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New Warning Labels Proposed for
Over the Counter and Prescription Drugs
The Dec. 3, 2001 issue of the American Medical News reported that the
US Food and Drug Administration may change warning labels and increase
patient education because of fatal vehicle crashes linked to legal
medications. The new label requirements would address possible
sedation or impairment caused by over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
This possible action is in response to a request by the National
Transportation Safety Board, which has recorded thousands of car, bus,
boat and airplane accidents resulting in at least 100 deaths linked to
legal medications such as antihistamines, muscle relaxants, painkillers,
anti-anxiety drugs and anti-depressants. The article noted that
several European countries already
mark packages with color-coded symbols that indicate the degree to which a
drug may induce drowsiness or may otherwise impair a person's ability to
drive a car.
John Weiler, MD, professor of internal medicine with the University of
Iowa, said, "We need more investigation to understand the degree of
impairment we see with them and understand what's really happening when
people take these medications."
ICA President Dr. D.D. Humber applauded this safety initiative in a
letter to USDOT Secretary, Norman Y. Mineta, and offered the support of
the International Chiropractors Association behind this important research
and warning proposal. "The United States is awash in a sea of
medications, with consumers bombarded by wave after wave of advertising on
the part of the drug industry, selling every possible form of medication
for every possible condition, with little attention paid to the risks and
dangers inherent in their use," Dr. Humber told Secretary Mineta.
"The chiropractic profession and the International Chiropractors
Association believe that it should be a top public health priority to
investigate and fully understand the risks that accompany the common use
of potentially dangerous medications and issue clear warnings to consumers
of those risks."
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