Comments on: How Long Before Zofran Gets Black Boxed?

By: Max Kennerly

Max Kennerly — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:39:18 +0000

Oh no, not a warning on the package! If that happens, why, doctors might know what they’re prescribing to patients.

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:20:52 +0000

You will absolutely be able to receive antiemetics if you need them while you are pregnant. They will always be available.

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:56:17 +0000

Pharmaceutical induced QT prolongation is idiosyncratic and not always dose dependent. Unless you had taken phenergan within several drug half life’s prior to your treadmill test, it is far from certain that your QT prolongation was phenergan induced.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:58:45 +0000

Winning cases is so easy – on a blog.

By: WhiteCoat

WhiteCoat — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:54:18 +0000

Good point about OTC status. Something I hadn’t considered.

By: WhiteCoat

WhiteCoat — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:53:49 +0000

Pay full price for the new nausea medicine that will probably hit the market in the near future?
Ginger root is good for nausea – until the FDA bans that as being unregulated or some damn thing.

By: WhiteCoat

WhiteCoat — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:52:43 +0000

Thanks.

By: WhiteCoat

WhiteCoat — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:52:11 +0000

I still write for Droperidol and Phenergan as well. However, I work at several hospitals. Two of them have removed Droperidol from formulary. One has removed injectable Phenergan. All decisions are because of black box warnings. P&T committees aren’t as rational as those prescribing the medications.
I don’t give more than 8mg of Zofran at a time, either, but with the FDA noting that there is a relationship between dose and alleged QT prolongation, it is only a matter of time.
Then if you use Zofran and your patient happens to be one of the 1 in a million that has a bad outcome, you’re screwed. Black Box warning will be Exhibit #1 at trial.
Like winning the lottery – only in reverse.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 20:09:26 +0000

As I’ve said before on here (and later published in EP monthly) it’s likely because they have a new antiemetic in the pipeline and they want people to have to use that instead. It’s droperidol part 2

Another consideration- I’m wondering if this is an attempt to keep zofran from OTC status. Zofran is truly safer than tylenol (no one ever died or needed a new liver from taking too much zofran) and the OTC need for it is huge. But OTC status can mean less money for the manufacturer so this may be their way of fighting it.

By: Briana

Briana — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:05:03 +0000

This stuff scares me. During my pregnancy I had hyperemesis and antiemetics saved my life/sanity.

My daughter is 4 now and I’m thinking about trying pregnancy again. One of my biggest fears is that I won’t be able to get the medications this time around.