Stadol

Stadol NS (butorphanol) , made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, is a nasal spray form of analgesic (pain killer). Bristol-Myers Squibb claims that Stadol has a much reduced risk of the addictive qualities of other narcotics used to treat pain. Due to manufacturer's claim of an extremely low potential for abuse, the FDA allowed physicians to prescribe Stadol without government control. Contrary to the manufacturer's claims, in the last few years it has been revealed that the synthetic opiate in Stadol is extremely addictive and has been blamed for several deaths.

The FDA has logged reports a significant amount of deaths and severe addictions associated with the drug. An injectable version took the blame in some of those cases.
However the nasal spray has brought most of the complaints. The spray has been linked to hundreds of cases of addiction and numerous deaths.

In February 1995 Bristol-Myers Squibb asked the FDA to recommend that Stadol NS be considered a controlled substance. A year later, the company expanded its request to contol Stadol NS by including the injectable form of the drug used to sedate patients before surgery. For Bristol-Myers, the request to control Stadol NS and restrict its sales was unprecedented. By making a drug a controlled substance, makes it more difficult for doctors to prescribe and may prompt some to choose another painkiller.

The question arises as to why Bristol-Myers Squibb did not initially recommend Stadol NS to be labled as a controlled substance and why the company worked hard to argue the drugs non-addictive benefits to FDA.

These questions started to be asked when the suicide of a medical doctor's son occured. The father was Morris A. Fisherl M.D., professor of neurology at Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois.

After Fisher's son conunitted suicide during treatment for an addiction for a supposedly "safe" treatment for migraine headaches, Dr. Fisher and investigative reporter Stephanie Glass gathered information on the drug.

According to Fisher, medical professionals and patients are not being informed about the serious dangers associated with the drug Stadol (generic name, "butorphanol") which is delivered as a nasal spray.

Medical evidence, says Fisher, has always indicated that Stadol should be scheduled for both effective control and as a caution to physicians and patients as an addiction/dependence drug. In 1978, the Federal Drug Administration Advisory Committee reviewed an indictable form of Stadol. The committee recommended scheduling Stadol as addictive, pointing out its abuse potential and withdrawal symptoms in people who had received the drug during clinical trials. The committee's recommendation was not followed.

We bring this important information to your attention to better educate you about the risks and dangers of prescription and pharmaceutical drugs.
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