FDA probing suicide risks from asthma drug

[Mugu]

AP via MSNBC

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling asthma drug, Singulair, and suicide.

FDA said it is reviewing reports of mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular drug also used for allergies.

Merck has updated the drug’s labeling four times in the past year to include information on a range of side effects: tremors, anxiousness, depression and suicidal behavior.

FDA said it asked the Whitehouse, N.J.-based company to dig deeper into its data on Singulair for more evidence of possible links to suicide. It could take up to nine months before agency scientists can draw any conclusions, FDA said in a posting to its Web site.


Complete article at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23828338/

[knitter4democracy]

1. Oh crap. Three of us are on that drug.

It's the one thing that's really gotten my kids' asthma under control. Mine, too.

[Mugu]

2. It appears that the possibility of this side-effect is quite small.

But now you know to watch for it just in case.

Regards, Mugu

[knitter4democracy]

4. I will definitely be on the lookout.

I tend to get any weird or rare side effect, and now I'm wondering if this is the cause (at least in part) for the depression and mild anxiety I've been fighting for the last year.

[hunter]

3. Yikes!

It worked very well for my asthma and allergies, but I had to quit because it seemed to make me more than my usual crazy.

It's amazing how all these chemical processes in us are interconnected.