title: Antisecretory drugs. Safe and effective?
abstract: Surveillance of takers of the antisecretory drug cimetidine has failed to reveal any disturbing trends. This pattern is reassuring but the difficulties of detecting drug-induced disease mimicking ordinary community complaints deserve emphasis. Experience since the surveillance study began has not revealed any disturbing trends. Observed mortality rates have fallen to match population expectation, both for ordinary disease and for cancer. The pattern is generally reassuring and suggests that significant drug-induced disease is not being missed. Nevertheless the ability of this or any other surveillance study to detect drug-induced illness mimicking ordinary disease is likely to be low.
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham, Medical School, Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Langman
mesh_terms: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists