Re: FDA pressured to Ban Serzone NOW, as Canada's ban.goes into effect!

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 02:03:28 +0000, Dave Bird <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

>In article<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, jake
><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>>>>> New reports of deaths and severe injuries from liver failure in patients
>>>>> taking the antidepressant Serzone (nefazodone) require that the U.S. Food
>>>>> and Drug Administration (FDA) act immediately to protect U.S. patients,
>>>>> Public Citizen said today.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Ban the Anti-Depressant Serzone
>>>>
>>>>I agree, ban it, but ban it because it is a useless antidepressant.
>>>>Does anyone still prescribe it?
>>>
>>> It sounds to me like an excessive panic.  
>>
>>But then you are not dying from a Serzone induced liver disorder are 
>>you? 
>
> A serious question deserves a serious answer.  No, I am not.  Are you?
>
> There is probably no effective drug that has not had a bad effect on 
> someone 

true.

>and at least one fatality. 



This is a clearly linked pattern of fatalities..

>No doubt that includes some poor
> mug with ulcers bleeding to death after being mistakenly given aspirin.


this is not a case of mistake or abuse..
a significant proprtion of those prescribed it die of liver failure..


> There has certainly been at least one death associated with St John's
> Wort and SSRIs.  The point is, does the usefulness of the drug 
> outweigh the few tragic instances?  

I agree

 and the safety authorities of most countries have weighed the
evidence and decided it serzones usefulness does not..
there are other drugs that do not carry this risk and nothing special
about Serzone to justify the global deaths..

It might sound like heresy but its time for the USA to step into line 
and avoid needless deaths.