MEDIA STATEMENT
21st December 2006

FDA LABEL WARNINGS

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has recently proposed increased warnings on a range of painkillers including aspirin. They believe that the public should be more aware that for people over 60 in particular, side effects can be more severe. They refer to gastric side effects which they point out are more likely in people who have had prior ulcers or bleeding, those taking blood thinning agents and people taking NSAIDs with alcohol and for longer than recommended.

The Aspirin Foundation cooperates with regulatory authorities worldwide and in Europe the equivalent body, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) recently reassured the public that aspirin among other analgesic products is safe when used according to the label directions. The Aspirin Foundation believes that responsible use of aspirin over more than 100 years has provided immense benefits.



- ends -