Health - Reuters
story.news.yahoo.comnewsOpen ↗
1&e=1&u=/nm/20040520/hl_nm/health_bristol_serzone_dc Bristol-
Myers Discontinues Drug Serzone
2 hours, 5 minutes ago Add Health - Reuters to My Yahoo!
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY -
news) said on Wednesday it would no longer make or sell its
antidepressant Serzone, which has been linked to life-
threatening liver problems.
Related Quotes BMY DJIA NASDAQ ^SPC
25.49 9937.71 1898.17
N/A -0.06 -30.80 +0.35
O/A
delayed 20 mins - disclaimer Quote Data provided by Reuters
Yahoo! Health Have questions about your health? Find
answers here.
A company spokesman said the drug, already withdrawn in
major markets such as Europe and Canada, was being
discontinued worldwide, including in the United States, due
to poor sales.
The antidepressant is also being withdrawn in Australia and
New Zealand.
"After review of the commercial potential of several of
our mature products, we decided to discontinue
manufacturing and selling certain ... products, including
Serzone," said Robert Hutchison, a spokesman for New York-
based Bristol-Myers.
Serzone is one of 17 drugs to be discontinued, Hutchison
said, adding the halt takes effect June 14.
The controversial drug is the subject of several lawsuits
over safety concerns and has been linked to 55 cases of
liver failure, including 20 deaths, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (news - web sites) has said.
In March, U.S. consumer group Public Citizen sued the FDA in
an attempt to force a ban on Serzone.
Oa. Sidney Wolfe, head of Public Citizen's Health Research
Group, said the Bristol-Myers' action on Wednesday
fell short.
The company should recall the Serzone already available,
and generic versions of the drug should also be
recalled, he said.
"We strongly urge all people using either Serzone or generic
nefazodone to contact their physicians about switching to a
safer antidepressant," Wolfe urged.
Bristol-Myers' Hutchison said the company would "continue to
vigorously defend itself against the implication" that
Serzone was not safe.
The company's stock fell 6 cents to close at $25.49 on
Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange (news - web sites).