When patients here in Texas are prescribed medicine from their doctors, they trust that it is safe to consume. However, there are times when even the doctor may not realize that the medication may be harmful to patients. Defective drugs can have serious consequences to the patients that use them, some of them life-altering. This is what some people may be experiencing after the Food and Drug Administration warned that three different heartburn medications may cause cancer.
The drugs apparently contain a carcinogen known as nitrosodimethylamine. The FDA sent out notices about the impurity found in three different heartburn drugs from different drug manufacturers. Denton Pharma, Inc., Mylan Pharmaceuticals and Appco Pharma LLC have all issued recalls of specific lots of drugs due to the increased cancer risk posed to consumers.
So far, no one has reported any negative incidents relating to the drugs to any of the companies. Officials say that anyone using the drugs affected should stop doing so and speak with a medical provider to determine the best course of action going forward. This isn’t the only recent incident of NDMA being found in medication, as another company had to recall drugs with the impurity just last fall.
If someone who had taken these drugs ended up being diagnosed with cancer as a direct result, it is impossible to understate how devastating that could be. Patients shouldn’t have to worry that the medication they take could endanger their lives. If a company failed to take proper precautions to prevent defective drugs from making it to market, it should be held responsible. An attorney here in Texas who specializes in these types of personal injury claims can help patients understand their rights and available legal options.