Articles related to ALERTS/WARNINGS/ADVISEMENT

The DEA has issued a warning after discovering xylazine, a tranquilizer for large animals, in almost 25% of the fentanyl powder it seized in 2022. Extensive, necrotic skin ulcerations brought on by xylazine can even result in amputation due to the drug’s ability to impair breathing and cause overdoses. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would reclassify the drug as a Schedule III drug, designate it as an emerging threat, and give the DEA the ability to monitor the drug’s production.

Nearly 25% of fentanyl powder seized in 48 states in 2022 contained xylazine. Xylazine causes severe injection site wounds that can require amputation and puts drug users at higher risk for overdose and death.

In a follow-up to a previous article on HCN, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently updated their website to report that 68 patients across 16 states have been identified with a rare and drug-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa called VIM-GES-CRPA (Verona integron-mediated metallo-β-lactamase). This strain is particularly concerning as it is difficult to treat with standard antibiotics. As a precaution, the CDC and FDA are recommending that clinicians and patients avoid using EzriCare or Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears products until further guidance is issued. Optometrists are advised to stay informed about the situation and to follow the CDC and FDA’s recommendations to ensure the safety of their patients.

The CDC now calls for screening of all adults aged 18 years or older at least once during their lifetimes. And vaccination should be offered to all who have not previously been vaccinated, regardless of serologic testing results. The CDC is now also recommending screening during every pregnancy, preferably in the first trimester, regardless of a patient’s vaccination status or history of testing.

Infection patients reported using more than ten different brands of artificial tears, and some patients used multiple brands. The majority of patients who used artificial tears said they used EzriCare Artificial Tears, an over-the-counter, preservative-free product packaged in multidose bottles. The outbreak strain was found in opened EzriCare bottles with different lot numbers collected from two states, according to CDC laboratory testing.

Reports on the Vaccine Safety Datalink flagged the need to investigate a potential increased risk those 65 years of age and older, for ischemic stroke in the first 21 days after receiving the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech booster. FDA has parallel monitoring systems to confirm or fail to validate a safety signal. In this case, those other systems did not confirm the Vaccine Safety Datalink flag.