Subject: FDA MedWatch - Long-acting Beta2-adrenergic
Agonists Public Health Advisory
MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event
Reporting Program
FDA notified manufacturers of Advair Diskus, Foradil
Aerolizer, and Serevent Diskus to update their existing
product labels with new warnings and a Medication Guide
for patients to alert health care professionals and patients
that these medicines may increase the chance of severe
asthma episodes, and death when those episodes occur.
All of these products contain long-acting beta2-adrenergic
agonists (LABA). Even though LABAs decrease the frequency
of asthma episodes, these medicines may make asthma episodes
more severe when they occur. A Medication Guide with
information about these risks will be given to patients
when a prescription for a LABA is filled or refilled.
Read the complete MedWatch 2005 Safety Summary, including
links to the FDA Public Health Advisory and the FDA Drug
Information Page that includes links to the Healthcare
Professional and Patient Information Sheets, at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2005/safety05.htm#LABA