prescription-drugs

We May Be Entering The Oxycontin Baby Era
Pregnant mothers who are addicted to prescription drugs, particularly pain medications, can pass those addictions on to their babies. Health officials are afraid that drug-abusing moms could spawn a widespread class of crack baby-like "oxycontin babies." More »

Supreme Court: Data Mining Of Prescription Drug Records Is Free Speech
In 2007, the state of Vermont passed a law forbidding the data mining of prescription drug records (i.e., which drugs are being prescribed and how frequently) for marketing purposes. But earlier today, the Supreme Court ruled that the Vermont law interferes with drug makers' right to free speech. More »

DEA Will Be Happy To Take Your Old Drugs Off Your Hands This Saturday
Last September's first-ever National Take-Back Day, in which the DEA and other law enforcement agencies operate stations for people with old prescription drugs to dispose of them safely, was apparently enough of a success that the agency decided to not even wait a full year to try it again. That's right, it's time to bust out your National Take-Back Day decorations, along with your old Vicodin, Oxycontin and Cipro! More »

Vicodin: The Most Popular Prescription Pill In America's Medicine Cabinet
With the White House and the FDA dreaming up ways to curb the pain-pill problem in the U.S., we got to wondering just what are the most popular (legal) drugs in the country? Thankfully, the folks at Time.com were thinking about the same thing, because they put together a handy/dandy list of the 10 most-prescribed meds, none of which is Viagra. More »

Safeway Pharmacist Accidentally Gives Abortion-Inducing Drug To Pregnant Woman
If you never thought to double check that bottle you pick up from the prescription counter, here's a story that will probably stick in your head the next time you're getting a 'scrip filled. More »

How To Avoid Scammy Online Pet Drug Merchants
It's tempting to skip an expensive visit to the vet's office when you can just order the same drugs online. Sites offer the exact medications that the vet's office sells—at much lower prices, without a prescription. It's not such a good idea, though. Much like buying human drugs online from shady sources (no prescription needed) you may not get exactly what you ordered. The medications that show up on your doorstep could be ineffective, or may even harm your pet. More »

Have You Taken Alli Or Xenical? We Want To Hear From You

—>Have you or someone you know taken the weight loss drug Orlistat, marketed as Alli (OTC) and Xenical (prescription)? Our colleagues at Consumer Reports would like to know what kind of side effects you've experienced for a future article, no matter how disgusting.  More »

Recent Class Action Lawsuits: Are You Eligible?

—>We've heard about quite a few recent class-action settlements that you just might be eligible for, as well as cute little baby suits still looking for claimants. Products included: energy drinks, name-brand prescription drugs, and zombie microwaves.  More »

Walmart's Prescription Drug Couriers Arrested For Speeding, Smoking

—>When you think "prescription drugs," you think of clean, sterile facilities, not three stoners driving 100 mph down I-15 with $30,000 of Walmart's prescription narcotics in the backseat. Cops pulled the trio over, which included two illegal immigrants, and called Walmart to confirm that these were the folks employed to deliver their dirt-cheap drugs. "They said yeah they were expecting a delivery and the driver was late."  More »

Which Drugs Aren't Overpriced And Crappy?

—>Using the power of unbiased science to see which meds are the most cost-effective, Consumer Reports launched a new publication Best Drugs for Less this week. It's amazing what you can come up with when you're not in anyone's pockets except your readers'.  More »

Giant, Stop & Shop And Wegmans To Offer Free Antibiotics

—>The grocery store chains Giant and Stop & Shop have announced a plan to offer free prescription antibiotics in their pharmacies. The program will last through March 21st, and will cover amoxicillin, penicillin and ciprofloxacin among others. The program is similar to one offered by Midwestern superstore Meijer.   More »

FTC Busts Giant Spam Operation, Enlarges Penis

As part of their inquiry, FTC staff made undercover purchases from the sites. No one asked the clandestine buyers to provide verification of a prescription and the shipped drugs did not include doctors' instructions or dosage information, officials said.  More »

The Battle Of The Biggest Killer: Prescription Drugs V. Illegal Drugs

—>So, Florida is apparently plagued by addicted prescription-poppers and not the pot-addled deviants targeted by our government's so-called "War on Drugs." A new report shows that prescription drugs killed three-times more Floridians than illegal drugs, and not because old people can't follow doctor's orders. Addictive prescriptions like Vicodin, OxyContin, Valium and Xanax killed more users than all illegal drugs combined.  More »

Zyrtec Goes Behind-The-Counter

—> Zyrtec users can now buy it without a prescription—but they'll have to show ID because it going to be sold from behind the counter with the other meth supplies. [Associated Press]  More »

"U.S. taxpayers and Medicare patients could have saved almost $15 billion in 2007 if private health insurers had cut expenses for prescription drug coverage and negotiated bigger discounts," according to a newly released (Democratic) government report. [Reuters]  More »