Public Citizen Warns Of The Dangers Of Savella
A few months ago, we published blog posts on the dangers of Yaz birth control pills. We also pointed out that Public Citizen, a consumer rights group based in Washington, D.C., had petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to remove the medication from sale. According to another recent petition the consumer group sent the FDA, Public Citizen has requested that Savella, manufactured and sold by Cypress Bioscience, Inc. and Forest Laboratories, Inc. and used to treat fibromyalgia, be removed from the market immediately because its dangers outweigh its benefits.
Public Citizen alleges that Savella has highly questionable clinical efficacy and has been found, in randomized controlled trials, to cause a large number of potentially serious adverse reactions including hypertension, increased heart rate, and increased suicidal ideation.
In its petition, Public Citizen notes the European Medicine Agency, as of July 23, 2009, turned down the application for Savella for the treatment of fibromyalgia, citing both the lack of efficacy and data on long-term effects. After the drug's sponsors challenged that decision, the European Medicine Agency reconfirmed its original decision. Public Citizen’s petition states that the “FDA should never have approved Savella for fibromyalgia, and should now immediately undo its error by removing it from the market before large numbers of people in this country suffer serious harm from this marginally effective drug.”
If you were injured as a result of taking Savella, please contact us to discuss your legal options.
