[e-med] Alerte à des échanges de médicaments ARV

[remed@remed.org]

E-MED: Alerte à des échanges de médicaments ARV
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[Modérateur: c'est une nouvelle inquiétante...CB]

Les malades à qui le Combivir a été prescrit, doivent s'assurer qu'ils
utilisent bien Combivir : dans quatre Etats des Etats Unis, des flacons de
Combivir contenaient un tout autre médicament anti-sida: le Ziagen
(Abacavir) qui peut provoquer de graves réactions allergiques et aussi
réduire l'efficacité du traitement entrepris.

Il ne s'agit pas d'une erreur de la compagnie Glaxo, mais d'une supercherie
que vous pouvez facilement déjouer:

Combivir est un comprimé blanc en forme de capsule sur un côté duquel est
inscrit" GX FC3"

Ziagen est un comprimé jaune en forme de capsule sur un côté duquel est
inscrit GX 623

L'étiquette sur un flacon de Combivir montre une photo du médicament.

Glaxo conseille aux pharmaciens d'ouvrir les flacons devant leurs clients
pour s'assurer qu'ils ne contiennent que des comprimés de Combivir; tout
flacon douteux doit être renvoyé à Glaxo.

Olivier
ojablonski@free.fr
(traduction Elisabeth Chamorand,

source Associated Press - Friday,
May 10, 2002)

AIDS Drug Warning Issued By Glaxo
  May 11, 2002
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/7228/349957.html
  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Patients prescribed the AIDS drug Combivir should
immediately make sure they got the right pills, the manufacturer says, after
people in four states bought Combivir bottles that actually contained
another AIDS drug called Ziagen.

  The tampering could be dangerous, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline warned
Friday.

  About 5 percent of people who take Ziagen can suffer potentially
life-threatening allergic reactions ? something patients thinking they were
taking Combivir wouldn't have been warned about since that drug doesn't
carry the same risk, the company said.

  Another problem: Combivir provides HIV patients with two anti-viral
medications in one pill, while Ziagen is one completely different anti-viral
drug. An unintentional switch could lower the effectiveness of a patient's
therapy.

  Glaxo makes both drugs, shipping them in pre-sealed bottles. The company
said its own investigation had ruled out a manufacturing glitch and that the
Ziagen in the mislabeled bottles is real and not tainted - meaning someone
sold Ziagen with a counterfeit Combivir label.

  A 60-tablet bottle of Combivir costs about $200 more than the same amount
of Ziagen.

  So far, four bottles ? in Connecticut, Maryland, Florida and California ?
have been discovered, Glaxo said.

  The Food and Drug Administration's criminal investigations unit is probing
the problem. No illnesses have been reported.

  "There is a concern that this was not some simple mix-up in production,"
said FDA's Dr. Mark Goldberger.

  But "the big concern now is to get the word out," he added, because it is
easy for patients to tell the two drugs apart if they know to look:

  _Combivir is a white capsule-shaped tablet engraved with "GX FC3" on one
side.

  _Ziagen is a yellow capsule-shaped tablet engraved with GX 623" on one
side.

  The Combivir bottles' label shows a photograph of the drug to compare.

  Patients should immediately check that their Combivir bottles contain the
right drug ? and pharmacists should open new bottles in front of the
customer so both can see if it's really Combivir before the patient leaves
the store, Glaxo spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne advised.

  Anyone with questionable medication should immediately take it to the
pharmacist to be checked, and pharmacies should return suspect bottles to
Glaxo for investigation.
  Patients and pharmacists with questions can call 1-888-825-5249.

  Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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