Savella is a drug used to treat fibromyalgia that should be banned says consumer group Public Citizen. The advocacy group has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for the Savella ban, pointing out that European regulators refused to approve it as a treatment for fibromyalgia.
What’s wrong with the drug? According to Public Citizen, in two clinical trials, Savella was found to increase blood pressure, heart rate and suicidal thoughts. Patients with normal blood pressure developed hypertension compared to those on a placebo. A hike in your blood pressure rate can increase the risk of a cardiovascular event, a heart attack or death.
Savella also carries an increase in the risk of seizures, addiction, mood disorders, excessive bleeding, glaucoma and gastrointestinal effects. Pregnant woman should not take the drug, says Public Citizen. And besides, says Dr. Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen, as a treatment for fibromyalgia, it loses effectiveness after three months. With all of the downsides and few upsides, there is very little reason to take this potentially dangerous prescription medication.
And if there is any need for further convincing, the European Medicines Agency has rejected Savella’s approval for fibromyalgia saying its benefits were “marginal” and did not outweigh its risks. After this the FDA approved the drug in January 2009.
Source Article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a0lZW4ldgHns
