June 11, 2023: Brief update and newsletter break
Dear Readers,
The Drugs & Treatments newsletter is on break this week and will return on Sunday, June 25. In the meantime, check out these two quick updates from the FDA and enjoy a podcast on natural remedies.
The U.S. FDA approved Lexicon Pharmaceutical's Inpefa (sotagliflozin) tablets to reduce the risk of heart failure in adults who have Type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and other cardiovascular risk factors. In trial results, sotagliflozin was shown to lower the risk of death, hospitalization, and urgent care visits associated with heart failure. The FDA has twice previously rejected Lexicon's application, citing the risk of diabetes ketoacidosis.
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/lexicon-secures-elusive-fda-nod-heart-failure-drug-inpefa
Maintenance asthma and COPD treatment Trelegy Ellipta had a safety label change to warn of adverse reactions that have been identified since approval. These include: palpitations, eye disorders, immune system disorders, muscle system disorders, tremor, and anxiety. Check this FDA web page for the complete description:
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/safetylabelingchanges/index.cfm?event=searchdetail.page&DrugNameID=1534
Read Glaxo's Trelegy Elipta Patient Reviews: (3.6 average rating, a "satisfied" rating score.)
In our May 28 newsletter, we reported that Glaxo's inhaler Breo Ellipta (also used for asthma and COPD) had a safety label update.
Curious about which home remedies may be worth a try? In this recent podcast from the The People's Pharmacy, Joe and Terry Graedon interview Dr. Craig Hopp, deputy director of the Division of Extramural Research at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). For some minor conditions, experimenting with natural products makes sense. Check out this 60 minute audio program: "How Can We Tell If the Old Wives Were Right?" The first five minutes of the podcast is a news report, followed by the main program.
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/show-1340-were-the-old-wives-right
Visit us at AskaPatient.com for drug ratings and reviews provided by patients along with more news and health information.