Shares of drug maker Cephalon fell sharply on Thursday following warnings from the company that three people had died from improper use of a powerful painkiller intended for cancer patients, reported The Associated Press. Cephalon told doctors in letters sent Monday that the fatalities were caused by errors in prescribing the drug, Fentora, to non-cancer patients _ two of whom were being treated for headaches. The letters were posted online Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration, which approved Fentora last year to treat intense bursts of pain experienced by cancer patients already taking more conventional painkillers. Cephalon is one of several drug companies under investigation by Congress for allegedly promoting its drugs for uses not approved by the FDA. Doctors are allowed to prescribe medications for any use they deem appropriate, though companies are only allowed to market products for uses approved by the government. A company representative said the deaths were not linked to allegations that Cephalon improperly promoted the drug for so-called off-label use.
