FDA Pulls Darvon, Darvocet

The painkillers Darvon and Darvocet are being pulled off the prescription drug market because they can trigger potentially fatal heart rhythm abnormalities, CNN reports. The FDA requested that the drug behind both popular brands, propoxyphene, be yanked after a trial study found the side effect. "The drug's effectiveness in reducing pain is no longer enough to outweigh the drug's serious potential heart risks," says the FDA.

Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures Darvon and Darvocet, agreed to withdraw the drugs, and the FDA asked generic makers to do the same. "We recommend to physicians stop prescribing the drugs," says an FDA official. "As for patients, do not stop taking it, but we urge you to contact your health care professional. Do not delay." (More FDA stories.)