NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Drug Makers, FDA Defend Ibuprofen

Makers of ibuprofen medicines disputed conclusions of medical experts who claim a 12-patient study by doctors from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore indicates over-the-counter doses of the painkiller may cause kidney failure in high-risk people. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. In addition, Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman Bonnie Aikman said consumers have no cause for alarm about taking over-the-counter ibuprofen, as long as they read the label telling them to contact a doctor if they experience any unusual symptoms.