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Times quotes Julia Johnson on risk of new hot flash drugs

Julia Johnson, MD, chair and professor of obstetrics & gynecology and chair of the FDA’s advisory committee for reproductive health drugs, is quoted in a New York Times article today on why her panel voted to reject two new drugs for menopausal hot flashes.

The advisory committee for reproductive health drugs voted against Depomed’s extended-release gabapentin and a low-dose formulation of the antidepressant paroxetine developed by Noven Pharmaceuticals, saying the risks far outweighed minimal benefits.

“The risk of medications cannot be ignored for a treatment of marginal effectiveness,” Dr. Johnson said, according to the Times article.

Read the full story: F.D.A. Panel Advises Against Two Medicines to Treat Hot Flashes