ZOCOR, 13 OTHER DRUGS MAKE FDA LIST OF MEDS OF CONCERN

The FDA has released its quarterly list of medications being monitored for advese event reports for the second quarter of 2010. Included on the list is the popular cholesterol drug Zocor now linked to a series and potentially life-threatening muscle disease rhabdomyolysis. The agency also identified potential signals for serious risk associated with Cleocin, Multaq, implanon, Afinitor, Uloric, Feraheme, Androgen Deprivation Therapy, Fosrenal, Zocor, Invirase, Nucynta, Heceptin, Omeprazole, and tetracycline products. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis for Zocor could include muscle cramps, tenderness, stiffness, pain or spasms. Zocor is a statin developed by Merck & Co. and was the company’s best selling drug at $4.3 billion in 2005.