View the entire July 2020 issue in PDF format

• Important Drug Interactions for the Antibiotic Azithromycin
  (July 2020)
  Patients taking the commonly prescribed antibiotic azithromycin (ZITHROMAX) should be aware that it has clinically important dangerous interactions with many other prescription medications.
• Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine: Dangerous Options for COVID-19
  (July 2020)
  In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome explains why President Trump’s reckless promotion of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as “game-changing” treatments for COVID-19 was so dangerous.
• Melatonin Dietary Supplements: Useful for Jet Lag, Not for Other Conditions
  (July 2020)
  We summarize the available evidence from well-designed clinical trials that support the use of the dietary supplement melatonin for treating jet lag, but not other conditions.
• Strong Topical Steroids Often Sold Over the Counter Illegally in the U.S., Study Finds
  (July 2020)
  New research reveals that potent, prescription-strength topical steroids can be purchased over the counter readily in many U.S. cities. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from these illegal and potentially harmful products.
• Daily Low-Dose Aspirin Should Not Be Used to Prevent a First Heart Attack or Stroke
  (July 2020)
  If you do not have cardiovascular disease, you should not take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event, particularly if you are over the age of 60, because the benefits of such treatment generally do not exceed its bleeding risk.
• Question & Answer
  (July 2020)
  In this month’s Question & Answer, we provide a list of websites that describe the appearance of prescription pills, resources that can help consumers protect themselves from life-threatening pharmacist errors.

  View the entire June 2020 issue in PDF format

• Overview of the Insomnia Drug Zolpidem (AMBIEN, AMBIEN CR, EDLUAR, ZOLPIMIST)
  (June 2020)
  The insomnia drug zolpidem belongs to a family of drugs known as the non-benzodiazepines or “Z drugs.” Learn why we for years have designated this drug as Do Not Use.
• Gilead Exploited FDA Loophole, Sought Windfall Profits From Pandemic
  (June 2020)
  Learn about Gilead Sciences’ greedy attempt to profiteer off of the catastrophic coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by seek¬ing and receiving a lucrative orphan drug designation from the FDA for an experimental drug being tested as a treatment for COVID-19.
• Important Drug Interactions for Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Simvastatin
  (June 2020)
  Patients taking the commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin (FLOLIPID, VYTORIN, ZOCOR) should be aware that it has clinically important interactions with many other prescription medications.
• Restless Legs Syndrome: Overdiagnosed and Overtreated
  (June 2020)
  In this review of restless legs syndrome (RLS), we discuss the limitations of the available drug treatments for the disorder and the nondrug approaches that are the safest options for people with mild to moderate RLS symptoms.
• FDA Warns 15 Companies Selling “Snake Oil” Cannabidiol Products
  (June 2020)
  Except for one purified cannabidiol product approved by the FDA for treatment of two rare forms of childhood epilepsy, cannabidiol products marketed in the U.S. are illegal. Find out why the FDA is cracking down on companies selling these illegal drugs.

  View the entire May 2020 issue in PDF format

• Drug-Induced Liver Injury
  (May 2020)
  There are more than 1,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as certain herbal and dietary supplements, that are implicated in liver injury, and the list continues to grow.
• FDA Must Be Fully Transparent During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic
  (May 2020)
  In his editor’s column, Dr. Michael Carome calls for greater FDA transparency regarding which drugs are in short supply because of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting manufacturing disruptions in China and elsewhere.
• For COPD Patients Without Heart Disease, Risks of Beta Blockers Outweigh Benefits
  (May 2020)
  Learn why you should avoid taking metoprolol or any other beta blocker if you have COPD and have not previously suffered a heart attack and do not have heart failure.
• Norelgestromin-Ethinyl Estradiol Patch (XULANE): An Unsafe Choice for Birth Control
  (May 2020)
  We explain why the norelgestromin-ethinyl estradiol patch is too dangerous to use and describe safer birth control medication options.
• Thiazides (Water Pills): Best Initial Treatment for High Blood Pressure, Study Finds
  (May 2020)
  We summarize results of new research showing that thiazides or thiazide-like diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide (MICROZIDE), appear to be the most effective and safest medications for initial treatment of hypertension.
• News Brief: FDA Requests Withdrawal of Lorcaserin (BELVIQ), a Diet Drug That It Never Should Have Approved!
  (May 2020)
  In this month’s news brief, we discuss why the FDA decided to ask the manufacturer of the weight-loss drug lorcaserin to voluntarily withdraw the medication from the U.S. market.

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• Petition to the FDA to Require a Black-Box Warning for Commonly Used Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Known as SGLT2 Inhibitors (HRG Publication #2529) (June 24, 2020)
  Public Citizen petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add a black-box warning to the product labeling for the commonly used Type 2 diabetes drugs known as SGLT2 inhibitors, as they can lead to potentially fatal diabetic ketoacidosis in Type 1 diabetes patients for whom the drugs are not approved.
• Supplement to the Petition to the DEA and FDA to Reschedule the Opioid Tramadol From Schedule IV to Schedule II (HRG Publication #2525) (May 28, 2020)
  Public Citizen submitted a supplement to its November 2019 petition to the DEA and FDA to reschedule the opioid tramadol from the weakly controlled schedule IV under the Controlled Substances Act to the more tightly controlled schedule II because it is overprescribed, often misused, highly addictive and potentially deadly. The supplement adds new data from a careful study of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System which revealed that tramadol use correlates with severe adverse events, including death.
• Letter to Gilead Sciences Regarding the Emergency Use Authorization Granted by the FDA for Remdesivir (HRG Publication #2522) (May 5, 2020)
  Public Citizen urged Gilead Sciences to immediately either (a) release the data regarding the safety and efficacy of remdesivir on which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relied in granting the company’s Emergency Use Authorization request for emergency use of remdesivir for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, or (b) inform the FDA that the company consents to the FDA’s release of such information in response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by Public Citizen.