https://www.livescience.com/63286-cvs-nasal-spray-recall.html

A CVS-brand nasal spray is being voluntarily recalled due to potential bacterial contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today (Aug. 8).

The recall applies to Lot# 173089J of CVS Health 12 Hour Sinus Relief Nasal Mist, a nasal decongestant, according to the FDA statement.

The nasal spray is manufactured by a Florida company called Product Quest Manufacturing, which initiated the voluntary recall after discovering that the product was contaminated with a bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [6 Superbugs to Watch Out For]

The symptoms of Pseudomonas infections depend on what part of the body becomes infected with the bacteria. For example, if the bacteria get into the lungs, a person can develop pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pseudomonas bacteria can also cause ear, skin, eye and blood infections.

People who are hospitalized or those with a weakened immune system are most at risk for a Pseudomonas infection, the CDC says. In these groups of people, the infection can lead to severe illness and death.

Infections are treated with antibiotics, though they are becoming more difficult to treat as the bacteria develop resistance to the drugs, according to the CDC.

Repeated use of the recalled nasal spray could potentially lead to a buildup of the bacteria in a person’s body, which could make them sick, the FDA said. In addition to people with weakened immune systems, people with cystic fibrosis are also at risk for life-threatening complications from this infection, the FDA said. (Cystic fibrosis is a disease that causes damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs, according to the Mayo Clinic.)

To the best of Product Quest’s knowledge, the company hasn’t received any reports of adverse events related to the product that’s being recalled, the FDA statement said.

People who have purchased the recalled product should stop using it immediately and return it to the place of purchase or throw it away. Anyone with questions regarding the product can contact Product Quest Manufacturing at 386-239-8787.

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A friend in Oregon had her meds denied by medicare today and was told her insulin was limited to 4 units a day denying her script for that too. The shit is getting deeper by the day but I am hopeful if you get involved with the politicians.

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Oregon HERC Opioid Proposal Coming Up Thursday—Protestors Are Gearing Up

Meeting is suppose to start at  08/09/2018 1:30 PDT (4:30 EDT)

There is suppose to be a live feed of the meeting at:

We will be providing a webinar for those who are unable to attend in person: https://bit.ly/2vtX9G2 . Please feel free to share this with anyone who would like to view the meeting that way.

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Maryland mom tests positive for opiates after eating poppy seed bagel

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/08/07/maryland-mom-tests-positive-for-opiates-after-eating-poppy-seed-bagel.html

A Maryland woman is blaming her false positive test for opiates on the breakfast she ate hours before giving birth. 

Elizabeth Eden was in labor at St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson last spring when doctors told her she tested positive for the drug. The new mother was shocked, especially when staff members told her she was being reported to the state.

“I was in labor. I was sitting in the bed. I was having contractions. I was on a Pitocin drip, and the doctor came in and said, ‘You’ve tested positive for opiates,'” Eden described to WBAL-TV.

Confused, Eden wasn’t sure what would have caused the false positive — but then she recalled the poppy seed bagel she had eaten earlier that day. Eden had learned in a school health class that eating poppy seeds could cause a false positive.

“I said, ‘Well, can you test me again? And I ate a poppy seed bagel this morning for breakfast,’ and she said, ‘No, you’ve been reported to the state,'” Eden told the news station.

For years, experts have confirmed that poppy seeds can register as opiates in urine samples, as long as they were eaten within 48 hours of the test.

“While poppy seeds don’t actually contain morphine, the seeds can become coated by, or absorb, opium extract during harvesting,” the United States Department of Agriculture explains on its website. “Opium is the milky substance that is extracted along with the poppy seeds from the seed pod of the opium poppy after all the petals have fallen off.”

Therefore, it’s possible for people to have a false positive test for the drug after consuming poppy seed-covered pasteries.

The test result meant Eden’s daughter had to stay in the hospital for five days in April while her mother was assigned a case worker. Eventually, after Eden explained the situation, the case worker closed the case.

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment writes that until food manufacturers reduce morphine levels in poppy seeds, it advises against excessive consumption, particularly during pregnancy.

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McSally proposes drug monitoring best-practices bill to combat nation’s opioid epidemic

www.riponadvance.com/stories/mcsally-proposes-drug-monitoring-best-practices-bill-to-combat-nations-opioid-epidemic/

Toward ending the nation’s opioid crisis in her home state and around the country, U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) on July 26 introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Best Practices Act.

“This crisis has plagued Arizona for too long,” Rep. McSally said. “We’ve taken steps to combat this epidemic but there’s still more work to be done.”

She said that’s why she introduced H.R. 6608, which would direct the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop best practice guidelines to bolster PDMPs, the electronic databases that track each state’s opioid prescriptions. H.R. 6608 also would simplify states’ adoption of PDMPs and establish a PDMP data-sharing pilot program for states.

“The opioid epidemic has torn apart families and ruined lives forever,” the congresswoman said, noting that 116 Americans die each day from a drug overdose.

“These victims come from every background – they are teachers, ranchers, retirees, and students,” she said. “No parent should have to bury their own child.”

Rep. McSally’s statement also pointed out that PDMPs may work as a powerful tracking tool to deter the misuse of controlled substances.

If enacted, H.R. 6608 would authorize guidance on the specific information that should be submitted to PDMPs, including the patients at the highest risk for misusing controlled substances and how to identify incorrect prescription trends. Additionally, guidance would focus on the best practices on treatment options for prescribers, and how to spot and address roadblocks to implementing the guidelines, according to McSally’s statement.

H.R. 6608, which is cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.

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