More than 1,000 people died from overdoses of the painkiller fentanyl created in illegal laboratories during a two-year span, according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A federal investigation began after a cluster of deaths was reported in Chicago and New Jersey two years ago. By 2006 more clusters were identified in Philadelphia, Detroit and other cities. The CDC found 1,013 deaths nationally between April 2005 and March 2007, peaking in June 2006

Prescription painkiller fentanyl has been recalled in the U.S. and Canada after manufacturers said that certain defects may cause leaks that can lead to fatal overdoses.

Its manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and Novartis AG's Sandoz voluntarily recalled patches in the U.S. and Canada that release 25 micrograms of fentanyl in an hour with expiration dates on or before December 2009

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has called on all manufacturers of fentanyl patches to update patient-friendly information amid reports that thousands of people accidentally die due to

<p>The urgent call came as FDA continues to receive complaints about the apparent life threatening side effects, that sometimes even lead to deaths, of fentanyl patches among patients

The United States government, through the Food and Drug Administration, has issued a safety warning concerning Duragesic skin patch, a product of pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson. It has alleged life threatening effects if a physician prescribes the drug for uses that are not appropriate.

The warning came following reports that Duragesic has dangerous effects to end users and even causes deaths "if wrongly prescribed by doctors and incorrectly used by patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning Wednesday about the potentially deadly misuse and fatal risk associated with the improper use of Cephalon's pain drug Fentora.

Fentora, a strong narcotic painkiller is approved by FDA to treat intense breakthrough pain in cancer patients who can take narcotic pain medicines around the clock. Such intense pain increases in bursts with rapid onset even when pain-control medication is being used