Pharmaceutical drug recalls and the FDA

When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a pharmaceutical medication, the clinical data from which the determination is made comes from studies submitted by the pharmaceutical companies. By its definition as a regulatory agency, the FDA does not conduct its own studies. Drug companies, such as in the case of Merck’s recall of its drug Vioxx, have been found to misrepresent data in order to ensure market readiness of their product. When manufacturers fail to test drugs adequately, users of the drug may experience side effects that cause injury or death. Each year, thousands of Americans are injured or killed as the result of taking dangerous prescription drugs. Once the FDA gets sufficient data that a drug may be unsafe, it will then be recalled, but not until it is too late for many people. The average time on the shelf between approval and FDA recall was five years. There is no telling how many unsafe drugs are currently on the market waiting to be discovered.

If you are currently taking a FDA recalled drug medication, do not stop or alter your dosage. Contact your doctor immediately about the risks and benefits associated with your prescription.