FDA drops plan for prescription drug watch list By Lisa Richwine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
Health officials said on Friday they had dropped plans to keep a public list of prescription drugs with emerging safety concerns, one of the measures proposed after Merck & Co.'s 2004 withdrawal of its arthritis drug Vioxx. Instead of a "Drug Watch" list, the FDA will place red asterisks next to the names of the medicines on an existing Web page that lists dozens of prescription drugs. Consumers can click on the drug name to link to FDA advisories and other information. "I feel strongly that such an approach meets our goal" of providing useful information to doctors and patients, Dr. Paul Seligman, associate director for safety policy and communication in the FDA's drug center, told reporters. The FDA made the change because there was concern about potential confusion between "Drug Watch" and "MedWatch," an FDA program that provides alerts about new information on medical products, Seligman said. Details on various drugs can be found at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/DrugSafety/DrugIndex.htm
Construction Progress
There is a saying that the show isn't over until the large lady sings. Well, she isn't singing yet but she is warming up. Here is the current status of the remodeling of our facility:
- The framing and interior walls are completed;
- The doors are hung;
- The exterior and interior of the facility are painted;
- The new sidewalks are done;
- All of the light fixtures are in place;
- The bathroom and kitchen floors are tiled;
- The electrical wiring and panel upgrades are ready for their final inspection;
- The heating and air conditioning upgrades are installed and ready for their final inspection.
- Install the bathroom fixtures;
- Complete installation of the fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems;
- Install the kitchen appliances;
- Install the flooring in the remainder of our facility;
- Obtain the plumbing inspection;
- Complete installation of the generator system;
- Obtain the fire department inspection.