Most Houston residents take a prescription drug at some point in their life. These drugs are necessary in order to recover from an illness, cure a disease or maintain a person’s health. We take these medications because medical providers have told us that they will help. And, fortunately, most of the time the drugs do help. But occasionally they do not help; instead, they cause unintended side effects and even death.
There are some facts and statistics regarding drugs in American that most people don’t know. First, most Americans take some kind of drug. Over 80 percent of Americans are taking some kind of medication. But many of these medications have been recalled (at least one drug is recalled each month). These recalled drugs could cause serious injury or even death to unsuspecting consumers.
Second, the risk of adverse drug effects caused by drugs will most likely be rising. An adverse drug effect is when a person is harmed in some way by a drug they are taking. Because there are so many drugs being developed by drug companies, these drugs don’t always receive the testing and analysis that they should. Older medications that have been on the market for years may also be used for new conditions without being fully tested. With all of these reasons, people now have an increased risk of being harmed by a drug.
If someone believes they have been harmed by a medication, they may want to speak with a legal professional skilled in drugs and medical devices. An attorney can review the medical circumstances surrounding the injury and help determine who should be held accountable. Drug companies can be held responsible for their negligence and victims may receive compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages.