Re: O/T- URGENT Drug recall for kids!!!

[Guest guest]

Thought I would just pass on what Snopes says about this. Apparently it's true

but way out dated.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/ppa.asp

PPA Recall Alert

Claim: Drug products containing PPA (phenylpropanolamine) were pulled from the

market due to FDA concerns over a possible connnection to strokes.

Status: True (but outdated).

Examples:

[Collected on the Internet, 2005]

All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE (PPA) are being recalled. You may want

to try calling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes and inquire about a

REFUND. Please read this CAREFULLY. Also, please pass this on to everyone you

know.

STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been linked to increased

hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days

after starting use of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA

recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.

---------------------------------

[Collected on the Internet, 2000]

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!! The FDA has announced a recall of all drug products

containing PPA (phenylpropanolamine). The AAFES stock assortment contains 23

products containing this drug (see below) .... ALL MUST BE PULLED FROM SALE

IMMEDIATELY and placed in controlled storage pending disposition instructions.

In addition, customers presenting unused quantities of these items purchased

from AAFES may be given full refunds. Locally printed signs will be placed as

follows:

CRC Description

----------------------------

5252333 ALKA-SELTZER PLUS

1350966 TAVIST-D

7388036 TRIAMINIC TRIAMINICOL

9175688 CONTACT SEVERE COLD 16 CT

1190814 COMTREX DEEP CHEST 24 CT

7533225 DEXATRIM XS W/VIT C

6400584 DEXATRIM EXT DURATION (PHASE-OUT STATUS)

3131711 ACCUTRIM MAXIMUM STRENGTH

1307750 DIMETAPP DM COUGH/COLD

3028438 DIMETAPP ELIXER

1216522 ALKA SELTZER PLUS COLD LIQUID

3709664 ALKA SELTZER PLUS NIGHT TIME (PHASE OUT STATUS)

5275920 ALKA SELTZER PLUS ORANGE

3782000 ALKA SELTZER PLUS TABS

3509700 ALKA SELTZER PLUS NIGHT TIME TABS

7730608 AAFES TUSSIN CF COUGH FORMULA 4 OZ.

8515727 AAFES DIMAPHEN ELIXIR 4 OZ.

8093916 AAFES EFFERVESCENT COLD RELIEF 36 COUNT

3024833 AAFES DIET CAPLETS

8147803 PERMATHENE-16

3247319 ROBITUSSIN CF COUGH SYRUP

3114808 COMTREX MULTI SYMPTOM

3377900 SINE OFF SINUS

This recall action is mandatory and should be accomplished as soon as possible.

Report compliance to respective Region retail offices via TAO. Contact CARTERRE

with questions.

Origins: On 6 November 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

issued a public health advisory warning that phenylpropanolamine (PPA), an

ingredient found in many over-the-counter cold medications and diet aids, may

cause strokes and thus should be avoided. Although the FDA did not issue a

mandatory recall of PPA-containing products, they asked drug manufacturers to

voluntarily stop selling products containing PPA and provide safer alternatives.

As a result, most products that formerly included PPA have now been discontinued

or reformulated without PPA while the FDA proceeds with the regulatory process

necessary to remove all PPA-containing products from the market.

The list of products cited in the e-mail quoted above is now several years out

of date, and as the FDA has noted: [T]here is no comprehensive, updated list

available from FDA. FDA is aware of emails circulating widely that list many

products allegedly containing PPA. Those emails are no longer valid and should

be ignored. Please read the labels of OTC products to determine if they contain

PPA.

The FDA has set up a toll-free number for PPA questions at (888) INFO-FDA. A

direct line, although it is not toll-free, is . The FDA also has a

Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) Information Page available on their web site. The FDA

has advised that consumers go through their medicine cabinets, paying special

attention to cold remedies and diet aids, and discard any medications that list

phenylpropanolamine as one of their ingredients.

According to the FDA, " Although the risk of hemorrhagic stroke is very low, FDA

recommends that consumers not use any products that contain PPA. " The FDA

warning came as a result of a May 2000 study conducted at Yale University School

of Medicine, in which the Hemorrhagic Stroke Project found PPA to increase the

risk of hemorrhagic stroke, a type of stroke characterized by bleeding in the

brain. In October 2000, an FDA advisory committee confirmed the findings in the

Yale study published by The New England Journal of Medicine, which suggested

that PPA could raise the risk of stroke even in young people aged 18 to 49.

(Not everyone is convinced that PPA poses nearly as much of a threat to

consumers as claimed, and some critics have maintained the withdrawal was

initiated by an overly cautious FDA based on flawed studies.)

Barbara " better a head cold than six-feet-deep cold " Mikkelson

Additional information:

PPA Info Sheet (FDA)

Q&A on PPA (FDA)

Last updated: 23 January 2005

The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/ppa.asp

Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2005

by Barbara and P. Mikkelson

This material may not be reproduced without permission.

---------------------------------

Sources:

, . " FDA Warns Against Using Common Drugs. "

Los Angeles Times. 7 November 2000 (p. A1).

Kaufman, Marc. " Ingredient in Cold Remedies Poses Risk. "

The Washington Post. 7 November 2000 (p. A1).

Milloy, . " Is the FDA's PPA Scare BS? "

FOXNews.com. 10 November 2000.

Toronto Star. " Drugstores in Canada Pull Cold Medicines. "

8 November 2000. -->

susan.shook@... wrote:

This was just sent to me. I thought it extemely important!

>>URGENT-URGENT- DRUG RECALL.

>>

>> All drugs containingPHENYLPROPANOLAMINE

>>

>>All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are being recalled. You

>>may want to try calling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes

>>and inquire about a REFUND. Please read this CAREFULLY. Also,

>>please pass this on to everyone you know.

>>

>>STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been linked

>>to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain) among women

>>ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication.

>>Problems were not found in men, however, the FDA recommended that

>>everyone (even children) seek an alternative medicine.

>>

>>The following medications may contain Phenylpropanolamine:

>>Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant

>>Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements

>>Acu trim Maximum Strength Appetite Control

>>Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent

>>Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (cherry or orange)

>>Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original

>>Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine

>>Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine

>>Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Effervescent

>>Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine

>>BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder

>>BC Sinus Cold Powder

>>Comtrex Flu Therapy & Fever Relief

>>Day &Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules

>>Contac 12 Hour Caplets

>>Coricidin D Cold, Flu & Sinus

>>Dexatrim Caffeine Free

>>Dexatrim Extended Duration

>>Dexatrim Gelcaps

>>Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free

>>Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable Tablets

>>Dimetapp Cold & Cough Liqui-Gels

>>Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough Elixir

>>Dimetapp Elixir

>>Dimetapp 4 Hour Liquid Gels

>>Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets

>>Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets

>>Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops

>>Permathene Mega-16

>>Robitussin CF

>>Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus & Nasal Congestion

>>Triaminic DM Cough Relief

>>Triaminic Expectorant Ches t & Head

>>Triaminic Syrup Cold & Allergy

>>Triaminic Triaminicol Cold & Cough

>>

>>I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic

>>and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the

>>following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing

>>strokes and seizures in children:

>>

>> Orange 3D Cold &Allergy Cherry (Pink)

>>3D Cold &Cough Berry

>>3D Cough Relief Yellow

>>3D Expectorant

>>

>>They are asking you to call them at with the lot number

>>on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to

>>them, and they will also issue

>>you a refund.

>>

>>If you know of anyone else with small children, PLEASE PASS THIS ON.

>>THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!

>>

>>DO PASS THIS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are informed.

>>They can then pass it along to their families.

>>To confirm these findings please take time to check the following:

>>

>>URL: Phenylpropanolamine Information Page

>>

>>http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/default.htm

>http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/default.htm

>>http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/default.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/default.htm>

>>

------- End of forwarded message -------

Shook

Retail Operations Manager/Baking Instructor

Vie de France Yamazaki, Inc.

2070 Chain Bridge Rd. Suite 500

Vienna, VA 22182

x374

x374

fax

[Guest guest]

This is in fact several years old and for some reason recirculating, but if

anyone still has some of these products that were bought a few years ago, they

should be checked. Most likely they would be expired and you would not want to

use them anyway.

This is why once a year or more we go thru our meds and chuck anything that is

expired or nearing expriation. We actually misses some triaminic that had this

in it ... but it was expired and never would have been used again (I always

check expiration before administering something that was not bought in the last

couple months).

Angel

[Guest guest]

Thanks for that information . I wonder why it is recirculating. I

never heard of this recall the first go-around.

Shook

Retail Operations Manager/Baking Instructor

Vie de France Yamazaki, Inc.

2070 Chain Bridge Rd. Suite 500

Vienna, VA 22182

x374

x374

fax

[Guest guest]

I didn't either. No problem!

susan.shook@... wrote:

Thanks for that information . I wonder why it is recirculating. I

never heard of this recall the first go-around.

Shook

Retail Operations Manager/Baking Instructor

Vie de France Yamazaki, Inc.

2070 Chain Bridge Rd. Suite 500

Vienna, VA 22182

x374

x374

fax