Sunday, March 30, 2008

FDA, Health Canada probing possible suicide link with allergy drug Singulair

From the Canadian Press:
U.S. and Canadian drug regulators are investigating the popular allergy medication Singulair in response to reports of mood changes, suicidal behaviour and suicide in patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is reviewing a handful of such patient reports and has asked Singulair's maker, Merck & Co., to dig deeper into its data for more evidence of possible links to suicide.

Meanwhile, "patients should not stop taking Singulair before talking to their doctor," the FDA said in a statement, adding that doctors should monitor patients for suicidal behaviour and mood changes.

Health Canada is also investigating a possible link between Singulair and suicidal behaviour, said spokesman Paul Duchesne, noting that consumers should see their doctors if they have concerns about taking the prescription drug.

He was unaware of any reports of suicide among Canadians taking the medication.

The FDA said it has not established a "causal relationship" between Merck's drug and suicidal behaviour. The review was prompted by three to four suicide reports it has received since last October, an agency spokeswoman said. ...more

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