless decision to approve flibanserin (ADDYI), the first drug to treat hypo¬active sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women.
November 2015
Insulin pumps have been promoted as an important technological advancement in diabetes care. Find out why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group considers these devices too dangerous to use.
November 2015
In this article, we provide a detailed update of the various drugs available for the long-term management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Learn which drugs are safest for treating COPD and which ones we have designated as Do Not Use.
November 2015
For most people with hearing loss, the condition likely is age-related or due to long-term exposure to loud noise. But for some patients, the cause of the problem can be found in the medicine cabinet. Learn about some commonly used medications that can cause hearing disorders.
October 2015
In this month's Question and Answers feature, we respond to readers' questions about our June article on injected drugs for age-related macular degeneration.
October 2015
Learn more about a recent federal court decision that threatens to return us to the days of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when snake-oil salesmen touted "remedies" that were too often ineffective — and sometimes dangerous.
October 2015
Find out why the recently approved high-dose form of liraglutide, which was originally marketed for treatment of Type 2 diabetes, is not a safe option for managing weight loss
October 2015
Fluoroquinolones are the biggest-selling and most overprescribed classes of antibiotics in the U.S. Learn why Public Citizen's Health Research Group designates two of the five available fluoroquinolones as Do Not Use and why the other three should be used only in limited circumstances.
October 2015
In this article, we discuss the most recent evidence linking the use of hormone replacement therapy in women after menopause to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other serious cardiovascular problems.
September 2015
In our news brief this month, we report on a recent FDA safety warning about permanent disfiguring skin color changes caused by a medication patch used for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
September 2015
Last year, the FDA proposed a guidance that would give drug com¬panies free rein to tell doctors that medications are less dangerous than the FDA has concluded. Find out the serious threat posed by this guidance and action you can take to stop it.
September 2015
In response to our recent article on osteoporosis, a reader asks for our opinion regarding the use of the dietary supplement PROSTEON for this disorder. See our independent assessment of this supplement.
September 2015
In July, the FDA announced that the agency will be requiring manufacturers to stop selling 16 types of prescription ear drops. These drugs have never been approved as safe and effective for their marketed uses. Find out the names of these drugs so you can protect yourself and your family members from these potentially harmful and unproven remedies.
September 2015
Don't fall prey to a drug company's slick marketing campaign of a dangerous drug recently approved by the FDA for treatment of a newly designated disease called "binge eating disorder."
September 2015
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses the FDA’s recent safety alert announcing that the agency is strengthening existing warnings in the product labels for all non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs about increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
September 2015
Learn why the new combination of conjugated estrogens plus bazedoxifene (DUAVEE) is a bad choice for treating hot flashes and improving bone health in menopausal women.
August 2015
Learn about one disturbing pharmaceutical industry trend contributing to skyrocketing prices of certain lifesaving medications that have been on the market for decades.
August 2015
Proton pump inhibitors, a widely used class of heartburn drugs, and essentially all antibiotics increase your risk of C. difficile infections, which can cause severe, even life-threatening diarrhea illness. Read this article to find out how to protect yourself from this dangerous infection.
August 2015
Asthma is a common disease afflicting more than 16 million American adults and 6 million children. Find out the safest and most effective options for managing this chronic lung disease.
August 2015
A reader asks whether a recent change in her thyroid disorder symptoms could have been caused by switching from a brand name to generic thyroid hormone replacement drug. See our advice regarding concerns about such thyroid medication changes.
August 2015
The airwaves are filled with ads promoting the newest class of diabetes medications, often referred to as “flozins.” In this article, we review the serious safety concerns that have prompted us to designate all flozins as Do Not Use.
August 2015
Learn about recent evidence suggesting that anticholinergic drugs — which include many antidepressants, antihistamines and overactive bladder control medications — may increase the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia in the elderly.
July 2015
In a recent complaint to the FDA, we took several makers of diabetes drugs to task for direct-to-consumer ads that promote the drugs for unapproved uses. Find out the names of the drugs targeted in our complaint and the nature of the off-label uses being promoted in the ads.
July 2015
Recent research revealed that many patients consume alcohol while using drugs that may can cause dangerous side effects when combined with alcohol. Read this article to learn about the many ways alcohol can adversely interact with prescription and over-the-counter medications.
July 2015
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses an unusual lawsuit filed by a drug company against the FDA that seeks to bypass the agency’s drug approval process and the prohibition against off-label promotion.
July 2015
Patients with osteoarthritis have many treatment options. Find out which ones are safest for relieving osteoarthritis pain.
July 2015
In this month’s news brief, we discuss Public Citizen’s recent petition to the FDA calling for a ban on all oral forms of a commonly used antifungal drug.
June 2015
Find out which commonly used antibiotic can increase your risk of sudden death if it is combined with either an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), which are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the U.S.
June 2015
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome discusses three recent events that reinforce the importance of being wary when considering the use of dietary supplements.
June 2015
In our news briefs this month, we report on a recent FDA warning about the dangers of relying on over-the-counter homeopathic products to treat asthma. We also discuss the FDA’s very first approval of a biosimilar, which is essentially a generic version of a biologic drug.
June 2015
Learn why increasing the amount of potassium in your diet can help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of suffering a stroke. To help readers assess their potassium intake, we offer a list of potassium-rich foods.
June 2015
Health Canada, the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, recently warned physicians and patients about safety concerns regarding two drugs commonly used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Find out the names of these drugs and the newly identified serious adverse events linked to them.
June 2015
Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness and serious decreases in vision among patients age 50 and older. In this article, we provide our independent expert assessment of the available drug treatments for this disorder.
May 2015
Drug treatment can prevent broken bones in some women with osteoporosis. But drugs are not always necessary and can cause harmful side effects, especially when treatment lasts longer than needed. Read this article to learn who should take osteoporosis drugs, which drugs to take and for how long.
May 2015
On March 3, the Food and Drug Administration finally announced that it was requiring that the labels of all approved prescription testosterone products include a warning about the possible increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome criticizes the agency for recklessly dragging its feet prior to requiring these warnings.
May 2015
For years, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated tramadol as a Do Not Use drug. We discuss results of a new study providing an additional reason for avoiding tramadol: The drug has been linked to the occurrence of dangerously low blood sugar.
May 2015
Recent studies have confirmed that a significant cause of falls in the elderly is medication (and often overmedication) with drugs for high blood pressure, resulting in blood pressures low enough to increase the risk of falling — with attendant fractures and head injuries. Learn who is most at risk and what the blood pressure goal should be for patients age 60 or older.
May 2015
This article discusses evidence from recent research that calls into question the benefits of taking drugs, such as niacin, to raise blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), often called “good” cholesterol.
April 2015
Patients should never take more than one of the following drugs used to treat high blood pressure at the same time: an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), and aliskiren. Learn why doing so could have serious, even fatal consequences.
April 2015
Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Michael Carome reviews a new scheme being perpetrated by some health insurance companies in order to maximize profits: to discourage certain high-cost patients from enrolling in their health plans.
April 2015
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition affecting 13 million Americans. Find out steps to take to prevent symptom flare-ups, and learn which topical drug therapies are most effective and safest for treating this condition.
April 2015
In December 2014, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted 14 executives and employees of a Massachusetts compounding phar¬macy on 131 criminal charges in connec¬tion with a deadly nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak. Learn the shocking details of how the company put the lives of thousands of patients around the country at risk.
April 2015
This article discusses recent research showing increasing frequency of benzodiazepine use as people get older in the U.S. We also review results of a new study showing a possible link between use of these drugs and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
March 2015
Patients often wonder what steps they can take to minimize their chances of suffering a serious adverse drug reaction. This article reviews 10 simple rules developed by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group for ensuring safer drug use.
March 2015
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses how companies that make biologic medications are using their political clout to price-gouge and maintain indefinite monopolies on their products, costing consumers billions of dollars.
March 2015
In October 2014, Public Citizen joined four other consumer advocacy and research groups to petition the FDA to require stronger warnings on the label of the smoking cessation drug varenicline (CHANTIX). Learn about the drug’s severe psychiatric and neurological side effects that could potentially lead to fatal consequences.
March 2015
Pharmaceutical companies market patient assistance programs as a goodwill solution to assist patients who are struggling to pay for expensive prescription drugs. Find out why these programs may encourage physicians to prescribe more expensive drugs instead of less expensive, equally effective alternatives, including generic products.
March 2015
The most recently issued prescribing guidelines for cholesterol-lowering statin drugs were partly based on a new patient risk calculator that significantly overestimates patients’ risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Learn how this overestimation will lead to overprescribing of statin drugs to patients who will not benefit from using them.
March 2015
In our news brief this month, we report on the FDA’s recent approval of a new, high-dose, extended-release formulation of the opioid drug oxycodone (HYSLINGA). Although this new version of the drug is designed to deter abuse, it may be more dangerous than other oxycodone products. Read this article to find out why.
March 2015
In a new feature that will appear periodically in issues of Worst Pills, Best Pills News, we respond to some selected questions posed by our readers. In this month’s issue, we respond to questions regarding (a) whether the widely advertised drug adalimumab (HUMIRA) is a new wonder drug, and (b) what should you do if you are already taking rivaroxaban (XARELTO).
February 2015
Patients who have difficulty swallowing pills will sometimes crush tablets or open capsules and sprinkle the resulting powder, fragments or granules into food or liquids. Other patients will resort to chewing their pills before swallowing. Find out the dangers posed by taking such measures.
February 2015
In 2014, alarm bells sounded as the prices of many commonly used generic drugs spiked, in some cases by staggering amounts. Read Dr. Michael Carome’s column to find out how Congress and the Justice Department are investigating this price gouging.
February 2015
After a more than three-year delay and a Public Citizen lawsuit filed against the FDA, the agency finally responded to our petition for stronger label warnings on a class of medications, known as proton pump inhibitors, commonly used to treat heartburn. This article discusses the new warnings that the FDA has required in response to our petition.
February 2015
This reprint of a British Medical Journal column by Health Research Group founder and former Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Sidney Wolfe discusses how user fees paid by the drug industry to the FDA have compromised the agency’s drug review process and undermined drug safety.
February 2015
In 2014, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued new recommendations regarding the use of low-dose aspirin by pregnant women to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition. Learn about the risk factors for this serious condition and who is most likely to benefit from taking low-dose aspirin.
January 2015
Find out which drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome and the hormone disorder hyperprolactinemia can cause uncontrollable impulsive behaviors, including compulsive gambling and shopping, hypersexuality, and binge eating.
January 2015
Given the changes in the makeup of the U.S. Senate following the November elections, Congress is likely to pass new legislation that will weaken the FDA’s rules for ensuring that drugs are safe and effective. Read Dr. Michael Carome’s column to find out why.
January 2015
One of the supposed major advantages of the anticoagulant dabigatran (PRADAXA) touted by its manufacturer is that patients can take a fixed dose of the drug and do not need to undergo periodic monitoring with blood tests to adjust the dose. This article presents new research data that casts doubt on the safety of this fixed-dose approach.
January 2015
In a new feature that will appear periodically in issues of Worst Pills, Best Pills News, we highlight recent important news items related to drug safety. In this month’s news briefs, we report on (a) a recent FDA warning about over-the-counter drugs that can make you drowsy; (b) action taken by the Federal Trade Commission against a company for false advertising of green coffee beans as a miracle weight loss remedy; and (c) the American Academy of Neurology’s position statement cautioning against the use of narcotic drugs for treatment of chronic noncancer pain.
January 2015
Since 2003, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has advised readers not to use rosuvastatin (CRESTOR). Learn about the newest research indicating that rosuvastatin is more dangerous than other available statin drugs.
January 2015
The FDA recently approved a drug for treatment of a sleep disorder that occurs primarily in people who are totally blind. Find out the name of this new drug and learn about concerns that the company may seek to market the drug to a much wider population of patients who are not blind.
December 2014
LYRICA is heavily promoted for treatment of chronic pain due to fibromyalgia and other conditions. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group advises against using the drug to treat these painful conditions.
December 2014
In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses the implications of data recently released by the federal government that reveals the staggering amount of money drug and medical device companies are paying doctors and teaching hospitals.
December 2014
In this review of restless legs syndrome (RLS), we discuss the limitations of the available drug treatments for the disorder and the nondrug approaches that are the safest options for people with mild to moderate RLS symptoms.
December 2014
Read about the dangers posed by albiglutide, yet another new diabetes drug designated as Do Not Use by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group because it offers no unique benefits but does pose unique risks.
December 2014
If you are one of the millions of patients in the U.S. who take blood thinners on a long-term basis to prevent potentially harmful clots in the heart, veins or arteries, read this article to learn why you should avoid taking NSAIDS or aspirin unless absolutely necessary.
November 2014
One year ago, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released controversial new guidelines on treating high cholesterol. Get Public Citizen’s Health Research Group’s independent take on these new guidelines.
November 2014
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome takes the FDA to task for using the agency’s homepage to promote specific medical devices and medications. By becoming the promoter of the products it regulates, the FDA undermines its objectivity and independence.
November 2014
Serious adverse reactions often occur when different drugs are taken together. Find out which antibiotics diabetic patients taking glipizide (GLUCOTROL, GLUCOTROL XL) or glyburide (DIABETA, GLUCOVANCE, GLYNASE) should avoid because of an increased risk of life-threatening drops in blood sugar levels.
November 2014
For many years, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has recommended against using sleeping pills to treat insomnia. This article reviews the serious risks of the newest sleep medication approved by the FDA.
November 2014
Learn about new warnings recently issued by the FDA about the bone drug denosumab, a medicine previously designated as Do Not Use by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group.
October 2014
Learn why benzocaine-containing gels and liquids should never be used to treat teething discomfort and about the actions Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has taken to end the use of these dangerous products in infants.
October 2014
Stopping beneficial medications threatens patient health. In his monthly editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome discusses an intriguing new study showing that patients are more likely to stop taking important medications when pharmacies substitute one generic version of a drug for another differing in shape or color.
October 2014
Many men with localized prostate cancer are being treated unnecessarily with a commonly used class of drugs. Find out which drugs are being overused.
October 2014
The Food and Drug Administration’s recent recommendation to lower the starting dose of the insomnia drug eszopiclone is insufficient to address the drug’s dangers. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group continues to designate eszopiclone as Do Not Use.
October 2014
Many commonly used over-the-counter acne products pose a risk of serious allergic reactions in children and adults. This article provides information on how to minimize the risk when starting treatment with one of these products.
September 2014
Learn about the many dangers of one of the newest diabetes drugs approved in the U.S., dapagliflozin, which has been designated as Do Not Use by Public Citizen’s Health Research Group.
September 2014
The recent refusal of two companies to immediately recall potentially contaminated sterile drugs when requested to do so by the Food and Drug Administration highlights a serious gap in the agency’s regulatory authority. Learn more about the companies involved and the action that must be taken by Congress to address the public health threat posed by such industry obstinacy.
September 2014
In December 2013, new guidelines for treatment of high blood pressure were issued by a group of experts appointed by the National Institutes of Health. The guidelines stirred much controversy in the medical community. Get the Public Citizen Health Research Group’s independent take on these new guidelines.
September 2014
Perhaps you have seen some of the recent newspaper coverage of a National Cancer Institute-funded study suggesting that long-term aspirin use may be associated with a decreased risk of pancreatic cancer. In this article, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group reviews the study, compares it with earlier evidence and offers our recommendations.
September 2014
News stories often excitedly report about the results of the latest medical study. Learn about the three main types of medical studies and find out which type provides the most reliable information for assessing the risks and benefits of drugs and other medical treatments.
August 2014
Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders, afflicting more than 2.7 million Americans. Learn about the most recent guidelines for treating this disorder, issued by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, and about Public Citizen’s Health Research Group’s assessment of those guidelines.
August 2014
The FDA recently required manufacturers of all approved testosterone products to include a general warning on the product labeling about the risk of developing blood clots in veins. Find out why the new warning is dangerously incomplete.
August 2014
Numerous advertisements in magazines and on television and the Internet tout the miraculous age-reversing and bodybuilding properties of synthetic growth hormone treatment. This article critically reviews the evidence surrounding these health claims.
August 2014
Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has designated the following three new Type 2 diabetes drugs as Do Not Use: alogliptin (NESINA), the combination of alogliptin and metformin (KAZANO), and the combination of alogliptin and pioglitazone (OSENI).
July 2014
For many years, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has recommended against using tranquilizers and sleeping pills to treat insomnia and anxiety. This article presents new evidence linking use of these drugs to an increased risk of premature death.
July 2014
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome takes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to task for its obsessive focus on drug approval times as a measure of agency success. Focusing on such metrics to assess the agency’s performance is misguided and dangerous.
July 2014
In 2007, the FDA enthusiastically suggested that newly available genetic tests would help doctors select the best dose of warfarin — one of the oldest and most widely prescribed blood thinners (anticoagulants) — for individual patients. Find out why the FDA’s enthusiasm about the promise of genetic testing in the management of warfarin dosing was premature and overstated.
July 2014
Dietary supplement companies tout the mineral selenium as possibly being able to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and other diseases. Learn about new evidence showing that high doses of selenium may actually increase the risk of prostate cancer.
July 2014
Steroid injections are very commonly used to treat back pain. Find out why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group now recommends against such treatment.
June 2014
Learn about the dangers of the heavily promoted drug ospemifene (OSPHENA), which was recently approved by the FDA to treat pain during sexual intercourse, and about much safer alternatives for treating this condition.
June 2014
In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome explains why the FDA’s distorted view of itself as a part¬ner with the pharmaceutical and medical device industries is incompatible with its role as the regulator of these industries and its mission to protect public health.
June 2014
Learn about new research that provides further evidence affirming our designation of celecoxib (CE¬LEBREX) as a Do Not Use drug and that has prompted us to reclassify diclofenac (VOLTAREN) from Limited Use to Do Not Use. Also find out which NSAIDs are least likely to cause adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.
June 2014
Clopidogrel is a widely used drug for reducing the risk of a new heart attack or stroke or cardiovascular death in patients who have had a recent heart attack, stroke or established pe-ripheral vascular disease. This article provides a detailed overview of the drug, including potential serious side effects and important precautions to follow when taking the drug.
May 2014
Learn about the dangers of using calcitonin-containing drugs for treatment of osteoporosis and find out why the Food and Drug Administration, in contrast to regulators in Canada and Europe, has acted recklessly by failing to ban nasal calcitonin products.
May 2014
In a desperate attempt to prevent the FDA’s November 2013 proposed rule on generic drug labeling from being finalized, the generic drug industry has offered up many groundless objections. In his editor’s column, Dr. Carome outlines the reasons why this rule must be implemented to ensure patient safety.
May 2014
The treatment options for Type 2 diabetes can be overwhelming. This article provides a comprehensive summary of our independent expert views on the best approaches for preventing and treating this common disease.
May 2014
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and suffer or have suffered a heart attack, you should be treated with a beta blocker. Such treatment could save your life. Find out why and learn which beta blockers are safest for COPD patients.
April 2014
The FDA recently issued an alert about serious, and even fatal, kidney and heart risks from exceeding the recommended dose of over-the counter sodium phosphate products used to treat constipation. This article reviews the data that led to the FDA’s alert and provides advice on how to avoid these serious harms when taking sodium phosphate products.
April 2014
On Jan. 23, 2014, the FDA issued an order banning from the U.S. market any drugs produced by a factory owned by a leading manufacturer of generic drugs sold in the U.S. Read this commentary to find out why.
April 2014
Do not use the contraceptive drug NUVARING. Multiple studies have shown increased risk of blood clotting with drugs from the same family as NUVARING, and some have shown increased risk with NUVARING itself. Learn about safer, equally effective forms of contraception that are widely available.
April 2014
Learn about new evidence demonstrating the dangers of combining calcium channel blockers, a widely used class of drugs for treating high blood pressure, with the commonly used macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin and other related antibiotics. Also find out which macrolide antibiotic does not have this dangerous interaction with calcium channel blockers.
March 2014
There is a growing body of evidence indicating that testosterone treatment exposes men to an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, as well as death.
This article reviews the results of two recently published studies that provide the most compelling evidence yet linking testosterone use to increased cardiovascular risk.
March 2014
In his first column as the editor of Worst Pills, Best Pills News, Dr. Michael Carome highlights the major flaws in a new federal law on compounded drugs and criticizes the FDA’s initial failure to clearly communicate to the public that compounded drugs are riskier than FDA-approved drugs.
March 2014
Learn about new drugs approved by the FDA in 2013 that Worst Pills Best Pills has identified as dangerous or ineffective. The drugs include two for diabetes, two for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and an over-the-counter drug for overactive bladder, among others.
March 2014
Dr. Sidney Wolfe, founding editor of Worst Pills, Best Pills News, concludes that “there is pathological lack of corporate integrity in many drug companies.” Read this article to find out why.
February 2014
Do not use the newly approved diabetes drug INVOKANA. It offers no benefits over existing drugs but can result in serious risks, including hypotension and impaired kidney function, outlined in the article.
February 2014
Learn about the new editor of the Worst Pills, Best Pills newsletter and website, Dr. Michael Carome. The founding editor, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, will continue writing articles for the newsletter, including some of his new regular columns for the British Medical Journal.
February 2014
The FDA has announced that accidental exposure to a prescription narcotic patch has been fatal to children. Learn what precautions to take to protect the young people around you.
February 2014
Some degrees of depression are less likely to respond to treatment with an antidepressant. This article reviews the evidence and evaluates 27 different antidepressants, labeling many as Do Not Use or Limited Use.
January 2014
A newly marketed drug for treating hot flashes of menopause, BRISDELLE, is a lower dose of the familiar antidepressant PAXIL. This article discusses its risks and barely-evident effectiveness.
January 2014
When the manufacturer of the amphetamine ADDERALL criticized a Los Angeles boutique for selling T-shirts emblazoned with the drug’s name, it stated that the shirts “glorify[y] the misuse and diversion of a federally controlled prescription drug.” But the pharmaceutical company itself was cited by the Food and Drug Administration for overpromoting the drug to increase sales.
January 2014
The dangers of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are in direct proportion to the length of time for which they are used. This article discusses strategies for keeping dosage and exposure to a minimum and recommends only using HRT for debilitating hot flash symptoms. Nondrug remedies for milder symptoms also are discussed.
January 2014
A dangerous and easily substituted antifungal drug presents yet another example of Europeans being more protected from dangerous medicines by their regulatory authorities than Americans.
December 2013
We oppose the use of all sleeping pills, based on experts’ findings that “nonpharmacological treatments not only cause fewer side effects, but … can sustain long-term improvements more successfully than pharmacological treatments.” Read this article to learn about some suggested nondrug approaches.
December 2013
Public Citizen stopped the chair of an FDA advisory committee from being the star attraction at an expensive conference for drug industry personnel. The planned session was intended to help the industry more easily get drugs approved by FDA advisory committees. Such activity demeans and undermines the crucial advisory committee process and highlights the need for an explicit FDA ethics policy.
December 2013
Yet another dietary supplement — this one intended for weight reduction and body-building — turns out to have life-threatening toxicity. In this case, the supplement has been linked to an outbreak of acute hepatitis.
December 2013
Are Americans more resistant to the risks and more likely to benefit from certain drugs than Europeans? Or is the European Medicines Agency (EMA) more resistant than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the drug industry’s desire to get approval for drugs with unique risks but without compensating benefits? This article discusses two recently FDA-approved diet drugs deemed too unsafe for Europeans.
December 2013
Learn about the problems of a common over-the-counter laxative, widely used for children but never approved for their use. We discuss the preferable, safer alternatives for treating constipation.
November 2013
A familiar and heavily promoted remedy for colds, zinc has not been found to have very important benefits. This article analyzes studies purporting to show such benefits.
November 2013
This month will see the launch of yet another highly promoted drug to treat the hot flashes of menopause. Like almost all of its predecessors, it has clear risks and also lacks strong evidence of usefulness.
November 2013
Read about the benefits and risks of this vaccine for women, as well as the doubts about its usefulness for men.
November 2013
Lomitapide is approved to treat a rare genetic condition affecting approximately 300 people in the U.S. Yet it may ultimately be used to lower cholesterol in many more people, and it presents serious safety concerns.
October 2013
The federal government recently issued guidelines discouraging the use of antipsychotic medications to treat dementia in nursing home patients, promoting nonpharmacologic approaches to such treatment. Antipsychotic use among elderly patients is associated with increased chances of death, as well as other serious side effects.
October 2013
Several major drug companies have been implicated in scandals involving bribery of foreign doctors and illegal payments to foreign government officials. Learn which companies have paid penalties to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to settle charges of corrupt foreign practices.
October 2013
If you or a loved one has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sometimes known as emphysema, and suffers from periodic acute COPD exacerbations requiring steroids, you should know that new research demonstrates that a five-day course of steroids for treating such exacerbations works just as well as a conventional 14-day course.
October 2013
The FDA recently issued a safety alert warning consumers that an intravenous fluid known as hydroxyethyl starch, sometimes used to replenish fluids in critically ill patients, can cause serious kidney damage and death. Learn about the basis for this warning and the available safer, less expensive alternatives.
September 2013
The FDA is considering relaxing the restrictions on the unacceptably dangerous drug rosiglitazone (AVANDIA) so that more people can access it, even while it remains banned in European countries.
September 2013
Many doctors lack knowledge of how to prescribe statins appropriately. Learn what happens with this is combined with patients watching TV ads about these drugs.
September 2013
This article discusses the latest example of a failed drug for treating Alzheimer's disease. It also examines other ineffective FDA-approved drugs for treating the condition, as well as recent promising evidence for successful nondrug approaches, especially for those with mild cognitive impairment.
September 2013
The overuse of acid reflux drugs in adults has been well documented. Even worse, there is now evidence of an 11-fold increase in the use of these drugs to treat infants, mostly due to a benign condition for which the risks clearly outweigh any benefit. The article discusses effective, time-honored, nondrug remedies for this benign condition.
August 2013
A new study casts serious doubt on the usefulness of long-popular niacin products to treat or prevent cardiovascular disease.
August 2013
CEOs of major drug companies are getting increasingly large benefits packages while their companies are paying massively larger criminal and civil penalties for illegal activities.
August 2013
If you are thinking of using newly approved over-the-counter oxybutyin (OXYTROL FOR WOMEN) to treat overactive bladder, find out why you should first check with your doctor and learn about possible adverse reactions.
August 2013
Six recently approved diabetes drugs have been linked to an increased risk of pancreatitis and possibly pancreatic cancer.
July 2013
Dr. Carome will be directing Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, but Dr. Wolfe will still be working on the issues he has previously focused on, such as drug safety.
July 2013
A recently published article mirrors our now-35-year-old publication “Off Diabetes Pills” in suggesting alternatives to pharmaceutical treatment for a large proportion of adult-onset diabetics.
July 2013
The article reviews evidence that one of the biggest-selling asthma drugs lacks evidence of a unique benefit and has been found to cause a variety of adverse psychiatric events, including nightmares, hallucinations and aggressiveness, especially in children.
July 2013
These two widely used diuretics (water pills) are equally effective in lowering blood pressure, but one of them is linked to many more adverse effects than the other.
July 2013
Learn tips for bypassing deceptive drug advertising to obtain truly unbiased, noncommercial health information.
June 2013
This article provides the newest information on a big-selling osteoporosis drug that can actually cause fractures as well as numerous other adverse reactions, further explaining its categorization on WorstPills.org as DO NOT USE.
June 2013
To protect yourself and others, when your doctor pulls out a pen to write a prescription for an antibiotic, you should ask him or her, especially if you are not feeling very sick: Do I really need this? And why?
June 2013
A recent study contradicted earlier beliefs by finding that vitamin D supplements (CALCIFEROL) given to people with osteoarthritis of the knee were ineffective in relieving knee pain or slowing damage to the knee joint.
June 2013
For people who have had heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, statins can prevent further damage. But for primary prevention — in people without such disease — a number of articles raise serious questions about whether the risks of statins outweigh the benefits.
June 2013
These updates provide new information that has become available since we published our last articles regarding these three categories of drugs.
May 2013
The article reviews evidence that quite often, to "enhance" the effectiveness of usually ineffective dietary supplements for weight loss, companies are illegally lacing such products with the dangerous, now-banned prescription weight-loss drug sibutramine (MERIDIA). Male-enhancement and muscle-building supplements also often illegally hide dangerous drugs in unknown quantities.
May 2013
A study documents how little information about important drug risks is disclosed by the drug salespeople who visit so many doctors. Their strategy for increasing sales: Accentuate the positive and almost entirely eliminate the negative about these medicines.
May 2013
The article discusses evidence that five widely used drugs for rheumatoid arthritis can increase the risk of shingles. If you are using one of these drugs, learn what you can do to reduce such risks.
May 2013
An update on last month's article about three relatively new, widely used stroke prevention drugs: dabigatran (PRADAXA), rivaroxaban (XARELTO) and apixaban (ELIQUIS).
May 2013
The article discusses possible breathing risks of nebivolol (BYSTOLIC)and how other, older drugs — just as effective as this relatively new high blood pressure drug — are preferred because more is known about their risks.
April 2013
Recent evidence points to increased acute kidney injury associated with combining nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with two antihypertensive drugs: a diuretic plus either an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). Find out the names of these drugs. This is especially important for patients with hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure or chronic kidney disease, because such patients are routinely treated with diuretics, ACE inhibitors and ARBs.
April 2013
Last summer, the European equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration told Europeans not to use a particular drug for osteoporosis. Learn about this drug, which has been used by more than 100,000 U.S. women since then despite evidence of increased cancer risk.
April 2013
Learn about three new drugs to prevent stroke – so new that their risks relative to those of a much older drug, warfarin (Coumadin), are unknown.
April 2013
Learn about new warnings concerning multiple formulations of a widely used sleeping pill. The levels of the drug remaining in the blood the morning after use may be high enough to impair activities requiring mental alertness, including driving.
March 2013
What kind of headache is not relieved by pain medications but actually caused by their frequent overuse? The article describes which painkillers can cause medication overuse headaches (MOH) when used too frequently over specified durations of time.
March 2013
Find out why the most commonly prescribed drug of any kind in the U.S., hydrocodone, needs tighter restrictions to prevent emergency room visits, overdose deaths and other serious consequences of its massive overuse. Production and use of hydrocodone in this country amounts to 99 percent of that for the entire world. Is the rest of the world wrong and we are right?
March 2013
Find out which drugs approved in 2012 have risks greatly exceeding their benefits or no meaningful benefits. If you are using any of the DO NOT USE drugs reviewed in the article, talk to your doctor before stopping their use.
March 2013
Approximately 20 percent of prescriptions for elderly patients in primary care settings are inappropriate, leading to adverse reactions that are entirely preventable. The article lists some of the most common inappropriately prescribed drugs.
February 2013
MIRAPEX (pramipexole) is a drug frequently used for restless leg syndrome, for which there are other safer, effective nondrug treatments, as discussed in the article. It also is used for Parkinson's disease. A recent review has found that this drug can increase the risk of heart failure. Find out how to recognize early symptoms of heart failure.
February 2013
Although there are not many cases in the United States, multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is a serious international problem. In a trial for a new drug for MDR TB, bedaquiline (SIRTURO), those receiving the drug were five times more likely to die than those receiving a placebo. Instead of looking into this more carefully, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug with the warning: “In one clinical trial, more deaths were seen in people who were treated with SIRTURO compared to people who did not receive SIRTURO.”
February 2013
Commonly known as emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects an estimated 24 million Americans, only half of whom are diagnosed. This article presents recent information regarding the use of drug treatments, including inhaled anti-inflammatory steroids, as well as important nondrug treatments that can be used as an adjunct to drug therapy.
February 2013
Even though safer treatments than lindane for lice and scabies are available, and despite Public Citizen’s efforts to ban this dangerous pesticide, the FDA continues to allow it on the market. This article discusses safer alternative treatments.
January 2013
Find out the serious risks, often requiring hospitalization, to infants and young children who accidentally swallow the liquids in nasal sprays or eye drops. The article lists the three most dangerous ingredients that are found in several big-selling brand name products, also listed in the article.
January 2013
Read about the history, from an investigation by the London Times, of how the world's first major drug company, Bayer, developed and got the trademark on one of the most dangerous over-the-counter drugs in history, Heroin. It was given this name because Bayer employees, given the drug as part of an experiment, felt "heroic" after using it. Read on.....
January 2013
Find out the names of 11 different drugs in this popular family of tranquillizers and sleeping pills that can increase the risk of dementia 30 to 40 percent in older adults.
January 2013
Find out why, if you are using any of nine different popular dietary supplements and you are planning to have surgery, you need to tell your doctor so you can stop using them at a safe interval before your operation. The intervals range from at least 24 hours before surgery to two weeks, the latter the case for most of the nine supplements.
January 2013
This article reviews the latest recommendations on how much calcium and vitamin D are best for people. The right amount depends on both your age and whether you are male or female. Also, learn about the upper safe levels of both calcium and Vitamin D so that you do not take amounts that can be dangerous.
December 2012
Public Citizen has a long history of opposing the dangerous under-regulation of large-scale pharmacy compounders such as the New England Compounding Center, which is at the center of the recent outbreak of fungal meningitis caused by contaminated injectable steroids. Learn how this current nationwide disaster, and its related deaths, could have been prevented.
December 2012
The FDA sided with a large drug company in refusing to pull from the market a dangerous drug for treating Alzheimer's disease, which Public Citizen had asked the government to ban. What went wrong and why?
December 2012
Topics discussed include evidence that overuse of migraine drugs may cause headache rather than relieve it. Also, a widely prescribed antidepressant, in higher doses, can cause heart arrhythmias, manifested as dizziness, palpitations or fainting. Finally, another widely used antidepressant can cause a life-threatening condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which can include extremely high body temperature, fast heart rate, rapidly changing blood pressure and mental changes.
December 2012
It is dangerous to take any of the 18 popular blood pressure drugs of one type (ACE inhibitors) in combination with any of the 14 blood pressure drugs of another type (ARBs). It also is dangerous to take a drug in either of these classes in combination with a newer high blood pressure drug, aliskiren (TEKTURNA). Find out why.
November 2012
Find out the latest about the pharmaceutical industry continuing to remain the number one defrauder of the Federal government. Why does this continue and what are an increasing number of states doing about it?
November 2012
Find out why many doctors are skeptical of medical journal articles reporting the results of drug industry-funded studies. Apparently for self-interested reasons, the editor of a leading medical journal unfortunately disagrees with this healthy skepticism.
November 2012
Find out the names and ingredients of topical muscle and joint pain relievers that can cause moderate to severe local burns and how you can protect yourself.
November 2012
The recent epidemic of life-threatening and fatal infections from contaminated spinal steroid injections is a reminder of the larger issue of their use, even if not contaminated. The article discusses risks that remain even with properly manufactured medications, describing how patients and physicians should know when not to use steroids, consider the risks and benefits of the procedure, and understand other treatment options before using steroids to treat lower back pain.
November 2012
Find out about the latest evidence that statins such as LIPITOR, LESCOL, ALTOPREV, MEVACOR, LIVALO, PRAVACHOL, CRESTOR and ZOCOR can cause fatigue and reduced energy levels, especially in women. The authors concluded that "These effects, germane to quality of life, merit consideration when prescribing or contemplating use of statins, particularly in groups without expected net morbidity/mortality benefit."
October 2012
The article reviews current evidence on 16 dietary supplements based on a large number of studies testing their effectiveness.
October 2012
An invited editorial by Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor Dr. Sidney Wolfe in the October Australian Prescriber explains the factual basis for our recommendation not to use any new drug — except for relatively rare breakthrough drugs — until it has been on the market for seven years.
October 2012
The recent FDA approval of the first two new diet drugs in 13 years occasions our review of the safety problems of both drugs and the history of previous diet drugs, taken off the market because of serious cardiovascular dangers. Two recent well-controlled studies, one in adults and one in children, document the benefit of reasonable diet and exercise programs as the only safe and effective way to lose weight.
October 2012
A recent study challenges the assumption that men and women with pre-existing cardiovascular disease benefit equally from the use of statins to prevent subsequent death or strokes.
September 2012
Learn about the wide range of countries in which Pfizer illegally bribed government officials in order to sell more of the company's drugs.
September 2012
The article reviews the effectiveness and safety of a variety of drugs and strategies to help people stop smoking but also stresses the importance of interpersonal support for those trying to quit this deadly habit.
September 2012
The article reviews a recent petition to the FDA seeking improvements on the labels of prescription opioids (narcotics). The label change would prevent drug companies from promoting these drugs for noncancer pain for dangerously long periods of time, at doses that are too high, and for uses other than severe pain in noncancer patients. The petition was signed by 37 public health experts, including leaders in the fields of pain medicine, addiction and primary care; the health commissioners of New York City and New York state; and Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group.
August 2012
Learn the details of the large problem of misprescribing antibiotics for sinusitis, symptoms of the condition, limited indications for antibiotic use and alternative treatments for this very common illness.
August 2012
Find out how a seemingly large $3 billion criminal and civil penalty levied against GlaxoSmithKline — because of its small size relative to the drugmaker’s profits and the absence of jail time for any of the company’s officials — tacitly encourages drug companies to continue illegal activities.
August 2012
Find out how using seemingly benign benzocaine gels and liquids for mouth and gum pain can lead to a rare but serious, and sometimes fatal, condition in infants and babies.
August 2012
We review a recent study concerning the lack of evidence that antidepressants are effective in elderly, demented people. Find out the risks involved with antidepressant use in this population and learn about the safer, more effective nondrug approaches to treating depression in elderly adults.
August 2012
We review recent evidence that azithromycin (ZITHROMAX, as in Z-PAK) and levofloxacin (LEVAQUIN), used for relatively short periods, significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular risks such as sudden cardiac death in some patients, compared to the risks in people not taking antibiotics. The overprescribing of these drugs is also discussed.
July 2012
Find out the most common symptoms of the vision-threatening condition retinal detachment and how, although rarely, it can be caused by commonly used antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (CIPRO) and levofloxacin (LEVAQUIN). We also discuss evidence that these antibiotics are overused.
July 2012
We discuss how Pfizer, after its patent on the billions-a-year-selling LIPITOR went off patent, used desperate means to delay giving patients options for much less expensive generic versions of the drug, marketed as atorvastatin.
July 2012
Find out why we recommend that you do not use the recently approved high blood pressure drug azilsartan.
July 2012
This article updates and expands our earlier list of drugs that can have harmful interactions with grapefruit juice. The list now includes 82 different drugs.
June 2012
We review the dangers of the extremely popular drug duloxetine (CYMBALTA) and discuss why you should not use it to treat depression, anxiety or pain.
June 2012
Do large "gifts" from drug companies to doctors make a difference in the care that patients get? Find out how to view a partial list of drug companies to check whether your physician is getting such payments and how the government is delaying the disclosure of payments from all drug companies.
June 2012
This article lists practical steps to take to avoid death, hospitalization or other medical problems caused by heat stress. It also contains a list of 123 drugs that can impair your response to heat.
May 2012
The article lists many drugs that treat high blood pressure but can also increase the risk of gout. If you have gout, ask your doctor whether your dose of any of these drugs could be reduced or whether you should switch to a medication with a lower gout risk. However, hypertension control is of utmost importance.
May 2012
The proportion of patients 65 or older in drug trial reports was lower than half the proportion in the treated population who were 65 or older, leading authors of a recent analysis to conclude that drugmakers should study an appropriate and larger proportion of older adults for drugs that will predictably be used by them.
May 2012
The article explains why you should not use the newly approved diabetes drug exenatide (BYDUREON), a long-acting dosage form of the previously approved BYETTA. Important safety concerns cited in the drug’s label and FDA warnings are also discussed.
May 2012
There is little doubt from earlier studies that using aspirin to prevent cardiovascular death in patients who already have cardiovascular disease is effective. A new review found that aspirin, taken daily or every other day in low doses for primary prevention of cardiovascular death in patients without existing cardiovascular disease, was not effective in these patients in either reducing cardiovascular death or death from cancer. It did, however, increase clinically important bleeding events in these patients.
April 2012
Find out why you should not use four recently approved heart drugs — dronedarone (MULTAQ), prasugrel (EFFIENT), dabigatran (PRADAXA) and rivaroxaban (XARELTO) — for at least seven years.
April 2012
A thorough review of studies that document the benefits — $1 trillion saved in the past 10 years — of our increasing use of generic drugs.
April 2012
This article discusses drugs you should and should not use as the allergy season commences.
March 2012
Find out why you should not use any of the three recently-approved diabetes drugs known as "gliptins".
March 2012
Last year, FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg told an audience at our D.C. Headquarters that FDA needed to allow more people with drug industry financial conflicts in order to get enough qualified doctors to fill its advisory committees. Find out why she was wrong and how she backed off this dangerous idea.
March 2012
The article discusses the reasons why we have categorized JUVISYNC as a DO NOT USE drug.
March 2012
The article discusses why taking certain antidepressants after a heart attack may increase the risk of bleeding. Find out which ones are the culprits.
February 2012
What kinds of prescription and over-the-counter products are responsible for the unintentional ingestion of these drugs by children? Such poisonings result in the hospitalization, admission to intensive care units and injury of thousands of children a year. How can they be prevented?
February 2012
A very recent study found that each year, children in this country get 10 million antibiotic prescriptions that are clearly unnecessary, creating risks of adverse reactions without any possible benefit.
February 2012
Over 15.2 million prescriptions were filled in 2010 for the brand-name or generic versions of two essentially identical drugs (fenofibrate [TRICOR] and fenofibric acid [TRILIPIX]) that clearly do not add any benefits to taking statin drugs alone but add to the risks.
February 2012
Shortly after allowing our editor only allotted time to present his views during the public session of an FDA committee meeting discussing the drugs YAZ and YASMIN, the FDA reconsidered and said he could participate as a committee member but would not be allowed to vote at the meeting. Ultimately, Dr. Wolfe participated as a nonvoting member, under protest.
February 2012
A recent study shows there is significant harm from using widely advertised vitamin E dietary supplements. Not surprisingly, the study was not funded by vitamin E manufacturers but by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
January 2012
Find out how to prevent emergency hospitalizations from two commonly used drugs, warfarin (COUMADIN) and clopidogrel (PLAVIX). There are approximately 33,000 emergency hospitalizations a year from warfarin alone. This article includes a list of more than 50 drugs that can have harmful interactions with warfarin and/or clopidogrel.
January 2012
Read about how the Worst Pills, Best Pills News editor was not allowed to vote on the safety of a big-selling drug because he thought it was unsafe.
December 2011
Find out about 12 drugs that can interact with widely prescribed quetiapine -- 12 million prescriptions sold in 2010 -- to cause serious, sometimes fatal, heart arrhythmias.
December 2011
Patients pay more when brand-name drug companies legally "bribe" generic companies to delay the selling of less expensive products.
December
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