In this month's "Worst Pills Best Pills Newsletter"
Britain announces Darvocet will be taken off the
market because of unacceptable risks. See
http://www.worstpills.org/member/newsletter.cfm?n_id=372
(You have to be a member to receive newsletter).

Here is a brief summary of article. The British
counterpart to the FDA has announced it will ban
Darvocet within one year. "The decision to remove this
drug from the market is based on the fact that it is a
poor pain reliever and that the risk of toxicity in
overdose, both accidental and deliberate, is
unacceptable." They estimate there are 300-400
deaths annually following deliberate or accidental
overdose in England & Wales alone.

"Combination with alcohol or other central nervous
system depressants is particularly hazardous. A small
multiple of the recommended dose even without alcohol
may cause fatal respiratory depression or heart rhythm
disturbances."

The following points were made:
1-There is no strong evidence that effectiveness of
this combination product is superior to full strength
acetaminophen alone with either acute or chronic use.

2- It has not been possible to identify any patient
group in whom the benefits outweigh the harm.

3-there is evidence that fatal toxicity may occur with
a small multiple of the normal dose and some of the
fatalities are caused by inadvertent overdose. A drug
interaction with alcohol increases the risk for fatal
toxicity.

The FDA has a BLACK BOX WARNING on the drug which
includes "Prescribe propoxyphene with caution for
patients taking tranquilizers or antidepressant drugs
and patients who use alcohol in excess.
Tell your patients not to exceed the recommended dose
and to limit their intake of alcohol."

DARVON & DARVOCET has been on Worst Pills, Best Pills 
"Do Not Use" list since 1988. They say "There is no
medical reason that you should be taking a
propoxyphene-containing product when there are a
number of safer drugs on the market to manage mild to
moderate pain."

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