Only the FDA would replace one set of dangers with another and call it a win for women

Out of the frying pan…

Imagine how desperate you would feel if this occurred, out of nowhere…

Your chest tightens and your heart starts racing. You break into a sweat. Your head begins pounding. You feel like you’re about to pass out. You lie down, but then a wave of nausea overtakes you.

Convinced you’re having a heart attack, you call out and lie there helplessly. It’s only later you learn it wasn’t your heart at all, but a hot flash.

Of course, most women don’t have hot flashes that severe. But even the mildest bouts of sudden heat can still be deeply uncomfortable, embarrassing, and — at the very least — annoying. Especially if they occur all…the…time…

So women chugging along through “the change” might be cheering to learn that the FDA has just approved the first non-hormonal hot flash treatment.

But you need to know the WHOLE story behind this “new” hot flash solution. It’s actually not so new. And it’s potentially a risky way to avoid something that isn’t actually dangerous.

…into the fire

I first learned about this marketing ploy a DECADE ago …the ridiculous idea of treating hot flashes with the antidepressant Paxil. But while it’s been quiet for the past ten years, this bad idea never went away.

Ten years later (this past March), an FDA panel made it clear… This really is a terrible idea. Panelists voted 10 to 4 to reject Paxil based on the risks. The panel split their votes, 7 to 7, on Paxil’s effectiveness in treating hot flashes.

That should have been a done deal, right? A decisive thumbs down on safety, and a vote of no confidence for efficacy.

Oh please. When has the FDA let minor issues like safety and efficacy affect something as important as sales or stock price?

Days ago, essentially ignoring itself, the agency approved Paxil for hot flashes. So it will soon slither onto the market with an alias. The new name: Brisdelle.

To get an idea why the panel rejected it, the best place to go is the Brisdelle website. There are warnings galore. And you don’t even have to go looking. They’re right there on the homepage… suicide ideation, abnormal bleeding, seizures, convulsions, changes in mood/behavior.

There are more, but this one jumped out… “Women who take Brisdelle may have a higher risk of bone fractures.”

Ah yes! Bone fracture risk. Exactly what every woman struggling with menopause needs!

Oh, and let’s not neglect this… “sweating or fever.” Perfect! A prescription dose of just what we were trying to avoid!

The media is making a big deal about how the FDA is looking out for women who don’t want to use HRT because of breast cancer and other risks. So now (supposedly) women finally have an option.

The only good news here is that Brisdelle isn’t available yet. It’s expected on the market in November.

But rest assured, it’s not worth waiting for and there are much better and safer alternatives already available.

To get a free copy of our report on the natural ways to stop the heat (and other menopause symptoms) visit this link.

Sources:
“FDA Approves Drug for Hot Flashes” Jennifer Corbett Dooren, The Wall St. Journal, 6/30/13, wsj.com

“FDA Advisors Vote Against Two Drugs For Menopausal Hot Flashes” Reuters, 3/4/13, reuters.com