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posted by chromas on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:20PM   Printer-friendly

Babies die after mums given Viagra in Dutch trial

A Viagra in pregnancy trial has been urgently stopped after 11 newborn babies died. Women taking part in the Dutch study had been given the anti-impotence tablets to improve growth of their unborn children because they had poorly developed placentas.

It appears the drug, which promotes blood flow, may have caused lethal damage to the babies' lungs. Experts say a full investigation is needed to understand what happened. There is no suggestion that there was any wrong-doing.

Earlier trials in the UK and Australia and New Zealand did not find any evidence of potential harm from the intervention. But they also found no benefit.

[...] Foetal growth restriction caused by an underdeveloped placenta is a serious condition that currently has no treatment. It can mean babies are born prematurely, with a very low birth weight and poor chances of survival. A medication that could improve weight or prolong the time to delivery could have significant advantages for these very sick babies.


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  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:27PM (6 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:27PM (#713106)

    What I understood from it is they decided to abort the trial before the mortality rate became statistically relevant. However they had indicators there was a chance it would.

    I feel like the article is a bit sensational. Could anyone with more knowledge then me shed some light on this? Although I have to admit I giggled at "abort the trial".

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:34PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:34PM (#713114)

    Although I have to admit I giggled at "abort the trial".

    Planned Parenthood are already looking into offering prescription free viagra for all.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:44PM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @02:44PM (#713120)

      [citation needed]

      • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @03:23PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @03:23PM (#713163)

        [citation needed]

        ^ doesn't get the "joke" [americamagazine.org]

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:46PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:46PM (#713336)

        -1 No Sense Of Humor

  • (Score: 2) by mobydisk on Thursday July 26 2018, @05:39PM (1 child)

    by mobydisk (5472) on Thursday July 26 2018, @05:39PM (#713243)

    They probably didn't need to prove that the drug was killing babies, they just needed to prove that it wasn't saving them at a statistically significant rate. Ex: If the chance of losing the child went from 50% to 49%, who wants to bother with that drug?

    • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday July 27 2018, @01:40AM

      by bob_super (1357) on Friday July 27 2018, @01:40AM (#713499)

      Daddy wants her to.