For allergy sufferers, the antihistamine Seldane was, and is, beneficial. Not only does the drug tamp down symptoms, it does so for most users without making them drowsy. This led, in the United States, to 6.5 million prescriptions for Seldane from January to November of last year.
Seldane, unfortunately, can be lethal when combined with the common antibiotic erythromycin or with the antifungal drug ketoconozole. In the dozen years since its introduction, Seldane has been blamed as a principal contributing factor in perhaps hundreds of deaths.
Although doctors and pharmacists have been informed repeatedly about the potentially deadly combinations, not all of them have gotten the message. Evidently a few needless deaths still occur each year, which has caused the Food and Drug Administration to say that Seldane and its generic versions should be taken off the market.
That seems to be a sound decision, especially since another drug made by the same manufacturer has been available since last July. That drug, Allegra, gives the same relief to allergy sufferers as Seldane does, but without any of the harmful side effects.
The manufacturer, Hoechst Marion Roussel of Kansas City, plans to contest the FDA request, and the process could involve a hearing and possibly be extended for several months. Simultaneously, the manufacturer has started a drive to encourage consumers to switch to the new and safer drug, Allegra.
The FDA decided not to order a recall of Seldane, because it’s not considered extremely dangerous. The agency instead took a reasoned stance, asking the drug to be withdrawn from the market because of its negative potential in certain circumstances.
Hoechst ought to re-examine its plans, and instead of arguing against the FDA, emphasize its new and safer drug. That is the most rational and safest course on behalf of those plagued by serious allergies.
