Code Red: Don’t trade overactive bladder for cancer

Do Big Pharma and the FDA really think people will be dumb enough to trade overactive bladder (OAB) for malignant tumors?

It certainly seems that way, because the FDA just approved Myrbetriq, a new drug that’s helped reduce some OAB symptoms in clinical trials… but at a potentially very high cost.

The bad-enough common side effects — lots of people suffered them — include increased blood pressure, common cold-like symptoms, urinary tract infection, constipation, fatigue, elevated heart rate (tachycardia), and abdominal pain.

But unless you read the full prescribing information for Myrbetriq, which most people and many doctors don’t, you wouldn’t know what else you may be risking: malignant tumors.

In fact, according to Business Week, “The drug also was linked to tests revealing potential liver disease, a small number of urinary tract infections and malignant tumors, FDA staff wrote. The reason the medicine may lead to tumor formation is unknown, staff said.”

What they didn’t say directly: “Let’s approve it anyway.”

So, if you’re suffering from OAB, don’t let your doctor talk you into trying this new and potentially very dangerous drug, even if he offers free samples. There are many effective and safe ways to deal with this — no risk of malignant tumors at all.