Teldane, a hay-fever drug, featured in ARTL (page 294), has been recently withdrawn in the United States. The drug has been linked to potentially fatal heart rhythm problems and potentially a risk to people with liver disease (among other things). In New Zealand it was re-classified from a pharmacy-only medicine to a restricted medicine in 1995, warning statements were also added. The Health Ministry is reviewing the decision to see if further regulatory action is needed.

(Sunday Star-Times, 18 January 1998, page A7)

This table shows some of the diseases that have been transferred to humans from other species. More diseases could jump the species gap via the use of animal material in vaccines, organ transplants and transgenic foods. (Table taken from Sunday Star-Times, December 14, 1997)