Health officials petition FDA for warning labels on painkillers

Monday Feb 22nd, 2016

City and state health directors are urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put warning labels on powerful painkillers that can be fatal when taken with other drugs.

In a petition, a group of health directors led by Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore's health commissioner, and Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, Rhode Island's health director, call for “black box warning” labels on opioids and benzodiazepines.

“Existing warnings about the concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines are inconsistent, infrequent, and insufficient,” Alexander-Scott said in a statement. “The FDA should act swiftly on the clear scientific evidence and add black box warnings to both classes of medication.”

Read more at: http://thehill.com/regulation/healthcare/270313-group-petitions-fda-for-...

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