According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of U.S. residents take at least one prescription drug and almost a quarter take three or more prescription drugs.
Unfortunately, many prescription drugs come with a wide range of side effects that can be major or minor and sometimes prescription drugs are downright dangerous.
But how do you know if what you are experiencing from a prescription drug is a side effect or your drug is defective? It is sometimes challenging to tell if the harm you experience is from a defective drug or simply moderate to severe side effects.
A drug can have serious side effects without being considered defective. Side effects can make a drug risky without making it defective or dangerous.
However, when a prescription drug has many severe and potentially fatal side effects that outweigh any benefits, the drug could be considered defective. The key is to determine how the drug is affecting you.
Symptoms of dangerous drugs
The following are some examples of symptoms that can stem from a defective drug:
- Blood clots
- Cancer
- Heart attack
- Infections
- Seizures
- Stroke
As you can see, these are major health events that can be life-threatening. Any changes or impact to your vital organs, such as the heart, liver, kidneys or brain could be a sign that the problem is not a side effect, but a defective drug.
Whenever you start taking a new drug, monitor any changes to your health closely. Document any changes and symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if the symptoms become too severe or you suffer a serious medical event, such as a stroke or seizure.
If a doctor determines that your symptoms are from a defective drug, you must identify the specific defect. This can be difficult.
Figuring out what caused the danger
There are many ways a drug could be defective. The drug manufacturer might have failed to do proper clinical trials when designing the drug or there could have been errors in the manufacturing process.
The drug could have been mislabeled or your pharmacist may have failed to adequately warn you about the possible dangers of using the drugs.
Some drugs should not be taken by people with certain conditions. For example, if you have epilepsy, you might need to avoid drugs that could trigger seizures. A doctor or pharmacist might incorrectly prescribe you this type of drug if they did not thoroughly review your medical history.
The consequences of a dangerous prescription drug may be more serious than you initially believe and the costs can quickly add up. You might end up with high medical bills, lost wages and a lower quality of life because of the dangerous drug.
Navigating the legal process in a dangerous drug case can be complicated and stressful. You may not have the energy or ability to handle it yourself, which is why it is important to have guidance. The compensation you receive from a defective drug claim can help you focus on healing and moving forward.
