Xarelto is a blood thinning medication marketed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Xarelto was designed to be an alternative medication to Warfarin, which is used to treat blood clots. Xarelto is FDA approved to: reduce the risk of stroke for those with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and prevent blood clots from forming after knee and hip replacement surgeries. The FDA already warns that Xarelto may lead to an increased risk of blood clots with premature discontinuation of therapy, or a risk of spinal hematomas, resulting in paralysis in certain patients. Recently, Xarelto has also been linked to cases of internal bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, brain bleeding, and even death.
Invokana is an SGLT2 inhibitor used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors help to remove excess sugar through a patient’s urine, keeping blood sugar low. Like Xarelto, Invokana is marketed and distributed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The FDA has recently issued a warning that Invokana has been linked to cases of ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is a condition in which a patient has too much acid in his or her blood. Ketoacidosis in diabetes patients can lead to difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, fatigue, and unusual sleepiness. It can also lead to coma and even death.
Talcum powder is found in many everyday products such as baby powder and adult body and facial powder. However, a recent study published by the Cancer Prevention Research Journal has found that using talc powder in the genital area leads to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. In fact, regular use of talcum powder causes an estimated 2,200 cases of ovarian cancer diagnoses each year. Unfortunately, ovarian cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer. This is because the symptoms are often vague, leading to missed diagnoses until the cancer has progressed to a later stage or spread to a more detectable area. 20,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. One out of every 70 women will be diagnosed with the disease. However, with regular use of talcum powder, those odds increase to one in every 50 women. An estimated 1,500 women will die in the next year as a result of talcum powder use. A jury has recently found that Johnson & Johnson knew of the cancer risks, but failed to warn consumers.