Millions of Americans rely on prescription drugs to maintain health and wellbeing. Fortunately, the country’s regulations on these drugs keep most consumers safe and worry-free, but nevertheless there are some drugs that slip through the cracks. Texas, along with the rest of the U.S., follows general safety procedures in regards to dispensing and distributing prescription drugs. When a patient goes through a negative experience with a prescription and did not receive warning of the risks, they may decide to take legal action.
Nonprofit organization Livestrong released an article last August that contains some of the most dangerous prescription drugs. Among the list were Prednisone, Prozac, pain killers, beta blockers and other widely used prescriptions. Although successful in short-term treatment of poison ivy, Prednisone could welcome health disorders if used for long durations of time. Warnings regarding Prozac touch on risks for akathasia, or constant agitation. Pain killers may seem an apparent danger — especially with today’s opioid epidemic — but patients across the country suffer from extreme addiction, which can become life-threatening. Beta blockers raise another red flag: according to Livestrong, these drugs that help lower blood pressure could backfire and cause cardiac problems.
The continually changing list of dangerous presription drugs can certainly be overwhelming. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration works to protect American citizens from potential harms that drugs could cause; this is where the Current Good Manufacturing Practice enters the picture. Otherwise known as CGMP, this practice ensures the appropriate identification of drugs, as well as their strength, quality and purity. Companies must adhere to CGMP regulations by maintaining strong management systems, overseeing raw materials, establishing reliable procedures and carrying out proper inspection on all materials. Yet it is not enough to merely follow these guidelines, as pharmaceutical companies also must properly train employees and maintain sufficient equipment. The FDA also assures the public that if a company does not follow these regulations, they can seek assistance from healthcare professionals to confirm that a prescription is free of potentially harmful side effects.