To get the relief that we need from minor pains or illnesses, like headache, toothache or cough and colds, we take over-the-counter medicines; for serious illnesses, like diabetes, heart ailment, and the likes, however, we rely on the drug a doctor will prescribe.
Perfectly safe and effective drugs can work wonders. Safe and effective, though, sometimes never go together for what may be safe for one, may serve as poison (or a cause of another type of illness) to another and what may just be the right dosage for one may not be enough for someone else.
Before drugs are made available in the market, it first needs to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. And, before approval by the FDA, the drug’s manufacturer first needs to show proofs that the drug has been tested and proven safe and effective for patient use.
Despite the extensive research and tests conducted by pharmaceutical experts, many drugs still get reported to the FDA as causing the development of more serious illnesses or causing death in some of those who use them. Many prescription drugs, as well as over-the-counter drugs, have been linked to either of the two or both. This may probably be due to any of the following reasons:
First, since the drug companies are the ones sponsoring the tests conducted on their medical products, they get the chance to keep the negative results detected from their drug and submit only the positive outcome of the tests to the FDA
Second, despite the real effectiveness and safeness of the drug, a patient’s immune system may not be strong enough to fight possible drug side-effects, the patient may have a medical health condition, or the patient may be taking another medication that counteracts with the new drug he or she is taking. This is why it is essentially important that doctors explain to their patients everything concerning the drug that they will prescribe; about the drug’s possible effects and what health condition and which medication will not work well with it.
Pharmaceutical companies, which have knowledge or come to know of their drug’s defects through reported cases, have the obligation to include in their drug’s prescription label the risk/s associated with using the medicine. Companies which negligently fail in their duty to inform consumers about the risks associated with using their medical product can be sought after by those harmed through the use of their drug to seek compensation from them for all the damages (present and future) resulting from use of the medicine.
As stated in the website of Crowe & Mulvey, LLP, millions of people in the United States rely on pharmaceutical products to regulate physical and mental conditions. If a pharmaceutical product negatively affects you or a loved one, then you might be due financial compensation by the pharmaceutical product’s manufacturer or distributor. A personal injury attorney can help you understand your legal options on this matter.