In Brief: Lindane lice treatment
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Lindane lice treatment: FDA is recommending that lindane, an insecticide used in prescription-only lice treatments, be used only as a second-line therapy in patients who have failed or are intolerant to other pediculicides. The agency's recommendation follows an investigation of charges that lindane might cause neurological damage in children. FDA concluded in an April 3 "Talk Paper" that lindane is "generally safe and effective when used according to the approved directions," but said excessive doses of lindane lotion or shampoo can be "harmful." Labeling for lindane-containing products will be adapted to reflect the recommendation. In June, the Public Citizen's Health Research Group petitioned FDA to ban lindane-containing products and to recommend OTC permethrin and pyrethrin products as alternatives...