In December 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black box warning on OSP products, specifically Salix’s OsmoPrep and its similar drug Visicol, after receiving numerous reports of a serious kidney injury occurring after use of the products. The injury is known as acute phosphate nephropathy. Those most at risk of developing the serious kidney injury are the elderly and those with preexisting kidney problems, however some people with no risk factors have fallen ill from OSPs. An FDA black box warning is the most serious warning the FDA can issue and is placed on products that carry a risk of severe adverse events or death.

Following the FDA warning, over-the-counter OSP solutions such as Fleet Phospho-Soda made by C.B. Fleet, were pulled from store shelves. While the FDA says the products are safe when used in lower doses as a laxative, in higher doses the solutions posed the same risk as the prescription OSP products.

Source: CNN

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › Lawsuits citing kidney injury from OsmoPrep commence

Pauly Polyp, developed by Theda Care, uses humor and a bit of attitude to convince people age 50 and older to get a colonoscopy. When you enter the site, aptly titled “I Don’t Want A Colonoscopy,” you enter “Excuse Central.” Just type in an excuse and Pauly Polyp sympathizes, but then offers a helpful tip, “Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Schedule your colonoscopy today and kick colorectal cancer in the end.”

If you need to convince a loved one to get screened, consider sending him a Pauly Polyp e-card:

You spend a lot of time
In the bathroom anyway.
Get a colonoscopy.

Though the cards are humorous, they drive home the message that having colonoscopies are critically important.

Want a more intimate relationship with Pauly Polyp? Friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.  As one Pauly Polyp fan writes, “If you are faced with the colonoscopy, don’t sweat it. The day before sucks. The procedure itself is a breeze.”

The fan is right. Colonoscopies are generally safe procedures, but do keep in mind that some risks have been associated with some products used to cleanse the bowel prior to colonoscopy. These products, known as oral sodium phosphates, or OSPs, are available by prescription under the brand names Visicol or OsmoPrep, and were available over-the-counter in solution from by Fleet. Earlier this year the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black box warning on OSPs after studies linked the use of the products to a serious kidney injury known as acute phosphate nephropathy.

Just make sure to talk to your doctor about the risks, and your concerns.

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › Pauly Polyp encourages regular colon screenings

Many colon cleansing products claim to produce rapid weight loss, but studies have shown that the weight loss from colon cleansing is from fasting and water loss, not the melting away of fat that would be most beneficial. Along with water loss, Endyke says, “is a risk of electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, and a weakening of the colon muscle from stimulant laxatives, resulting in a dependence on the product for regular bowel movements.”

In some cases, use of colon cleansing products can be dangerous to your health. Earlier this year the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its sternest safety warning for prescription oral phosphate drugs used to cleanse the bowel before procedures such as colonoscopies after receiving numerous reports of a rare but serious form of kidney failure, known as acute phosphate nephropathy or nephrocalcinosis, among patients who used the drugs. The prescription drugs that fell under the warning include Visicol and OsmoPrep.

That warning translated to a concern about over-the-counter laxatives such as Fleet Phospha-soda made by C.B. Fleet. While considered safe for use in low doses to treat occasional constipation, the products have been recommended for use in larger doses by doctors for patients prior to procedures. Colon cleansing enthusiasts have also turned to the products, and the FDA has raised concerns about the safety of those products. As a result, C.B. Fleet has pulled those products from store shelves and has made them available by prescription only.

Endyke says the body has an elaborate defense and removal system that involves not only the gastrointestinal system but also the skin, immune system, kidneys and liver that work to ride the body of natural and synthetic chemicals we ingest daily. Her suggestion for keeping your colon clean – “eating several fruits and good portions of vegetables, as well as cereal fibers, and whole grains daily.”

Source: Taunton Daily Gazette

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › Colon cleansing products may be hazardous to your health