New Rxing info for carbamazepine agreed

The US Food and Drug Administration says that the manufacturers of drugs containing the active ingredient carbamazepine have agreed to add to the products' labeling a recommendation that, before starting therapy, patients with Asian ancestry get a genetic blood test that can identify a significantly increased risk of developing a rare, but serious, skin reaction.

Carbamazepine is a drug used for treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and neuropathic pain. It is sold under the brand names Carbatrol (by Shire Pharmaceuticals), Equetro (by Validus Pharmaceuticals) and Tegretol (by Novartis).