Warning for Those Who Use Sleep Aids

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has slapped a tough new warning label on prescription medications such as Zolpidem, Eszopiclone, and Zaleplon. The move was in response to 66 cases of patients engaging in dangerous behaviors due to daytime drowsiness the day after use, of which a third resulted in fatalities related to carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, falls, hypothermia, or motor vehicle accidents. FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless adds, “We recognize that millions of Americans suffer from insomnia and rely on these drugs to help them sleep better at night… while these incidents are rare, they are serious and it’s important that patients and healthcare professionals are aware of the risk.” Food and Drug Administration, April 2019