It seemed like a miracle cure to many Americans battling obesity. "Fen-phen" -- a combination of the two diet drugs fenfluramine and phentermine -- was achieving great success in treating obesity. Both fenfluramine and phentermine had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the use of the drugs in combination had not been FDA-approved and was being used "off-label." When it was determined that fenfluramine was linked to heart-valve damage, manufacturers voluntarily removed the drug fenfluramine from the market upon recommendation to do so by the FDA. Phentermine is still on the market as there have been no studies linking that drug to heart valve damage. The FDA recommended that patients who took the combination phen-fen consult their physicians about having an echocardiogram to determine whether heart valve damages has occurred.
Compounding refers to a pharmacist's preparation of a customized medication by combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to create a medication that is tailored to meet the needs of an individual patient. The physician gives specific directions as to the preparation of the compound. Compounding is a traditionally recognized part of pharmacy practice, and all 50 states have laws that permit compounding
In the 1980s, there was increasing public debate over the safety of childhood vaccines. There were reports of serious injuries or death supposedly related to adverse reactions to childhood vaccines. Because of the threat of lawsuits, some companies stopped making vaccines.
More and more frequently, drivers of sedans and other smaller cars are injured and killed as a result of collisions with light trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). In many of these accidents, crash reconstruction experts have concluded that the injuries and deaths could have been prevented or lessened if both vehicles were of similar size. Other crash experts have determined that the problem with the smaller cars is that many of the less expensive models are not equipped with the same safety features that the bigger vehicles have. Statistics support the allegations that SUVs and trucks pose an increased risk or danger to drivers and passengers of other cars. In collisions between SUVs or light trucks and other cars, over 80 percent of those fatally injured were those not in the SUVs or trucks.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), a branch of the Department of Transportation (DOT), has adopted safety standards for motor vehicles and conducts safety research and development. Under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Vehicle Safety Act), which was later repealed and reenacted as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Authorization Act of 1991, vehicle manufacturers must notify the NHTSA and vehicle owners when the manufacturer learns (or should have learned) of any safety-related defects in its vehicles. The defects have to be repaired without charge to the owners. Safety-related defects are those that create an unreasonable risk of accidents. If the DOT Secretary finds a safety-related defect, administrative action can be taken ordering the manufacturer to take remedial action. Most motor vehicle recalls have been voluntary.
