 17. Gastrointestinal abnormalities such as inability to take oral medication; requirement for intravenous alimentation; prior surgical procedures affecting absorption including total gastric resection; treatment for active peptic ulcer disease in the past 6 months; active gastrointestinal bleeding as evidenced by hematemesis, hematochezia or melena in the past 3 months without evidence of resolution documented by endoscopy or colonoscopy; malabsorption syndromes. 