Fw: Fentanyl Patch Can Be Deadly to Children

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From: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) <fda@...>

wooleeacre@...

Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2012 11:56 AM

Subject: Fentanyl Patch Can Be Deadly to Children

Fentanyl Patch Can Be Deadly to Children

Fentanyl Patch Can Be Deadly to Children

Read the Consumer Update to learn more about how to prevent accidental exposure

to Fentanyl:

http://go.usa.gov/yTw

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm300803.htm

 

Young children have died or become seriously ill from exposure to a skin patch

containing a powerful painkiller, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is

issuing an alertto warn patients, caregivers and health care professionals about

the dangers of improperly using and disposing of the fentanyl patch.

 

The fentanyl transdermal system—the patch marketed under the brand name

Duragesic and in several generic forms—contains fentanyl, a potent narcotic

that is intended to treat patients in constant pain by releasing the medication

over the course of three days. An overdose of fentanyl—caused when the child

either swallows the patch or applies it to his or her own skin—can cause death

by slowing breathing and increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.

 

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