The lawsuit claimed that Par marketed the product as effective for this use, despite having conducted no well-controlled studies to support a claim of greater efficacy for Megace ES, and prior knowledge of the severe adverse side effects for geriatric patients, including deep vein thrombosis, toxic reactions with impaired renal function, and mortality. Society and culture
Generic names
Megestrol acetate is the generic name of the drug and its INNM, USAN, USP, and BANM, while megestrol is the INN and BAN and mégestrol the DCF of megestrol, the free alcohol form of MGA. The medication is also known by its developmental code names BDH-1298, NSC-71423, and SC-10363. Brand names
MGA is marketed under a variety of brand names throughout the world but is most commonly sold under the brand name Megace. It is also available under the brand name Megace ES in the United States and under the brand name Megace OS in Canada. For use in veterinary medicine, MGA is sold as Ovaban in the United States and as Ovarid in the United Kingdom. Availability
MGA is available widely throughout the world, including in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, elsewhere throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Asia, and a few African countries. It does not appear to be marketed in Germany, Russia, South Africa, Japan, India, or Mexico, among other countries. Generation
Progestins in birth control pills are sometimes grouped by generation.
In addition, MGA was marketed for veterinary use in dogs in 1969 in the United Kingdom and in 1974 in the United States.Progesterone was first found to be effective in the treatment of endometrial hyperplasia in 1951, and progestins were first found to be effective in the treatment of endometrial cancer in 1959. MGA was reported to be effective in the treatment of endometrial hyperplasia in the mid-1960s. It first started to be studied as a treatment for endometrial cancer in 1967, with findings published in 1973. MGA was reportedly introduced for the treatment of endometrial cancer in the United States in 1971. Progesterone was studied in the treatment of breast cancer in 1951 and 1952, but with relatively modest results. MGA was first studied in the treatment of breast cancer in 1967, and was one of the first progestins to be evaluated for the treatment of this disease. A second study was conducted in 1974. A "breakthrough" and surge of interest in progestins for breast cancer occurred in 1978 when a study using a massive dosage of medroxyprogesterone acetate to treat breast cancer was published. A third study of MGA for breast cancer was published in 1980, and this was followed by additional studies in the 1980s and beyond. MGA was approved for the treatment of breast cancer in the United States by at least 1983.Progestogens, including progesterone and ethisterone, were studied in the treatment prostate cancer in 1949. MGA was first studied in the treatment of prostate cancer in 1970.