Category Archives: Drug Safety Information Podcasts

FDA allows marketing of first non-invasive test to help in identifying cause of certain kidney disease

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of the first test that can help determine if a specific type of kidney disease, called membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), is due to the body’s rejection of its own kidney tissue (autoimmune) or if it is due to another cause (such an infection).

La FDA aprueba el primer dispositivo inalámbrico implantable para medir la presión arterial pulmonar a distancia en ciertos pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca

La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA, por sus siglas en inglés) de los Estados Unidos aprobó hoy el Sistema CardioMEMSHF, que mide la presión arterial pulmonar (AP) y la frecuencia cardiaca de los pacientes con insuficiencia de la clase III, según la clasificación de la Asociación del Corazón de Nueva York (NYHA, por sus siglas en inglés), y que han sido hospitalizados por insuficiencia cardiaca en el último año. El dispositivo permite a los profesionales de la salud vigilar el estado de sus pacientes a distancia.

FDA approves first implantable wireless device with remote monitoring to measure pulmonary artery pressure in certain heart failure patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the CardioMEMSHF System that measures the pulmonary artery (PA) pressures and heart rates of patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III heart failure who have been hospitalized for heart failure in the previous year. The device allows health care professionals to monitor the condition of their patients remotely.

FDA targets illegal online pharmacies in globally coordinated action

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in partnership with other federal and international agencies, took action this week against websites that sell potentially dangerous, unapproved prescription drugs to U.S. consumers. The FDA and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also conducted extensive examinations at U.S.-based international mail facilities, where many packages containing prescription drugs enter the U.S., and found that most of the examined packages contained illegal prescription drugs that had been ordered from online sources.

FDA approves first molecular (gene-based) test to determine red blood cell types in transfusion medicine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the Immucor PreciseType Human Erythrocyte Antigen (HEA) Molecular BeadChip Test – the first FDA-approved molecular assay used in transfusion medicine to assist in determining blood compatibility. The assay can be used to determine donor and patient non-ABO/non-RhD (non-ABO) red blood cell types in the United States.

FDA requiring lower starting dose for sleep drug Lunesta

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it required the manufacturer of the sleep drug Lunesta (eszopiclone) to change the drug label and lower the current recommended starting dose. Data show that eszopiclone levels in some patients may be high enough the morning after use to impair activities that require alertness, including driving, even if they feel fully awake.