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Mama said you'd go blind if you don't stop.
Reports of blindness in men using Viagra, Cialis
FDA probing, stresses no evidence yet impotence drugs to blame
MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 11:49 a.m. ET May 27, 2005
WASHINGTON - Federal health officials are examining rare reports of blindness among some men using the impotence drugs Viagra and Cialis, a disclosure that comes at a time when the drug industry can ill afford negative publicity about another class of blockbuster medicines. The Food and Drug Administration still is investigating, but has no evidence yet that the drug is to blame, said spokeswoman Susan Cruzan.
This type of blindness is called NAION, or non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. It is a common optic nerve disease in adults over age 50 and can occur in men who are diabetic, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, the same risk factors that can cause impotence.
The FDA has 42 reports of the blindness, 38 among users of Viagra and four among users of Cialis. There were no cases reported among users of Levitra, the third impotence drug.
“We take this seriously,” said FDA’s Cruzan.
The FDA is in discussions about the reported cases with the manufacturers of the three drugs in case there is a problem with the class of medication and to see if changes need to be made to their labels.
Reports of blindness in men using Viagra, Cialis
FDA probing, stresses no evidence yet impotence drugs to blame
MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 11:49 a.m. ET May 27, 2005
WASHINGTON - Federal health officials are examining rare reports of blindness among some men using the impotence drugs Viagra and Cialis, a disclosure that comes at a time when the drug industry can ill afford negative publicity about another class of blockbuster medicines. The Food and Drug Administration still is investigating, but has no evidence yet that the drug is to blame, said spokeswoman Susan Cruzan.
This type of blindness is called NAION, or non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. It is a common optic nerve disease in adults over age 50 and can occur in men who are diabetic, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, the same risk factors that can cause impotence.
The FDA has 42 reports of the blindness, 38 among users of Viagra and four among users of Cialis. There were no cases reported among users of Levitra, the third impotence drug.
“We take this seriously,” said FDA’s Cruzan.
The FDA is in discussions about the reported cases with the manufacturers of the three drugs in case there is a problem with the class of medication and to see if changes need to be made to their labels.
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