Drug Recalls
Published: 11/06/2009 by TC
Drug Recalls
The Food and Drug Administration, often referred to as the FDA, is the agency responsible for announcing drug recalls in the United States. The FDA is charged with determining when and if a recall needs to be made, and drug manufacturers are then supposed to do everything they can to inform the public and their customers about news of the recall so that additional people aren't hurt or killed. Drug recalls happen when a drug that was originally deemed to be safe is discovered to cause serious illness in the people who take it. Many times, drug recalls result in major class action and individual lawsuits from those who have suffered ill effects due to the drug.
Finding Out About Drug Recalls
If you take any type of medication - whether it be a prescription medicine, an herbal supplement, a vitamin or anything of that nature - it is imperative that you constantly be aware of whether or not a recall has occurred. Recalls can be announced for any number of reasons; most commonly, they are issued because the drug itself is determined to be unsafe. However, drug recalls are sometimes initiated when a single batch of a drug has been compromised. Either way, it's critical to be aware of when these announcements are made.
Most people learn about drug recalls through reading newspapers or online news sites. Others find out about drug recalls from watching the evening news on television. The best way to guarantee that you know when a recall is announced by the FDA is by signing up for email alerts from the FDA. Although the vast majority of the emails you receive won't apply to you, those that do will help protect your health and keep you abreast of current developments. It's the quickest, most foolproof way of keeping track of which drugs are being recalled.
What To Do If Your Drug Is Recalled
The first thing you should do when a drug recall is issued for a medication that you take is to quit taking it immediately. If instructions are given along with the recall, follow them. For instance, if a request is made for bottles of the drug to be returned to local pharmacies, then try your best to comply. The next thing you should do after discontinuing use and following any instructions is to learn more about why the recall was issued - and whether you've been experiencing any of the potentially life threatening symptoms.
If the recalled drug has been causing you symptoms similar to those listed in the recall, you might need to participate in a class action lawsuit. Otherwise, you might even want to initiate a lawsuit all on your own. The course of action you decide to take will be largely determined by the severity of your symptoms and many complex legal factors. The best way to navigate your way through those murky waters is with the help of an experienced attorney; look for one who specializes in drug recalls, if possible.
