Re: Labor-Inducing Drug Associated With 8 Deaths
From: J. Hellriegel (jhellrie@pce.net)
Thu Dec 21 20:10:04 2000
This reminds me of an article published years ago which associated the
use of Bendectin with birth defects.
It may sell more copies of Mother Jones, but does it improve medical
care? Is it honest?
--
J. Hellriegel
At Wed, 20 Dec 2000, DoctorJoe@aol.com wrote:
>
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>FYI
>
>Joe P.
>
>In a message dated 12/20/00 7:51:39 PM, AOL News writes:
>
><< Labor-Inducing Drug Associated With 8 Deaths
>
>SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Mother Jones magazine has obtained FDA
>figures listing 30 cases of uterine rupture associated with the use of the
>drug Cytotec to induce labor in expectant mothers, including 8 cases in which
>the fetus died in utero. In spite of the fact that Cytotec is FDA approved
>for treating peptic ulcers rather than for inducing labor, it is now "the
>predominant agent of choice" for inducing labor, according to Dr. Charles
>Lockwood, chairman of obstetrical practices for the American College of
>Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
>
>The article, which will appear in the Jan./Feb. issue of Mother Jones
>magazine, was released today on the magazine's Web site:
>http://www.motherjones.com/mother-jones/JF01/labor.html .
>
>Mother Jones contributing writer David Goodman reports that deaths resulting
>from the "off-label" use of Cytotec have become the subject of several
>lawsuits, including two in Oregon and others in Texas and Connecticut. After
>being named as a defendant in a Portland, Oregon, suit, the drug's
>manufacturer, G.D. Searle Corporation, sent a letter to 200,000 health care
>providers warning them that "Cytotec administration by any route is
>contraindicated in women who are pregnant because it can cause abortion."
>(The drug is, in fact, used in combination with RU-486, for this specific
>purpose.) The company also noted that off-label use of the drug has resulted
>in reports of uterine rupture, hysterectomy, and the death of mothers and
>infants....
>
>For the full text of this story, <A
>HREF="aol://4344:30.L100Tfot.5262493.661829779">click here</A>.
> >>
>
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>Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 20:51:39 EST
>Subject: Labor-Inducing Drug Associated With 8 Deaths
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>Labor-Inducing Drug Associated With 8 Deaths
>
>SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Mother Jones magazine has obtained FDA figures listing 30 cases of uterine rupture associated with the use of the drug Cytotec to induce labor in expectant mothers, including 8 cases in which the fetus died in utero. In spite of the fact that Cytotec is FDA approved for treating peptic ulcers rather than for inducing labor, it is now "the predominant agent of choice" for inducing labor, according to Dr. Charles Lockwood, chairman of obstetrical practices for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
>
>The article, which will appear in the Jan./Feb. issue of Mother Jones magazine, was released today on the magazine's Web site: http://www.motherjones.com/mother-jones/JF01/labor.html .
>
>Mother Jones contributing writer David Goodman reports that deaths resulting from the "off-label" use of Cytotec have become the subject of several lawsuits, including two in Oregon and others in Texas and Connecticut. After being named as a defendant in a Portland, Oregon, suit, the drug's manufacturer, G.D. Searle Corporation, sent a letter to 200,000 health care providers warning them that "Cytotec administration by any route is contraindicated in women who are pregnant because it can cause abortion." (The drug is, in fact, used in combination with RU-486, for this specific purpose.) The company also noted that off-label use of the drug has resulted in reports of uterine rupture, hysterectomy, and the death of mothers and infants....
>
>For the full text of this story, <A HREF="aol://4344:30.L100Tfot.5262493.661829779">click here</A>.
>
>To edit your profile, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsProfiles</A>.
>For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>.
>
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--
John Hellriegel, MD, PhD
