Steroid warnings sought on prescription drugs

Tuesday, May 18, 1999 | 12:20 p.m.

CARSON CITY -- An Assembly committee Monday approved a resolution calling on Congress to require warning labels on drugs containing steroids.

Leslie Ortega, founder of the Steroid Warning Network in Las Vegas, said, "We have the right to know when a shot, a prescription or an over-the-counter drug contains steroids."

Most of the steroid substance under discussion is found in skin creams. And prolonged use may lead to hypertension, skin problems, depression, diabetes and arthritis, Ortega's group says.

The resolution estimated that 250,000 people have contacted Cushing's syndrome from prolonged use of steroids. Cushing's syndrome can damage every system in the body.

Assembly Joint Resolution 24 was introduced by Assemblywoman Genie Ohrenschall, who said, "Medications containing steroids can be extremely effective, but when safeguards are ignored, they can have devastating side effects.

"Often people are unaware of the potential dangers and may not even be aware that the product they are taking contains steroids. Doctors and pharmacists don't always give adequate warning."

These are different cases from athletes who knowingly use steroids to build their body strength.

Ortega told the Assembly Health and Human Resources Committee that she suffered from the side effects of steroids for four years. She said she was hit with various ailments and her "physical appearance was too hideous to look at."

The resolution gained support from Larry Matheis, executive director of the Nevada State Medical Association, an organization of doctors. He said the steroids are most prevalent in creams to cure rashes, half of which contain steroids as an active agent.

Steroid therapy is used to treat many illness including colitis, lupus, asthma, rheumatic fever and allergies. Prescription medicines that contain steroid ingredients include nasal sprays, eye drops, bronchial inhalers, skin creams, ointments and lotions.

The resolutions asks Congress to require the manufacturer to include on the package the percentage of each steroid contained in the product, the possible adverse reactions and the smallest dosage judged to be effective.