Why was Bex taken off the market?

Why was Bex taken off the market?

Generations of Australians had sworn by Bex, but the analgesics were banned after they were linked to kidney disease.

What did Bex have in it?

Bex was a strong compound analgesic which was popular in Australia for much of the 20th century. It came in the form of APC (aspirin–phenacetin–caffeine) tablets or powder, containing 42% aspirin and 42% phenacetin plus caffeine.

What drugs were in Bex?

Bex, the analgesic made up of aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine, became an Australian icon. It was recommended to treat headaches, colds, flu, fevers, rheumatism, nerve pain and for ”calming down”.

When were Bex powders banned?

When they were linked to high rates of kidney disease, the over the counter medications were banned in 1977. In the mid-1970s kidney failure caused by the medicines was the reason 15-20 per cent of patients using dialysis needed the treatment and it also boosted the need for kidney transplants.

Is phenacetin still used today?

Phenacetin was withdrawn from the market in Canada in 1978, in the United Kingdom in 1980 (IARC, 1980), and in the Unites States of America in 1983 (FDA, 1999). Over-the-counter sales of phenacetin-containing analgesics have been legally prohibited in most countries.

Is phenacetin the same as paracetamol?

Paracetamol is a metabolite of phenacetin with similar analgesic and antipyretic effects, but the new formulation has not been found to have phenacetin’s carcinogenicity. Phenacetin has been used as a cutting agent to adulterate cocaine in the UK and Canada, due to the similar physical properties.

Is phenacetin still used?

What was Vincent’s powder?

Analgesics and severe kidney disease For those of you not old enough to remember Bex and Vincent’s powders, they were painkillers that made a pleasant fizzy sound when put in a glass of water. You could go to the supermarket and there would be all these nice packets of the powders at the exit.

Why is Nialamide banned?

Nialamide (Niamid, Niamide, Nuredal, Surgex) is a non-selective, irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) of the hydrazine class that was used as an antidepressant. It was withdrawn by Pfizer several decades ago due to the risk of hepatotoxicity.

What does phenacetin look like?

Phenacetin is an odorless fine white crystalline solid with a lightly bitter taste.

Which medication has paracetamol?

Paracetamol is known as acetaminophen in the USA. Acetaminophen relieves mild-to-moderate pain, headache and fever. It is available as brand names such as Tylenol, Mapap or Panadol, and also as generics and store-specific brands.

Is iproniazid a drug?

Iproniazid, the first drug of the monoamine-oxidase inhibitor series to be introduced into medicine (1958). It was employed as an antidepressant until it was found to cause liver damage.