THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 9, 1995 TAG: 9512090353
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: SILVER SPRING, MD. LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
A new type of drug to battle vision-stealing glaucoma works significantly better than standard therapy - but has the startling side effect of turning blue eyes brown.
Despite not understanding the cause or significance of the eye color change, the Food and Drug Administration should approve Latanoprost, a panel of scientific advisers decided Friday.
But the FDA panel insisted that manufacturer Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc. continue to study the drug's long-term safety and clearly label that it can cause the color change.
``This could turn out to be a major public health hazard for glaucoma patients,'' said Dr. Alexander Brucker of the University of Pennsylvania who opposed approving the drug.
But ``it is very effective,'' countered Dr. Emily Chew of the National Eye Institute before the 4-2 vote to pass the drug. The FDA is not bound by advisory panel decisions but usually follows them.
Glaucoma blinds 80,000 Americans a year and steals some sight from 900,000 others. by CNB