Were You Harmed by a Defective Prescription Medication?

 Posted on July 07,2022 in Defective Products

When a doctor prescribes a medication, it is because she thinks that its potential benefits outweigh the risks associated with that medication. Prescription medications must be approved by the Federal Drug Administration, which should have conducted extensive studies to ensure that the drug is safe. However, both doctors and the FDA sometimes fail to consider the long-term effects of a medication. A drug may carry risks that were not discovered during the FDA’s shorter-term studies. Or, doctors may fail to consider how medication could impact an existing health issue. Either way, there is a chance that a new illness you or your deceased family member developed was caused by prescription medication. If this is the case, you may be entitled to recover compensation for damage caused by a defective drug.

How do I Know if My Illness or My Relative’s Death Was Caused by a Defective Drug?

Sadly, many people who have been harmed by a defective drug never uncover the cause. Some even continue taking the drug that is causing harm without realizing that their prescription is making them sick or damaging their mental health. If you develop a new health issue after starting a new prescription medication, it is worth looking into whether the two could be linked.

Common types of medication that cause harm include:

• Blood thinners - Too high a dose can cause internal bleeding or excessive external bleeding, which may be life-threatening.
• Antidepressants - Counterintuitively, a common side effect of many common antidepressants is suicidality. When a doctor fails to properly monitor a patient who is taking antidepressants - particularly Paxil - a suicide attempt or completed suicide could follow.
• NSAIDs - Common prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications including Celebrex and Bextra can cause heart attack or stroke. Keterolac (toradol) can cause severe kidney damage if used for too long.
• Hormonal birth control - Hormonal birth control, including the pill, the implant, and IUDs, can all increase your risk of a blood clot. Patients should be screened for other risk factors before being prescribed a hormonal form of birth control.

Another sign that you may have been harmed by a defective drug is if you develop an unexplained health issue that does not run in your family or that did not exist before you started taking the drug. For example, if no one in your family has ever had cancer, and you find out that you have it a year after starting a new medication, there could be a link. Our attorneys can help you determine whether there may be a link.

Consult a Lake County Defective Drug Lawyer

Salvi & Maher, LLP is committed to helping people who have been harmed by a dangerous medication recover compensation. Our knowledgeable Waukegan defective drug lawyers will conduct a full investigation into the cause of your health problems to determine if a drug company or doctor could be liable. Call us at 847-662-3303 to begin with a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/birth-control-and-blood-clots