FDA puts black box warning on bowel-clearing drugs

WASHINGTON -- Federal health officials have said they will add the sternest safety warnings available to drugs used before colonoscopies, following reports of kidney damage in several patients. The Food and Drug Administration said it has received more than 20 reports of a serious form of kidney failure among patients taking the bowel-cleansing drugs, known as oral phosphate products. The new boxed warning label will apply to Visicol and OsmoPrep _ both prescription tablets made by Salix Pharmaceuticals.
Read article in the Washington Post (USA)