Drug News

* Revised labeling has been approved for the following:
carbamazepine-containing drugs (eg, Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, and Tegretol) - to include a recommendation that before starting drug therapy, patients of Asian ancestry get a genetic blood test that identifies a significantly increased risk of developing a rare, but serious, skin reaction. These life-threatening skin reactions include toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

* Merck has initiated a voluntary recall of 11 lots of PedvaxHIB (Haemophilus b conjugate [meningococcal protein conjugate]) and 2 lots of Comvax (Haemophilus b conjugate (meningococcal protein conjugate]) vaccines because the sterility of these lots is uncertain.