Worst Pills, Best Pills

An expert, independent second opinion on more than 1,800 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and supplements

phenelzine (NARDIL)


E-ALERTS

Search results below include E-Alerts where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion.


DISEASE AND DRUG FAMILY INFORMATION

Search results below include Disease and Drug Family Information where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion.

Antipsychotic Drugs: Dangerously Overused
Antipsychotic drugs, also called neuroleptic drugs or major tranquilizers, are properly and successfully used to treat serious psychotic mental disorders, the most common of which is schizophrenia. In younger adults, an alarming number of those with schizophrenia who could and often have previously benefited from antipsychotic drugs are not receiving them. They are seen, among other places, on the streets and in homeless shelters. In older adults, the problem is not underuse but, rather, gross overuse by people who are not psychotic.

DRUG AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENT PROFILES

A comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of this drug. If the drug is not a Do Not Use product, information on adverse effects, drug interactions and how to use the medication are included.
Search results below include Drug and Dietary Supplement Profiles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion.

dexmethylphenidate (FOCALIN, FOCALIN XR)
  • We list this drug as a Do Not Use drug because it has no advantage over similar drugs with longer safety records.
milnacipran (SAVELLA)
  • We list this drug as Do Not Use because it offers minimal benefit and has serious risks.

WORST PILLS, BEST PILLS NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

Search results below include Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles where your selected drug is a secondary subject of discussion.

Review of the Triptan Drugs for Treating Migraines
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.
Milnacipran For Fibromyalgia: Do Not Use
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.
Dangers of Mixing Alcohol with Certain Medications or Diseases
August 2008
The article discusses 273 drugs that can have harmful interactions with alcohol. Also reviewed are several ways in which these harmful interactions can occur: 1/ Medications Can Increase Alcohol Blood Levels 2/ Additive effects of medications and alcohol. One of the best- known drug-alcohol interactions is when alcohol, a depressant, is taken with other sedative medications, and excessive sedation or depression of respiration can occur 3/Alcohol can increase the blood levels of some medications leading to toxicity of these drugs. 4/ Alcohol also can reduce blood levels of some medications causing them to be less effective. Although some of the interactions between alcohol and medications mainly occur in people who drink heavily (three or more drinks on one occasion), many of these interactions may occur with much lower amounts of alcohol use, such as one to two drinks on an occasion. We strongly urge you to tell your physicians and other health care providers how much alcohol you are drinking so they can effectively assess the risks and advise you about the safe use of alcohol and medications.
SSRIs Can Have Dangerous Interactions With Other Drugs
January 2008
More than 70 million prescriptions a year are filled for these popular antidepressants, including Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox, Celexa and Lexapro. This article gives details about more than 60 other widely prescribed prescription drugs that can have harmful interactions if used with these antidepressants. The two different kinds of interactions are also discussed.
Do Not Use! Dexmethylphenidate (FOCALIN) - a Methylphenidate (RITALIN) Copy
August 2002
Dexmethylphenidate (FOCALIN), approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2001 for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joins a growing list of Do Not Use drugs, so called because they primarily result in economic harm to both individuals and the health care system. These drugs exist solely to extend a manufacturer’s brand name monopoly position in a lucrative market but offer nothing better than the drugs they replace.