September 16, 2004

IN BRIEF: FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel concluded Wednesday that several drugs used to treat children with asthma, allergies and other conditions do not need stronger warnings included on their labels. The pharma brand drugs reviewed by the panel included GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Advair (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol xinafoate), Flonase (fluticasone propionate), Flovent (fluticasone propionate) and Cutivate (fluticasone propionate cream 0.05%); AstraZeneca Plc's Pulmicort (budesonide) and Rhinocort (budesonide); Schering-Plough Corp.'s Clarinex (desloratadine); Allergan Inc.'s Ocuflox (ofloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3%); Berlex Inc.'s Fludara (fludarabine phosphate); and Merck & Co. Inc.'s Fosamax (alendronate sodium).