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propoxyphene and acetaminophen (DARVOCET-N, PROPOXACET-N, WYGESIC)


E-ALERTS

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DISEASE AND DRUG FAMILY INFORMATION

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Opioids
Most of the time when someone is able to swallow, they should first try a non-opioid drug such as aspirin taken by mouth. If aspirin alone is not effective, it can be combined with an opioid, such as codeine. These two drugs work in different ways, and when they are used together, they generally relieve pain that would otherwise require a higher dose of an opioid, while causing fewer adverse effects.

DRUG AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENT PROFILES

A comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of this drug. If the drug is not a Do Not Use product, information on adverse effects, drug interactions and how to use the medication are included.
Search results below include Drug and Dietary Supplement Profiles where your selected drug is a primary subject of discussion.


WORST PILLS, BEST PILLS NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

Search results below include Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles where your selected drug is a primary subject of discussion.

Inappropriate Prescribing of Medicines in the Elderly: A Persistent Problem
March 2013
Approximately 20 percent of prescriptions for elderly patients in primary care settings are inappropriate, leading to adverse reactions that are entirely preventable. The article lists some of the most common inappropriately prescribed drugs.
Delayed FDA Removal of Painkiller Propoxyphene (DARVON, DARVOCET) From U.S. Market Has Cost More Than 1,000 U.S. Lives
January 2011
Learn about our efforts to ban Darvon and our warnings about the drug going back 32 years. Why did the FDA take so long to ban it compared to the United Kingdom and Europe?
Another Chapter in the Long History of Exposing the Dangers of the Most Popular Drug in America
July 2009
This article documents how long it has taken the FDA to fully implement a recommendation from its own advisory committee 32 years ago stating that: "Do not exceed the recommended dosage [acetaminophen--as in Tylenol] because severe liver damage may occur." Other countries have done more.
Painkiller DARVOCET Now Phased Out of U.K. Market; Still Widely Prescribed in the U.S.
January 2008
Why is this big-selling, extremely dangerous, not very effective narcotic painkiller still on the market in the U.S. despite haveing been withdrawn in the U.K.? Learn about how it kills more than 200 people a year.
New Study Links Signs of Possible Liver Damage to Lower Doses of Acetaminophen (TYLENOL), Supporting Previous Research
September 2006
The authors of the study commented that their review of previously published medical studies supports their observations that some healthy adult patients in clinical trials developed ALT elevations when repeatedly treated with four grams of acetaminophen daily,which is within the recommended dosage range for the drug.
Health Research Group Petitions to Phase Out the Sale of the Painkiller Propoxyphene (DARVON, DARVOCET, and Generic Versions)
June 2006
On Feb. 28, 2006, the Health Research Group petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately begin phasing out the sale of the dangerous painkiller propoxyphene (DARVON). The reason for the petition is that propoxyphene has been associated with over 10,000 confirmed deaths and 2,110 reported accidental deaths in the U.S. from 1981 through 1999. There are many generic versions of propoxyphene on the market, as well as a number of products that combine propoxyphene with acetaminophen (TYLENOL). These products are sold as DARVOCET and are also widely sold as generic drugs. A phased withdrawal, instead of an immediate ban, is necessary because of the addicting properties of the drug and the need to switch patients to other painkillers.
British To Ban The Combination Painkiller Containing Propoxyphene With Acetaminophen
April 2005
The decision to remove this drug from the market is based on the fact that it is a poor pain reliever and that the risk of toxicity in overdose, both accidental and deliberate, is unacceptable.