Getting your player ready...
WASHINGTON — A group of federal health experts narrowly voted to expand approval of a best-selling antidepressant Thursday for use in treating pain, though panelists said the drug is only effective on certain types of pain.
The Food and Drug Administration is considering whether to broaden approval of Eli Lilly & Co.’s Cymbalta to treat chronic pain, an indication that encompasses more than 30 million U.S. patients.
The FDA’s panel of outside physicians voted 8-6 in favor of the broader indication, though the panel separately ruled that the drug did not appear effective for arthritis-related pain.
The FDA gives weight to the panel’s recommendations but is not required to follow them.
