Many Houston residents take medication. Sometimes prescription drugs are necessary to maintain a person’s health and help combat diseases and other sicknesses. Prescription medication is a lifesaver and every year, drug companies come out with more and more medications designed to help. Many consumers opt to take a generic version of medication that they were prescribed. But are these generic medications safe?
There are many prescription medications that have a generic equivalent and many consumers choose the generic because the price is much cheaper. Generic drugs offer consumers the same active ingredients as name-brand versions but at a better price. Roughly 80 percent of prescription medication sold in the U.S. is generic. But there can be a safety issue with generic drugs.
Generic drugs are required to carry the same safety label as their name-brand equivalents. Many times a dangerous drug is not identified until it’s been on the market for years. This means that the generic drug may be dangerous as well, but the label on the medication has not been updated to warn consumers. Also, many times when a generic drug hits the market, the name brand drug is pulled, which means a safety label is never updated. This lapse in safety warnings can cause serious injuries to consumers.
Consumers may be facing unnecessary risks from generic medication because of the lack of updated safety labeling. Dangerous drug side effects can cause serious injuries, long-term medical side effects and even death.
A person who believes they suffered from a defective drug may want to speak with an attorney who has experience dealing with these issues. An attorney can review medical records and determine what happened to cause the injury. When a dangerous or mislabeled drug causes injuries, compensation may be available for medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages.
