Don't Kill Yourselves, Allergy Sufferers

Don’t Kill Yourselves, Allergy Sufferers March 30, 2008

Posted by fitsnews in : Uncategorized , trackback

IT’S JUST A LITTLE POLLEN, PEOPLE

FITSNews - March 30, 2008 - Since we couldn’t decide between covering the Dole recall of Honduran cantaloupes or the great debate over our nation’s cholesterol problem today, we decided to show off our Solomon-esque wisdom by doing neither. Instead, we examined a report that the drug Singulair makes people want to slit their wrists. Which sounded a lot more fun … errr, to write about, anyway.

Of course we didn’t actually examine the report because that would have taken forever. And seeing as we’ve never used prescription drugs before (at least not legally), we’re not even remotely qualified to speak on the subject. We can go out on a limb, however, and say that Singulair is pretty much f*cked if this report is true. Seriously, how do you make one of those obnoxiously chipper prescription drug commercials where everybody’s holding hands and rollerblading when you have to tell people at some point that “possible side effects include wanting to blow your brains out?” Anyway, from MedHeadlines:

According to some reports, Singulair prescribed in the treatment of asthma, allergic rhinitis and prevention of exercise-induced asthma, has been associated with unpleasant mood changes, suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality), and suicide itself. Merck & Co, Inc has made several changes to the patient and prescriber information issued for Singulair and has worked with the FDA to determine how to communicate the latest changes in the most effective manner.

Yeah right. Nobody’s quite that calm under these types of circumstances, no matter how many kabillionty dollars they may have. The truth is Merck’s executives have probably been crapping in their pants over this and will no doubt be looking for a ledge to jump from themselves once the stock market opens this week.