2005: The Year of Drug Recalls

In many ways, 2005 was a year of drug recalls, with many well known and high profile drugs being voluntary removed from sale or actively banned by the US government. This has resulted in a plethora of drug lawsuits and a huge scramble for clients as hungry lawyers begin to spot the potential for huge payouts from negligent drug companies.

The most high profile of drug recalls were for Vioxx (for treatment of arthritis) and Ephedrine (commonly used as weightless product), both of these products are no longer available to buy and a subject to a number of different lawsuits. Some of these have already been heard in a Federal court, however more will follow during 2006.

This has put the spotlight firmly on the pharmaceutical companies, as more and more drugs are investigated following safety concerns. Drug recalls usually happen as a result of evidence that suggests a certain drug can have a harmful effect in certain situations, in some recent cases it is alleged that some drugs have been responsible for heart attacks and strokes in patients.

It is very important not to get carried away by the hype and media attention that some drug recalls attract. If you are taking or have taken any drug that has been removed from sale, the most important step you should take is to consult your Medical Doctor. A Doctor is uniquely qualified to assess your health position and inform you of any potential risks, if they feel that you should have additional checks, they will arrange for this to happen. Do not stop taking any form of medication without consulting an MD first.

If you would like to know whether there has been any recent drug recalls, the best place to look is the US Food and Drug Administration web site. This is an authority on all of the recent product recalls and safety alerts. This site is updated regularly and is used by all of the media outlets as an original source for the very latest drug recalls and news.

Remember, if you have been impacted by any of the drug recalls, please consult a Medical Doctor for a medical appraisal.