Category Archives: Gilenya
Knee Replacement Patients Should Consider Nickel Allergies before Surgery
Individuals considering undergoing knee replacement surgery should ask their doctors to run a test to determine if they have a nickel allergy. Determining if a patient suffers from a nickel allergy will ensure the right knee implant is chosen for their surgery, and possibly save them from considerable pain and ...
Research Study Confirms Fracking as Cause of Ohio Earthquakes
Fracking operation near Poland Township, Ohio, activated a previously unknown fault in the, causing 77 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 in March 2014.
Scientist Calls for Federal Regulations for Fracking Pollution
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) drilling should be governed by federal regulations because its pollution has no awareness of state boundaries.
FDA Advisory Panel Wrestling with Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Safety
An advisory panel for the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) began a highly-anticipated meeting yesterday to discuss the safety of metal-on-metal hip implants. Among other things, the panel of outside experts is being asked to make recommendations regarding the best practices for monitoring patients with metal-on-metal hip replacements. ...
Majority of Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Failures Occur within Two Years, Study Finds
A newly published metal-on-metal hip replacement study is reporting that the majority of failures occur early, within two years of surgery. The study, published in the journal Orthopedics, is just the latest to indicate that close follow-up of metal-on-metal hip implant patients is warranted.
U.K. Regulators Issue Additional Guidance for Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Recipients
Regulators in the U.K. are once again issuing advice to doctors and other healthcare professionals involved in the follow-up of patients with metal-on-metal hip replacement devices. In an alert issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), guidance is provided for four groups of metal-on-metal hip implant ...
Following Deadly Outbreaks, FDA Questions Device Makers about Duodenoscope Cleaning Procedures
In light of a recent outbreak linked to contaminated duodenoscopes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is questioning manufacturers about their methods for cleaning the devices, the New York Times reports. The specialized scopes, which have been linked to several outbreaks in recent years, most recently infected seven patients ...
Federal Judge Certifies Medtronic Infuse Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit
A shareholder lawsuit alleging Medtronic Inc. illegally promoted the off-label use of its Infuse bone growth product has been granted class action status by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson of Minnesota. According to a report from Law360.com, the Medtronic Infuse off-label promotion lawsuit was filed by several institutional investors on ...
First Bard Avaulta Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit Scheduled for February Trial in MDL
The first test trials in the federal C.R. Bard Avaulta transvaginal mesh litigation will most likely start next year, according to a report from Bloomberg News. About 600 lawsuits involving Bard Avaulta transvaginal mesh products are currently pending in the multidistrict litigation underway Charleston, West Virginia. U.S. District Judge Joseph ...Health Canada Strengthens Safety Warnings for Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gilenya
Health Canada, Canada’s health regulatory agency, has updated the label information for the multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya (fingolimod) to include stronger safety warnings on the risk of skin cancer and the rare brain infection progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which can … Continue reading
FDA Updates Gilenya Label to Include Cases of Rare Brain Infection
In a Drug Safety Communication issued Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that the multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya was linked to two cases of rare brain infection. One definite case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and one probable … Continue reading
U.K. Regulator Warns Against Gilenya For Heart Patients
U.K. regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), just issued a warning against Gilenya (fingolimod) use in heart patients. The MHRA also called for extended early monitoring for patients diagnosed with significant bradycardia or heart block after the … Continue reading
FDA Announces New Gilenya Restrictions for Heart Patients
U.S. health regulators have issued new restrictions for Gilenya, Novartis AG’s’ pill for treating multiple sclerosis. According to a Drug Safety Communication issued by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday, Gilenya is now contraindicated (FDA advises against its use) … Continue reading
Gilenya to Bear New Label Warnings Following Patient Deaths, Safety Reviews
Novartis has announced that it is modifying the label for Gilenya, its oral multiple sclerosis medication, following safety reviews in the U.S. and Europe. Both the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched Gilenya … Continue reading
Gilenya Patient Stricken with PML Brain Infection
Novartis AG announced on Friday that a patient taking its Gilenya pill for multiple sclerosis had developed a serious, life-threatening brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML. According The Wall Street Journal, the report will likely raise more questions … Continue reading
Doctors Back Off Gilenya Amid Safety Woes
Doctors are backing off prescribing multiple sclerosis (MS) medication, Gilenya (gingolimod) amid a number of safety woes. Gilenya is manufactured by Novartis AG and received U.S. regulatory approval September 2010. As we reported previously, Gilenya, the first approved MS pill, … Continue reading
MS Drug Gilenya Under Review in Europe, but Still Deemed Safe by FDA
US medical professionals are continuing to back Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod) despite the growing concern following several cases of patient death in the past few months. To investigate the effects of Gilenya on one’s cardiovascular health, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) … Continue reading
