Drug & Device News

California Court Certifies Contact-Lens Solution Class

A California state trial judge has certified a class of consumers who purchased contact lens solution blamed for causing eye infections that can lead to blindness. The November ruling, in a case against Abbot Medical Optics Inc., came just six months after the California Supreme Court lowered the standing requirements for consumer class actions, in the case of In re Tobacco II Cases. That decision settled a question created by the passage of California's Proposition 64, a 2004 ballot initiative intended to curb consumer cases filed under California's unfair competition law; it requires that plaintiffs show they had suffered an actual injury. The tobacco case held that class actions alleging consumer fraud may go forward even though each and every class member has not suffered actual injuries because of deceptive advertising.

L.A. Law Enforcement Authorities Want Limits on Medical Marijuana Sales

In November 2009's discussions leading up to a vote on whether to officially authorize the sale of medical marijuana in Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich urged the City Council to put major restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits. Trutanich argued for a ban on sales of the narcotic, saying the State's medical marijuana law allows only for the possession and use of the substance, not its sale. David Berger, special assistant to the city attorney, echoed his boss's sentiments, saying the State's legislation gives an affirmative defense to a person charged with growing marijuana, but “there is no defense for selling marijuana and no mechanism for selling marijuana. And that has been the battle that exists between the council and the city attorney.” The City Attorney's office wants only “primary caregivers” to be given the right to be paid for providing marijuana to patients.

FDA Warns of Drug Interaction When Using Prilosec with Plavix

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to medical professionals and consumers that the use of stomach acid reducers Prilosec and Prilosec OTC (omeprazole) in conjunction with the anti-clotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel) can reduce the effectiveness of the Plavix by half. Plavix does not have anti-clotting effects until it is metabolized into its active form with the help of the liver enzyme, CYP2C19. Prilosec blocks this enzyme, thereby reducing the effectiveness of Plavix. “Both of these drugs, when used properly, provide significant benefits to patients.” said Mary Ross Southworth, Pharm.D., of the Division of Cardiovascular and Renal Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “However, patients at risk for heart attacks or strokes who use Plavix to prevent platelet aggregation will not get the full effect of this medicine if they are also taking Prilosec.” Other drugs that have similar interactions with CYP2C19, and which should also be used along with Plavix only when recommended by a health care provider, include Nexium (esomeprazole), Tagamet and Tagamet HB (cimetidine), Diflucan (fluconazole), Nizoral (ketoconazole), VFEND (voriconazole), Intelence (etravirine), Felbatol (felbamate), Prozac, Serafem, Symbyax (fluoxetine), Luvox (fluvoxamine) and Ticlid (ticlopidine). For more information, see the FDA's release at: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm191169.htm.

California Court Certifies Contact-Lens Solution Class

A California state trial judge has certified a class of consumers who purchased contact lens solution blamed for causing eye infections that can lead to blindness. The November ruling, in a case against Abbot Medical Optics Inc., came just six months after the California Supreme Court lowered the standing requirements for consumer class actions, in the case of In re Tobacco II Cases. That decision settled a question created by the passage of California's Proposition 64, a 2004 ballot initiative intended to curb consumer cases filed under California's unfair competition law; it requires that plaintiffs show they had suffered an actual injury. The tobacco case held that class actions alleging consumer fraud may go forward even though each and every class member has not suffered actual injuries because of deceptive advertising.

L.A. Law Enforcement Authorities Want Limits on Medical Marijuana Sales

In November 2009's discussions leading up to a vote on whether to officially authorize the sale of medical marijuana in Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich urged the City Council to put major restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits. Trutanich argued for a ban on sales of the narcotic, saying the State's medical marijuana law allows only for the possession and use of the substance, not its sale. David Berger, special assistant to the city attorney, echoed his boss's sentiments, saying the State's legislation gives an affirmative defense to a person charged with growing marijuana, but “there is no defense for selling marijuana and no mechanism for selling marijuana. And that has been the battle that exists between the council and the city attorney.” The City Attorney's office wants only “primary caregivers” to be given the right to be paid for providing marijuana to patients.

FDA Warns of Drug Interaction When Using Prilosec with Plavix

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to medical professionals and consumers that the use of stomach acid reducers Prilosec and Prilosec OTC (omeprazole) in conjunction with the anti-clotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel) can reduce the effectiveness of the Plavix by half. Plavix does not have anti-clotting effects until it is metabolized into its active form with the help of the liver enzyme, CYP2C19. Prilosec blocks this enzyme, thereby reducing the effectiveness of Plavix. “Both of these drugs, when used properly, provide significant benefits to patients.” said Mary Ross Southworth, Pharm.D., of the Division of Cardiovascular and Renal Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “However, patients at risk for heart attacks or strokes who use Plavix to prevent platelet aggregation will not get the full effect of this medicine if they are also taking Prilosec.” Other drugs that have similar interactions with CYP2C19, and which should also be used along with Plavix only when recommended by a health care provider, include Nexium (esomeprazole), Tagamet and Tagamet HB (cimetidine), Diflucan (fluconazole), Nizoral (ketoconazole), VFEND (voriconazole), Intelence (etravirine), Felbatol (felbamate), Prozac, Serafem, Symbyax (fluoxetine), Luvox (fluvoxamine) and Ticlid (ticlopidine). For more information, see the FDA's release at: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm191169.htm.