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Re: Article: U.S. FDA OKs drugs to counter radiation attack



How long do you think it will be before these are sold

on the Internet, real or counterfeit?



--- Jim Hardeman <Jim_Hardeman@dnr.state.ga.us> wrote:



> Colleagues:

> 

> See

>

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N11442422.htm

> 

> 

> Jim Hardeman

> Jim_Hardeman@dnr.state.ga.us 

> 

> =================

> 

> U.S. FDA OKs drugs to counter radiation attack

> 11 Aug 2004 19:59:40 GMT

>  

> WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and

> Drug Administration on Wednesday approved two drugs

> to treat people who are exposed to plutonium or two

> other types of radioactive materials that could be

> used in a terror attack, opening the way for mass

> distribution of the drugs.

> 

> The FDA's action means the injectable drugs, which

> also treat americium or curium contamination, would

> be available by prescription -- presumably for

> anyone who wanted them even before an attack took

> place, agency officials said.

> 

> "The approval of these two drugs is another example

> of FDA's readiness and commitment to protecting

> Americans against all terrorist threats," said

> Acting FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford.

> 

> Both drugs -- penetrate calcium trisodium injection

> (Ca-DTPA) and penetrate zinc trisodium injection

> (Zn-DTPA) -- have been available for decades for use

> in contamination emergencies, the FDA said.

> 

> The FDA considered the two drugs, made by Germany's

> Hameln Pharmaceuticals GmBH, investigational prior

> to the approval, which limited the amount available.

> 

> In September 2003 the agency announced the medicines

> could safely decontaminate patients with certain

> kinds of radiation exposure and encouraged companies

> to step forward to make them.

> 

> Wednesday's approval provides for that manufacturer.

> It could also help make the drug easier to get by

> allowing the government to stockpile it or for a

> patient to get it through a prescription -- even

> before the contamination occurred, FDA officials

> said.

> 

> The FDA said the decision was part of the agency's

> efforts to encourage the development of treatments

> in case of an attack.

> 

> If absorbed by the body certain radioactive

> particles can cause cancer, bone tumors and other

> severe problems, even years after exposure.

> 

> Radiation contamination could occur from industrial

> accidents or terror attacks through so-called "dirty

> bombs." People could absorb radioactive particles by

> ingestion, breathing or through open wounds, the

> agency said.

> 

> Plutonium is a by-product of reactors at nuclear

> power plants. Americium, a man-made radioactive

> metal, is often used commercially for a number of

> devices, including medical diagnostics. Curium,

> another synthetic, also results from nuclear

> reactors. 

> 

> 

> 

>

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> 





=====

+++++++++++++++++++

"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects."

Will Rogers



-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com





	

		

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