The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) released a pair of plain-
language guides that outline the latest scientific evidence on the effectiveness 
and safety of oral medications for adults with type 2 diabetes.  AHRQ's analysis is 
the first to summarize evidence on the effectiveness and adverse events for all 
commonly used type 2 diabetes medications.  As new classes of oral diabetes 
medications have become available, patients and clinicians have faced a growing 
list of treatment options and choices.  The consumer-targeted guide, called Pills 
for Type 2 Diabetes: A Guide for Adults, includes information on types of diabetes 
pills commonly available for adults, how well they work, possible side effects, and 
medication costs.  The clinician’s guide, called Comparing Oral Medications for 
Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, includes more detail on those topics and "confidence 
ratings" for evidence to support research conclusions.  Print copies of the guides 
are available by sending an e-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov. 

D.A.R.E. America today launched a new Prescription /OTC Medicine Abuse 
curricula. The lessons, designed for 5th, 7th, and 9th graders, were developed with 
assistance of nearly a dozen national governmental agencies, businesses, nonprofit 
groups, and trade associations, including the National Council on Patient 
Information and Education (NCPIE) and the following stakeholder organizations: 
 
·  Abbott Laboratories 

·  Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, SAMHSA  

·  Consumer Healthcare Products Association  

·  National Institute on Drug Abuse 

·  Office of National Drug Control Policy 

·  Partnership for a Drug Free America  

·  Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)  

·  U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration  

·  U. S. Food and Drug Administration

The New D.A.R.E. OTC/Rx program includes; two elementary, two middle school, 
one high school and one community lesson. The Officer guide includes a CD to 
assist instructors with the delivery of the lessons.  Also included are DVDs for 
Parents and High School students.  Student pamphlets are provided for students to 
use during classroom instruction.

The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) has developed this 
consumer summary guide to help consumers talk with their doctor or nurse about 
two of the many kinds of blood pressure pills.  It compares the benefits, side 
effects, and prices of drugs called ACEIs (pronounced “aces”) and ARBs. The Guide 
addresses Fast Facts on ACEIs and ARBs, Why treat high blood pressure, 
Comparing ACEIs and ARBs, Serious Risks, and Price. For free print copies, call the 
AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse (800) 358-9295. Ask for AHRQ Publication Number 
08-EHC003-2A. 

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) on behalf of the leading 
makers of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines announced voluntary 
market withdrawals of oral cough and cold medicines that refer to "infants."  The 
voluntry withdrawal affects only these "infant" oral medicines, not those intended 
and labeled for use in children age two and older. The branded cough and cold 
medicines that are being voluntarily withdrawn are:

Dimetapp® Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops 

Dimetapp® Decongestant Infant Drops

Little Colds® Decongestant Plus Cough

Little Colds® Multi-Symptom Cold Formula

PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine) 

PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing 
pseudoephedrine) 

PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine) 

PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough

PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing 
phenylephrine) 

Robitussin® Infant Cough DM Drops 

Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant

Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant Plus Cough

TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold

TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough
 
This voluntary withdrawal does not affect medicines intended for children age two 
and older. CHPA and its member companies have put forth recommendations to 
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen the labels on all oral 
OTC children’s cough and cold medicines from "ask a doctor before using to "do 
not use" in children under two years.  CHPA made these recommendations to the 
FDA in preparation for a joint FDA advisory committee meeting on October 18 and 
19. 

These recommendations, as well as several additional recommendations, including 
those proposed by FDA review staff, will be explored further at this meeting.  More 
information about the voluntary withdrawal can be found at www.OTCSafety.org.

As reported in Drug Safety, 650 surveyed patients taking statins to lower 
cholesterol reported that doctors frequently ignored or dismissed reported 
concerns about the medication’s side effects. Findings suggest that this pattern of 
reaction goes beyond statins to other medicines.  Survey respondents were in their 
early 60’s on average and mostly from the U.S. Some respondents engaged the 
online survey on web sites where patients had posted complaints, raising the 
possibility that respondents were more apt to have had side effects than the 
average patient. The study’s lead researcher noted that overwhelmingly, it was 
the patient who initiated the conversation about side effects.  Many doctors 
attributed the symptoms reported to the normal aging process, denied their 
connection to statins or dismissed such reported concerns altogether.  U.S. 
patients can report possible medication side effects directly to the US Food and 
Drug Administration by logging onto the MedWatch web site at www.fda.gov/medwatch/ 
Source: Drug Safety. 30(8):669-675, 2007. Golomb, Beatrice A 1 2; McGraw, John 
J 1 3; Evans, Marcella A 1; Dimsdale, Joel E 4.