The alleged “common expression from physicians who have tried this remedy” does not constitute acceptable evidence of the value of the preparation.
The Council declared Westerfield’s Digitalis Tablets inadmissible to New and Nonofficial Remedies because unwarranted therapeutic claims are made for this product.
When the preceding report was submitted to the Westerfield Pharmacal Co., a reply was received indicating that the firm did not know that progressive manufacturers had discontinued the claim that “fat free” digitalis preparations were devoid of gastric effects. It also submitted a revised circular, which, however, reiterated the claim that the tablet presented a distinct advance in digitalis therapy in that it was “fat free,” and coated to prevent disintegration in the stomach.
Since tincture of digitalis and extract of digitalis are practically devoid of fatty material, and since it is now well known that the fat does not cause gastric disturbance and that therapeutic doses of digitalis do not exert a local irritant action on the stomach, the manufacturer’s product and the claims made for it merely tend to perpetuate old errors.
The Council declared Westerfield’s Digitalis Tablets inadmissible to New and Nonofficial Remedies on the ground that this presents an unessential modification of pills of an official substance. It directed publication of its report with this explanation.—(From Reports of Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, 1918, p. 75)
XEROFORM-HEYDEN AND BISMUTH TRIBROMPHENATE-MERCK OMITTED FROM N. N. R.
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
The Council has authorized publication of the following report on Bismuth Tribromphenate-Merck and Xeroform-Heyden. These two products were found not to comply with the standards for bismuth tribromphenate adopted for New and Nonofficial Remedies, and hence could not be retained. As the manufacturers of both products announce that efforts toward the production of a satisfactory product are continued, the omission of the two brands is without prejudice to their reacceptance when a satisfactory product becomes available.
W. A. Puckner, Secretary.