Observations placeholder
Valturna
Identifier
020344
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Valturna is a discontinued drug [or should be]. It contained a combination of aliskiren and valsartan. Aliskiren is an anti-hypertensive (blood pressure lowering) medication. Valsartan is a vasodilator.
The following comes from Wikipedia, the figures are from eHealthme:
In September 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a notice to Novartis Pharmaceuticals regarding its advertising of Focalin XR, an ADHD drug, in which the company overstated its efficacy while marketing to the public and medical professionals.
In 2005 federal prosecutors opened an investigation into Novartis' marketing of several drugs: Trileptal, an antiseizure drug; three drugs for heart conditions - Diovan (the company’s top-selling product), Exforge, and Tekturna; Sandostatin, a drug to treat a growth hormone disorder; and Zelnorm, a drug for irritable bowel syndrome. In September, 2010, Novartis agreed to pay US$422.5 million in criminal and civil claims and to enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the US Office of the Inspector General. According to the New York Times "Federal prosecutors accused Novartis of paying illegal kickbacks to health care professionals through speaker programs, advisory boards, entertainment, travel and meals. But aside from pleading guilty to one misdemeanor charge of mislabeling in an agreement that Novartis announced in February, the company denied wrongdoing." In the same New York Times article, Frank Lichtenberg, a Columbia professor who receives pharmaceutical financing for research on innovation in the industry, said off-label prescribing was encouraged by the American Medical Association and paid for by insurers, but off-label marketing was clearly illegal. "So it’s not surprising that they would settle because they don’t have a legal leg to stand on."
In April 2013, federal prosecutors filed two lawsuits against Novartis under the False Claims Act for off-label marketing and kickbacks; in both suits, prosecutors are seeking treble damages. The first suit "accused Novartis of inducing pharmacies to switch thousands of kidney transplant patients to its immunosuppressant drug Myfortic in exchange for kickbacks disguised as rebates and discounts". In the second, the Justice Department joined a qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuit brought by a former sales rep over off-label marketing of three drugs: Lotrel and Valturna (both hypertension drugs), and the diabetes drug, Starlix. Twenty-seven states, the District of Columbia and Chicago and New York also joined.
On Feb, 18, 2016: 461 people reported to have side effects when taking Valturna. Among them, 2 people (0.43%) have Hallucination.
On Feb, 18, 2016: 461 people reported to have side effects when taking Valturna. Among them, 12 people (2.60%) have Death.