Using general anesthetic and sedation drugs repeatedly or for longer than three hours may damage the developing brains of fetuses and children younger than 3 years old, according to a new safety warning issued by the FDA.

After reviewing the latest published studies, the agency announced that these warnings need to be added to the labels of these drugs. The agency also issued a Drug Safety Communication to inform health care providers, parents, and caregivers of the potential danger.

“We recognize that in many cases these exposures may be medically necessary, and these new data regarding the potential harms must be carefully weighed against the risk of not performing a specific medical procedure,” Janet Woodcock, MD, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

Read more at www.physiciansbriefing.com