Defective Drugs
It is estimated that Americans spend a staggering $200 billion each year on prescription drugs. The pharmaceutical industry maintains that the high prices they charge are necessary to fund research and development for new and better products. This simply is not true. The vast bulk of their profits are funneled into marketing efforts, to sell ever more expensive drugs of dubious benefit. The industry uses its vast wealth and power to influence Congress and regulatory bodies, resulting in less and less effective oversight. As a result, your interests as a consumer and a patient may at times be compromised. There is an alarming trend, especially in the last decade, where “new” drugs are fast tracked for FDA approval, but little consideration is given to the possibility that this “short cutting” of the approval process increases the risk of harm to the patient.
These questions are always complex. Examples of drugs that have caused serious harm and death are piling up. Certainly we are all familiar with concerns over Vioxx, Celebrex and other COX-2 inhibitors that have apparently caused strokes and heart attacks at an alarming rate. Similar concerns have surfaced recently as to “off label” use of Procrit or Aranesp, drugs frequently used to treat anemia in cancer patients. And long standing estrogen use, known as hormone replacement therapy, has dramatically increased cancer rates and heart disease among women.
Other examples would be drugs such as Prozac and Zoloft, anti-depressants that may bring about an increase in suicidal tendencies, especially when prescribed for adolescents.
Such risks may be disclosed by the manufacturer or doctor, but may be not. If they were disclosed there may be a question as to adequacy of the warning or disclosure. Where you have reason to question whether you or a loved one has been harmed by the medication prescribed, in a manner that you did not anticipate or understand, then you should seek legal assistance in exploring the issue. Our firm would welcome the opportunity to investigate your concerns and represent you in such litigation if the facts warrant.