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Visicol FDA Alerts

The FDA Alerts below may be specifically about Visicol or relate to a group or class of drugs which include Visicol.

MedWatch Safety Alerts are distributed by the FDA and published by Drugs.com. Following is a list of possible medication recalls, market withdrawals, alerts and warnings.

Recent FDA Alerts for Visicol

Oral Sodium Phosphate (OSP) Products for Bowel Cleansing (marketed as Visicol and OsmoPrep, and oral sodium phosphate products available without a prescription)

[Posted 12/11/2008] FDA has become aware of reports of acute phosphate nephropathy, a type of acute kidney injury, associated with the use of oral sodium phosphate products (OSP) for bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy or other procedures. These products include the prescription products, Visicol and OsmoPrep, and OSPs available over-the-counter without a prescription as laxatives (e.g., Fleet Phospho-soda). In some cases when used for bowel cleansing, these serious adverse events have occurred in patients without identifiable factors that would put them at risk for developing acute kidney injury.

FDA is requiring the manufacturer of Visicol and OsmoPrep, the two OSPs available by prescription only, to add a Boxed Warning to the labeling for these products. FDA is also requiring that the manufacturer develop and implement a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS), which will include a Medication Guide, to ensure that the benefits of these products outweigh the risk of acute phosphate nephropathy, and to conduct a postmarketing clinical trial to further assess the risk of acute kidney injury with use of these products. FDA recommends, in light of the risk of acute phosphate nephropathy, over-the-counter laxative OSP products should not be used for bowel cleansing. Consumers should only use OSPs for bowel cleansing pursuant to a prescription from a healthcare professional.


Oral Sodium Phosphate (OSP) Products for Bowel Cleansing

[Posted 05/05/2006] FDA notified healthcare professionals and consumers of reports of acute phosphate nephropathy, a type of acute renal failure, that is a rare, but serious adverse event associated with the use of oral sodium phosphates (OSP) for bowel cleansing.  Documented cases of acute phosphate nephropathy include 21 patients who used an OSP solution (such as Fleet  Phospho-soda or Fleet ACCU-PREP) and one patient who used OSP tablets (Visicol). Individuals at increased risk of acute phosphate nephropathy include: those of advanced age, those with kidney disease or decreased intravascular volume, and those using medicines that affect renal perfusion or function [diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and possibly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)]. Recommendations were offered for providers and patients when choosing and using a bowel cleanser.

[May 05, 2006 - Drug Information Page - FDA]

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